Linking Opportunities for Locals

LEE Watts said she is excited to be a director on the board of JobLink and promote that the organisation does more than address unemployment.

“At the moment we are putting together a proposal to help women who are escaping domestic violence, after they have been assisted by Upper Hunter Homeless then we develop their training skills for them to become financially independent,” said Mrs Watts.

Lee Watts director of JobLink with staff member Aysia Batchelor at the Scone JobLink office.

“With my work at the Neighbourhood Centre there are lots of areas where we cross over with services and for example this week at the Centre, JobLink have provided training courses and the Centre has been able to promote them and organise the participants and we have had great numbers for those, it shows the community really wants these services,” she said.

“Often people think people who don’t have jobs aren’t trying, but we see the other side when people for example might not have any work boots to head off to work or someone may be living in their car, so we can help with things like that which many people take for granted, it’s all about helping people to be job ready with a range of things,” she said.

“In Dubbo and Tamworth JobLink have set up a barbers shop employing people to learn a trade,” she said.

“The staff are really proactive and the board have people with diverse skills across the area and I am glad to be living and based in the Hunter to represent our local area,” she said.

“We are all working for people we can make a difference for,” Lee Watts said.

JobLink operates across the Central West, Orana, Hunter and New England.