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1/04/2010
One Man

I stood by this man, just watching, breathing in the sea of "humanity" as it ebbed and flowed across one of the busiest intersections in the world in Shibuya, Tokyo last December. Two million people cross at this intersection every day. They come here to shop, the young fashionistas, craving individualism and buying the dream that will stand them apart in a crowd.

Japan is a highly ordered and disciplined society. It is a corporation, run with military precision, where ingratiating oneself is a demonstrable art form that comes from humility and cultural servitude. In Japanese society, it is impolite to stare, point, eat in public spaces, raise your voice to beckon ones’ attention, use a mobile phone on public transport - unless to play games or text - and, when using public transport, you should always avoid making eye contact, although physical contact is unavoidable and universally ignored.

The juxtaposition of this one man in a million was austere.

During the hour I stood and watched with him, he neither acknowledged nor rejected my company, except for one brief moment when his eyes licked across mine and there was some recognition of a distant life - a life far away from mental illness and homelessness. He mumbled in a language probably known only to him, and yet I didn’t need to speak his language to know of his pain.

In that hour, thousands of people passed us by and nobody gave either of us a second glance, nor parted with any coin or words of support.

In March of this year, Status commenced working with people who have a disability and are in need of employment assistance. There are more than 3,000 people with a disability registered for employment assistance across Adelaide, and of these approximately 35 percent suffer from some form of mental illness. This number seems very low, however mental illness is common in Australia with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some stage in their lives, which means more than likely someone you know is currently experiencing or has experienced mental illness in the past.

Mental illness can be temporary or a longer term issue to manage and includes everything from mild depression, anxiety disorders and social phobias to bipolar disorder. Most people recover fully from mental illness, especially if they receive help early. Along the road to recovery it is our job to help them get back on their feet and into the workforce again.

In that hour, one man stood apart form the crowd but unlike the Emperor he had no need for new clothes, just the opportunity for acceptance as part of a civil society.

So, during Easter, reflect on the story of one man and be kind to those in need. Have a safe and relaxing break in the company of family and friends

Gary Hatwell
Executive Chairman

Small to Medium Businesses - Big Targets for Scammers

Are you doing enough to protect your business from scams? The Office of the Victorian Small Business Commissioner estimates that nearly $3 billion each year is lost from small businesses across the nation to scammers. Scammers target small to medium size businesses, they rely on you and your staff being very busy and therefore perhaps not as diligent about detecting scams as you could be; they are getting more professional and harder to detect. You are probably familiar with the fake invoice scam and the advertising or directory listing scam, but you might not be aware of newer scams such as the office supply, overpayment or government investigation scam? This article outlines the most common scams including some new ones that you may not have heard of and advice and tips for protecting your business.

 

 The complete version of this Status enews article is available here
 
EHP of the week
David

Experience in:

♦ OHS&W
♦ Risk & Compliance manager
♦ Client services manager
David
ID: 6-02323
David has most recently been employed as an OHS&W, Risk & Compliance manager and Client services manager. He has expansive skills, credentials and experience within these fields that are transferable to other industries and positions. He is mainly looking for a position in Training and Assessment or OHS&W Risk and Compliance but is willing to try new roles. David has own transport and car, HR, LR and forklift license and resides in HOPE VALLEY
View resume to employ David today!
 

Employee Hot Prospects Lodge a vacancy online
Status Footy Tipping Competition

John and Gary
John Woodward, left,
with Status’ Executive Chairman - Gary Hatwell

We’re off to a very competitive start this year with 11 tippers registering 7 or better wins for the opening round. I reckon there would have been more if the Crows had come over the line against Fremantle last Sunday in the hope of returning a perfect 8.

However, two tippers did have perfect rounds but with an adjusted margin of 21 points, this week’s winner is John Woodward, alias "reflexio", from Reflexio www.reflexio.com.au. John is our first ever "e" commerce business winner and as Creative Arts Director, we don’t think he’ll be adding this photo to his on-line images.

Congratulations John, enjoy the James Squire and bottle of Moet!

To everyone else, better luck next round and don’t forget to check out the leader board. There are currently more than 60 active tippers in our competition and after logging into the AFL website, you can view your position on the ladder by selecting the Status Employment Services competition.

You can join the competition at anytime during the year and will be allocated all of the away teams from previous rounds as your starting position on the leader board. If you would like to join but are having difficulty registering, please contact our footy tipping administrator, Dora Zalunardo, on 8377 0101, and she will arrange for someone to step you through the process.

To review Status’ footy tipping competition details please click here.
 
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