BCS Hunter Contracts has just celebrated its tenth birthday and as staff blew out candles on a large birthday cake, the service’s manager Mr Allen Mowday was celebrating the difference the BCS initiative has made in the lives of hundreds of people over the past decade.
Launched in 1998, in partnership with the then Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, BCS Hunter Contracts provides employment to people experiencing disability associated with their mental health, including conditions such as bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, depression and various phobias.
Mr Mowday said that in his 45 years of working life he has found that people struggling with mental illness are often misunderstood, neglected and discriminated against.
“We are seeking to break down some of the myths in the community and give our staff and their families hope for the future, while also challenging some of the prevailing attitudes others may have,” Mr Mowday said.
“Our workers express appreciation for their employment, the ability to relate to fellow workmates who understand their situation and also the opportunity to experience working in a community setting.”
Mr Mowday said customers also regularly expressed their appreciation for the professional service the team performed, while also knowing that they were partnering in a project making a meaningful difference in the local community.
Hunter Contracts currently employs 31 people, 21 working in lawn mowing and gardening crews and 10 in a cleaning crew. The crews, led by trained supervisors, serve residential, business and industrial customers in more than 100 different settings across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
Over the past decade more than 125 people have benefited from working at the service, gaining new personal and work skills aimed at enabling them to be more independent in their daily lives. Family members and carers have also been supported through the service.
As well as providing employment and training, Hunter Contracts also assists clients in liaising with medical and mental health providers, referrals to other agencies and other practical support.
Looking to the future, Mr Mowday highlighted two key growth challenges for the service.
“At this point we have more opportunities for ongoing work than the resources available, along with more people looking for employment with the service than can be accommodated within existing funding arrangements.”
Crew supervisor Sam Eddy, who has been with BCS Hunter Contracts since 1998, said it was a privilege to work for such a much-needed service.
"We have helped many people living with mental health issues find meaningful employment, both with us and in the wider community,” Mr Eddy said.
“We are also helping raise the profile of mental health and providing support and encouragement to our clients.”
BCS Hunter Contracts is funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, with employees receiving, or eligible to receive, the disability support pension in addition to their wages. The proceeds of the work undertaken by the mowing and cleaning crews pay for wages and other expenses associated with work the staff undertakes in the local community.
As well as serving a range of commercial clients across the region, BCS Hunter Contracts also has responsibility for the lawn, garden and grounds maintenance at the BCS Kara Centre and BCS Warabrook Centre in Newcastle and the BCS Orana Centre and BCS Pathways service on the Central Coast.
For more details about Hunter Contracts please phone 1300 ASK BCS [275 227].