Vivid chief executive Scott Alexander said the Strengthening Rural Communities grant had made it possible for Vivid Work Crew to expand services into Kyabram — an area in great need of seasonal workers and garden maintenance workers to meet the labour demands of local businesses.
“The $8951 grant has contributed to the purchase of tools, equipment and supplies required to take on gardening contracts in Kyabram. We are extremely grateful to the FRRR for supporting our program,” Mr Alexander said.
Vivid Work Crew provides paid and meaningful employment for adults with a disability, to engage with, and contribute to, their local community in a way that enriches their lives and enhances their economic participation.
Improving outcomes for people with an intellectual disability not only benefits the individual, it benefits the community too.
“Vivid are proud advocates for inclusion and firmly believe that our participants have a lot to offer socially and economically. By increasing opportunities for our participants to engage with employment, we hope to break down barriers and create important social change,” Mr Alexander said.
During the first year of the program, Vivid hopes to create jobs for seven adults from Kyabram with an intellectual disability. However, once the program is established, the number of participants is expected to grow.
“We will measure effectiveness of the Supported Employment Program and impact on its participants through the well-established feedback and quality assurance processes already embedded in the work we do at Vivid,” Mr Alexander said.