Well, it’s the beginning of a new financial year and it has me musing about  what a year of exponential growth, challenge and opportunity the past 12 months has been for BEST!

To put it in perspective, BEST had 101 staff at the end of June 2015. At this moment in time, as of today’s date, BEST has grown to a total of 230 staff (including part time and casual staff)- that is a growth of some phenomenal 128 %.

Our jobactive contract commenced on July 1, 2015, with the inclusion of business in our new Darling Downs Region. New jobactive offices opened in Gatton, Toowoomba, Roma and Gunnedah and we also expanded our services in Tamworth, Warwick and Stanthorpe. Our Disability Employment Services (DES) continued successfully in our New England North West, Darling Downs and Far West Orana Regions.

During this past year, we have kept to our core values – changing peoples lives, one by one, all the time enhancing our communities.

Also on July 1, 2015, our Work for the Dole Coordinator Services commenced in New England North West Region.

Recently, we purchased the Heritage Arcade in Toowoomba, which also houses our Toowoomba site, which is our largest site in terms of both staff and jobseeker numbers.

Apart from our employment services contracts, further business diversification saw the Linking Together Centre Inverell come on board with BEST on July 1, 2015, and Connections Disability Services joined us as BEST Community Connections in October 2015.

The success of our BEST Nursery continues to grow, and the amazing BEST Food Garden has been lauded near and far. Our Indigenous Community Links (ICL) program continues to add very real value to the community in which it operates.

All in all, a year to be celebrated and remembered. BEST. You can’t do better.

Penny Alliston-Hall

CEO BEST Employment