Merger of Community Organisations to improve services

It is with great pleasure that the Boards of Communities@Work (C@W) and Gungahlin Regional Community Service (GRCS) announce that the two organisations have taken the decision to merge their operations effective 1 July 2013.

Following a very successful partnership between C@W and GRCS for the provision of School Age Care Services and the development of a Care and Share Program at Ngunnawal, the Boards had investigated the benefits of a full integration and merger of the operations of the two organisations.

The Boards have concluded that a merger will:

• Enable greater capacities and more resources to be directed to improving services to the Gungahlin community by being able to readily deploy staff and resources, as demonstrated in our successful partnership for provision of School Age Care Services and the Ngunnawal Care and Share Program.
• Create opportunities for the development of more complementary programs which will provide a continuum of care for our clients.
• Increase capacity to manage cost pressures and create efficiencies.
• Provide greater career pathways and opportunities for all staff.
• Enhance capacity to research and develop program models to address unmet needs in the community across the whole of Canberra.

‘The merger provides a great opportunity to improve services and outcomes for those in need in our community and to better focus the use of resources to this end.’ said Archie Tsirimokos, Chair of the Board of C@W.

‘This is an exciting development which will better support the needs of the Gungahlin community’ said Rhonda Daniell, President of the Board of GRCS.

The merged entity will continue to be known and operate as C@W. GRCS staff will be transferred to C@W from 1 July 2013. GRCS Incorporated will cease to operate as a separate entity.

If you require further information or wish to discuss any aspect of the merger or our work, please contact Chris Barry, Director Communications & Fundraising or Alice Hekimian, Event & Campaign Coordinator on (02) 6293 6500 or by e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]