Hi Rebecca, welcome to the October edition of Bloom News.
September was one of the best months we've had as a team, and we're still smiling about it.
We kicked off the month by celebrating our very own Rebecca Till, Bloom HR's longest-serving team member, who marked an incredible 10 years with the business. It's a milestone we're incredibly proud of and a testament to Bec's dedication, expertise and contribution over the years.
Awards season has also kept us busy in the evenings! We're still on a high after being named Employer of Choice in the NSW Business Awards for the Sydney region, and we're looking ahead to the State Finals in a couple of weeks. Wish us luck! We were also honoured this month to attend the Australian Women's Small Business Champion Awards, where we were finalists in the Recruitment Services category.
Another highlight this month was spending time with our long-standing friend, colleague and client, Julie Bojarski. We recently sat down with Julie to hear her remarkable career story, reflecting on the experiences, lessons and leadership journey that have shaped her career. You can read more about Julie's story in this edition.
We're also excited to welcome DEC to the Bloom community as we continue to expand into new sectors. You can read more about the work they do below.
As always, thank you for being part of the Bloom community.
All the best,
Natalie and the Bloom HR team
Bloom News
Australian Women's Small Business Champions
The Bloom HR Talent Team enjoyed a fantastic evening celebrating at the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards 2026.
It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with and celebrate so many inspiring women and successful small businesses from across Australia. While we didn't bring home the trophy this time, we certainly came away with some wonderful new connections, great memories and plenty of inspiration.
Congratulations to all finalists and winners. We loved connecting with such an inspiring and supportive community.
Career Story with Julie Bojarski
This month we sat down with long-standing friend, colleague and client Julie Bojarski to hear the story behind her impressive career.
From local government and community housing to strategy, transformation and leadership, Julie reflects on the opportunities, challenges and people that have influenced her journey.
Thank you so much Julie for taking the time to share your story!
This month, we welcomed DEC to the Bloom community. Huge thanks to the DEC team for choosing us to partner with them to deliver their people and workplace initiatives.
Based in Sydney's CBD, DEC is an independent Australian communications and public relations agency that helps local and global organisations build brands, engage audiences and strengthen their reputation. Working with a diverse range of established and growing businesses, the team delivers strategic communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement and reputation management services across multiple channels.
With a strong focus on creating meaningful connections between organisations and their stakeholders, DEC works closely with clients to develop communication strategies that support business objectives and enhance brand visibility.
Welcome to everyone at DEC to the Bloom community, and we look forward to working with the team.
Bloom HR confirmed exhibitor at SECNA Festival
13 & 14 November, Sydney
We'd like to extend a huge thank you to SECNA for making us feel so welcome during our first month of membership.
We were delighted to be invited to exhibit at the 2026 SECNA Festival next month, and have already experienced first-hand the strength, generosity and team spirit within the social enterprise community.
If you're part of a social enterprise in NSW or the ACT, we can't recommend SECNA membership enough. They're an incredible organisation doing fantastic work to support and connect the sector.
The festival is taking place on 13 and 14 November, for a taster of what will be happening across the two day festival check out the video below from the 2025 festival.
As part of our network, you can get 10% off your ticket using our exclusive discount code. Here are the details:
When: Summit: Friday 13 November | Festival: Saturday 14 November
The Fair Work Ombudsman is continuing its Disability Support Services Sector Inquiry and is seeking input from employees, employers and contractors across the sector. Since launching the Inquiry, more than 100 written submissions have been received, over 150 interviews conducted, and eight in-person forums held across metropolitan and regional Australia.
A series of additional forums will take place throughout October and November in Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Inquiry is particularly interested in hearing from employers and HR professionals about workplace compliance challenges, with all interviews conducted confidentially and de-identified.
The goal is to strengthen compliance across the sector, ensuring workers receive their correct pay and entitlements while supporting fair competition for employers. Those unable to attend a forum can still contribute via email.
The next open forum events taking place are:
Hobart, Tas, 19 October
Adelaide, SA, 20 October
Launceston, Tas, 21 October
Mt Gambier, SA, 22 October
Cairns, Qld, 27 October
Darwin, NT, 12 November
Further details on how to take part in the latest forums can be found below.
Congratulations to the finalists announced in this year's Human Rights Awards. The twenty finalists have been shortlisted from more than 300 nominations, all working to make real differences in Australian communities.
On 2 October 2026, the Australian Government introduced significant changes to student visa regulations, impacting both current international students and temporary visa holders considering further study in Australia.
The reforms place new restrictions on who can apply for a Student Visa (Subclass 500) while already in Australia. Most temporary visa holders can no longer lodge a student visa application onshore and must instead apply from outside Australia. The changes also affect many existing student visa holders seeking to move into a new course, with applications generally only permitted where students are progressing to a higher qualification level or fall within a limited range of exemptions.
Another key change relates to family members. New restrictions have been introduced on including dependents in student visa applications, limiting the circumstances in which partners and children can be added to a visa application or join the visa holder at a later date.
Each Friday, we bring you our Fair Work Friday update via our social channels, where we share our thoughts and practical insights on recent Fair Work Commission decisions and what they may mean for employers. From unfair dismissal and flexible work disputes to award interpretation and workplace conduct matters, we break down key rulings and highlight the lessons organisations can apply in their own workplaces.
Hear from social enterprise leaders, experts and supporters discussing the latest innovations from businesses that are putting people and planet first, and creating a cleaner, greener, fairer and kinder world. Discounted tickets for the Bloom HR community via the following link:
Our Executive Recruitment service helps organisations attract, engage and appoint exceptional leaders through a professional, highly tailored search process.
Using a combination of market mapping, targeted search, executive networking and direct candidate engagement, we identify and approach high-calibre leaders. Our rigorous assessment process provides valuable insights into each candidate's experience, leadership capability and cultural alignment.
We take the time to understand your organisation's strategy, values, leadership requirements and future challenges before commencing a search.
Throughout the recruitment process, we provide strategic advice, transparent communication and comprehensive candidate evaluations, giving Boards, CEOs and leadership teams the confidence to make informed appointment decisions.
Whether you're appointing a executive leader, senior manager or specialist leadership role, our experienced talent team can help you secure the right leader to drive your organisation forward.
To find out more about how this could assist your workplace, please contact our CEO, Natalie Carrington on 02 8114 4449 or via the linksbelow.
We are now publishing a monthly summary of the latest 'hot candidates' who are ready for a new challenge and new role in the sector. Each month we bring you candidates across a range of roles, with specific experience in the NFP sectors. If any of the profiles catch your eye as a potential great for your team, please let us know! Here are this month's hot candidates:
Brisbane
- Community Services Manager
- Customer Service & Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator
Bloom HR acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise it always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
