Hall of Fame acknowledgement for Founder and Executive Director of CBS Inc. Freddie Brincat OAM

On the 14th June 2023, Community Bridging Services (CBS) Inc. Founder and Executive Director, Freddie Brincat OAM, was inducted into the Disability Employment Australia (DEA) Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Brisbane.

DEA is the peak industry body for Australia’s Disability Employment Services (DES) assisting the Australian Government to deliver high quality employment support to people with disability. The DEA Hall of Fame recognises excellence, innovation, and long-term commitment to the evolution of disability employment. It is with great pride that we announce Freddie’s success for his outstanding service and achievements in disability open employment. Currently CBS Inc. staff support 2,476 participants in DES across 29 offices in regional South Australia and metropolitan Adelaide, partnering with many local and international businesses. Innovations include the award-winning concierge services in large Adelaide office buildings; Community Concierge SA (CCSA), Summit Cafés, The Moonlight Speakers, University Specialist Employment Partnerships (USEP), Individual Placement and Support Programs (IPS) and the Bearded Dragon Galleries.

CBS Inc. values have led to their continued success; with the goal of changing the perceptions and prejudices of people with disabilities in the community. We want people with disabilities into more jobs at award wages. CBS Inc. provides a personalised recruitment service to large and small businesses.

CBS Inc. was established 26 years ago in Adelaide by Freddie, who remains the Executive Director. Founded on a strengths model and a commitment to saying yes rather than saying no, the organisation has adapted with NDIS changes and has grown into a leading disability service provider in Australia. CBS Inc. has seen significant expansions into NDIS supports and social enterprises across rural and metro areas to provide top quality support to people wherever they live in SA. Freddie said “It has been great to support people with a disability, finding ways to open doors and to access employment, education, recreation and the arts. I’ve been supported by many people, staff, Board members and most importantly people with a disability and their families. More people with a disability through the work of DES, DEA and the NDIS are becoming valued employers, leaders, Board members and contributing to building a better future for all Australians. We are finally seeing this curving upward where it should be.”

Becky O’Brien, client of CBS Inc. said, “In my experience, CBS Inc. has supported me in so many ways with not only my current employment but also achieving my personal goals and pushing me to take on new challenges that I never would have dreamed of before. I feel like the staff at CBS Inc. know me and my needs to my core and therefore have offered me many different employment opportunities to suit my personality, goals and skills while working with some awesome humans at the same time.”