RDA Riverina Highlights the Power of Collaboration at Regional Health Showcase
Marg Couch, The Welcome Experience, Local Connector
Marg Couch, Local Connector for The Welcome Experience, was a guest presenter and panellist at the 2026 Murrumbidgee Regional Health Innovation Showcase, held in Griffith on 11 August 2026.
Hosted by the Murrumbidgee Health and Knowledge Precinct, the showcase focused on Growing Rural Health: Supporting innovation, workforce and community. Marg’s presentation, The Collaboration Dividend - When Communities Work as One - Workforce Attraction and Retention, explored how regional communities can work together to attract, welcome and retain essential workers.
Key message: attraction gets people interested, but connection is what helps them stay.
Marg emphasised that workforce attraction is not the responsibility of one organisation alone. People considering a move to Griffith and the wider Murrumbidgee area are choosing more than a job — they are choosing a community, lifestyle, school, home and future.
The presentation highlighted three place-based collaborative initiatives led through RDA Riverina’s Workforce Development Plan:
Country Change - promoting regional lifestyle and relocation opportunities.
The Welcome Experience - supporting essential workers and families settle into local communities.
Grow Our Own - building local career pathways and strengthening the future workforce pipeline.
Grow Our Own has surveyed the career aspirations of 2,100 students and delivered local industry tours to more than 500 young people. The Welcome Experience has also expanded from five to 14 Riverina local government areas in 2026, delivering resettlement concierge support to 95 essential workers and their families from January to June 2026.
Marg’s message was clear: the workforce challenge is shared, and the response must be shared. By aligning local leadership, cross-sector partnerships and community-led solutions, the Riverina can continue building a stronger workforce pipeline for the future.
Marg Couch
L-R: Rebecca Barry, Katie Pastro, Maddi Rampone
L-R: Katie Pastro and Marg Couch
Marg Couch
Marg Couch and other panel members
