The team at The Bridge Stawell Street in Cranbourne were delighted to have a visit from Cassandra Fernando MP this week!

Participants hosted the site tour and talked about the activities they do each day to help them achieve their #NDIS goals. Participant Rachel (pictured) welcomed ...Cassandra with a drawing then led the tour. Cassandra answered questions from staff and participants, then kindly invited the group to visit her office for some education on ‘how parliament works'. Everyone is already looking forward to this opportunity.

Thank you for visiting Cassandra!

https://www.facebook.com/cassandrafernandomp

#socialconnection #inclusion #thebridgeinc

Lucky is awarded the Bruce Volunteer Recognition Award!

One of our Support Coordination participants Lucky was nominated by the Dandenong Community and Learning Centre in recognition of the remarkable contributions she has made to the local community. Lucky had volunteered at the Centre ...for a few months doing administrative work such as archiving and making promotional material for upcoming activities/events and other needs (e.g job advocacy).

@Julian Hill MP presented the award at a ceremony held at the Greater Dandenong Council Building. This ceremony was held for the first time in order to recognise the important work done in the Bruce electorate as one of many valued volunteers.

Well done Lucky - great work!

#brucevolunteerrecognitionaward #achievement #community #supportcoordination #thebridgeinc

Meet Shane who has found long-term employment with the help of our DES (Disability Employment Service) team!

Shane had complex non-vocational barriers to employment and over the past few years, he has really focused on improving his overall health. Shane genuinely wanted to work and ...consistently attended appointments with one of our DES Employment Coaches.

The DES team found him a delivery driver position for a kitchen cabinetry company which he commenced this week. They also assisted him with work clothing and a fuel voucher to support him until he receives his first pay cheque.

Shane has expressed how happy he is and feels that he has healed a part of himself by securing employment. Nice work Shane!

The Bridge Employment have DES offices in Frankston and Mornington. For all DES enquiries, please call the team on 03 9784 3888 during office hours.

#findajob #teamwork #disabilityemploymentservices #thebridgeemployment #thebridgeinc

🚀 Exciting News Alert! 🚀 Our Annual Report has landed, and we can't wait to share the incredible journey we've had this year!

🔍 Dive into the heart of The Bridge and read all about the milestones, innovations, and successes that have shaped our path. From amazing ...participant and staff stories to increased focus on innovation, and our financial results, this Annual Report is a testament to the hard work of our incredible team and the unwavering support of our participants, their families and our partners. 🤝🙌

📈 Ready to dive in? Click the link below to explore the numbers, stories, and faces that make The Bridge shine!
👉 https://thebridgeinc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/The-Bridge-Incorporated-Annual-Report-2023.pdf

Mary-Jane Stolp, CEO, The Bridge said, "It has been a great year at The Bridge, and we are confident, given our fantastic team, this work will continue to transform the lives of the people we support. Thank you to clients and their families, staff, volunteers, customers and stakeholders for your continued support in helping us achieve our vision and mission into the future."

Thank you for being part of our story! 🙏

#AnnualReport #MilestoneMoments #InnovationJourney #Achievements #Transparency #BusinessGrowth #CompanyCulture #TeamWork #SuccessStories #thebridgeinc

Lights, camera, action! It was a full house at The Bridge Works for the official launch of Soap Aid’s recycling plant which was featured today in the ABC News!

Soap Aid’s life-saving soap recycling program sees guest soap from accommodation providers recycled into new lifesaving soap ...bars. The recycling plant at The Bridge Works is at the heart of this operation, where workers from disadvantaged backgrounds manually check which soap is reusable, then initially clean it by hand, before feeding it into the recycling plant to be sterilised and reconstituted into new bars. Over 7,000 bars of recycled soap a week is delivered to provide essential hygiene to communities in need.

Mary-Jane Stolp, CEO, The Bridge said, “The combination of Soap Aid’s life-saving soap recycling program and The Bridge Work’s dedication to inclusivity and empowerment has the potential to make a significant impact on the community in Melbourne and around the world, promoting a more sustainable future. It really is changing lives.”

Guests from the hotel industry were presented to by Mike Matulick, founder of Soap Aid, Lana Formosa, acting Mayor of Dandenong (CoGD), Matt Genever, Interim CEO Sustainability Victoria and our own Mary-Jane Stolp, CEO, The Bridge Inc.

For more information, please see the ABC News article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-09/used-hotel-soap-recycling-program-melbourne/103074122.

#sustainability #socialenterprisebusiness #savinglives #community #SoapAid #thebridgeworks #thebridgeinc

Youth Jobs Now dress to impress with the help from CoCO's!

This month, Youth Jobs Now ventured to CoCO’s in Dandenong where they operate a program called “Styling Up The Confidence”. This program is run by SLAC (Springvale Learning & Activities Centre) which is found in the ...rear of the shop, where they provide a service free of charge assisting people with appropriate clothing for an interview.

As you can see from the pictures everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience, with participants creating their own look and receiving a professional outfit they were able to keep for future interviews. Everyone walked out of there brimming with confidence and a spring in their step with their brand-new business attire ready to tackle to their next employment opportunity. Thank you to CoCO's!

https://springvalelac.org.au/cocos-opportunity-shop/

#jobready #dresstoimpress #youthjobsnow #thebridgeinc

🌟 Embracing Diversity, Ensuring Equity, and Promoting Inclusiveness: Our Commitment at The Bridge🌟

At The Bridge, we are dedicated to building a workplace where diversity is valued, equity is paramount, and inclusivity is our foundation.

🌍 Diverse Voices, Unified ...Strength: We recognise and value the unique backgrounds, experiences, and talents that each of our team members brings to the company. We champion a culture where everyone's unique background and talents are celebrated.
🤝 Promoting Equity: We are dedicated to creating a level playing field where every individual, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, or background, has equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.
🤗 Ensuring Inclusiveness: Inclusivity is not just a goal; it's our commitment. We strive to cultivate an inclusive environment where all employees feel respected, valued, and heard.
🌈 Taking Action: Words are meaningful, but actions drive real change. We regularly assess our progress, engage with our employees, and collaborate with external partners to continuously improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Please see our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness statement on our website for more information. https://thebridgeinc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DiversityEquity-and-Inclusiveness-Statement.pdf

Together, we can make a difference!

#DiversityAndInclusion #EquityMatters #InclusiveWorkplace #Teamwork #Empowerment #thebridgeinc

It was a fantastic night at The Bridge's Annual General Meeting last night where over 100 guests attended!

Staff, along with the Board of Directors, The Bridge participants and their families came together for the 2023 AGM at Bunjil Place. Highlights from the night included the ...presentation of the Annual Report 2023 and presentation of awards to staff for service and outstanding achievement.

A big congratulations to the following staff for their years of service:
*5 years with The Bridge:
Casey Pilcher, Melissa Kelly, Peter Slade, Richard Dawe, Sumaiya Hussain, Almaz Weldegewergis , Chloe Sund , Masooma Hassani & Samantha Paranahewa
*10 years with The Bridge:
Cassandra Mery, Joanne Brooks, Krishan Dass & Melinda Rodrigues
*15 years with The Bridge:
Bree Wilkin, Phil Newman, Marie Morgan, Jenny Duprey, Caroline Sly & Ben Sinclair
*25 years with The Bridge:
Thomas Voutier
*35 years at The Bridge:
William Wan
Congratulations to all our dedicated staff for reaching these great milestones!

Winners of the awards for Outstanding Achievement for staff nominated by their peers included:
*Outstanding Achievement in Customer Service - Nicole Seamons
*Outstanding Team Player - Kirsty Greenway
*Outstanding Achievement in Leadership - Lesley Gonzalez-Mutis
*Outstanding Achievement in Commitment to Culture - Lauren Shanmugaratnam & Nichole Harrison
*Outstanding Achievement in Commitment to Safety - Joseph (Joey) Jones
Congratulations to all our wonderful staff for these achievements!

We were also lucky enough to listen to special guest speaker Don Elgin, champion Paralympian, well known author and speaker who lives locally. His passion for the work we do in the sector and unwavering support make him a great choice as our guest speaker for the night.

#AGM2023 #donelgin #achievement #NightOfCelebration #bunjilplace #thebridgeinc

🌟 Exciting News Alert! 🌟

We are absolutely thrilled to share that The Bridge shone brightly at the prestigious 2023 South East Business Awards Night last night! 🏆 Hosted by Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce, it was a night filled with celebration, and recognition, and we were ...beyond honoured to have been a part of it.

We're delighted to announce that The Bridge was awarded the Community Impact award which recognised The Bridge Works as a Social Enterprise who has made an outstanding contribution to the social, cultural, or economic well-being of their community.

Mary-Jane Stolp, CEO, The Bridge accepted the award at a gala presentation dinner last night and said, “We sincerely thank the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce for this recognition of our community impact for the work that we do. The Bridge Works is now operating in a viable way to employ people with disabilities and disadvantage and to help them achieve their goals and transform their lives."

We’d like to thank our business partners and of course our incredible team for their hard work, dedication, and passion.

#businessforgood #socialenterprise #awardwinners #businessexcellence #thebridgeworks #thebridgeinc