Project SEARCH builds participants’ skills and confidence.
 

Eight young workers have graduated from a new employment program at Concord Repatriation General Hospital (CRGH) designed to help young people who are neurodivergent into work.

Five graduates of the Project SEARCH program have now been employed at Concord and two are continuing to train and gain work experience at the hospital.

Run in partnership with WISE, a not-for-profit employment services provider, Project SEARCH placed participants with different teams at the hospital to build skills and confidence and find career pathways. This is the first time the program has been run in NSW.

In a video message to the graduation ceremony, Sydney Local Health District Chief Executive Deb Willcox AM said she was thrilled at the success of all the program’s graduates. She said all of the people who had supported the participants – families, friends, carers and Concord teams and managers – would be feeling the same.

“I can only imagine the enormous pride they’re all feeling today at your graduation,” Deb said.

“Whether you’re beginning your career at Concord or continuing to build your skills while working towards the right role, I hope you’ve found your brave, confident selves and you’re really ready for that next stage.

“And it’s not just you who that has benefited – every person you have worked with has really benefited from having you work with them.

“You’ve made our workplace a better place.”

Deb said she hoped the District’s collaboration with WISE would be just the beginning of a very productive relationship.

In his message for the graduation, WISE Group Chief Executive Matthew Lambelle thanked Concord for being a “tremendous partner”.

“It's amazing what two organisations can do like minded with shared values, do to achieve for other people,” he said.

“Thank you very much for saying yes, helping this group of amazing young people to get an advancement and opportunity to move forward and progress their work.”

Robyn Ussher said she was thrilled to be taking up a job in Concord’s Central Intake Centre after participating in Project SEARCH.

“I knew I was capable of working hard and I had skills that were valuable in the workforce, but I've never really been given the opportunity to prove myself in a professional workplace,” Robyn said.

“The biggest thing project search has given me wasn't technical skills. It gave me confidence – confidence that I belong in a workplace like this, confidence that I can be an asset and contribute to a team.

This role means more than just a job. It represents independence, purpose, and the opportunity that I hoped for when I first walked through these doors.”

Bevan Borges said he was able to overcome his initial nervousness at the start of the program and grew in confidence.

“I worked in different departments, met many amazing people and further developed my skills,” Bevan said.

“I also became more self-confident in my ability to work autonomously. One of the greatest things I can say I have learned is that disability doesn’t define what we can achieve. With the right support and opportunities, we can all make valuable contributions in the workplace.”

John Burgess, District Associate Director, People Strategy & Culture, said there was a great deal of excitement about Project SEARCH in the District and talks were under way with WISE to continue the program.