Not-for-profit announces merger

THE employment service provider behind Peppergreen Farms and Catering, Access Australia Group, has announced a merger with Melbourne-based company WISE Employment.

Prue Mansfield, board chair of AAG said the merger was all about ensuring the future of the non-for-profit.

“The merger really secures the future of all of the programs of the Access Australia Group,” she said.

“We have a big training arm, access skills training and we run several social enterprises. We also have EPIC, which is a program for young people.

“What joining a much bigger organisation does is secure our future for years to come with the increasing globalisation of service provision.”

Overseas companies coming into Australia were putting smaller organisations like AAG at risk Ms Mansfield said and merging with WISE was the sensible decision.

“What we are seeing is American and United Kingdom companies coming into Australia and you really have to be big to be competing with them,” she said.

“WISE employment is as good an organisation as we could have found. I say they are AAG on steroids, they do disability employment services, they do social enterprises, and they do training.”

Ms Mansfield said there will be no discernible difference for AAG’s staff and participants.

“The really good news from this merger is WISE want all our staff, all our operational staff, and all our senior staff who are required to run the program,” she said.

“It means that for our supported employees, our 120 participants, and our 450 students every year their experience will be the same.

“They will turn up at the same place at the same time with the same people and the same staff.”