EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS

EDUCATION & TRAINING

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY

INTERNATIONAL

CHARITY

In 1989 a small group of parents on Queensland’s

Sunshine Coast came together to take steps to promote opportunities

for their children.In the months and years that followed,

an organisation was born whose passion is to ensure all people are given the

opportunity to be independent, to contribute actively to their

communities and to find success in ways that are

meaningful to them.

Our Commitment

To make a difference by providing opportunity.

Our Values

IntegrityCourageRespectUnderstanding

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carmel CrouchMANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Christine JonesSECRETARY

Helen FergusonDIRECTOR

Michael LutjeTREASURER

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM

STEPS Group Australia (STEPS) is a vibrant, not-for-profit community organisation focused on creating positive change in our communities.

Through core services of employment and training we enable individuals and communities to take confident steps forward and create opportunities to help people towards independence.

Integrity. We lead by example in our commitment to being honest, transparent and accountable in our communications and interactions.

Mutual Respect. We encourage a sense of worth in one another, accept an individual’s right to their opinion and actively encourage contribution.

Courage. We build strength and foster resilience when we act with the courage of our convictions.

Compassion. We recognise that empathy, care and understanding are essential in our relationships with others.

Possibility Thinking. We look at situations in new and creative ways to open up unrealised opportunities for positive change.

Learning. We strengthen our skills and knowledge by pursuing informal and formal education opportunities, challenging our own ideas, asking questions, embracing feedback and reflecting on the outcomes of our actions. We understand this is essential for continual improvement.

EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS

EDUCATION & TRAINING

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY

INTERNATIONAL

CHARITY

WHO WE ARE

OUR VALUES

Lee-Anne WhalleyMANAGER

EMPLOYMENTSOLUTIONS

Shelly CampbellGENERAL MANAGER

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Bruce EldridgeCHIEF FINANCIAL

OFFICER

Stuart CowardEXECUTIVE

OFFICER

Carolyn TurnbullHUMAN RESOURCES

MANAGER

Samantha GeesonQUALITY SYSTEMS

MANAGER

A HISTORY OF GROWTH. 1989 - 2011

1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

1991

We expand our service offering to our clients and now provide competitive employment placement and support services, workplace skills training, apprenticeship placements and high school transition support.

1993

We become one of the first disability services to obtain Approved Training Organisation (ATO) status.

We extend our employment support services to Yandina & Maleny and introduce our first work experience program to support our job seekers in gaining job skills.

1994

We introduce our Supported Wage and Deaf/Hearing Impaired Support programs to further help our job seekers find meaningful employment.

We partner with CADET in a joint program to support participants in the Land Environment Action Program.

1995 - 1996

Our Range Project provides traineeships in regional Maroochydore and Caloundra.

Our second office opens in Caloundra and we now have a staff of 22.

1998

We launch STEPS Ahead to create financially viable social venture businesses, designed to employ people with a disability for full rates of pay. Waterfall Road Cleaning is its first contract.

1990

With a staff of four, we commence operation as a supported employment agency from our first office in Maroochydore.

2002

Our bid for “The Australians Working Together (A Better Deal for People with Disability) Tender” is successful. STEPS’ Constitution is amended.

Our new strategic plan is released with an extended focus on training.

2003

STEPS becomes STEPS Disability Queensland reflecting changes to our corporate structure with four divisions, STEPS Training, STEPS Employment, STEPS Ahead and STEPS Support.

We merge with Work Support Employment Service in Bundaberg, expanding our service into this region and acquiring a new office.

2004

We successfully apply for a Job Placement Organisation License. STEPS job seekers number surpass 500.

STEPS Training receives a Honda Foundation grant to deliver driver training to people with a disability.

We conducted a National Survey of Disability Employment Service Providers to identify training demands.

2005 - 2006

Through a merger with Coral Coast Employment Services Inc. we open offices in Hervey Bay and Bowen.

Partnership arrangements result in the expansion of our training services to Townsville.

We merge with Employment Access Inc to deliver services in Alice Springs.

We open our Townsville, Collinsville and Alice Springs offices and outreach offices in Maryborough and Ayr. STEPS offices now number 12.

STEPS Training is invited to become a training partner of the National Employment Services Association (NESA) and sit on two national special interest groups, ‘Professional Development’ and ‘People with a Disability.’

Our bid to deliver Open Employment Services, Remote Service Delivery, Supported Wage Systems and the Workplace Modification Scheme to our clients is successful.

2007

With funding from Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), we commence the STEPS Graduate Program.

We merge with Capability Concepts Inc to deliver Disability Services to people in Gin Gin and the Wide Bay/Burnett region.

2008

STEPS Training’s Scope of Registration expands to 13 qualifications and 18 accredited courses.

We merge with Impact Employment to expand our services in Townsville and attain the National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program in North and South-East Queensland

Queensland Mental Health names STEPS Nambour as preferred provider of Disability Employment Services on the Sunshine Coast.

STEPS now has 13 fully operational offices in Queensland and Northern Territory, and one part time office in Noosa and a staff of 94

2009

We add two part-time offices in Maleny and Ayr.

STEPS Mental Health Centre of Excellence is launched.

The Meeting Place Project commences in Alice Springs.

STEPS Training now delivers Language, Literacy & Numeracy, Workplace English Language & Literacy, Home & Community Care Aged Care Training and Productivity Places Programs (PPP) in the Northern Territory.

We merge with CADET to expand our training services on the Sunshine Coast.

We partner with Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation to deliver Youth Connections to young people at risk in remote NT.

We deliver six new community programs: Youth Pathways Program, Multicultural Affairs Initiative, Dementia Awareness Initiative, Regional Arts Development Funding, NDCO Strategic Funding and Post School Services.

Our Alice Springs office expands to accommodate Training and Community Services growth.

We successfully re-tender for the Federal Governments Disability Employment Services (DES) contract.

2010

Our Language Literacy & Numeracy contract is extended into Cairns and Torres Strait.

STEPS Disability QLD Inc becomes STEPS Group Australia, a Company Limited by Guarantee.

Our new strategic plan is launched and our staff now number 288.

Rebrand: STEPS adopts a logo and business colours.

Our third office in Nambour opens

We see a 40% growth in job seekers requesting our help.

STEPS was founded by a group of parents on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to enhance employment opportunities for young people aged between 15 and 25 years with an intellectual disability.

Our name, originally and acronym for Sunshine Coast Training and Employment Placement Services was registered in October 1989. While today we no longer use the acronym, we still write STEPS in capitals to pay homage to our foundation.

2011

The STEPS 2011 Grand Winter Ball officially launches the STEPS Charity, raising the profile of STEPS within the local Sunshine Coast business community.

We undergo a re-branding exercise to clarify our service offering to the market

EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS

EDUCATION & TRAINING

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY

INTERNATIONAL

CHARITY

CHARITY

EDUCATION & TRAINING SERVICESEMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

We combine our passion for quality service and training to give you the best opportunities possible. Ever since our Education and Training division launched in 1993, we’ve been committed to giving individuals the chance to develop new work skills and knowledge. STEPS is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and we provide education, training programs and partnerships across the following areas:

• Language, Literacy & Numeracy• International Hospitality• Community and Aged Care

www.stepstraining.edu.au

We understand it’s important to reach out to different people in different ways. That’s why we offer initiatives that recognise and nurture the value of individuals to local communities. Our social and community programs include:

• Caloundra Resource Recovery Centre

• Care for Carers Program

• National Disability Coordination Officer Program (NDCO)

• George Street Community Nursery

• Cleaning & Property Maintenance

www.stepsgroup.com.au/community

We’re committed to forming sustainable partnerships to strengthen and grow our local communities.As a registered charity we provide a vital service to the community, but we can’t deliver all of our services and initiatives without the support of others. Since 2011 we have been raising money to deliver our unfunded services through initiatives such as The STEPS Grand Winter Ball and strategic, mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses in our local communities. We’re always on the lookout for new opportunities to partner with organisations and we’re always thankful to our partners who, each and every day, help us to support the people that need it most.

www.stepsgroup.com.au/charity

We know a diverse workforce makes a valuable contribution to Australian businesses. STEPS empowers disadvantaged job seekers by giving them meaningful support and opportunities. We help those with a disability, injury or health condition find and maintain sustainable employment.

With more than 25 years experience in the recruitment industry, we’ve made it our business to place talented job seekers in the right roles, every time.

www.stepsgroup.com.au/employment

• Business• Foundation Skills• Training and Assessment• Health

HOBART

REMOTE TOP END

CAIRNSOffice in central Cairns, servicing Cairns, Innisfail and Mossman• Education & Training

» Skills for Education and Employment

TOWNSVILLE Offices in Aitkenvale and Ayr, servicing the region• Employment Solutions

» Disability Employment Service• Social & Community Initiatives

National Disability Coordination Officer Program – Region 22

BUNDABERG Office in central Bundaberg, servicing Bundaberg, Wide Bay, Burnett and Gympie region• Employment Solutions

» Disability Employment Service• Social & Community Initiatives

» Care for Carers Program

SUNSHINE COAST Offices in Caloundra, Maleny, Maroochydore, Nambour and Noosa, servicing the Sunshine Coast• Education & Training

» Campus in Caloundra » Aged Care courses » Training partnership services » International College » English College

• Employment Solutions » Disability Employment Services » By Your Side Mentoring Program

• Social & Community Initiatives » Caloundra Resource Recovery Centre » Mattress recycling » Commercial cleaning » National Disability Coordination Officer Program – Region 20

Office in Casuarina (Darwin), servicing Milingimbi, Galiwinku, Nhulunbuy and Gunbalanya• Education & Training

» Skills for Education and Employment » Subcontract Skills for Education and Employment

services to Tiwi Islands

ALICE SPRINGSOffice in Alice Springs servicing Alice Springs, Hermannsburg plus 16 remote communities across the Central Desert and Barkly region• Education & Training

» Skills for Education and Employment » Northern Territory Aged Care Training Project

• Employment Solutions: » Disability Employment Services

Office in central Hobart • Employment Solutions:

» Delivering the Indigenous Employment Program

• Education & Training » Skills for Education

and Employment

DARWINOffice in Casuarina servicing Darwin and Palmerston• Education & Training

» Skills for Education and EmploymentNDCO REGION 22

NDCO REGION 20

KIMBERLY REGION - WESTERN AUSTRALIAOffices in Derby & Kunnanurra• Education & Training

» Skills for Education and Employment

ATHERTON TABLELANDS Office in Atherton• Education & Training

» Skills for Education and Employment

NATIONAL - ALL REGIONS• National Panel of AssessorsRepresentatives in Perth, Adelaide, Stanwell, Melbourne, Wagga Wagga, Sydney, Yamba, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Townsville servicing all 116 regions Australia wide.

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

1300-0-STEPS or 1300-078-377

enquiries@stepsgroup.com.au

www.stepsgroup.com.au

@

@stepsgroup

/stepsgroup

/stepsgroup

steps-group-australia

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