Photo: OESC’s David Carson and newly appointed Lifeline Central West CEO Stephanie Robinson.

A partnership between the Orange Ex-Services’ Club and Lifeline Central West to improve staff mental health has seen the Club named a finalist in the Clubs and Community Awards.

The annual industry awards look to recognise outstanding social contributions made by clubs in both their local area and throughout the State.

The Orange Ex-Services’ Club is a finalist in the the Health and Wellbeing category for its Employee Assistance Program, in which the club partnered with Lifeline Central West to deliver mental health education, training and personal counselling to all its staff.

The program was introduced in March and now the model is being copied by other clubs and will be rolled out in Dubbo and Lithgow in coming months.

“We are very excited about being recognised as a finalist with ClubsNSW Clubs and Community Awards, especially given the incredible number of entrants this year for those awards,” said the Orange Ex-Services’ Club’s Chief Human Resources Officer, David Carson.

Mr. Carson said the club is passionate about providing initiatives that genuinely support the community and make a big difference to people's lives, so it is important they offer support to their own 200 employees.

“and it has been a great honour for us to provide both financial assistance
and practical assistance to such an important organization”

“Staff being the biggest asset for our business we thought it was really important to support them in all aspects of their life including mental health,” he said.

The Orange Ex-Services' Club has been a major benefactor of Lifeline Central West for more than 30 years. The Club has paid the rent for the charity for the past 22 years and made office space available to the organisation before that.

Orange Ex-Services' Club provides thousands of dollars each year to ensure the Lifeline Central West Orange office remains open. In 2017, the Club donated more than $35,000 through their annual ClubGRANTS program, and since March last year over $45,000 has been raised from Cash House bingo sessions.

“We've been involved with Lifeline since its inception in 1984 and it has been a great honour for us to provide both financial assistance and practical assistance to such an important organisation that does such an important role in the community,” said Mr. Carson.

“Given our already close relationship with Lifeline it was a natural progression for the club to engage them as a provider for our Employee Assistance Program and it has been very well received.”

Mr. Carson said they would continue to work with Lifeline to enhance the program and he encouraged other employers to consider taking a similar approach with their own staff.

Winners of the Clubs and Community Awards will be announced on 13 October at a Gala Dinner held at the International Convention Centre, Sydney.

Lifeline Central West provides 24/7 Crisis Telephone support via its 13 11 14 phone number to a third of regional NSW. Locally they deliver face-to-face problem gambling counselling and financial counselling via offices in Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo.