Slide 1

Other businesses employ people to mow parks or make coffee. We mow parks and make coffee to employ people.

Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative (NCEC) was formed out of the aspirations of people with disabilities who desperately wanted to work but were long term unemployed.

In 1998 members and their supporters embarked on a mutual approach to creating employment because the existing employment system had not worked.

BeginningsNCEC began humbly as a jobs club with the help of volunteers, a borrowed mower and a supportive local community.

Today N.C.E.C. is a workers cooperative and pioneering community enterprise, creating meaningful employment opportunities for more than 20 members with a disability.

N.C.E.C. has two businesses:

1) The Parks and Mowing Crew.2) Espresso Train Caf and Catering.The Parks Crew

Is managed by a fulltime gardener and provides supportive part time work to 10 NCEC members

N.C.E.C. parks work for Brisbane City Council and Transport and Main Roads QLD.

In partnership with B.C.C. and Main Roads, N.C.E.C. is a pioneer of Social Procurement in Australia.

The Parks Crew win a Spotless Suburb award for maintaining Nundah Village

Espresso Train Caf and Catering

ESPRESSO TRAINEmploys a Manager and Chef and 10 members with intellectual disability and/or mental illness.Is located opposite Nundah train station.www.cateringbrisbanenorthside.com.au

N.C.E.C. members are actively involved in all aspects of the Cooperative from working in the businesses, to designing a supportive workplace and taking up positions on the board of management.

https://vimeo.com/80340652NCEC on the News!

Support and SponsorshipNCEC is proud to be a community enterprise deriving the bulk of its income from trade - but is unlikely to have grown and survived without the backing of a diverse array of sponsors such as Community Living Association Inc, Westpac Foundation, Foresters Community Finance, Paul Newmans own and Local and State Government. NCEC is an example of how local people working together can succeed, where even well resourced social programs and services had repeatedly failed. NCEC is a space within which its members have achieved: Stable long term employmentA sense of pride in their own achievementA sense of control and ownership in their lifeAn improved economic situationA sense of role and connection with community

Summary Conclusion

Societies need all of their members to have a stake, have a role, a say and to share ownership of wealth. Cooperatives are one means of gaining a stake!

www.ncec.com.au