Gill Waminda Aged Care Centre Hosts a Careers and Community Day

On Thursday, 14 December 2023, Gill Waminda Aged Care Centre (“Gill Waminda”) hosted their first Careers and Community Day to showcase the Centre to potential new staff members and welcome the wider Goulburn community. There was plenty of fun on-site, with the Centre hosting a BBQ, residents singing carols, face painting, a resident cake stall and even a visit from Santa.  

Talent Acquisition Consultant, Natalie Rhodes, notes that the idea to host a Careers and Community Day was two-fold. From a Human Resources perspective, Natalie told, “it was really finding a new way to attract quality talent to Goulburn. It is a little bit more rural and we have been struggling to fill the workforce there. So it was about, making ourselves more known in the community, putting ourselves out there and inviting people there to learn more about aged care.” 

Beyond this, Natalie reiterates that this day was also a tangible way to highlight the work of the staff and celebrate them. “The day is not just about attracting new staff but appreciating the staff that we already have there at the Centre, so that’s why all our staff and residents are coming together to really celebrate our Centre as a whole in the Goulburn community.” 

Gill Waminda Centre Manager Sadiya Begum acknowledges the special community bond at the Centre. “The staff are good here, they are supportive,” she states. “The management team as well.” The high retention of staff is reflective of many long-serving team members, with Sadiya noting, “we have staff here working for more than 20 years and many staff have been working with us more than 15 years. The majority of our staff have been working here for more than 5 years. So, that gives you feedback that the place is good, and the staff are good as well.”   

For those considering a role in aged care, Sadiya says: “just go for it, try. The Salvation Army is a reputable organisation, and we have a good team, and Gill Waminda is a great place for Goulburn.”  

Bec Ness and Leah Staples are the Lifestyle Coordinators at the Centre and were largely responsible for the behind the scenes planning for the day. Bec notes the resident’s excitement and involvement in terms of the day, stating, “they had a roster and a few of them came to help on the cake stall. It brings out memories of the Country Women’s Association.”  

Similarly, Leah notes the resident’s excitement, stating, “if they had families coming along, they were keen to show off how well the Centre is run. I think they enjoyed just being part of the community spirit that we are trying to encourage.” 

When considering working at the Gill Waminda, Leah notes the culture and ethos of The Salvation Army Aged Care. “We have the Christian values behind us with The Salvation Army so that’s another way to attract people who hopefully want to give back to the community," she says.