Nick Packham nominated for NSW/ACT Community Achievement Awards

Vivability CEO Nick Packham was nominated in the NSW/ACT Community Achievement Awards for his dedication to enhancing disability services.

The awards aim to acknowledge inspiring individuals, community groups and businesses making a difference in their regional community.

Mr Packham has been nominated for the Transgrid Leadership Award, which acknowledges tenacity, dedication, selflessness and leadership.

The Vivability CEO, who was behind the city's recent acquisition of an accessible changing places facility, which provides changeroom and toilet facilities for all, said the work he and his colleagues undertake isn't glamorous, but is, importantly, about improving quality of life.

Mr Packham was nominated in the awards by Vivability's senior manager, Aishling Gilroy, who described him as a well-known disability expert and advocate with 35 years' experience working in the disability sector, the last six years as CEO of Vivability Limited.

She outlined in the nomination how Mr Packham had transformed the work of Vivability, which supports 280 clients with disabilities, including people with complex, challenging behaviours, and those with degenerative neurological conditions.

Significantly, the nomination spoke of his dedication to supporting clients.

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"Nick is passionate about assisting people with all types of disabilities, but is especially committed to helping those with limited options. Nick is inspired by everyday people he wishes to assist, but the ideas he generates are geared towards assisting that target group rather than an individual," she said.

"One of the priorities for Nick has been to design innovative employment opportunities for people with disabilities. He aims to lead the sector by providing good models for other organisations and individuals to see what is possible in the evolution of disability services.

"Nick has founded businesses such as The Bathurst Cleaning Company and Viva Eats with the sole purpose of providing sustainable employment for people with disabilities."

The nomination highlighted how Mr Packham's work has had a significant impact on the lives of people with disabilities in the community and nationally.

"Nick has strong beliefs that people with disabilities and other minority groups should be treated equally to everyone else. He works hard to eliminate stereotypes and break down the barriers, or bring awareness to the barriers that people with a disability face," the nomination says.

"Nick has been a constant advocate for people with disabilities for the last 35 years both within his paid work and in his own time. He always makes time for those requiring advice and advocacy and is often called upon to give an opinion or advice on disability issues."

Mr Packham's other achievements include the creation of a pilot group for people with Huntington's Disease in residential care. The group work has been described as "life-changing" for the families accessing the facility.

On the back of this work, Mr Packham also established a clinical services resource team to address the gap in services left by the privatisation of disability services in NSW.

The nomination also spoke of Mr Packham's commitment to providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities at award wages.

The Bathurst Cleaning Company currently employs 11 people with disabilities at award rates of pay, giving employees financial security and the benefits of social inclusion and increased self-esteem from their employment and achievements.

All profits from the Bathurst Cleaning Company are used for training and to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Viva Eats catering business in Bathurst provides employment and training for people with disabilities in the hospitality sector and open employment, also at award rates of pay.

Mr Packham was also the driving force behind VivaCafe, which opened in 2022.

"Nick's primary objective has been to provide specialist disability services to the people of Bathurst and the surrounding areas. Nick was committed to providing meaningful employment for people with disabilities at award wages, as well as providing secure employment and opportunity for training and growth for existing staff," Ms Gilroy said.

Overall, the nomination described Mr Packham as an outstanding leader not only within Vivability and the Bathurst community but in the disability sector.

Receiving news on his nomination, Mr Packham was humble, saying it was a nice recognition for work the staff at Vivability undertake.

Finalists will be presented and winners announced at an Awards Gala Presentation Dinner on Friday, November 25.

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