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Information
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A community resource
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Multilink Community Services Inc was started in 1988 by a small group of migrants and refugees who saw a need for English classes and support services for non-English speaking people. Multilink became incorporated in 1989, took on its first funded program in 1991 and now it operates 32 programmes on a weekly basis across six local government areas. The organisation receives funding from local, state and federal government, but it also owns two businesses – one that provides an interpreting and translating service; the other, a series of multicultural card games for children.
Of the 330 people who work for Multilink, nearly all of its staff members are from different cultural backgrounds and none of them are under 40 years of age. Multilink’s director Lynda Ford is very happy with the results that have been achieved by these mature age employees. “They are honest, hardworking, loyal, insightful and always ready to help others,” Lynda said. “They are happy to be working, taking the opportunities made available to them and they are great resources, providing us with cultural and religious knowledge, contacts and language skills.”
Training for its mature age employees remains one of Multilink’s most important issues. While English literacy will always be a key concern, Lynda Ford has also identified what she calls “workplace literacy” as another area that requires attention. “I believe that training issues were greater for this culturally diverse workgroup as often they need skills, knowledge and experience of Australian systems (education, employment, medical, drivers’ licences, telephone connections, etc) and conceptual skills to establish their programs, collect data, write reports and liaise with government and other organisations.”
Having identified that there is a great need for it, Multilink encourages and supports continuing training for its mature age employees. The organisation informs its staff about external training opportunities, and it provides two hours per week study leave for full-time employees. Multilink also conducts individual staff appraisals for all staff that identify training needs, and the organisation has developed a 2005-06 training plan that offers a variety of practical and technical sessions to staff.
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