Charlie and Raffaella Sgro started employing people with disabilities about 10 years ago. Photo: Raffaella Sgroi.
Car Mechanical Services in Fisher does more than fix cars.
“Inclusivity is not that strong in the [mechanic] community, so there were vulnerable people, neurodiverse people and people with disabilities who want a fair go,” CEO Raffaella Sgroi (Raffy) says.
The family-owned and operated garage decided to “change vision” about 10 years ago and hire workers with a range of disabilities and conditions. And they’ve just won an award for it.
Raffy took out the top gong in the Trade Services category of the 2023 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards as the only ACT-based recipient.
The awards were launched in 2022 by Precedent Productions as an offshoot of its existing Australian Small Business Champions Awards, designed to celebrate the “growing number of Australia’s most inspiring and influential women in small business”.
There were a total of 2500 applicants across 65 categories this year. Winners and finalists were announced during a National Presentation Gala Evening in Sydney on Saturday, 23 September.
“It was actually quite surreal, to be honest,” Raffy says.
“I was surrounded by amazing women.”
Charlie and Raffaella Sgroi with the award. Photo: Raffaella Sgroi.
Her husband, Charlie, has been a qualified automotive mechanic for 42 years. The couple started their own business together about 16 years ago when his parents were struggling to look after Charlie’s brother Ricardo, who has Down syndrome. Ricardo was invited as an employee.
Raffy says it was a small operation to begin with, but it provided a pathway to a bigger purpose.
“All businesses need to make money, but we can make even more than that because ethically, we can do something for our community,” she says.
Over the past 10 years, they’ve had “multiple” people with various disabilities in various roles – from admin duties with Raffy to supervised hands-on work with Charlie. The workshop has also hosted several events with the ACT Down Syndrome Association. They say “the smiles” make it all worth it.
“It’s more about embracing their ability than actually pushing the limit,” Raffy explains.
Her other passions include boosting sustainability and the number of women in an industry known for its dirt and grease and proliferation of males.
“You always picture a workshop as black and greasy, but I’m trying to see the workshop less black, more green, and with a splash of pink,” she says.
“I want to have more girls in the industry. We’ve had a lot of girls come in and do work experience, and we hope that one day, it’s their passion.”
Ultimately, she says more should give it a go, even when it’s a “big challenge” for small businesses.
“We did – you wonder how you can do it and how you can have the resources to support a disabled or neurodiverse kid. But give it a go. Don’t have this big expectation you have to mentor them 24/7. No one asks you take on five people either; just one in your lifetime makes a difference.”
Car Mechanical Services, at 82 Kalgoorlie Crescent, Fisher, is open 7:30 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.
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