Farewell Siretta Dawson
Siretta Dawson has been one of CareSouth’s longest-serving employees. Siretta, who worked in the Accounts Department and retired in April, joined the organisation 15 years ago. Back then CareSouth was known as Shoalcare and the handful of employees shared office space with a saddlery and squash court in Nowra.
Fast forward more than a decade and a name change and CareSouth now employs 267 staff. Siretta’s mind boggles when she thinks of the changes she has seen during her time in Reception, Accounts and Payroll. When she began her career with CareSouth in December 1999 Siretta shared the Haigh Avenue premises with an Office Manager, Aunties and Uncles Coordinator and Shoalcare founder Jim McEwan, who set up the service when Nowra’s only Youth Refuge faced closure. Shoalcare was born out of the idea that if young people have one person to support them they would stay on track.
Siretta was proud to be a part of such an important support service in its inception and has seen significant changes as the business grew.
One of the biggest changes was the use of technology. The tight-knit group of staff who worked out of Nowra in 1999 shared half a dozen computers between them. Now there are 49 terminals in the Nowra office alone.
“There have been so many changes in technology in that time. How did we survive without emails?” laughed Siretta, who started in Accounts when the Millennium Bug was flagged. “I’d just completed a computing course in Excel and Officeworks so it was a bit daunting to be told that the end of the world was coming. But the Millennium Bug turned out to be a non-event.”
Siretta also recalled writing cheques for petty cash and accounts payable and having to get them signed and counter-signed.
“There was no electronic payment system back then,” she said. “It was only me in Accounts. When I retired there were eight staff in Corporate Services including a Chief Financial Officer.”
Shoalcare also provided a Disability program at Nan Bishop House (which is still running to this day) and supported accommodation for homeless youth. In February 2000, two caseworkers were employed and that was the beginning of CareSouth’s Out-of-Home Care program.
“It’s amazing to look back and see how many changes have occurred and how much we have grown,” said Siretta. “One of the highlights for me is the friends I have made across the organisation and being a part of the great work CareSouth does to help the community and vulnerable young people.”