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New Program Welcomes Essential Workers to Tamworth, Armidale and Uralla

RDA-NI Executive Director, Nathan Axelsson with Local Connectors Katrina George and Emma Grant at the Co-Design Workshop
RDA-NI Executive Director, Nathan Axelsson with Local Connectors Katrina George and Emma Grant at the Co-Design Workshop

Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI) is excited to be partnering with the NSW Government to bring The Welcome Experience to Uralla Shire, Armidale Regional and Tamworth Regional Council Local Government Areas (LGAs). The innovative program does much more than roll out the red carpet. It involves Local Connectors assisting new essential workers to settle in local communities, enhancing their community experience and ideally, ensuring they stay to live and work in our region.

The Welcome Experience is an initiative that was piloted in eight areas in NSW and due to the overwhelming success, has now been expanded to boost outcomes in regional areas across NSW, an investment of close to $16 million. in supporting tree-change migration to regional NSW from metropolitan areas, interstate and from overseas.

Through the program, a range of essential workers and NSW Government employees that are moving or have recently moved will be welcomed and provided with free assistance to settle and enjoy the benefits of regional living. The support is tailored to the individual and includes assistance with ‘life stuff’ such as enrolling children into school and connecting with community groups. Government and non-government employees in specified occupations are eligible for the program, including general practitioners, aged care nurses, childcare workers, allied health professionals, teachers, health workers and emergency services workers.

“Katrina George and Emma Grant have joined our team to provide the program for the Armidale and Uralla Shire LGAs and Tamworth Regional LGA respectively,” said RDA-NI Executive Director, Nathan Axelsson. “Katrina and Emma not only have a wealth of knowledge about their communities, but also the lived experience of moving to our region with their families.”

“The program has had immediate positive outcomes, with over forty people already being supported in Armidale, Uralla and Tamworth since it began in October 2024,” he said.

“We all know of the nursing shortages, so helping the local health service to settle over 20 nurses who are migrating from the UK is rewarding,” Ms George said.

“The Tamworth region is a welcoming place, yet some newcomers may struggle to find the time to connect with the community and get involved. I believe I can help make Tamworth feel like a true home, not just a destination for work, by fostering meaningful connections and engagement,” Ms Grant said.

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the Welcome Experience is being rolled out to 55 LGAs across the state, with Local Connectors like Ms George and Ms Grant helping essential workers who are moving to these regions feel at home sooner in their new communities. “When it comes to building a robust and resilient workforce in regional NSW, helping essential workers feel welcomed and valued from the very beginning can go a long way to helping them settle in and get comfortable in their new communities quickly,” Ms Moriarty said. “Having Local Connectors who can provide information on the rental home market and childcare or schools is a really valuable way to help these workers consider making their move to regional NSW a permanent one.”

“Moving to a new area is a daunting experience for anyone, and we are excited to be able to help make it easier for new residents to take that step and make the move to our region,” Mr. Axelsson said. “The community spirit in our region is part of what makes it an incredible place to live, work and raise a family, and we are pleased to be able to support new residents to share in that.”

“We recently hosted Co-Design Workshops in Armidale and Tamworth to connect with and gain input from representatives of Local Government, the public sector, including health, education and emergency services as well as community service providers and other key stakeholders. We had over fifty representatives attend the Armidale and Tamworth workshops and they will influence the future direction of The Welcome Experience, tailoring it to our region.”

“If you have recently moved to the Armidale Regional, Uralla Shire or Tamworth Regional Council areas, you can view the full list of eligible occupations and register for the program on the NSW Government’s website and select the Southern New England Region to be connected with Emma and Katrina. This program is also being provided in the Moree Plains, Inverell and Glen Innes regions, which are also available through the NSW Government website” Mr. Axelsson said.

Find out more about this project on The Welcome Experience page of our website.

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