Maree Bregmen

Hi, I’m Maree and was very pleased to be offered the opportunity to be a member on the Board of Emerge Supported Employment Trust in 2010.  I have worked in the disability sector for about 12 years at Wellington Institute of Technology and for the past 7 years on the Certificate in Community & Vocational Learning Skills, a work skill based programme for people who have a long term illness, injury or disability and require targeted assistance to maximise their potential.

The year I have spent on the Board has given me valuable insight into how the Supported Employment Sector operates and the fantastic work they do for their clients.   It is a privilege to be a part of such a dynamic and focused Board and organisation.  I am looking forward to the year ahead.

Christine and Rueben from Allied Building Services

Employer profile: Christine Humphreys at Allied Building Services. Christine is a supervisor for Allied Building Services, who specialise in commercial cleaning services across Wellington. They are mainly contracted to offices and factories to provide staff for regular cleaning services. Christine began working for them 11 years ago and now has a team of staff employed at locations across the region, and is also in charge of recruitment. Many of her team have some form of physical or intellectual disabilities or mental health issues. She began hiring workers with disabilities after becoming aware of their valuable skills in the workplace including good commitment, loyalty and reliability. She feels their business has benefitted by having a reliable workforce, who are always enthusiastic about their work. This has ongoing benefits by encouraging other employers to take on someone with a disability, removing stigmas and building better relationships within the wider community. Employment is vital for people with disabilities as it allows individuals to gain valuable confidence and skills, which many go on to use in other jobs. Christine makes an effort to understand her staff as individuals, what their dreams and aspirations are, as well as supporting them with outside aspects that may have an impact on their work such as medical or social issues. She also believes that there is never a dull moment and has had nothing but positive comments about the work her staff do. One of Christine’s staff members is Reuben Wilson, who was recruited through Emerge Supported Employment Trust. He is working three days a week at an engineering company based north of Wellington city. He works alongside another Allied staff member, cleaning the offices. Christine believes Reuben has come a long way and with small supports in place to help him understand his job, he has proved to be a reliable and thorough worker. In the future, she would like to see more employers providing work for people with disabilities as they have a need and right to be out their working, as well as the numerous reciprocal benefits it brings “If employers put time and effort in, they will get good results and it will benefit everyone”

Mel Bogard, another parent and I decided that although our children had been mostly included in school they were about to leave and all that seemed to waiting for them was segregated ‘day bases’. We decided that ‘real jobs, with real people and real money’ was our dream. So we founded Emerge.
The last eleven years on the Board have been amazing – interesting to be an employer and exciting to see the loyal, integrity and hard work of the staff and the glowing successes of people doing that ‘real, work with real people for real money!’ I am very proud of Emerge especially of the Transition programme and the new initiatives that staff are developing.
Some of the other hats that I wear are early childhood facilitator and mentor, Incredible Years facilitator, mother of four, advocate for children and people with disabilities and gardener/ chief cook. I am a member of a choir and The Wailing Hags and a lively book club.  This year (2011) I am doing my last paper which is a thesis towards my Masters Degree in Education. The topic for my thesis is “An examination of experiences of siblings of people with disabilities in New Zealand: Siblings Voices.”

This year, four Emerge transition students have had the opportunity to participate in work experiences at the fabulous Bordeaux Bakery on Thorndon Quay.
Café manager Olga says the work environment at Bordeaux allows young people with an experience of disability to become adaptable to different situations, increasing their confidence through engaging with the public.
One student said – “I did work experience at Bordeaux Bakery in Thorndon once a week for eight weeks. It was a lot of fun there and the staff were nice and friendly. I enjoyed delivering coffees and food to the customers. This gave me a lot of experience in the hospitality industry and skills I can transfer to other positions.”
Patrons like Bordeaux because they actively encourage inclusivity and that’s one of the reasons we appreciate their loyalty and commitment to the students we work with. The owners of Bordeaux are also great advocates for equal opportunities and have provided a number of work experiences for individuals in previous years.
Olga has managed Bordeaux for almost a year with a team of ten floor staff. Of the four students Olga has worked with at Bordeaux she felt they brought enthusiasm and an eagerness to get on with the job.
Bordeaux is an authentic French bakery and patisserie serving mouthwatering delights made in the best French tradition. Almond croissants are a specialty and prove to be most popular! To try these for yourself visit Bordeaux at 220 Thorndon Quay, Wellington.

Jason’s Interview with Richard Johnson, Catering & Events National Manager .
What do you guys do at Hiremaster?
We hire out everything for events and parties; we also help to plan and create events. We do both corporate and personal events, from a big 1000 glass government function to a 50 glass 21st.

How long have you guys been in operation and has much changed over that time?
We have been operating for 60 years and things have changed a lot in that time. We started out as a small 4m by 4m store front shop selling imported tea and decided to start hiring out tea cups too. From there things grew from 3 staff to now having 28 full time and 15 part time.

What have you enjoyed about employing somebody through Emerge?
We have enjoyed it that all the other staff are aware and really supportive of somebody who needs a bit of extra help at times. Everybody goes through ups and downs and it’s been great to have the support of Emerge staff through those times.

What benefits or supports do you offer somebody working at Hiremaster with a disability?
Everybody is supportive and makes a good effort to include them as a part of the team.

What motivates you?
I really enjoy the busyness, I love it when we have heaps on (organised chaos) and know that all the customers are happy and that the team is on board as they are a great team.

What does a day in the life of a Hiremaster staff member look like?
Starting work at 8am to the phones ringing with orders, taking and processing orders and incoming equipment, planning events and just generally hitting the ground running until the end of the day. We also have a good laugh during the day with some decent breaks. 
To find out more about Hiremaster check them out online at http://www.hiremaster.co.nz/  

Please click the following link for a a PDF copy of the report

 Emerge Annual Report 2011

 

Freyberg Pool manager Rowan Cordwell with long–serving employee Richard Bruce. 

Please click the link above to read more about Emerge’s work with the Wellington Cit Council. (Used with permission by the Wellington City Council)

I was approached by a previous chair of the organisation who asked me to consider serving on Emerge’s Board of Trustees.  I knew that Emerge was interested in expanding its contacts with employers and the business community in general, and I was attracted to Emerge on that level.  I had been impressed by the incredibly important work that Emerge was doing in helping young people with experience of disability move from school into further education and work. I felt that I could put my extensive and broad base of business contacts to good use within the organisation.

Since becoming a board member and more recently Chair of Emerge I am more than ever convinced of the value that the people for whom the service was designed bring to organisations that choose to employ them. Their skills, their dedication, their loyalty and the inspirational way they surmount what we might perceive to be obstacles become real assets for their employers and colleagues. It is a privilege to be able to put together the pieces of the puzzle – to help support, inform, promote, accelerate and in all possible ways develop these relationships in a way that enriches all of us.

When I am not working,  I can be found weeding my vegetable  garden in Island Bay, dabbling in  craft bookbinding and maintaining various online websites, including an online resource for bookbinders – see www. redeye.co.nz. 

I also chair the Wellington Xiamen Association, which next year will be celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Wellington’s sister city relationship with the city of Xiamen in China.