Our Status sites had a blast celebrating International Women’s Day! 💜

Complete with cakes, coffee and plenty of purple, our sites came together to celebrate the women in our lives.

Some highlights from our International Women’s Day celebrations:

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝘀𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 – Our Status team attended an inspiring event focused on uplifting women, particularly those affected by family and domestic violence. Our team assisted in putting together gift bags, complete with gift cards donated by Status.

𝗨𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝘀 – Many of our Status sites hosted morning teas to celebrate, embracing the spirit of the day with plenty of purple decorations and even wearing purple outfits to show their support!

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – Our sites also chose to start meaningful and thought-provoking conversations about this year’s theme #AccelerateAction for All Women and Girls. Using resources and activities from the official International Womens Day website, our Participants were able to walk away from the events with a renewed sense of empowerment and inspiration.

As part of our celebrations, we proudly supported Dress for Success Adelaide through gold coin donations and nearly-new women’s workwear contributions. Dress for Success Adelaide are a South Australian charity providing women with professional attire, career advice, and confidence to help them succeed in interviews and their first weeks at work, empowering them on their journey toward financial independence.

You can learn more about Dress for Success Adelaide, including how to support their mission at adelaide.dressforsuccess.org/get-involved.

On February 11th, our Workforce Australia – Transition to Work Participants travelled from Status Morley to attend the Virgin Australia Perth Expo.

Participants arrived at Status Morley at 3pm in all black smart casual, ready to take a taxi into Perth City for a 4pm start.

We are thrilled to share that all the Participants had a blast at the expo! The event started with a talk from Virgin Australia talking about the different departments and the opportunities available. The Participants then made their way around the room to learn more about the different roles available and how to apply for them. The expo was well organised, with the Virgin Australia staff doing an amazing job of answering questions and providing information.

Our Participants were feeling inspired about the opportunities Virgin Australia were offering!

“I’m so excited to hear that lots of Uni students work in the pit crew. I’m looking forward to submitting my application.” – Shiani

“The event is so professional. I’m excited to submit my application to work in Guest Services.” – Victoria

“I’ve applied to Emirates to work as a Flight Attendant but I was declined. I was so upset. Then this opportunity has come along with Virgin Australia. Thank you so much for creating this event and bringing us to this opportunity. I’m really excited to submit my application.” – Muzhgan

“Thank you so much for creating this event and bringing us to this opportunity. I’ve never done anything like this before so it was really nice to feel supported.” – Jazmin

“I’m blown away by how corporate this event is. I’m so excited to submit my application.” – Beatrix

“Thank you so much for creating this event and bringing us to this opportunity.” - Alhan

“I’ve never been to anything like this before. It’s amazing. I think I might want to be a pilot one day.” – Elvira

Our Transition to Work team are looking forward to supporting our Participants with their applications!

Wishing all our Participants the best of luck on their submissions!

Last week, 1 Workforce Australia – Transition to Work and 7 Disability Employment Service (DES) Participants attended a Mindful Gardening session at Status Clarkson.

The session started with a 15-minute meditation, in which the Participants were asked to imagine a magical garden setting along with a lovely story.

The Participants then began planting their own potted plant with the provided supplies of a pot with drip tray, soil, plants and plant cuttings from DES Employment Consultant Sue’s garden.

Sue was able to demonstrate how to create a potted plant, showing the group the best ways to do so. The Participants were able to take advantage of the various positive benefits gardening can bring, such as:

• Boosting positive emotions
• More aware and accepting of change
• Soothing impact on stress, anxiety and tension

The Participants had a lot of fun, leaving the session relaxed with their very own potted plant.

On December 10th, Participants from our Workforce Australia – Transition to Work program and Disability Employment Service gathered to enjoy a morning filled with holiday crafts and meditation.

The session featured Christmas ornament diamond art, paired with a 30-minute Christmas story and snacks. The morning was very successful, with all attendees feeling relaxed and recharged, even receiving a small gift bag of treats to take home.

The team decided a morning of meditation and crafts would be perfect during this busy time of the year! Meditation and art allow our Participants to create space between negative and anxious thoughts and positively connect with themselves. Meditation has many more helpful benefits, including reducing stress, improving memory and increasing focus and mental clarity, perfecting for recharging during the holiday period.

Thank you to Casey, Michele, Grace & Lara who helped organise the morning and made it one to remember for our Participants!

Tuesday the 3rd was the International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) and we celebrated here at Status! Across our sites over South and Western Australia, our teams hosted and attended various events with our Disability Employment Service (DES) Participants.

Some of the highlights!

A day out at Hyde Park – DES Participants made their own festival, enjoying board games, a leisurely walk and delicious food whilst connecting and building friendships with one another. Events like this one highlight the significance of fostering opportunities for individuals with disabilities to engage socially and professionally and celebrating their unique abilities and contributions to society.

Crown Luncheon – Crown held a luncheon and panel discussion where individuals in leadership roles shared their personal experiences. The event also featured a dance and choir performance, showcasing the diverse talents of individuals living with disability.

Christie Down BBQ – DES Participants from Status Noarlunga and Seaford enjoyed a free BBQ in collaboration with Christie Downs Community House, a lovely chance to discuss our partnership in the future. The Participants received a tour around the facility and were introduced to Christie Downs Community House and their services.

Site Parties – Sites around Australia held celebrations, complete with decorations, snacks and uplifting activities. Shout out to Status Torrensville, Port Adelaide and Kilkenny for their lively celebrations!

Sewing Something Simple – Employment Consultant, Sue, took her Participant, Lily, to a community sewing event at Clarkson Library to sew a bag completely out of recycled materials. Although Lily felt nervous about the event, this was a big personal achievement as this was the first time attending an activity outside of our Clarkson site!

Meditation and Morning Tea – Kin Disability hosted a Meditation and Morning tea in North Beach, filled with mindfulness, inspiration and creativity. The session started with a presentation from 18-year-old autism advocate, Jayelan Lee discussing his experience with disability, completely motivating and uplifting our Participants.

Storytelling Circle Event - Our Participants used their creativity through drawing to express their story, hobbies, dreams and what brings them joy. It was a successful and relaxing event with the Participants connecting with one-another and learning from their peers experiences.

Mandurah Morning Tea - Status Mandurah filled with Participants from our Job Clubs and Empower group to celebrate IDPwD. The attendees viewed inspiring stories of individuals living with disability and then joined a delicious morning tea with plenty of laughs and support.

Cannington Christmas Crafts - DES Participants at Status Cannington spoke about the meaning of IDPwD whilst completing a series of crafts including mental health colouring, identifying personal strengths and Christmas crafts.

IDPwD was a fantastic day of celebrations across the nation, highlighting the value that individuals living with disability can bring to the community and more specifically the workplace. This year’s theme, "Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future” was highlighted across the events, encouraging employers to consider hiring individuals living with disability!