Surprise guest helps Ability Enterprises celebrate 10 years of social good!
480 was an important number to be celebrated at Ability Enterprises this week. That is the number of vulnerable people from within our community that this innovative Toowoomba-based Social Enterprise has helped to gain meaningful employment over the past 10 years.
This has been made possible via their service related contracts in the areas of waste management, specialist cleaning services, manufacturing and recycling and Ability CEO Tracey Scanlan can verify they are not slowing down anytime soon. Even though they are a Social Enterprise; this Not for Profit organisation submits tenders for contracts just like any other business.
“Ten years on and Ability Enterprises is going from strength to strength” Tracey said. “We currently have 92 staff employed across 11 service provision contracts and we are being recognised, locally and nationally for our commitment to creating a sustainable business model that offers full time employment opportunities to people with a disability”
The next few weeks will see more innovation rolled out as the Ability Enterprises team move into Plastics Recycling, an initiative that will not only create up to 45 new jobs, but divert up to 175,000 tonnes of single use plastics from landfill. ”The Board of Directors and management team have been working hard to diversify our Enterprise model, remain relevant and map our future direction” Ms Scanlan said “An exciting part of that future is Plastics Recycling!”
Ability Enterprises celebrate 10 years with a surprise guest
To honour these milestones & achievements, stakeholders, staff and special guests gathered for a Christmas BBQ at Ability Enterprises this week where they were treated to a big surprise as popular Television personality and award winning actor Shane Jacobson arrived to celebrate with them.
Shane shared personal stories from his family life, lock down, his experience with online bullying and what it was like to sit in a meeting with Hollywood’s top executives to discuss an American version of Kenny (seems they don’t quite get our Aussie humour) But in the end his message to the guests and Ability team members present was very clear. “Let’s try to laugh more, let’s not take life too seriously”, and his final tip, “make someone smile” Mr Jacobson said “sit down and tell them a cracking good joke!”
