COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY
Groupwork, community development and
advocacy are backbones of our approach
to delivering services to ensure that newly
arrived community members are given real
opportunities to have a say, make meaningful
connections and participate fully in our
community.
Our four multi-faith, multicultural support
groups all grew in membership , strength
and diversity with 75-90 participants
now attending weekly meetings with the
support of dedicated volunteers. Information
sessions have included oral health, nutrition,
counselling, family violence, parenting,
legal issues, road safety, fines and debts and
seeking financial support.
Began significant engagement with the
Melbourne Market in its relocation to Epping
and with other local employers, in the bid to
support pathways into work
Highlights
Continued local orientation bus tours,
which have been highly effective in
introducing newcomers to a range of
relevant services, building trust and
familiarity
Developed a new partnership with Plenty
Valley Community Health to deliver services
for our Refugee Support Group
Produced the Alsediqua DVD with the
Whittlesea Arabic Women’s Group and
the volunteer expertise of Alex Haynes,
highlighting the power of social support at
reducing isolation and depression
With the Whittlesea Career Pathways
Employment Working Group, ran another
highly successful What Employers Want
Breakfast with over 100 job seekers, local
service providers and employers
Facilitated strong community involvement
in the WCC CALD Family Violence and
Iranian Hamdel Projects. Young men
engaged strongly in discussions regarding
consent, violence and power, gender,
respect, and helping friends and family
Distributed The Harmony, our Arabic
Newsletter to over 300 community members
monthly
Strengthened the co-ordinating role of the
Whittlesea Multicultural Issues Network, to
ensure local service providers collaborate
to address the needs of newly arrived
communities in our area
Facilitated the role of Arabic and Persian
speaking women in the Faith in Unity
Project. The women went on to organize a
highly popular community based event for
Refugee Week
Fed into WCCs Family Violence Royal
Commission submission and the particular
experiences, needs and barriers faced by
CALD communities
Met with the Shadow Immigration
Minister to discuss the future of Australia’s
Humanitarian Resettlement Program
Reasons for Assistance
Other
18%
Migra5on
5%
Material/
Financial
Assistance
12%
Educa5on
&
Training
11%
Family
&
Rela5onships
5%
Accommoda5on
5%
Social
Par5cipa5on
8%
Life
Skills
8%
Document
Help
10%
Legal
9%
Youth
9%
Whittlesea Community Connections Annual Report 2014 -15
16