Awards

Business & Employment (now CHOOSE Employment) has been involved with the Work for the Dole Program since its inception. We have worked in the pilot program, through to a Community Work Coordinator (CWC) delivery model and now as Work Experience.

Over this period we have organised, co-ordinated and sponsored many community based projects throughout Tasmania, that are designed to provide work experience opportunities for local jobseekers.

We help our jobseekers by having a variety of Work Experience projects, that are interesting and transfer skills learnt into employment opportunities.

Business & Employment (now CHOOSE Emloyment) gained an impressive reputation for our community work. This includes winning the Best in Australia Award during 2004.


Our community has also won national acclaim with



2005 - Best Work for the Dole Project – Caring for People
Mt Saint Vincent’s "Escape Street"

Mt St Vincent
Mt St Vincent "Escape Street" under construction.

The Work Experience team and Youth and Family Focus, co-ordinated this award winning project.

The Team provided a secure sensory area to service elderly members of the Ulverstone community being cared for within the Mount Saint Vincent’s Nursing Home dementia unit.

This activity was the National Winner of the “Caring for People Award Category” for 2005 during the award ceremony held within the Great Hall of Parliament, Canberra on 19 June 2006.

 

 2004 -Best Work for the Dole Project in the Nation
Mt Barrow History Trail

The project objective was to retain and present to the public the history of the Mt Barrow forest and demonstrate how the timber workers lived and operated within this forest more than 50 years ago.

The completed activity further demonstrates how the forests of Tasmania are actively managed in our modern era as multi purpose ‘working forests’.

The provision of improved public access for visiting groups to experience the rich flora and fauna abundant within this regrowth forest was a major outcome from the activity.

The activity also provided jobseeker training in a variety of forestry practices with the ultimate aim of making the participants employable within the Tasmanian Forest Industry. The Bass District directly employs 94 people and engages more than 50 contractors who inturn employ more than 350 people now including several past participants from this activity.

The activity centre piece is the construction of an historic trail, focussed upon a modern forest interpretation centre funded by the State Government. Pictorial displays of the conditions and logging practices from the 1900’s, the reconstruction of ‘hand made’ roads, vehicle bridge construction and restoration of the genuine timber workers huts and original skid ways were complemented with the erection of signage and photographs to provide the visitor with a unique glimpse into the life and working conditions of the early immigrant (Ukraine) road builders and timber workers.

 

2003 - Best Work for the Dole Supervisor 2003
Ms Lexie Paul

We recognise that the quality of our community work is highly dependant upon the excellence of our activity supervisors.  Ms Lexie Paul, clearly recognised as a tireless community volunteer in the Burnie area, received a Highly Commended Award at the 2003 Prime Ministers National Awards.

Lexie is an extremely avid member of the Coee to Camdale Coast Care group. Her award recognises her great work with the Work for the Dole participants protecting, establishing and maintaining the coastal regions of Northwest Tasmania.

A major focus of this environmental activity was the establishment of synthetic nesting burrows for the Little Penguin, a native species that inhabitsthis pristine coastal region. Personalinvolvement with the participants was a highlight of Lexie's supervision.

2003 - Caring for People
Burnie High School Farm

The creation of a school farm to assist students not responding to an orthodox classroom learning environment was the goal of this activity.

This was achieved in a most spectacular fashion with the construction of chicken coops, hothouse, all weather walkways and garden beds.

The activity generated a strong positive response from students and animal husbandry, involving the breeding and raising of chickens, has contributed to the school's anti-bully strategy.

Participants gained valuable work experience, first aid qualifications and a greater sense of community. Future work experience is intended to build upon this very successful foundation and include environmental care and protection of the adjoining Burnie Burrowing Crayfish habitat.

2003 - Caring for Our Heritage
National Rose Garden

National Rose Garden, Woolmers Estate

The construction of the National Rose Garden of Australia was a major ongoing project facilitated by us.

The well developed garden is now rapidly becoming a major attraction within the historic grounds of Woolmers Estate at Longford.

Work for the Dole participants have gained valuable horticultural skills completing their work experience placements under the direction of the Head Gardener, Mr Ross Turner (himself a past Work for the Dole participant on the first group within the garden).

This award was presented to the National Rose Garden of Australia committee and our Chairman Mr Peter Jordan, during a reception at the garden during August.

All those involved with this award winning activity look forward to the continuted growth and success of this significant Tasmanian tourist attraction.
 

2003 - Caring for Our Community
Tasmanian Sports Gallery 

Tasmanian Sports Museum

The construction of the Tasmanian Sports Gallery was recognised as a highly commended activity in the National Category of Caring for Our Community section of the Prime Ministers Awards.

The construction team of Work for the Dole participants, under the direction of Mr Lindsay Jacobs of the Malua Club, gained national attention during the construction of this fine community facility.

The award was presented during a civic reception held within the Gallery in August 2004.

The support of many of Launceston's corporate citizens was a feature of the wider community involvement during the construction of this award winning building. The future of Tasmania sporting memorabilia appears assured with the completion of this first class display centre. 

2002 - Caring for Our History
Bleriot XI 

The construction of the operational replica of the world famous Bleriot XI was recognised as the National Category winner in the Caring for Our History section of the Prime Ministers Awards.

The construction team of Work for the Dole participants, under the direction of TAFE Tasmania Engineering Department in Burnie, gained international attention.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Hon John Howard MP, personally presented the award during a civic reception whilst visiting Tasmania in March 2003.

The support of VESTAS Australian Wind Technology Pty Ltd resulted in two of the activity participants gaining full time employment after a period of 3 years unemployment – a direct result of their participation in the Work for the Dole Program.

2001 - A Community Challenge
Sailability
 

Sailability – A Community Challenge provided another National Award for Business & Employment during 2001.

The activity resulted in the completion of two 24 Daysailers to provide a sailing experience for disabled members of the Tasmanian community.

These two fibre glassed sheathed yatchs can be seen to this day moored at the Old Launceston Seaport.

Work for the Dole participants received expert tuition in the craft of boat building under the expert eye of Mr Ian Milner, with many specialist work skills being passed onto the participants.

The completed craft were named ‘Jackson Ford’ and ‘Rotary’ by the Governor of Tasmania, His Excellency Hon Sir Guy Green in recognition of the wide corporate and community support received during the activity.

Further success was also forthcoming during 2001 with the Finalist nomination of The River Keeper Project. This activity focussed on the Work for the Dole participants removing the loathed Sea Star from the Derwent Estuary along with copious amounts of environmentally damaging pastic bags and rubbish.
 

2000 - Northwest Tasmania
Team TBEC

The awards and accolades continued during the year 2000 in recognition of the pride and commitment demonstrated by the Work for the Dole team in responding to community needs.

Team TBEC developed from an early desire to extend the influence of the Work for the Dole Program to the smaller and more widely spread community groups across the North West of Tasmania.

The work experience and community interaction engendered by our Team TBEC participants is nothing short of amazing, assisting the local brass band in building a storage shed and erecting fences around water catchment areas to providing computer and administrative support to local youth centres.  Team TBEC spread the message of community involvement and participation throughout the North West region.
 
This 'work team' concept has proven so beneficial that we now have fully equipped Team TBEC'sworking with community groups across the state.
 

1999  - Priministerial Commendation
Axeman's Hall of Fame and Timber Works

Since the inception of the Australian Government's signature Program - Work for the Dole - Business & Employment provided first class work experience opportunities.

Our first Prime Minister's commendation was realised as a result of the outstanding work achieved by participants on the Axeman's Hall of Fame in Latrobe. This national treasure received great community support and would not have materialised without the sustained effort of a very committed group of local people.

Business& Employment is extremely proud to have co-ordinated a very successful Work for the Dole team to provide assistance for this very worthwhile community asset.