News
Australia Day at the Cafe
Posted on Thursday, 2 February 2012 | Permalink
CHOOSE Cafe participated in Australia Day festivities with a special menu - all of our food is prepared fresh on our own premises.
Our menu for the day included salt and pepper squid salad, kangaroo fillet steaks, pavlova and Tasmanian cheeses.
You can visit CHOOSE Cafe at the new Windsor Precinct, in Riverside. We hope to see you soon!
CHOOSE takes part in Social Inclusion Week
Posted on Friday, 18 November 2011 | Permalink
CHOOSE employment is proud to be part of the community and is participating in National Social Inclusion Week, from 20th to 27th November 2011.
Social Inclusion Week is about encouraging communities to reconnect and be inclusive of everyone. Social Inclusion Week aims to help people feel valued and connect with each other.
CHOOSE employment have specials available at our CHOOSE Café – a Social Enterprise that assists people in the community become ready for work.
We also have discount vouchers for clients that visit our Launceston offices during Social Inclusion Week.
Lets collaborate, connect and celebrate!
Mentor Services acknowledged for community achievement
Posted on Monday, 7 November 2011 | Permalink
CHOOSE employment congratulates Business Mentor Services Tasmania (BMST) who were nominated for the Business Enterprise Award at the 2011 Community Achievement Awards for the third successive year. BMST is part of O group, a partnership that brings together the power of many minds to deliver simple business, employment and training solutions to all Tasmanians.
Andrew Windle (State Manager, BMST) and a team of 3 Mentors attended the 2011 Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards dinner held at the Launceston Grand Chancellor Hotel on October 28th 2011. In the final run to the line BMST was pipped at the post by Bruny Island Cheese. Nevertheless, it certainly was a very proud moment for all those involved in mentoring and suitable acknowledgement for all the thousands of businesses that BMST mentors have helped over many years of service to the Tasmanian community.
From L – R : Andrew Windle (State Manager, BMST) with BMST Mentors Christine Hepburn, Suz Haywood and Thom Lloyd.
In-roads into financial wellbeing
Posted on Wednesday, 31 August 2011 | Permalink
Ending the debt cycle and building financial wellbeing for disadvantaged Tasmanians will be a special focus for a national pilot program launched in Tasmania recently.
The pilot program, In-roads, is a partnership between the O group and Community Sector Banking (CSB) - Australia’s first and only banking service specialising in the not-for-profit sector.
• O group chief executive officer Andrew Billing, In-roads general manager John Giles and relationship manager Ken Langston at the recent announcement.
The pilot scheme, funded under the Federal Government’s Community Development Financial Institutions program, aims to improve the financial knowledge and resilience of vulnerable individuals and their families.
O group is making the scheme available through its CHOOSE employment sites statewide.
“In-roads offers fair, affordable and appropriate loans and education to members of the community who as a result of having no credit history may not be serviced by the mainstream banks,” O group chief executive officer Andrew Billing said.
“It also builds financial knowledge and resilience for people we work with.
“The personal loan program is designedto help people get their lives back on track.
“In-roads also provides tailored, realistic education, helping people make sound financial decisions.
“For some people, it’ll be their first formal loan, so it’s crucial to know the basics, especially budgeting and managing repayments.”
CSB executive director Peter Quarmby said In-road’skey strength was the partnership with local not-for-profit organisations such as O group who had a successful track record in providing services to communities all over Tasmania.
“People are applying through an organisation they know and trust, understands their circumstances and has enormous local credibility,” he said.
“In-roads is part of a long term strategy to assist vulnerable Australians out of the poverty cycle.”
Winner at the Industry Collaboration Awards
Posted on Monday, 29 August 2011 | Permalink
At the recent Tasmanian Training Awards, NGT Tasmania took out the Industry Collaboration Award in partnership with Seafood Training Tasmania, CHOOSE employment and Huon Aquaculture.
Collaboration is the primary service focus of O group businesses and this Industry Collaboration Award is a perfect example of where our capacity to collaborate can provide fantastic outcomes for employers and jobseekers.
Here’s a couple of key stats:
- The Huon Aquaculture initiative was run under the ACCESS program
- Around 60 jobseekers were interviewed
- 30 people commenced the training
- 25 gained employment
- 12 months later, 21 are still employed – a 70% success rate!
We pass on our congratulations to everyone involved, the Industry Collaboration Award is great recognition.
L to R: Damian Smith (O group), James Garde (Seafood Training Tasmania), Greg Faull (NGT Tasmania), Jason Massie (CHOOSE employment), Rory Byrne (Seafood Training Tasmania), Frances Bender (Huon Aquaculture Group), Tim Ritchie (O group), Ian Nelson (Huon Aquaculture Group), Michael Ryan (CHOOSE employment)
Big Bickies wins at the Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards
Posted on Friday, 26 August 2011 | Permalink
For the last two years, Big Bickies has entered the Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards.
This year we continued to deliver oustanding results, by winning Gold for our Caramel Slice and Muesli Slice, then Bronze for our Melting Moments and Passionfruit Melting Moments.
This is a great testament to the great work that our Big Bickies team do.
Did you know we are able to offer speciality produce through our Patisserie Chef?
Contact 6334 6819 to discuss the pricing and product you would like.
CHOOSE and Whitelion aim for 50 jobs
Posted on Thursday, 25 August 2011 | Permalink
CHOOSE employment has partnered with Whitelion for their 50 Jobs in 50 Days Campaign.
Together we recognise that many young people are disconnected from our community due to abuse and neglect, drug addiction and poverty. These young people have had bad life experiences with few positive influences or support.
Whitelion assist these young people to unlock their talents and reach their full potential. CHOOSE employment will be working with Whitelion to identify job opportunities over the next 50 days.
The O group is a corporate sponsor of Whitelion - we offer sponsorship and in-kind support to support Whitelion and the young people we both work with.
If you would like more information about Whitelion and their 50 Jobs in 50 Days campaign, visit the website http://www.50jobsin50days.com
We can help you choose the right people
Posted on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 | Permalink
You can hire our jobseekers!
CHOOSE employment has jobseekers that are ready and willing to start work for you right now.
We will work with you to find the best person for your business and our services are free!
Choose your level of support!
CHOOSE employment may be able to assist you with financial incentives and we can also provide your new employee with job support - we offer a tailored service with access to a variety of assistance. This frees up your time so you can focus on your business.
Further information
We would love to talk to you and provide more specific advice in relation to your needs. Choose us to help, contact one of our offices.
As part of the O group, we close the loop!
CHOOSE supports the Sports Ability Hub
Posted on Wednesday, 20 July 2011 | Permalink
CHOOSE employment is proud to share information on a new initiative that is designed to encourage people with disabilities to participate in sport and physical activity.
Sports Ability comes with specialised equipment, training and resources with a pilot project in the Unigym on the Launceston Campus of the University of Tasmania.
A brochure can be found at this link with more information.
Social Enterprise means business for O group
Posted on Tuesday, 5 July 2011 | Permalink
CHOOSE employment, as part of the O group, is featured in the latest Enterprise business magazine (issue 18, winter 2011).
We are featured for our work with Social Enterprise, with our businesses Big Bickies and CHOOSE Cafe. The article can be read at this link.
