CS#1 celebrates a year of delivering care in the Murrumbidgee 

Community Services #1 (CS#1) has been delivering in-home care services in the Murrumbidgee for a year now but is only just getting around to its official launch in the wake of COVID interruptions.

Established in the ACT, CS#1 now delivers a broad range of community programs in the Riverina.

CEO Amanda Tobler said the new office in Wagga is the 35-year-old service provider’s first expansion into NSW.

“We started as an early education and care provider in the ACT and throughout that period of time have expanded into being what’s called a regional community agency,” she explained.

“We now provide everything from early education and care right through to aged care services, food pantry and community transport.”

In the Murrumbidgee and Riverina CS#1 delivers non-clinical care in various areas.

“We deliver domestic assistance, personal care, transport, meals and a range of services to maintain the ability to stay at home and be independent,” she said.

“We also have some of our management team down here working with brokers in the area and we’re just really excited to be able to support the community here with local employees.”

Case manager coordinator Jeanine Aughey said it was a privilege to help people in the area.

“Most of us really enjoy doing it,” she said.

“We get to speak to some lovely people who are usually very appreciative of the support we can provide.

“I’ve got a lady at the moment and helping her with some shopping, some domestic tasks, and it’s about making sure she’s got someone to help out.”

Amanda Tobler said it’s great also to be creating jobs in the region.

“We are delighted to have established our services in the area and also to continue to offer employment opportunities to locals to deliver these services,” she said.

Despite a shortage of workers in many areas, she said they have been able to assemble a strong team.

“We’ve been very lucky to get a great workforce who work really hard and who continue every day to be able to support their local community,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say that recruitment in any space at the moment is easy, but we’ve actually been able to find the staff of the calibre that we want in the Riverina and we’ve been really happy about that.”

Ms Tobler added that they are always looking for good workers for both full-time and part-time roles.

“All of our case managers and management team here are full-time employees but the people who provide the in-home services can work on a casual and part-time basis,” she said

“We’re always looking for more home care support workers.”

The CS#1 official launch was held at the Wagga office on Baylis Street on Friday (24 June).

For more information on their services, visit the CS#1 website.