Centrelink’s Audra and Mata win award for community work
New South Wales Media Release
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Centrelink Multicultural Service Officers Audra Rahme and Mata Savelino have been given a prestigious national Centrelink award for their work in supporting Australians from multicultural backgrounds across western Sydney.
Audra and Mata won a joint prize for Significant Contribution to the Community in the 2010 Centrelink Australia Day Achievement Awards.
Audra is based in Blacktown and Mata in Mount Druitt, and both are energetic advocates who go the extra mile to connect vulnerable people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds with Australian Government support and services.
Audra has driven a lot of innovative programs out of the Blacktown Centrelink office, including organising Harmony Day events and focusing on young local people.
Mata is also adept at reaching out to young people from diverse backgrounds, and she and Audra make a great team.
They’ve gained fame for writing (Audra) and performing (Mata) a "rap" version of the eligibility criteria for Youth Allowance as part of a successful youth-engagement approach.
Mata also conducts regular interviews on Samoan radio to inform Sydney's Samoan community in their own language about Centrelink issues that matter to them.
Sydney Area West Manager, Steven Davison, paid tribute to Audra and Mata.
"Audra takes her special brand of optimism and energy into the local community with gusto," said Steven.
"And Mata's ability to connect with young people makes her a real winner for Centrelink, someone who has built many bridges with hard-to-reach customers and their families.
"Audra and Mata are exemplars of the Multicultural Service Officer role who undertake their duties with energy and grace and make a real difference to communities where language and cultural barriers can often cause feelings of disconnection and alienation.
"I'm proud to work with them and I’m thrilled they've received this award."
For more information, telephone the relevant Centrelink Media Contact.