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Scalabrini Communities, a leading not-for-profit aged care organisation, has hosted a special celebration to honour a milestone for more than 70 of its staff who have become permanent residents in Australia—thanks to the organisation’s ongoing commitment to the Federal Government’s Labour Agreement programme.
Scalabrini has sponsored over 90 dedicated team members in the past 18 months, enabling them to build secure, long-term futures in Australia. These staff members play a crucial role in delivering compassionate, high-quality support and care across Scalabrini’s communities.
The organisation has also committed $750,000 to its sponsorship programme for the 2024/2025 financial year. This focus on making their staff part of the organisation’s mission has a positive flow-on effect to culture as well as having a powerful impact in addressing workforce retention.
The organisation currently has an impressive staff turnover rate of just 9 per cent — well below the industry average of 35 per cent. This success highlights that retaining a committed, engaged workforce is a key part of the solution to sector-wide staffing challenges. In recognition of its efforts, Scalabrini has received a number of prestigious awards: the Best Workplace Award for two consecutive years and the Change Champion Award.
These accolades were awarded as part of The Voice Project, an initiative affiliated with Macquarie University that has assessed staff satisfaction and engagement in Australian workplaces since 2002. The awards reflect strong and positive employee feedback in areas such as leadership, engagement, and service quality. To qualify, organisations must achieve positive scores of over 80 per cent positive sentiment on every survey question—an indication of an exceptional workplace.
Scalabrini’s CEO, Richard de Haast, says the sponsorship program enriches so many lives.
“By investing in our dedicated carers and healthcare professionals, we not only enrich their lives but also enhance the care provided to our older adults. This celebratory event serves as an affirmation of Scalabrini’s mission to support migrants and in doing so create supportive and inclusive workplaces where staff can thrive both personally and professionally,” he said.
“Your stories of resilience and achievement are an inspiration to the entire Scalabrini community. It is a privilege to be able to positively impact your futures in this way and know that the benefits and opportunities will flow on into future generations of your family”.
Stories of Strength
Many of the staff celebrated at the event have faced significant adversity in their efforts to build a future in Australia.
- Ramila came to Australia from Nepal to support her husband, who—despite being an accounting professional with dual master’s degrees completed in Australia—was struggling to gain permanent residency. Ramila planned to undertake a course to become a registered nurse, but her plans unravelled when she fell pregnant. Though she had nursing experience from Nepal, she could no longer pursue her studies and was running out of options to remain in the country—until Scalabrini stepped in. By offering her a sponsored position as a carer, the organisation helped her and her family finally begin their life in Australia
- Manjit’s journey began 15 years ago when she moved from India to Australia with dreams of a brighter future. Over the years, she faced numerous challenges—navigating changing visa conditions and shifting between careers to meet evolving requirements. Manjit explored multiple professions, from accounting to nursing, each time hoping it would bring her closer to permanent residency. She eventually found her place in aged care as a cook—a role that filled a critical need at Scalabrini. The introduction of the Labour Agreement finally gave her a pathway to apply for residency as a carer. The process wasn’t without hurdles, but her determination never wavered—and neither did Scalabrini’s support.
The celebratory afternoon tea on April 5 was attended by over 70 staff, family members and friends, along with the CEO and members of the Scalabrini Board. Each staff member was presented with a Belong diary to journal their new life as Australian citizens.
Scalabrini ’s commitment reflects its absolute alignment to the mission of the founder of the Scalabrini Congregation, John Baptist Scalabrini who 140 years ago created a religious order to provide pastoral care and support to migrants.
