 seekers with a disability to 80 new locations across Australia. This is a fantastic achievement when you think about how our employment services have evolved over the past 20 years.
One of the messages I’ve been reinforcing recently is while we are a not-for-profit organisation, however, more accurately, we are a ‘profit for purpose’ organisation.
MatchWorks will operate from a total of 150 sites and have more than 850 staff.
Every part of our organisation benefits from the great work of our Employment Services division, and the amount of positive change genU has created for people with a disability is remarkable.
In 1998, MatchWorks began with eight staff in Geelong and Bacchus Marsh, with other small outreach offices in Werribee and Melton. Karingal had been providing disability employment assistance through SupportWorks since 1992, but the establishment of MatchWorks provided a platform to deliver under the new funding arrangements, following the privatisation of the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES). Through best practice and strategic growth, MatchWorks has expanded its services to every state except the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Employment Services Group (ESG) and St Laurence MyWORK have been excellent additions to MatchWorks’ services, and, as a result, we have a new crew of energised staff kicking goals right across the country.
Making a profit is important and enables us to invest in our vision of building inclusive communities.
in Year 8, and, as a result, she experienced severe anxiety.
Outgoing, happy, motivated, goal-orientated and dedicated is how Indi describes herself, demonstrating her own resilience to be positive, even when it feels like things are not going the way you had planned.
In the three years that followed leaving school, Indi worked in various jobs from the age of fourteen. But after a seven-month stint of unemployment, fruitlessly applying for jobs and approaching employment agencies, Indi was left feeling like nobody was able to help her.
The completion of a Tasting Plate Course with genU Training in Bendigo was the beginning of a love for the hospitality industry. The course included a Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA), Basic Coffee Making, Customer Service and Food Handling.
AGED CARE AND LIFESTYLE SERVICES Keeping as active as you can, staying as independent as possible and remaining connected to your community. At genU we know this is important to you. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about building quality supports so you can retain your independence and live life your way. So go on, give us a call today.
A bit of a backyard blitz never goes astray, and this was the case when almost one hundred Deakin volunteers helped transform the gardens and grounds of Lara’s St Laurence Park retirement village. Deakin’s facilities team organised all the materials for the makeover (including roofing, rocks and fertiliser) as an inkind donation and the final result was sensational. The village now features a rock wall showcasing the entrance, raised garden beds and extensive landscaping. Even the outdoor furniture, built from scratch on-site, was made by Deakin. An outdoor amphitheatre was the pièce de résistance, which can now be used for outdoor concerts and social events. Mike McKinstry, genU CEO, said Deakin’s team made an outstanding contribution to St Laurence Park. “We do a lot of community events but the scale of this is just tremendous. Almost one hundred volunteers from Deakin gave up their time to put a smile on the residents’ faces,” he said. “To create an amphitheatre from scratch, all on the one day, is testament to the power of community and a shared goal of creating something which residents can enjoy in years to come.” Thank you to the following organisations for their contribution to the makeover day: Deakin, BSA Building Surveyors, Bunnings Trade Corio, Dulux Trade Centre, Faulkner Roofing, Kerr’s Hire, Morton Dunn Architects, Newcomb Sand and Soil, Reid Engineering, Seasol, TGM Group, Trak Constructions, James Hardie, Permathene, Reid Engineering and Wattyl Paints Geelong.
“One thing I’m going to do at some stage in my life is I’m going to walk to the top of the world and see the blue sky.” Bobby Bajram made that promise to himself as a 13-year-old, after doctors had told him he had Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The promise would set him on a path to the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest. In 1980, Bobby was the youngest person to be diagnosed with MS in Australian medical history, and regular trips to hospital, constant pain and significant weight gain would punctuate the years that followed. “Regardless of a good day or bad day, I’m in 24hour pain,” Bobby said. “If you’ve ever sprained an ankle, broken a leg or a wrist – that’s the sort of pain I’m in from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
that through the specialised program, which is part of the Australian Government’s Empowering YOUth initiative. “Levi’s participation in the program saw new friendships form as his peers took him under their wing,” Lisa said. Socially, events like beach cricket, group barbeques and the Wellness Wednesday program helped Levi to feel comfortable, while Lisa said that Levi’s competitive spirit soon shone through. He won several prizes through the phone app, while also participating in online quizzes. New friends also helped empower him, as Lisa tells. “Levi’s friend Geoff has also been a great friend and support, mentoring him to use public transport and teaching him the correct stops from his home to the program in Strathpine.” This was a big step, as Levi has previously relied solely on his parents for transport. For Levi, making new friends was just the first step into his journey into adulthood; he was also keen to get a start in the workforce. Program staff introduced Levi to supported employment services, where MatchWorks team member, Chris, saw potential in Levi for a part-time trolley collector position at the local Coles.
supporting him both in his employment and as he continues to become more independent. Outside of work, Levi is continuing in the YOUth Community program in Strathpine, which can provide links to supportive social groups and, hopefully, allow Levi to enjoy activities outside of home and build more friendships with people his own age.
WHAT IS YOUTH COMMUNITY? MatchWorks is delivering the Australian Government’s Empowering YOUth initiative through the YOUth Community model over the next two years.Operating across three states, it helps unemployed young people improve their skills and move toward sustainable employment. Aimed at young people age 15 to 24, the program uses the innovative Job Quest app, which tracks points based on player achievements. Participants develop key skills including social skills, leadership ability and confidence, and works towards improving their ‘employability’. And, because there’s nothing like a challenge to keep people motivated, participants are encouraged to reach goals, challenging their app scores, whilst also receiving mentoring support.
KELLY DUBBERLEY TELLS US ABOUT HIS FATHER’S SUICIDE, AND HOW A SIMPLE CONVERSATION CAN CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES.
 BUT FOR KIRRILY HAYWARD, DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION HAS BECOME JUST ANOTHER CAUSE TO CAMPAIGN FOR.
gender diverse when she was 19, beginning the process of unwrapping her identity and cementing her place in the world. Growing up on a horse stud farm in Ballarat, Kirrily had the unconditional support and love of her two parents. Her mother, Anita, a dedicated nurse for 30 years, would take her to her appointments, stay with her in the hospital and tend to her daughter’s other needs. “She was like three-quarters of me. She was definitely my rock. Big time,” Kirrily said. Tragically, Kirrily’s mother passed away in 2003 as a result of cancer that spread from an inoperable brain tumour; she was in remission at the time of the diagnosis after having already battled breast cancer in 2001. Kirrily was just 16 years old.  Kirrily and her father grew close in the following few years, but, as a young woman who had lost her mother and was weighed down by the closeted secret of being a lesbian, Kirrily felt alone. She was bullied and excluded by her high school peers for being different. “I felt shame about it for a long time,” she said. “I think in the era of the early 2000s, the subject was still taboo and the harsh attitudes toward gay, bi, trans, et cetera was still rampant, especially in my school.” When she finally came out to her father, their relationship slowly began to break down; with her father unable to accept her identity, Kirrily reflected that the relationship eventually became toxic to continue. She would later become heavily involved in the LGBTQI community as an activist, and one of many prominent drivers for the ‘Say Yes Geelong’ campaign that supported the passing of marriage equality legislation. Kirrily fought alongside other local activists in the community and said she was grateful for their support and the friendships she made throughout the campaign and leading up to the nationwide result. She attributes much of her happiness and wellbeing today to embracing her place in the LGBTQI community. Having built connections that supported her to be proud of her identity and comfortable in her own skin, she encouraged anyone in a similar situation to do the same.
home at the age of 25, her mental health began to fall sharply into decline and she