BALLARAT will soon say goodbye to one of its leading family welfare advocates when Child and Family Services chief executive Kevin Zibell quits his post of 14 years.
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The 65-year-old will hand over the role to his yet-to-be-chosen successor sometime next year in March.
CAFS Acting board president Shane Strachan, said Mr Zibell’s contributions had been “exemplary” and the organisation had grown over his tenure
Mr Zibell, who started his career teaching at Red Cliffs High School, has been with CAFS for 16 years.
Speaking to The Courier yesterday, the father-of-three said he planned to work part-time, which may include a return to client counselling.
“I will also continue to teach Basic Counselling and Family Centred,” he said
Playing more music with his three different bands was also a priority.
Mr Zibell said he knew he was leaving CAFS in a very good shape.
“”It has grown consistently in the past 14 years from a budget of $4 million to about $13 million now,” he said.
“And our staff has increased from 55 to 160.”
A commitment to provide all children with the “right and a privilege” of having a nice home and family is what lead Mr Zibell to social work.
He said he was especially proud of his involvement in the child and welfare reforms and the enactment of the Children, Youth and Family Act 2005.
“I was able to take a statewide role in that,” Mr Zibell said.
Establishing a special expertise within CAFS for family violence, working with men’s behaviour change programs and the Early Childhood Parenting Centre were some of the other highlights of his career.
