Q: What would you like people to know about the Agent services? A: That we are able to complete most services here in Bordertown and customers do not have to travel to Mt Gambier to complete their paperwork. People shouldn’t feel disadvantaged because they live in a small community.
Q: How has the way people access Agent services changed in recent times? A: Most services occur online now, which is a major change and the customer has a greater responsibility for completing tasks associated with their claim. I think this is a good thing for people to take responsibility if they are able to. But there are those who really struggle and require support. Not everyone has good enough literacy or computer skills to enable them to work online. We also still have areas in our community that are black spots, where internet and mobile phones don’t work. We try to assist people to utilise the equipment that is here in the agency so they can still make their claims or complete their reporting on time.
A CHAT WITH KELLY WIGNEY Our UnitingSA team in Bordertown in the South-East offers support to the local community in many ways, including with disability services, emergency assistance and employment support. We spoke with Bordertown Coordinator Kelly Wigney about the service and her 11 years working for UnitingSA.
Q: Firstly, can you tell us a bit about Bordertown and the local area? A: Bordertown and our office, which is in Hawke House, is famous as the birthplace of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke. Our main industries are meat works, Blue Lake Milling and agriculture. We are fortunate to have low unemployment – much lower than the state average.
Q: How long have you lived in the community? A: Most of my life. My grandparents used to own the local hotel, so I got to know most people in the town.
Q: What services does UnitingSA provide in the area? A: Our services have been offered in the Tatiara region for 30 years. We have a strong commitment to the community and deliver a range of services, including:
yy In partnership with a small Social Enterprise (Tatiara Handy Help) which hires people with disabilities, we provide mowing, cleaning and car washing services around the community yy We also act as a service hub for visiting specialist services such as Job Active and DES providers, Allied Health services and Corrections.
Q: You are also an Agent for the Department of Human Services. What does that entail? A: As an Agent, we provide a hub for people in the area to seek assistance with their Centrelink, Medicare and child support needs. Some of the help we provide includes: yy Assisting farmers to access drought relief or household payments yy Helping people obtain the correct identification so they are eligible for payments
yy Disability services for people who have an NDIS plan
yy Assisting people with change of payments after the death of a loved one
yy Emergency assistance, including food hampers
yy Helping people access other services they need, including referral to other community agencies such as SA Housing and Community Health
yy On-the-job support for people with a disability yy Building Family Opportunities (BFO), which assists long-term unemployed families to connect with employment and training through intensive case management support
yy Helping people from diverse backgrounds settle into the community and giving them information about Centrelink and the services available to them.
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Q: What is one of your favourite parts of your work? A: I love that every day is different and you get to meet people that you would never usually get to know. The best things are the small differences we can make for individuals. This might be as simple as giving information.
Q: Can you tell us about any memorable people you have met through the service? A: There are many, but someone who immediately comes to mind was a fellow who was pushing a cart around Australia with his very old dog in it because the dog was no longer able to walk. The dog was “on borrowed time” and he wanted to give him a good send off. The gentleman and his dog came back not long after and dropped in a photo of the dog for me, which was very kind of them.
Q: What is your personal philosophy in your work or life in general? A: I try to “do unto others” and put myself in the person’s shoes. I also believe that personal empowerment is a powerful tool as well and strive to support that.
Q: How would someone describe you in terms of your work and how you provide a service? A: I hope they would say a problem solver, a good advocate and a positive role model.
Q: What is the best way for people to access support through UnitingSA Bordertown? A: They can give us a call on (08) 8752 2569 or drop in to see us at 63 Farquar Street, Bordertown.
FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019