Olympian Nat Cook, a former Olympic Gold medallist in beach volleyball, will be the guest speaker at IMPACT Community Services’ Annual Celebration on Monday, October 23 at The Waves Sports Club.
IMPACT, a not-for-profit organisation, has had a significant year supporting more than 5,500 people across the Bundaberg, Wide Bay, Discovery Coast and Burnett regions.
The organisation delivers a diverse range of supports in the health, mental health, parenting, disability, youth, employment, training and social enterprise spaces.
The past year has seen IMPACT receive three major community awards, with Innovation General Manager Nathan Spruce being awarded CoACT’s Innovation Award.
IMPACT was also named the Containers for Change Small Operator of the Year, while Managing Director Tanya O’Shea was recognised as the Outstanding Leader for organisations with a revenue above $3million at the inaugural Not-For-Profit Leadership Awards.
IMPACT was also recognised by the Diversity Council of Australia as one of 30 inclusive organisations across the country.
Compared to the average Australian workplace, IMPACT employs four times as many people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders backgrounds, 60% more employees who identify as female, 50% more people aged 55 or over, and 77% more employees with a disability.
Managing Director Tanya O’Shea emphasised IMPACT’s crucial role supporting people during challenging times to improve their lives.
“Those in the communities we serve face many pressing issues, including rising levels of homelessness, escalating living costs, domestic violence and declining mental wellbeing,” Tanya said.
“IMPACT’s role in the community is therefore more important than ever as we work to shift the dial.”
Other highlights of the year included the launch of the Stronger Together podcast and progress of the Discovery Coast Model of Care project, which aims to improve healthcare options for residents of that region.
For more information about IMPACT Community Services go to www.impact.org.au.
