Locals Supporting Locals

A social enterprise creating employment for people with disabilities in the City of Moreton Bay.

About Us

Working from an inclusive, cooperative spirit, our mission is to provide meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the City of Moreton.

The Co-op works from the principle that meaningful employment is a socially valued role for all people and essential for optimum well-being, self-esteem, and mental health. When people with disabilities are given valued roles like employment, they are perceived in a more positive way and experience less discrimination, greater opportunities for social inclusion, and less financial hardship.

Our History

In 2006, with the support of disability service provider Homelife, locals established a workers cooperative to provide meaningful employment for its members with disabilities.

Since then, the Co-op has created thousands of hours of employment for its members in areas such as: lawn mowing, office cleaning, newspaper delivery, car washing, administration & hospitality.

Business for good…
A social enterprise is a ‘purpose driven’ business with a social, environmental, or cultural mission.
It derives the majority of its income through trade and invests its profit back to fulfil its mission.
https://youtu.be/4UxncxG0o7
A cooperative is a democratic organisation, controlled by its members who have equal status and voting rights. Cooperative values are:
- self-help
- self-responsibility
- equality and
- solidarity.
https://youtu.be/inc9y3doqGc

Health Hub Morayfield

The Caboolture Workers Co-op currently delivers on its mission at the Coffee Shop in the Health Hub Morayfield.

We proudly provide over 150 hours per week of employment to 14 workers with cognitive disabilities from this location.

Our team aims to provide comfort, convenience and community for the medical staff who work long hours to ensure the health and wellbeing of others, and locals who visit the Health Hub for medical appointments who are sometimes at their most vulnerable.

We take pride in providing, consistent, high-quality coffee for our discerning coffee lovers, and fresh delicious sandwiches, toasties, cakes biscuits, salads, fruit and wraps which are quick and easy to grab for busy people on the go.

We’re located at: 19-31 Dickson Road, Morayfield

Our People

Approximately 95% of our worker/members are local people with diagnosed disabilities who have experienced discrimination in mainstream employment because of their disability.

Our Board

Annually, our members elect a board of directors from amongst themselves to represent their best interests. Members with disabilities are elected to the board, from where they can be involved in decision-making and influence issues which directly impact their employment and their lives.

This cooperative framework enhances our member’s sense of belonging, creates positive experiences, and develops skills and abilities as they work on an equal platform to other members without disabilities.

Employment

We aim to build capacity in our members with disabilities and support them to achieve their employment goals through the following strategies:

Creating a work environment which closely resembles a mainstream workplace.
Using language which is empowering e.g.
- Supervisors, not support workers.
- Members, not service users
- Workers, not participants
- Training, not helping.
Maximise independence and dignity of risk.
Playing to the strengths of the individual worker.
Eight-hour per week benchmark in line with mainstream employment opportunities.
Four-hour shifts to reduce fatigue and maximise participation.

The Caboolture Workers Co-op is an unregistered NDIS provider. We seek to provide supportive employment opportunities for people who are NDIS participants and plan managed.

Our Supporters

As a not-for-profit registered charity, we are supported in various ways by individuals, organisations, local and state government representatives, philanthropic foundations, service clubs, corporates, and small business. This support can be in the form of grants, advocacy, business contracts, discounts, volunteering and donations.