Supported Employment – Social Enterprises
Windarring currently operate a range of different social enterprises that focus on breaking down barriers to employment for individuals with a disability and achieving positive employment outcomes for our employees. Our enterprises are located in Kyneton, Castlemaine and Bendigo and offer a range of different employment pathways and opportunities for all abilities and interests.
Our enterprises are led by experienced support workers who assist our employees to engage in valuable employment opportunities where they can be supported to learn new skills, interact and contribute to the community they live and work in, build relationships with their peers and develop their work-based skills for job readiness.
Our employees receive on the job training and supports that are individualised and focused on their employment goals and skill development with the opportunity to explore training, study and open employment options.
Our Social Enterprises
Ability Blooms Bendigo
47 Caldwells Rd, Eaglehawk
Ability Blooms Opportunity Store
Our community facing opportunity store with pre loved goods from bric brac, clothing, kids toys, books and more. Our employees deliver a positive customer experience to our customers and gain experience working in a retail environment. Our shop operates from Monday through to Friday.
Ability Blooms Recycling
Our recycling facility collects preloved clothing from our donation hubs in the community and through our kurb side collections to re-sell and re-purpose to play our part in preventing excess textile waste from ending up in landfill.
Ability Blooms Gardening Services
Our gardening team provide a high quality service to local homes and local businesses within the Bendigo region. Our team can provide lawn mowing, whipper snipping and other general garden maintenance tasks for our customers.
Ability Blooms Business Services
Our team can work with businesses to offer help with all ability tasks – such as sorting, packing, labelling and more jobs by request.
Container Deposit Scheme
Ability Blooms is now a partner of the Container deposit scheme and an over the counter deposit location. This means you can bring in your eligible containers/cans to our over the counter drop off point to get your 10 cent return.
Please ensure you download the CDS Vic North app to receive your refund.
Please note, we will be having a slow start on accepting 100 cans initially, and then expanding our limit as the participants ease into their new role.
This is a brand new opportunity which allows our participants to learn new skills, learn about the importance of recycling and connect with their community.
Check out the link below to view eligible containers that can be returned –
Kyneton Gardening Services
67 Baynton Street, Kyneton
Our Kyneton gardening team service and maintain local homes and local businesses within the Kyneton community. Our team can provide lawn mowing services, whipper snipping and other general garden maintenance tasks.
Our employees receive on the job training to operate machinery – such as the lawn mowers and whipper snippers, and are supported to provide a high quality garden service to customers in a safe and effective way.
Our gardening group offer a reduced gardening rate for pensioners to ensure our services remain accessible for all.
Kyneton Copy Centre
58 Mollison Street, Kyneton
Our Copy Centre is a valuable local business which has been running for over 30 years, providing printing services to the community of Kyneton. The Kyneton Copy Centre offer a range of different services such as printing, photocopying, business services, binding services, personalised products and gifts and more to deliver a high quality product and a high quality customer service experience.
Our employees working at our copy centre receive on the job training learning how to use the printing machinery, processing customer products and requests and more.
Our Kyneton Copy Centre is complimented by our “All Abilities Art Gallery” where our participants have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their artworks and be supported on their journey as an unique artist. Some of these art works include paintings, sculptures, upcycled products, gifts and more.
Castlemaine Recycled Store
317 Barker Street, Castlemaine
Castlemaine Recycled Store sells second hand goods from high quality clothing, kids toys, bric brac, books, vintage and more.
Our employees receive on the job training to work in customer service, daily operations of a retail business and money handling skills. Our team pride themselves in providing high quality stock and a great customer service experience to all of our customers.
Our shop donation bins are accessible from Monday to Friday for all your preloved goods.
Our store hours:
Monday – 9:00 – 4:00
Tuesday – 9:00 – 3:00
Wednesday – 9:00 – 4:00
Thursday – 9:00 – 3:00
Friday – 9:00 – 4:00
To find out more about our supported employment opportunities or employment supports at Windarring – please get into contact with us today!
Windarring’s social enterprises are certified with Social Traders. Social Traders mission is to eliminate social barriers by working with purposeful businesses to make social impact.
What is Customised Employment?
Customised Employment is an individualised approach to vocational supports and services: one person at a time. The goal of Customised Employment is to tailor jobs to fit the skills, interests, strengths, and support needs of the individual, whilst meeting the needs of the business.
It can sometimes be challenging for people with disability to find employment in the open market, and mainstream job services such as Disability Employment Services’ and ‘Australian Disability Enterprises’ don’t always provide an appropriate option. Often people with disability who want to work are missing out because they don’t necessarily tick all of the boxes required to fulfil a traditional job role.
That’s why we offer customised employment exploration and transition services, which are designed to support people to discover their own unique skills and talents, and harness those talents to identify and create a job role or small business that is tailored specifically to them.