SEVENTY years of service has been dedicated to ac.care by six staff who marked 10 and 15 year milestones for long-term employment during the financial year.
Millicent-based family support worker Cheryl Brennan and client support officer Jenny Morris were both recognised for a remarkable 15 years of service.
Ms Brennan said she valued the positive relationships she had formed with families in the region as a family support worker.
“Observing and supporting family members to develop self-esteem, confidence and achieve and maintain personal goals that have a positive benefit for all family members has been very rewarding,” she said.
“It has also been very gratifying to see families increasingly feeling part of the community and providing a safe, nurturing and happy environment for their children.”
Ms Brennan said she hoped to continue to develop her knowledge to promote and deliver the unique and valuable program to families and the wider community with an informative and positive approach.
Meanwhile, Ms Morris first became involved with ac.care as a volunteer.
“I assisted out the back with shredding and lots of small jobs, as well as helping with a playgroup with the family support worker at the time,” she explained.
“I would get through my jobs and wanted to help more so (Millicent Community Centre coordinator) Evonne Lambert asked whether I would like to assist in the office area out the front and that is how I started serving customers.”
Ms Morris then became involved in ac.care’s children’s contact service to provide supervised contact for parents after her experience with the playgroup service.
“I have enjoyed every minute here helping where I can and it has given me the inner strength to live life and do things I would not have even dreamed of doing,” she said.
“The staff here are supportive and did not push me into roles, but guided me respectfully and if it were not for them I would still be struggling with depression and uncertainty about myself.”
Across the broader ac.care team, four staff were acknowledged for a decade of service each, including:
• Riverland foster care manager Tenille Chartres
• Senior finance project officer Robyn Ashby
• Strategic knowledge coordinator Amanda McKinnon
• Homelessness and community services senior manager Trish Spark
A further 11 staff were recognised for five years of service milestones.