MatchWorks set to provide more services in Victoria
10 December 2009
MatchWorks, a branch of Geelong-based disability service provider Karingal, this week won a Federal Government tender to provide even more job services across Melbourne and regional Victoria to assist people with disabilities, injury or health conditions to gain employment.
Starting in Geelong in 1998 with just eight staff that provided services to around 1500 job seekers, MatchWorks has since expanded across Melbourne’s West and to regional areas such as Bendigo and Warrnambool where it has won tenders to deliver employment services through the Federal Government’s Job Services Australia program. MatchWorks now has 19 sites across Victoria, more than 300 staff and provides services to over 14,000 job seekers annually.
This week it was announced that MatchWorks had won a Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations tender to provide Disability Employment Services (DES) at its existing sites, as well as new business in Epping, Preston, Bendigo, Melton and at its outreach site in Bannockburn. The service will start on March 1, 2010.
MatchWorks DES General Manager Karen Rainbow said DES was a specialist program designed to help people with disabilities, injury or health condition to find and maintain work.
The DES program includes working closely with employers to find a safe and sustainable job for the individual, training, workplace assessment and modification and ongoing support once employment has been achieved.
Ms Rainbow said job seekers with disabilities in Epping, Preston, Bendigo, Melton and Bannockburn would benefit immensely from the new services. Additionally these results will mean the employment of new staff at all new sites successful in the tender.
“This program is at the core of what Karingal and therefore MatchWorks is all about – it’s about helping people facing adversity and fulfill the goals they have set for themselves.
“Having the services available in these regions will mean that people with disabilities, an injury or health condition will have a service available to help them with their employment needs.
“Not only are we pleased that MatchWorks will now be delivering DES in five new areas, we are also proud that we have also been successful in maintaining all our existing business. This continues to highlight MatchWorks’ outstanding reputation in the delivery of employment services across Victoria.”