Pioneers of Specialised Job Support Turning 30
Gympie Jobmatch received funding in 1992 to deliver employment services for people with a disability in the Gympie region following the new Disability Discrimination Act legislation promoting equal rights, opportunities and access for people with disabilities.
In 1993 Jobmatch applied to the department for additional funding to set up an outpost in Kingaroy to support employment to the wider region. They were granted enough funding to purchase a vehicle, a filing cabinet and fax machine – and to fund one Employment Coordinator.
When Lionel O’Brien who lived at Yarraman was employed, he brought disability employment services to the South Burnett region for the first time with Gympie Manager, Garry Davison visiting once a week for initial registrations.
The department invited funding applications to offer new services, so a public meeting was called on July 13, 1993 in Kingaroy. There were over 32 people in attendance including council, Endeavour Foundation, concerned parents, SB Jobseeker, Southern School Support Centre, Kingaroy Special Education, various schools and Skillshare who were interested in establishing a committee to support disability employment opportunities.
The inaugural meeting of South Burnett Jobmatch was held on July 22, 1993 with twenty-one community members and hosted by Gympie Chair, Peter Mathams, Garry Davison.
At the meeting Barry Tarlinton was elected Chair and Kerry Elmer as Secretary with the goal to register as a not-for-profit incorporated association. They wrote an application for funding for the organisation in 1994 which when successful allowed the new organisation to appoint one Manager two Employment Coordinators and one part time Administrator.
The organisation was called South Burnett Jobmatch to continue the already established Jobmatch name.
Originally an office was obtained in Haly Street, Kingaroy and later moved to an office in Kingaroy Street. South Burnett Jobmatch then purchased the building in Glendon Street and continues to operate from that location today.
The two organisations worked closely with each other over many the years with their original Manager John Anderson retiring in 2009.
South Burnett Jobmatch serviced the now South Burnett regional Council area including Kingaroy, Nanango, Murgon and Cherbourg.
In 2012 government changes meant that organisations were required to service their whole Employment Service Area (which included both the Gympie and South Burnett regions). Therefore, South Burnett Jobmatch had to set up office in Gympie and Gympie Jobmatch had to set up office in Kingaroy.
South Burnett Jobmatch decided to change their name to Links Community Services to avoid confusion and during this time they looked at different employment options including the purchase of a nursery and recycling centre for clients to work. They also set up a training company, South Burnett Ventures, so they could provide inhouse training for both their clients as well as offering generic training courses.
The board of Links Community Services and Jobmatch Association Inc met to discuss the unviable situation with both organisations duplicating services and operational costs.
After a period of due diligence, on April 1, 2014 a joint meeting of the two boards was held to merge the two organisations. The department granted approval and all contracts were transferred to Links Community Services trading as Jobmatch Employment.
The department uses a Star Rating measure for providers to evaluate outcomes and their performance nationally. When stars first came about in 2007, South Burnett Jobmatch inKingaroy was a 5-star service and was the only 5-star regional service in all of Australia.
In the intervening years, the star rating fluctuated with employment opportunities, however in the latest round of stars Jobmatch Employment is still a 5-star provider.
Links Community Services trading as Jobmatch Employment operates today with two main offices in Gympie and Kingaroy with outposts in Nanango, Murgon, Tin Can Bay and Imbilto provide quality participation and services for people with a disability.
The merging of the two organisations has seen both go from strength to strength. The financial viability has improved considerably, and this has allowed a greater support of the community with sponsorship and donations to many worthwhile groups and activities.
The introduction of the NDIS has also given People with Disability more opportunities in the community and with work options.
Thirty years has seen the development of Disability Employment Services throughout Australia and the Gympie and Kingaroy regions continue to benefit from this specialised service. Jobmatch Employment is well known as a person-centred provider that will continue to provide a 5-star service to those with disability seeking meaningful employment.