Endeavour invests in Warwick's green future

The Endeavour Foundation has played an important role in the Warwick community for over 27 years, providing valuable services and employment opportunities for locals, including people with a disability, and this commitment is set to continue into the future.

Endeavour has just invested $80,000 to install a one tonne baling press at the Warwick Business Service recycling plant, which demonstrates our belief in the future of recycling in Warwick.

The Endeavour Warwick Business Service, which began as a day service for people with an intellectual disability and eventually evolved into the place of supported employment for people with a disability it is today, currently employs 33 supported employees with a disability, and 6 regular staff.

Endeavour Business Service Manager Terry Politch has been a part of the service’s history for around 19 years.  He’s seen some significant changes over the time, but knows recycling is the way of the future.

“We’ve always been involved with recycling in the Warwick community, to some degree. I remember in the old days we’d save up all the Warwick Daily News overprints and after about six months, we’d have enough to fill a trailer.  It took us about a day and a half to hand-load bundles onto the trailer.  Now we fill a truck about twice a week, and with new forklifts and machinery it takes about an hour and a half each time,” he said.

Endeavour has invested heavily in the Warwick Business Service over the years to ensure it will, in turn, adequately service the Warwick community.

“We’ve not only purchased new equipment, which has increased productivity and capacity and reduced Workplace Health and Safety issues, but we’ve also been revising operational procedures and retraining our staff.  It’s all systems go,” said Terry.

The Business Service has developed a good rapport with the Warwick community over the years.

“People come in off the street with milk bottles for us to recycle, and the local council have even erected signs at the dump recommending people to bring their recyclables to us,” said Terry.

“Years ago people had the attitude that they were helping us out if we got to recycle their stuff.  Now, the attitude is that we provide an invaluable service to them.  People’s attitudes to recycling have changed immensely.”

“The great thing about the success and increased productivity of the Business Service is that inevitably there is a flow-on effect where opportunities become available to other people and organisations in the community.  There is no doubt it is a win-win situation for Warwick.”

The Endeavour Foundation is one of the largest non-government organisations in Australia supporting and providing opportunities for people with a disability.

It operates solely in Queensland and supports around 3000 people with a disability through a mix of services and businesses at over 220 locations from Cairns and Mareeba in the north, to the southern end of the Gold Coast, and west to Roma, Kingaroy, Stanthorpe and Warwick.

Endeavour is committed to ensuring people with a disability have the opportunity to live, learn and enjoy life in their community.

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