By Eric Martin
Centacare Chief Executive Lee-Anne Phillips was present to officiate an appreciation ceremony on 18 July at the Archdiocesan agency’s Gosnells site to celebrate valued team member Simone Collard.
“You work with such passion, and commitment,” Ms Phillips said as she addressed Ms Collard’s family and friends, who had gathered in secret for the event.
“But most importantly, it is your willingness to listen to the community and provide this valuable advice to our staff, you have worked tirelessly to promote cultural awareness through providing advice and sharing your skills to forge links with Indigenous Community groups and the community at large.
“You are highly respected by our staff and Aboriginal agencies and anyone you meet.”
Ms Collard joined the Centacare family in May 2013, invited to participate in the agency’s activities for Indigenous Australians by her friend and colleague at the Gosnells Office.
Her achievements include real outcomes for clients who have opened up pathways to employment, apprenticeships, and further study opportunities.
“All of this occurred because Simone listened to the needs on the ground, sought the support and advice of Indigenous Elders who formed a steering committee and guided Centacare on approaches to take when planning training for Indigenous Australians programs,” Ms Phillips explained.
“One significant example of this was where Simone worked closely with the VET programme and the Indigenous students in Certificate III in Health Service Assistance,” she shared.
“In this course, the students went on work experience at Osborne Park Hospital and successfully completed their qualifications, ensuring they were ready to take on their new careers.”
In her “thank you” speech, Ms Collard spoke of the many opportunities for personal development that she had experienced with Centacare, noting the encouragement and support of peers and satisfaction that came through her work with clients.
She was full of praise for her colleagues and the work that they continue to do with the local community.
“It’s been an honour to work with you and this organisation,” Ms Collard said.
“It’s been amazing to fulfill my passion, working with the indigenous community, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of all of you, with all the teachers – it’s been a privilege.”
Ms Collard’s Aunty Sharon, representing family, spoke from the heart about what her contribution meant to them and to the local indigenous community.
“It’s beautiful to see all these young ones, that’s our upcoming generation and Simone, you are making a pathway for them, for our young people,” she said with emotion.
“Wherever you are and whatever you do, you will always be an encourager: because you stand for who you are and what you believe in, in our community – and it’s people like you who bridge the gap.”
Effectively bridging the gap for all members of the local community is central to Centacare’s mission and the success of Ms Collard and the team at Gosnells reflects the wider achievements and driving ethos of the organisation as a whole.
Centacare’s focus is on providing personalised lessons and planned learning pathways to ensure that their clients reach their full potential – working to meet short-term targets, which together ensure the attainment of long-term goals.
Over the past 43 years, as society has developed, Centacare has experienced significant changes in operation: as a Church and community-based enterprise, priorities, funding allocation and programme design and delivery have been a direct reflection of changes in society.
To put this into context, the employment and training industry in Western Australia is the primary driver of strategic development at Centacare: employment trends (and therefore the training requirements of job-seekers) are governed by a complex set of market factors (such as major shifts in government policy) and Centacare has to respond to the surrounding economic and political climate.
“Centacare attempts to predict the outcomes of these external factors, yet issues related to unemployment remain complex and unpredictable, leading to the development of both a flexible and dynamic organisation,” Ms Phillips said.