Community Matters

In this enjoyable episode Nicky chats with Amarni Harris, a young Personal Care Worker with Warrigal Care.  With a workforce twice the size of the entire mining industry in Australia, aged care needs great people and faces an urgent need to grow the workforce to meet the increasing demand. For anyone considering a career in aged care this episode demystifies the pathways to getting into the sector...

In this powerful NAIDOC Week special celebrating the 2025 theme of " Next Generation: Strength Vision and Legacy ," host Nicky sits down with Charlie Ashby, Cultural Lead for Cullunghutti Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in the Shoalhaven.  This is a conversation that will transform how you think about cultural healing and community connection. “We are in good hands” says Charlie as he...

“There’s got to be food and it’s got to be fun!” explains Bellambi Neighbourhood Centre Coordinator Cath Daly about her approach to supporting community health and wellbeing. Nicky talks to Cath about supporting families and kids by providing nutritious breakfasts and packed lunches and a place to connect and share.  After school programs, bingo and other community initiatives sees this little cen...

In this powerful conversation, Nicky dives deep into fairness, equity, and social justice with Craig Foster AM—former Socceroos captain, sports broadcaster, author, human rights advocate and 2023 NSW Australian of the Year. Nicky and Craig discuss how his own life journey took him from country NSW and a sheltered worldview to a broader, more diverse and inclusive perspective shaped by exposure to...

New research from the University of Wollongong reveals concerning levels of food insecurity for families across the Illawarra Shoalhaven region (see link below).  On this episode Nicky speaks with Danna Nelse, Manager of the Albion Park & Albion Park Rail  Neighbourhood Centres, who is on the front line of seeing the impacts of food insecurity on families and individuals. A situation which she...

Statistics show, despite years of disability employment strategies, rates of employment for people with a disability remain much lower than the general population.  On this episode Nicky takes a deep dive with Rod Von Clark the CEO of the Flagstaff Group to understand why.   Rod talks about some of the systemic and cultural barriers to people with disability achieving employment.   While getting a...

This week Nicky talks to Ed Birt, Senior Policy Specialist at the Community Industry Group, about the shift towards a risk proportionate registration model for disability service providers that is coming to the NDIS.   In December 2023 the NDIS Review recommended a risk proportionate registration model where all providers are registered based on the level of risk and complexity of their services....

In this Episode, Nicky is joined by Maria Corsiglia - Centre Manager, Barnardo's South Coast Children's Family Centre. Maria gives insights into how lack of access to public transport impacts the lives of people in vulnerable circumstances. Using real life examples, Maria explores how vulnerable families are further disadvantaged by being unable to access services and supports. A poignan...

In this important episode Nicky talks with Kim Bertino.  Kim is the Chief Executive Officer of Big Fat Smile, a not-for-profit provider in the Illawarra providing Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services.  Kim and Nicky discuss the multiple impacts on children, families and communities of a lack of access to quality affordable ECEC and the existence of "childcare deserts" often...

Aged Care, Ageing and Dementia Advocate, Val Fell joins Nicky to give a very personal account of being a patient who has experienced the impact of bed block. A member of the Minister’s Council of Elders and the National Older Persons’ Reference Group, Val was taken into hospital for a medical emergency and spent 3 weeks in a locked geriatric dementia ward – despite not having dementia and having s...

In our third episode focusing on “Bed Block,” Nicky is shocked to learn that older people admitted to hospital are staying, on average, over 16 times longer than younger people. This is “Bed Block,” where people no longer in need of acute care are unable to leave the hospital due to a lack of availability of residential care or not having the supports at home to meet their needs. In this episode,...

Aged care consultant Mark Sewell joins Nicky on this episode of the podcast bringing his wealth of knowledge and insights into the crisis facing the Health Care system due to “bed block”.  Bed block is where people are unable to leave the acute care hospital setting due to lack of availability of residential care or not having the supports at home to meet their needs.  Mark steps through the demog...

Local Health District CEO, Margot Mains joins us to explore how hospitals are coping with the nearly 200 older people in hospital who need to move to, or return to, residential care. Margot explains how this impacts both older people who need and deserve specialised aged care, and health care opportunities for the whole community. Together we explore what the health district team are doing to acti...

Residents of the Illawarra Shoalhaven are being called to action! The Strategic Regional Transport Plan is open for consultation, offering a chance to shape the future of transport in our region. In this episode of Community Matters, Nicky speaks with George Takacs, Active Transport Taskforce Coordinator at Healthy Cities Illawarra, about the vital role of active and public transport in building h...