Our Journey
Here for community – then, now and beyond.
On a quiet street in the leafy, Eastern Sydney suburb of Woollahra, is an unassuming building nestled between old oak trees and a colourful children’s playground. It’s from within the walls of this modest place that people have been changing lives for over 75 years.
What’s next is greater than anything we’ve ever attempted: In the next two years, we’re committed to doubling our impact to connect more people with possibility than ever before.
With a brand new website making it easier to connect with us, a streamlined new look to reflect everything we do in the community, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work to update our systems and processes, Holdsworth is set up to support more of the community now and in the future.
Holdsworth CEO Jason Malone believes everyone in the community deserves to feel valued. “What we do every day is about changing lives. And that’s a critical role to play, so we hold ourselves accountable and are always looking for innovative ways to create meaningful change.
“I’m so proud to be part of Holdsworth because we genuinely care. Our team cares about the impact we make on local lives, and meeting their needs as they evolve over time. Whether that’s refining our look, updating our systems and process to make it easier to connect with us, or expanding our support for people and their carers, we’re here for community. Always.”
Holdsworth has been part of the community fabric of the Eastern suburbs since the 1940s as a playground, then a not-for-profit starting with after-school care, then evolving in the ‘70s to provide support for housebound seniors. Since then, we’ve expanded to provide a broad range of services for people living with disability, older people, and families; but our values have always remained true.
At our core, Holdsworth connects people with possibility. Our strategy underpins an unyielding commitment to the community, and we are proud of all we’ve achieved since our playground opened in 1940. Today, more than ever, we see the world as it could be – a place where the community comes together to make things better for everyone. We hold ourselves accountable for creating a positive impact, improving access, tailoring support and creating connections so everyone in the community can thrive.
So much has changed in 75 years. Our community has transformed through generations of locals and an intricate patchwork of stories, with the emergence of technology, changes in transport and the gentrification of a once industrial area. In fact, some of the people we support have seen more changes in their lifetime than any generation before. One thing that’s remained constant over the years, though, is the passion of our Holdsworth people, who see their work as rewarding and meaningful.
“I am fortunate I get a lot of moments that make me smile during my work at Holdsworth.
Only today I had a wonderful moment, by finally taking the participant I have been working with (in his home) for a drive and walk along Bondi. It was wonderful to see the motivation in him to do it today and the trust that has been built between us to do so.
He also painted with me for the first time since he was at school. He learnt how to create a watercolour landscape using blending and brushwork techniques. Why stop learning at the age of 97 years old? This gave me a big smile and appreciation for the people I get to meet and work I do.”
-Alice, Holdsworth Support Worker
In everything we do at Holdsworth, we strive to connect people with possibility. The serendipitous outcome of this aspiration is that every interaction goes both ways. What our people gain from their work is just as valuable and appreciated as what our participants get out of it.
“One participant regularly uses our transport service to attend her rehabilitation sessions. At least twice a week she entertains us with her exuberant personality! She loves a joke and is always in the best of moods. Our drivers love to do her trips and office staff enjoy chatting with her when she is booking her sessions.She always leaves us with a smile and is always saying ‘you guys are the best!’.”
-Sarah, Holdsworth Community Care Officer – Transport
From a simple playground built on Holdsworth Street in 1939, to the impactful organisation it is today, Holdsworth has contributed so much to the community. One of the first places to offer care for children of working parents, Holdsworth went on to work closely with Woollahra Council (the traditional lands of the Gadigal and Birrabirraga people) to establish networks and support people with disability and older Australians. From creating a way for community members to connect meaningfully with others, supporting people to navigate government funding to alternative housing options through our HomeShare program, we strive to make people feel unstoppable. And that includes our own people.
“Holdsworth has given me the opportunity to meet wonderful people and for that I am grateful and proud to be part of the company.”
Liv, Holdsworth team member
So what’s next for Holdsworth? In keeping with the times, we’ve got a new look to align with our customer-focused approach, and we’ve updated our website to make it easier for people to connect with us. Over the next two years we are on a mission to double our community impact, casting our net farther to connect with and provide services to more community groups so that everyone can live independently and feel like a valued member of the community. Because we believe everyone deserves that.