Photo credit: Brimbank City Council

On 23rd May 2018, the team in Sunshine hosted their first Be Seen Diversity Career Fair. The event aimed to bring together Campbell Page customers and partner employers in an informal setting to chat about potential work opportunities.

Doors opened at 10:30am, with many customers waiting eagerly with resumes to show the employers. A total of 90 Campbell Page customers and 14 partner employers were in attendance, with 40+ interviews being organised by the conclusion of the event at 1 pm. The Campbell Page National Disability Employment Services Employer Partnership Manager, Cassandra Warin said she expects there will be many more interviews scheduled by the end of this week.

The 14 partner employers in attendance included Adecco, Toll Group, Drake International, OzStaff, MEGT, Specialised Recruitment Services, Jesuit Social Services, The Smith Family, Uniting Lentara, ICP Health and Home Instead Senior Care.

Our team in Sunshine and our employers all want the same thing. To support the customers and to build inclusive workplaces and that is really what the event was about. – Cassandra

One of the customers in attendance, Carolyn, was initially hesitant about going up to employers and talking to them. She was pleasantly surprised when not five minutes after going up to Home Instead Senior Care she was offered an interview.

Similarly, Adecco were so impressed with the customers who approached them that they had already highlighted several who would be perfect fits for the job opportunities they were looking to fill.

Also in attendance was Brimbank Council Lord Mayor, Margaret Giudice who was incredibly supportive of the event as it aligned with the inclusive focus the council has.

As employers and customers discussed opportunities, there were light refreshments being offered and coffee being made by Campbell Page customers in their makeshift cafe, The Welcome BEan Cafe. These customers had recently undertaken training by Jesuit Social Services, who were among the 14 employers in attendance, in the Sunshine office and were keen to show off their skills.

Their skills and confidence were growing by the second and they were being given real work experience because the coffee was so good that the orders just kept coming in! – Emine Jeffrey, Regional Manager Westgate

The Be Seen in 2018 Diversity Career Fair was a great, informal networking event that looks to have been so successful that another is being planned for October 2018.

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Words by: Tiarne Pattison

tiarne.pattison@campbellpage.org.au 

Yesterday, students, staff, community partners and employers of the Be Seen Hospitality Program came together to celebrate its end and their accomplishments. The program saw students gain new skills and knowledge in hospitality with the aim of finding employment in the industry.

The program saw some truly amazing outcomes with 16 program participants entering brokered placements in hospitality in the next 30 days. The program participants and the Campbell Page Bayside team also had the pleasure of presenting $160 to Bennettswood Neighbourhood House that was raised at the BBQ fundraiser undertook at Woolworths Burwood as part of the hospitality program.

TMG College Australia partnered with Campbell Page to deliver Food Handling, Responsible Service of Alcohol and Barista training in their purpose- built barista room as part of the program. TMG College Chairperson, Malka Lawrence, with Campbell Page Bayside Employment Consultant Geraldine Hitchiner presented the students with their hospitality certificates at the presentation.

This was followed by some delicious catering including food prepared by students with the expert direction of Bec Winters of local healthy catering company, Horribly Healthy.

The Campbell Page Bayside team would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who made this event possible. Thank you to the Malka Group, FMC who provided budgeting and money management training, Bennettswood Neighbourhood House for the use of your training space, Jackie O’Connor who delivered the Be Seen to Be Skills modules, Claire from Sarina Russo apprenticeships, Box Hill Golf Club, Dish and Spoon for catering, Bec Winters from Horribly Healthy who gave a demonstrative class, Bevan from Woolworths Burwood for assistance with the BBQ fundraiser, Jodie from Wear for Success who fitted our customers in stylish interview clothes, The Talent Kitchen and of course all the work experience host organisations providing work placements.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

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Words by: Ella Driver

ella.driver@campbellpage.org.au

This week, three members from our Community Development Programme, Joshua Friday, Thomas Hanson and Stephen Chapman were chosen to take part in the Tribal Warrior Corporations Maritime Training Program.

The Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation was established by concerned Aboriginal people with a view to spread and vitalise Aboriginal culture, and to provide economic and social stability. The purpose of the Corporation is to empower disadvantaged Aboriginal and Non-Indigenous people – encouraging them to become self-sufficient by providing specialised training programs leading to employment opportunities in the maritime industries.

Our three lucky job seekers will participate in the training run over 14 days, involving 10 days sailing aboard the Coral Trekker and 4 days training back on dry land in Yarrabah. Through successful completion of the training, the participants will gain a variety of new skills and qualifications. The first qualification they will be accredited with is the General Purpose Hand (GPH/Deckhand) which will teach survival, firefighting, safety, seamanship, communication skills and First Aid. This qualification will allow them to get a job as a deckhand or similar on commercial vessels.

The second course they will be completing is the Coxswains Certificate II, which builds on topics learnt in the General Purpose Hand course. This course will teach them basic navigation, engineering, legislation, collision regulations, vessel handling, basic stability, radio communication, refuelling, and environmental considerations. The course will qualify them to skipper a vessel up to 12 metres in length, and up to 15 miles offshore.

On behalf of all the staff from the Community Development Programme and Campbell Page, we want to wish Joshua, Thomas and Stephen the very best on this exciting adventure and in obtaining future employment. We would also like to extend thanks to Valentine Nona, who organised our job seekers to attend the training.

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The Palm Island Community Development Programme (CDP) is a remote employment and community development service. Palm Island CDP aims to help people find work, while allowing them to contribute to their communities and gain skills at the same time. To find out more visit our CDP page or Contact us.

Words by: Ella Driver

ella.driver@campbellpage.org.au

After much planning, preparation and excitement the Deadly Didge N Dance Festival was held at Palm Island over the weekend and what a success it was!

2018 marks the centenary of the first forced placement of people on Palm Island. The centenary  and the event, provided an opportunity to reflect on the past 100 years, to celebrate the time now and to invest in a new future for the people of Palm Island.

Amidst the music, dancing, workshops, storytelling, poetry, markets and more, the event drew over 1200 additional visitors, over 100 additional performers, a number of visiting dignitaries (including the Deputy Premier and Bob Katter) and visiting celebrities.

Better still, we’re proud to announce Palm Island has made it to the Guinness World Records taking out the title of Most Indigenous Dancers Dancing the Same Dance at the Same Time. We’ve been told even our very own Mallory Morgan was there shaking a leg for the history books!

I would like to thank all our drivers and activity staff and activity participants who assisted the PIASC in the preparation of the event.- Nathan Vinson, Program Manager CDP.

This event could not have been possible without all the support we received leading up to and over the weekend. This assistance included:

• Area beautification, mowing of parks, creeks and main access areas to the event (David Baira Greening Team).
• Assistance in the making of customs and lanterns (Indoors Arts & Culture Team).
• Volunteers for stage preparation, Palm Island Ambassadors and Camp Site Ambassadors (Media and Arts & Culture Teams).
• Final preparation of the event. An outstanding effort from Peter Sherry, Robert Youngblutt and Raymond Johnson for organising the teams to assist the PIASC.
• Volunteers for the running of the Lost Artists of Palm Island stall, (Agnes Wotton Arts & Culture Team), who sold some great paintings and numerous postcard and bookmarks.
• Finally our Activity Supervisors who gave their time and their weekend to provide transportation to the community over the whole duration of the event. A big thank you to Peter Turner, David Baira, Alfred Ryan, William Marpoondin, and Janice Kerr.

The Mayor of Palm Island, Alf Lacey, personally thanked me for the support CDP and Campbell Page provided to the event. So from me again a big thank you to everyone who gave their time to support this remarkable event in Palm Island history. – Nathan Vinson, Program Manager CDP.

Congratulations to everyone involved in such a worthwhile event.

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The Palm Island Community Development Programme (CDP) is a remote employment and community development service. Palm Island CDP aims to help people find work, while allowing them to contribute to their communities and gain skills at the same time. To find out more visit our CDP page or Contact us.

Words by: Ella Driver

ella.driver@campbellpage.org.au

To prepare for the Deadly Didge N Dance Festival being held on Palm Island from 20th April to 22nd April the Palm Island Community Development Programme Recycling Team assisted the local Bwygcolman Community State School in area beautification.

Through the utilisation of ladders and small trowels they were able to clean overgrown and blocked gutters around the school’s major buildings. The school grounds will be used as a camping ground for visitors who wish to camp overnight or over the three days of celebrations.

Our recycling team has been working hard to remove recyclable waste from Palm Island to the mainland. with the assistance of Reef Logistics, they have been able to send 6 x 44 gallon drums filled with copper wiring and 8 x pallets of old batteries to Sims Metals in Townsville. – Nathan Vinson, Palm Island community Development Programme

The removal of recyclable waste has enable the team to generate a small income, which they have been using to supplement their workplace with a sandwich maker, hot water urn and healthy morning teas.

2018 marks the centenary of the first forced placement of people on Palm Island and we, the Palm Island Community. The centenary provides an opportunity to reflect on the past 100 years, to celebrate our time now and to invest in a new future for our people. The Island’s Present will be celebrated with a 3-day, 2 night music festival, the “Deadly Didge ‘n’ Dance Festival”, which will feature performances by musicians and artists such as Isaiah Firebrace as well as local dancers, workshops, storytelling, poetry, markets and more. The festival will also feature attempts to break two Guinness World Records.

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The Palm Island Community Development Programme (CDP) is a remote employment and community development service. Palm Island CDP aims to help people find work, while allowing them to contribute to their communities and gain skills at the same time. To find out more visit our CDP page or Contact us.

Words by: Tiarne Pattison

tiarne.pattison@campbellpage.org.au