Warm welcomes as program expands into the NSW Riverina

The NSW Government’s ‘The Welcome Experience‘ is expanding across the Riverina, after a successful pilot in Griffith delivered by Regional Development Australia Riverina (RDA Riverina).

With the expansion of the program essential workers, including those in early childhood education and care (ECEC) are being given support to relocate to the Riverina region of New South Wales, supporting towns like Griffith, Leeton, Tumut, Temora and Wagga Wagga to fill vacant roles and support their exisiting citizens.

Employees of the following sectors and industries are eligible for The Welcome Experience:

• Education workers, including Department of Education and Training employees who work in a school, TAFE or university, teachers at Catholic and Independent schools, and Early Childhood Education professionals
• Healthcare workers including nurses, allied health professionals, ambulance staff, visiting medical officers, specialists, Aboriginal Medical Service staff, general practitioners, aged care staff and disability support workers
• NSW Police Force employees
• NSW Fire and Rescue employees
• Department of Communities and Justice employees including child protection workers, corrections officers and staff working in a courthouse

In place in Griffith since its launch in July 2023, the program is designed to help essential workers settle into the region with free personalised support.

Essential workers (and their families) who are considering applying for or have accepted a job in regional NSW are linked with a ‘Local Connector’ from the community who provides advice, introductions and support throughout the whole relocation process.

Since the program began, 44 individuals and their families — working in health, education, police and fire and rescue — have already made the move to Griffith, and with 1800 enquiries received across New South Wales in the previous 12 months, this number is expected to grow.

RDA Riverina is one of 14 host agencies responsible for facilitating The Welcome Experience in NSW.

“Having participated in the Pilot Program in Griffith, RDA Riverina has seen first-hand the positive impact this program has had on our communities,” Dianna Somerville, Chair of RDA Riverina said.

“Local people providing local solutions and local knowledge is a good outcome for our region, it allows our communities to build a collaborative approach to attracting and retaining professionals in our towns and cities.”

Ms Somerville welcomed the NSW government’s investment into expanding the program and  said she looks forward to expanding the RDA Riverina footprint to include more towns in the region. 

The Welcome Experience is part of the NSW Government’s $25.1 million Essential Worker Attraction Program, which aims to boost essential workforces in regional NSW.

Since launching in June last year the program has supported over 511 workers and their families to relocate to regional NSW, Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said.

“Moving to a new town can be daunting, but the feedback we receive from workers is that having a host agency like RDA Riverina to offer a warm welcome and local advice, significantly increases their likelihood of staying and contributing to their community long term,” she added. 

“We’ve had close to 1800 enquiries from a range of essential workers considering making the move, and this demand for tailored relocation support is one of the key reasons The Welcome Experience has been such a phenomenal success so far.”

“The NSW Government’s recent decision to expand the program to 52 Local Government Areas across the state reaffirms our commitment to regional communities by ensuring they receive the skilled and robust workforce they need.”

If you or someone you know is considering a move to the Riverina, or if you’re curious about how The Welcome Experience can support new residents, be sure to check out the details at NSW Government Welcome Experience or reach out to [email protected]