WorkAbility has celebrated 25 years of assisting people with a disability find employment on the Far South Coast, including in the Eurobodalla.
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On Friday, April 29 celebrations were held at the service’s centre in Bega, attended by staff, clients, friends and politicians.
Many of those involved in the organisation have a deep love of what it offers, as some staff and clients have been part of the group for around 20 years.
WorkAbility’s executive manager Virginia Fitzclarence, who was selected as the first employee for the service in 1991, also said some businesses in the region have continued to employ people with a disability for over 20 years, such as Bega Valley Motors.
“We’ve been privileged enough to be part of the change where employers have realised that people with a disability can be good employees,” she said.
WorkAbility patron Junee Waites said the organisation began with “a government grant and the foresight of a couple of wonderful people”.
“We’ve been quite busy so that suggests we’ve grown a lot,” Ms Waites said.
But she said they could not have grown without the government support they had received, mentioning past Eden-Monaro MPs Gary Nairn and Mike Kelly as well as incumbent member Peter Hendy and Member for Bega Andrew Constance.
The meeting was opened by Mr Constance, attending with Dr Hendy, who said it was “absolutely tremendous” to be able to celebrate the 25th birthday with everyone there.
“WorkAbility has changed lives, it has made lives so much richer,” Mr Constance said.
He said while the birthday was a chance to look back on history, it also provided an opportunity to look at what the next 25 years could hold for the organisation.
“I’m very mindful we have still got some very big barriers to break down in our community – even with transport!” the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure said.
The room was full during speeches by the dignitaries, who spoke while a photo gallery of faces from WorkAbility’s history played on a screen behind them.