Saving lives around the clock for 20 years
Operating in the heart of Manjimup and Bridgetown, Royal Life Saving WA’s contact centres have been working around the clock for two decades, raising funds, handling calls and conducting market research.
Established in 2002 to boost employment opportunities in the Warren-Blackwood district following the old growth forest reform of the timber industry, the centres have employed more than 1,250 people.
Bridgetown’s Outbound Customer Service Manager, Mrs Lyn McLoughlin, says the centres have been a lifeline for many in the region.
“When we started in 2002 there was very little work around. The timber mills were closing down, the local mine was hard to get into, so when we opened there was a lot of people that came in,” she said.
“We’ve been one of the largest employers in the region, without these contact centres it would have been a different story for these communities.”
Royal Life Saving Chief Marketing Officer, Mr Allan Godfrey, says the contact centres service the community in a variety of ways.
“For regional towns like Manjimup and Bridgetown, opportunities for office-based work are limited, but the contact centres provide a new opportunity for staff that want to work, learn and grow an office career,” he said.
Originally focused on outbound calls to raise funds for water safety, Mr Godfrey says the centres have evolved to become a vital part of the work Royal Life Saving does.
“These centres are part of the fabric of Royal Life Saving. Our team speak to thousands of West Australians every year about water safety while raising vital funds for the community.”
Royal Life Saving will continue to invest in regional development striving to create sustainable employment in the regions, signing a ten-year contract extension to provide contact centre services to the WA Department of Finance.
"This decision guarantees the future of the Warren-Blackwood call centre and I'm so pleased the Royal Life Saving Society WA can continue its great work, all while providing fantastic outcomes for our region and our State,” said Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie.
Royal Life Saving would not have been able to create these regional opportunities without support from state government agencies. A grant from JTSI, and service contracts with the Department of Finance, DMIRS and DFES has underpinned the call centres’ success and sustainability.