Welcome to CHESS Employment and Support Services

CHESS provides a specialised employment service and a range of personal support programmes.

Our clients are either living with a mental health issue or dealing with other disadvantages. We prepare our clients for employment and maintain ongoing support. CHESS is part of a dedicated Disability Employment Service empowered to offer a range of personal rehabilitation programmes. CHESS provides a quality service that is responsive and individualised to our clients’ needs. Our organisation is innovative focusing on holistic solutions for a pathway to self reliance.

Disability Employment Services (DES)

CHESS and Ostara are providers of this specialised, flexible, tailored employment assistance program. Disability Employment
Services are organisations contracted by DEEWR to provide a wide range of services and support to help you find and maintain sustainable employment, this includes employer incentives and pre-employment activities.

CHESS is a free service for jobseekers and employers

Personal Helpers and Mentor’s Program (PHaMs)

Is a strengths based and recovery focused program for voluntary participants.  PHaMs provides increased opportunities for recovery for people who have functional limitation as a result of a severe mental illness. Program participants work together with service providers to overcome social isolation and increase their connections within the community. Your Personal Helper and Mentor can support you with many
different things. The key is that it is up you, and what you want to achieve from the program., and how you go about achieving it.

Community Projects

Innovation Farm
Horticultural, life skills and job skills training in an idyllic environment. (Available in Coffs Harbour, Bellingen & Nambucca Heads) 

Men’s Shed
To produce all manner of woodworking and other projects. Mentors are on hand to give advice and guidance and is as much a place to meet as it is to work

Bike Project
Where volunteers learn skills in all aspects of bicycle repairs under the guidance of experienced mechanics so they can be sold back into the community to disadvantaged groups