Welcome Experience expands into North West

A program supporting essential workers settling into regional communities is expanding into the North West region, with new ‘Local Connectors’ appointed in Gunnedah and Narrabri.

Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI) has expanded its delivery of The Welcome Experience to include Gunnedah Shire, Narrabri Shire, Liverpool Plains Shire and Walcha local government areas.

The expansion comes after two years of the program operating in Armidale, Tamworth and Uralla.

New part-time Local Connectors Emily Surman and Kate Rice will deliver the program in Gunnedah and Narrabri respectively.

“The Welcome Experience is a great initiative from the NSW government, utilising local organisations and staff to achieve settlement and employee retention outcomes, valued by workers and employers alike,” RDANI chairman Russell Stewart, of Narrabri, said.

“It involves Local Connectors assisting new essential workers to settle in local communities, enhancing their community experience and ideally, ensuring they stay to live and work in our region.”

The program provides free, tailored support to eligible essential workers and NSW government employees who have recently moved, or are preparing to move, to the region.

Assistance can include finding accommodation, helping partners find employment, enrolling children in schools and connecting families with community groups and local services.

Eligible sectors include general practitioners, aged care nurses, early childhood educators, allied health professionals, teachers, health workers and emergency services workers.

Local government employees have also recently become eligible.

“Emily Surman in Gunnedah and Kate Rice in Narrabri will join our existing Local Connectors, Katrina George (Armidale/Uralla/Guyra/Walcha) and Emma Grant (Tamworth/Liverpool Plains), to deliver the program for their home towns and surrounds,” said RDANI executive director Nathan Axelsson.

“Our Local Connectors not only have a wealth of knowledge about their communities, but also the connections to assist new residents moving to our region with their partners and families.”

The program has already supported about 250 essential workers and their families in Armidale, Uralla and Tamworth since it began in October 2024.

“The program has had strong positive outcomes, with around 250 essential workers and their families already being supported in Armidale, Uralla and Tamworth, since it began in October 2024,” Mr Axelsson said.

Mr Axelsson said the program was also delivering a significant economic benefit to the region.

“On average, one essential worker relocating to regional NSW has been shown to add $116,050 of value to the local economy, so that equates to around $28m in economic benefit for the Northern Inland NSW region since the program began here,” Mr Axelsson said.

The Welcome Experience was initially piloted in eight NSW locations before being expanded statewide.

It is designed to encourage people to relocate to regional NSW from metropolitan areas, interstate and overseas, while helping communities retain skilled workers.

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the program had now expanded to 88 local government areas across NSW.

“Regional NSW is a fantastic place to work and raise a family, and with the support of The Welcome Experience, more highly trained essential service workers are choosing to make the move,” Ms Moriarty said.

“The Welcome Experience is helping to ease pressure on vital services across the region, particularly within the health systems that support communities throughout Armidale and Tamworth.

“Behind each registration for The Welcome Experience is not just one person, but often an entire family, with partners and children also putting down roots and becoming part of the local community.

“These essential workers are the heartbeat of our communities.

“They keep hospitals running and communities safe, care for our elderly, and educate the next generation, providing the skills and services the Northern Inland region needs to thrive.”