We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first inhabitants of where we live, learn and work and we pay our respects to Elders past, living and emerging.
VirtualCC operates across Regional Victoria which is defined as the regions of Loddon Mallee, Hume, Gippsland, Grampians and Barwon South West. These regions include the lands of the following people and nations: Ladjilladji, Jarijari, Dadi Dadi, Wadiwadi, Ngargad, Wenbawemba, Wergaia, Baraba Baraba, Dja Dja Wurrung (Jaara), Yorta Yorta, Nguraiilam, Waveroo, jaitmangtang, Ngarigo, Bidwell, Gunai (Kurnai), Woi Wurrung (Wurundjeri), Bun Wurrung, Watha Wurrung, Gulidjan, Gadubanud, Djab Wurrung, Djargurd Wurrung, Girai Wurrung, Dhauwurd Wurrung,(Gunditjmara), Buandig, Bindjali. Jardwadjali.
Virtual Contact Centre Limited (VirtualCC) was created to benefit unemployed older Victorians (50+) by employing them to provide outsourced support functions to Business and Government. VirtualCC is a Not For Profit Company Limited By Guarantee.
In the future, we intend to extend this criteria to include those disadvantaged by their cultural background, long term employment status, or gender. In providing these services we aim to increase self respect and improve the mental health outcomes for disadvantaged regional Victorians.
Retrenched over-50s are highly represented in suicide statistics, particularly in regional Victoria. Each suicide impacts approximately 135 other lives.
Studies of suicides during the 2008 – 2010 Global Financial Crisis by Oxford University compared suicide data from before 2007 with the years of the crisis and found more than 10,000 “economic suicides” associated with the recession across the U.S., Canada and Europe.
According to the researchers, the primary risk factors for the increased suicide rate were:
-
Age-based discrimination within the workplace
-
Home foreclosures
-
Job loss
-
Debt
VirtualCC is doing something about these issues by providing employment opportunities.
Whether as a transitional step for skilled workers or as an ongoing role, VirtualCC gives dignity, flexibility and financial resilience to regional Victorians.
VirtualCC is seeking individuals who live in regional Victoria and are over the age of 50 to share their experiences of re-entering the workforce after a period of unemployment. We are interested in hearing about the challenges you faced, the length of time it took you to find a job, and the number of jobs you had to apply for. We also want to know about the qualifications and experience you possess and how they helped or hindered your job search.
Your story will be used to help VirtualCC better understand the struggles and successes of older job seekers in regional Victoria and to identify ways we can support and assist those who are looking to re-enter the workforce. If you are willing to share your story with us, please contact us at 0409 229 331 or fill in the contact form on the contact page.
We understand that sharing your personal experiences can be difficult, but we believe that by sharing your story, you can help others who may be facing similar challenges. Thank you in advance for your willingness to share your experiences with us.