LAUNCH OF BRITE SERVICES ‘WELLNESS PROGRAM’
THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY 2009,
10AMBRITE SERVICES, CORNER DALLAS DRIVE AND BELFAST STREET,
BROADMEADOWS
BY MARIA VAMVAKINOU MP, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CALWELL
THANK YOU: CEO, MARGARET RUFF,
BOARD MEMBERS: DAVID LYSTER, DON LAUGHT, ELENA DI GIACOMO, HELENA GILLIES, IAN LEE, JOHN LEWIS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY AT BRITE INDUSTRIES - A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE EVERY DAY LIVES OF PEOPLE.
BRITE SERVICES WERE BORN OVER 30 YEARS AGO, WHEN A GROUP OF PARENTS DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A PROPER WORKPLACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THEY RAISED FUNDS, AND IN 1976, BRITE COMMENCED OPERATIONS AS A COMMUNITY BUSINESS SERVICE.
ALSO KNOWN AS THE VICTORIAN VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION – V.V.R.A. – BRITE NOW OPERATE THREE DIVISIONS OVER TWO SITES: ONE HERE IN BROADMEADOWS, AND IN NORTHCOTE.
BRITE HAS MANAGED TO INTEGRATE A NUMBER OF OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING:
- A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, DELIVERING QUALITY SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS
- A REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATION
- A PLEASANT AND SUPPORTED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
- A PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND TALENTS ARE IDENTIFIED AND
ENCOURAGED
HERE AT THE BROADMEADOWS SITE, BRITE EMPLOYS OVER 140 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PROVIDING SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT WITHIN BRITE PAK AND BRITE PLANTS.
AT THE NORTHCOTE SITE, BRITE INSTITUTE DELIVERS NATIONALLY RECOGNISED TRAINING PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES AND BUSINESSES. BRITE INSTITUTE IS A REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATION THAT SPECIALISES IN PROVIDING QUALITY, ACCREDITED TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF AGED CARE, HOME AND COMMUNITY CARE, DISABILITY SUPPORT, COMMUNITY SERVICES, RETAIL, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND PROCESS MANUFACTURING.
IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, BRITE PROVIDES SPECIALIST PROGRAMS SUCH AS ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORTED WORK EXPERIRNECE FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS, A COMMUNITY INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE PLANTS SCHEME, AND THE PROGRAM WE ARE LAUNCHING HERE TODAY – THE WELLNESS PROGRAM, TARGETING HEALTH AND HYGIENE.
THE BRITE WELLNESS PROGRAM AIMS TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE THE WELLNESS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY. IT WAS DEVISED AS A WAY OF RAISING AWARENESS AMONGST PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY AND THEIR FAMILIES OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CARING FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
THE PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE A FREE SERIES OF HEALTH RELATED WORKSHOPS AND INFORMATION SESSIONS TO BE DELIVERED BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR.
ALL WORKSHOPS WILL BE CONDUCTED DURING AN AFTERNOON AND EVENING SESSION, ENSURING THAT EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND.
THE WELLNESS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE HEALTHY ACTIVE AUSTRALIA – COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS GRANTS PROGRAM.
THE AIM OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS – INCLUDING SCHOOLS AND SERVICES SUCH AS BRITE – TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYES TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE GROUPS WHO NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IS ONE THAT INCLUDES GOOD EATING HABITS, PLENTY OF EXERCISE AND ACTIVE RECREATION, MAKING THE MOST OF PREVENTATIVE HEALTH SERVICES, AND SEEKING THE RIGHT HELP WHEN NEEDED.
OVER 500 COMMUNITY GROUPS AND SCHOOLS ACROSS AUSTRALIA HAVE RECEIVED GRANTS UNDER THIS PROGRAM - A TOTAL OF OVER $54 MILLION. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES HOW IMPORTANT THE ISSUES OF HEALTHY EATING, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND GENERALLY LOOKING AFTER OUR OWN HEALTH IS FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE FOR BRITE SERVICES, WHO ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING, TO OFFER THE WELLNESS PROGRAM. HAVING TRAINING AND MEANINGFUL WORK OPPORTUNITIES ARE CENTRAL TO A PERSON’S SELF ESTEEM AND WELL BEING. THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER WAYS TO MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH IS A NATURAL EXTENSION OF WHAT BRITE HAS TO OFFER.
LIKE BRITE SERVICES, THE RUDD LABOR GOVERNMENT IS ALSO COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE SUPPORTED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS YEAR, A NEW $5.3 BILLION NATIONAL DISABILITY AGREEMENT WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR SUBSTANTIAL REFORMS TO THE DISABILITY SERVICES SYSTEM.
THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING HARD TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY PARTICPATING IN ECONOMIC, CIVIC AND COMMUNITY LIFE.
WE HOPE TO CREATE MORE EMPLOYMENT, COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER HARNESS THE SKILLS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY.
THE FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT WILL HELP EXPAND SERVICES, IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING, SUPPORT FAMIILIES AND CARERS AND SUPPORT INDEPENDENT LIVING.
THE COMMONWEALTH’S CONTRIBUTION TO STATE-RUN DISABILITY SERVICES WILL REACH MORE THAN $1.25 BILLION A YEAR BY THE END OF 2013 – COMPARED TO THE $620 MILLION SPENT IN 2007.
THE RUDD GOVERNMENT’S SOCIAL INCLUSION AGENDA HAS ALSO LED TO THE FORMULATION OF A DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY, WHICH HAS IDENTIFIED SIX KEY AREAS FOR ACTION:
- IMPROVING DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
- SUPPORTING AND ENCOURING EMPLOYERS TO GIVE WORK OPPORTUNITIES TO
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
- ENGAGING PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY
- INNOVATION IN THE WORKPLACE
- DIRECT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY
- BETTER ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
IN SHORT, THE RUDD LABOR GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO PUTTING INTO PRACTICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THE SORT OF STRATEGIES THAT BRITE SERVICES HAS BEEN PRACTISING WITH SUCH SUCCESS FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES.
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IS INDEBTED TO BRITE SERVICES FOR ITS VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION AS A LOCAL BUSINESS, AND AS AN ORGANISATION THAT HAS GIVEN SO MANY PEOPLE CONFIDENCE, INDEPENDENCE AND A MEANINGFUL LIFE.
I AM DELIGHTED AND PROUD TO BE ABLE TO DECLARE THE WELLNESS PROGRAM WELL AND TRULY LAUNCHED.
THANK YOU
