Helping others leads Ability to finals in Telstra business awards
HARD work and a determined resolve to provide meaningful employment opportunities to marginalised individuals living in Toowoomba and regional Queensland has catapulted local not-for-profit organisation Ability Enterprises into the spotlight, named recently as a finalist in the 2022 Telstra Best of Business Awards.
With more than 24,000 award entries nationally, becoming a finalist is being celebrated by the Ability team as recognition for what they have achieved over the past 10 years.
“The Telstra Best of Business Awards is recognised for putting Australia’s best small and medium-sized businesses in the spotlight and we feel extremely honoured to be named a finalist for 2022 in the Building Communities category, a category dedicated to organisations such as ours making a positive impact on culture and society, so people from all walks of life can thrive,” Ability CEO Tracey Scanlan said.
Since 2011, Ability Enterprises has assisted more than 320 people facing barriers to gaining meaningful employment in the Toowoomba region.
This has been achieved through strategic community and corporate partnerships with organisations such as Toowoomba Regional Council, Q-Build, Toowoomba Grammar School and the state government.
Ability provides the opportunity for people living with a mental illness and/or disability to work in a diverse range of industries including, waste management, maintenance, car detailing, administration, manufacturing and cleaning.
“Our team is our first priority “Ms Scanlan said.
“After that, running a long term, sustainable business model and looking at future growth for Ability is where our focus lies.
“We have a strong appetite for innovation where we can be confident that outcomes will lead to greater employment opportunities long term for people living with a mental illness or disability, as well as refugees and Indigenous Australians.
Ability board chair Don Carlson said the recognition was very rewarding.
“In the social enterprise and not-for-profit sector, it’s very rewarding to see Ability Enterprises recognised as a finalist in the Telstra Best of Business Awards for our achievements to date,” he said.
“We have so much more in the planning stage, the future certainly is looking bright.”
The final winners of the Telstra Best in Business Awards will be announced in February 2022.