JACARANDA COMMUNITY CENTRE INC 146 Epsom Avenue Belmont

JACARANDA COMMUNITY CENTRE INC. 146 Epsom Avenue Belmont 6104 Phone 94774346 Fax 94775300 info@jacarandacc. org. au

Jacaranda’s services – Main office Belmont DSS Financial counselling only for SW clients or Income Managed OUT REACH -Financial counsellor attends Armadale Unfunded Financial counselling Emergency Relief and Income Management FC Fremantle financial counselling – DSS at St. Pats Zonta Domestic Violence Financial Counselling Do. H Fremantle Financial Counselling – unfunded Alinta. Care Indigenous children’s court support Indigenous Women’s program Emergency relief DSS and Lotterywest through case management Broadband for Seniors & other computer prog. Richmond Well being –Aboriginal mens and womens programs WHFS Other collaborative agencies and forums link to all. Aboriginal family support and school inclusion Aboriginal Elder and Community Consultation meetings. NAIDOC 400 people at Redcliffe Unfunded Local financial counselling service Indigenous Men’s program. Aboriginal Art and pottery currently disability Women’s & Seniors Programs. Food Rescue , Clothing, School Back Packs, Blankets, Christmas Hampers and Toys Synergy, Richmond Well being, WHFS, Charity Link BPW, Foodbank, Highgate primary, Belmont Council , Dof H

Jacaranda Community Centre • • Jacaranda is a NFP community based organisation which was set up by the local Aboriginal Community and other interested local people in March 2000. They talked me into giving up my paid job and my husband funding a building for them because of a vision they had. This was to have an organisation that represented Aboriginal people and gave them a voice and services while still keeping it open to the wider community. Their passion and inclusion of all people was what inspired me to do that. • We started off in a small 73 Square metre building until Lotterywest brought us the building we are currently in in 2007. During the first few years Lyndsey, Marie and then Janne worked unpaid for the Community. Our Committee was made up of approximately 75% Aboriginal people but open to anyone who believed in our vision. • Our Work encompassed what the Community wanted so with qualified workers we had a range of advocacy, negotiation, financial counselling, Aboriginal family support and Aboriginal specific financial counselling as well as small community activities. • Recognition of the work we were doing was quick and we received the Community Service Award in 2002 ( although not funded by Government at that stage) and have now received 22 awards or finalist during our 17 years. We started to acquire Government funding which allow us to develop new and exciting projects and actually employ staff.

• • • Lotterywest believing in us was the turning point for Jacaranda for the building and what we could achieve with the additional space and rooms. We were able to win tenders with both State and Local Government and employ a range of Aboriginal , Ca. LD and Non Indigenous workers. Agencies wanted to work with Jacaranda and we encouraged agencies to offer services at our centre so that our Community could obtain all the services they needed without having to shop around and this complimented Jacaranda’s holistic philosophy of work with the individual and family around a multitude of different issues. Lotterywest realising the need for more space for our activities funded the extension to the building, easier access for people with disabilities including ramps, disability toilets, and a large high under cover area and backyard where especially Aboriginal people would feel comfortable coming. Whether this be for a specific service or whether to have that social connection. Art seemed to bridge the gap between all cultures and we were fortunately to obtain Art funding for Pottery and Aboriginal Art and obtained an art shed. This has been extremely good for people with disabilities or mental health issues and to stop social isolation while learning and sharing. The Art shed and kiln have been a fantastic with the outdoor area great for lunches. The outdoor area was completed by a DECMIL staff community day and barbie supplied by TAFE students and the outdoor furniture supplied by Centrelink Vic Park Staff.

• • What are our core programs? This is interesting because the Jacaranda Tree represents “The branching out to meet Community needs”, so they programs change to meet those needs and we look for funding to run the programs for those needs. As you could see from our original diagram the programs inter- mix with each other. Financial Counselling – State Government Financial counselling funds were our first large program funds and were sadly taken away when financial counselling was first defunded and then not given to local groups. Knowing that we were set up for the Advocacy, Negotiation, Housing, Financial Counselling and it was because Aboriginal people wanted a local place we have continue to fund this through reserved funds until the new Government looks at the bigger picture of the needs of Minority Groups. We run this service from Belmont. DSS funded our Financial Counselling as we were the pilot program for Income Managed Financial Counselling. This then changed to HUBs and we are funded for financial counselling and financial capability for the SW metro. Clients can have financial counselling at Belmont, St Pats Fremantle, Zonta Refuge (DV or homeless clients) DOH Fremantle and an office in Armadale.

• • • Emergency Relief is mainly case managed except for an immediate need and is available through all the service areas. Richmond Wellbeing are supporting our Aboriginal women’s program. This has a range of activities, from health and well being, parenting, cooking, fitness, and excursions. Richmond Wellbeing are also supporting our Aboriginal men’s program which is run by Neil Coyne and works on increasing cultural knowledge, health and wellbeing, parenting, fitness and excursions Art and Culture – We run an art program on a Wednesday and a Friday with pottery or other activities on the Wednesday and Indigenous Art and other Art on a Friday. This includes lunch and while we were not able to get National Art funds this time we have some disability funds and many people with disabilities come some with carers. As with all programs this includes free lunch and material and reduces social isolation and creates a good group environment. Financial Capability : We have a 4 week program that we can take to other services and includes budgeting, credit, banks, housing and a range or options and tools to assist with financial management and wellbeing. We will also do one on one.

• • Aboriginal Family Support and School Inclusion program funded by PM&C works with families and the schools in the Belmont area to assist the parents in increasing school attendance of Aboriginal children. We will work with all the family issues that are stopping this from happening and that can include housing, overcrowding, drug and alcohol issues, material needs, counselling and a range of other issues. Aboriginal Children’s Court Support: This program works with families with children going through the Children’s court, on supervised bail or order, under JJT, or at risk of offending. It looks at what are some of the factors that cause the offending , how to stop recidivism and how to support the youth and their families. Computer programs: Currently not funded but we ran this program under first and second click for over 10 years and have since found yearly grants from various sources to run it. It enables people that have little computer skills or older people who have been given a lap to come and learn the basic skills where there is a tutor and only 6 people per session in a friendly environment. Waiting on new funding. Women’s Health and Family services – We have counselling available with WHFS coming out to the agency every second Friday but other times if needed. We also do joint programs and workshops with them for women over the year.

• • • • 8 Fruit and Vegetables – Available Tuesday 1. 15 – support by food rescue Bread – Available Monday or Tuesday – supported by Brumbies. Women’s program which includes, fitness, cooking , self esteem, health and welllness. We have so many other complimentary activities and days that I have only listed some of them. Alinta. CARE program – have been administering this since it started. NAIDOC - supported by WHFS, Richmond Wellbeing, Belmont Council, PM&C. This is our biggest event and is run on the first Tuesday of the NAIDOC week. Yesterday we had over 500 people attending. Harmony day we assist City of Belmont by running activities at Tomato Lake. Seniors Week, Family Week, International women’s day supported by Richmond Wellbeing. Sing and Grow – 0 -5 children and parents. Cooking – Food bank and redcross Cultural activity days Other activities if we can get funding or join with another organisation coming to Jacaranda.