Tag Archive: community events

1. Yarra Ranges community groups able to apply for multi-year funding

   November 3, 2022 3:11 pm Leave a Comment

   By Tyler Wright

   Community groups, not-for-profits and event organisers are now able to apply for funding of up to $40,000 a year through Yarra Ranges Council’s Partnership Program.

   Applications for the program opened on Saturday 1 October, with the funding stream for successful applicant flowing from 2023 to 2027.

   Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC), who was a successful applicant of the Partnership Program for 2018 to 2022, used the funding stream of $20,000 per year to provide legal advice on the ground in the Yarra Ranges and educating school children about sexting, cyberbullying and consent.

   “We’ve probably done about 14 workshops across seven schools in the last year alone on those issues across Yarra Ranges; and this funding really drives that kind of work in schools,” ECLC CEO Michael Smith said.

   Through the funding, and working alongside other community organisations, ECLC was able to respond to community need after the June 2021 storm event in the Yarra Ranges.

   “There’s always issues around insurance… the impact by the power issues, and sometimes there’s issues with neighbours and fences and things like that, but also there’s issues like family violence that might be either as a result of the storms or kind of exacerbated by that too,” Mr Smith said.

   ECLC also started their ‘Hidden Voices’ initiative this year, creating a space for sexual abuse survivors, family violence survivors and those impacted by mental health issues to tell their stories.

   Mr Smith said ECLC will be applying for the most recent Partnership Program, helping to continue work with young people in schools and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations.

   “We’ve actually had really smooth referral options between us, as well as doing community projects that really helped the community, so we’re looking forward to continue to do that,” Mr Smith said.

   Yarra Ranges Council is encouraging community groups to apply for funding for projects that align with the council’s Health and Wellbeing and Creative Communities Strategies.

   “Grant applications take significant amounts of time and effort – they also go through a rigorous assessment by Council staff and an independent panel, and there’s heavy competition for this funding,” Yarra Ranges Council Mayor, Councillor Jim Child said.

   “We get incredible proposals through all of our grant streams and we can only fund a fraction of these.

   “For the best chance of success, applications should demonstrate a strong alignment to Council’s strategies, meet the selection criteria, demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively, and outline previous experience delivering Council funded initiatives. These are a must.”

   Applications for the Partnership Grant round will close on Tuesday 15 November 2022, with successful applicants to be announced in 2023.

   The first year’s funding will be delivered on 1 July 2023.

   To learn more about the application process, call Yarra Ranges Council’s grants team, or email grants@yarraranges.vic.gov.au.

   Read the original article here:

   Yarra Ranges community groups able to apply for multi-year funding

    

2. Star Mail article – Public art project sees collaboration between young and old

   2:24 pm Leave a Comment

   

   74 year-old Croydon man Alexei Ho at the Boronia Progress Hall, where his art work made alongside five other adults over 60 and nine primary school students from Boronia K-12 College is now on display. PICTURE: TYLER WRIGHT

   By Tyler Wright

   When it came to getting involved in a collaborative art project with primary school children from Boronia K-12 College, 74-year-old Croydon resident Alexei couldn’t think of anything better.

   “Young grandchildren never spend time with their grandparents and do creative things; they talk and play, [but] that’s it,” Alexei said.

   “This is good – share ideas that we can offer society, your own community… I love it.

   If every place do the same, how wonderful the place would be.”

   Alongside five other adults over the age of 60, Alexei spent one day a week from mid-July to August at Boronia’s Progress Hall creating artwork with 14 primary school children from Boronia K-12 College as part of Eastern Community Legal Centre’s ‘My Generation’ art project.

   ‘My Generation’ was created as a way to break down inter-generational stereotypes, combat ageism and build connections within the community.

   Participants drew animals, people and patterns; the final product injecting vibrant colour into what was a dull laneway between the Progress Hall and Knox Infolink.

   Alexei has noticed visitors to the cafe at the Progress Hall who he has not seen before; attributing to the “bright” artwork made public in September.

   

   “It brightens the place, the place looks so young again, so open,” Alexei said.

   Boronia local and artist 71-year-old Bronwyn Hampshire thought it would be “fun” to create art with her younger counterparts when she first joined ‘My Generation’ – and the experience seemed to live up to her expectations.

   “We had to draw something, so one of [the students] drew a basketball as a head and then the other one did a football as the body…so I did snake legs and fish arms,” Bronwyn said.

   “It’s quirky art, but it really does look fantastic in the space that it’s been placed.

   I’m proud of it, and I’m sure the kids are too.”

   Boronia K-12 College Assistant Principal Cassandra Wright said misconceptions around being creative, or doing things ‘the right way’ became evident as the students began working with older people, trying something new and seeing things from a different perspective.

   “[The] workshop leader did a lot of work with them around art as an expression of self, they talked a lot about personal values, talked a lot about how we’re feeling and how art reflects how we’re feeling, and I think that lent the kids being able to have a lot of connections with the older people that they might not have seen without that,” Cassandra said.

   “Because when they talked about ‘oh, well I’m really passionate about the environment,’ and the students were ‘oh, actually, I’m really passionate about the environment, I’m really big on that, too,’ they made some connections they might not otherwise have had.”

   Cassandra said shy students were able to come out of their shells during the workshops.

   “There were a few, probably not misconceptions, but that old people struggle with mobility and things like that, whereas the older generation that worked with us, they didn’t struggle with their mobility… they were doing things, they made connections with them about walking dogs and doing all of that sort of stuff,” Cassandra said.

   For Bronwyn, more programs like ‘My Generation’ could only benefit the community moving forward.

   “Whether it be gardening projects or art projects or dancing… I think is a good thing, because there are, I’m sure, a lot of people locked away in their homes, not knowing how to interact with other people, especially if their families have moved away,” Bronwyn said.

   “If projects can be created by anybody, whether it be council, or the Knox legal services…because not only was it about the kids and the oldies, also their parents were there too for the opening day, and their parents got to meet people, and I got to talk to some of the parents of some of the kids…

   There should be more.”

   Meanwhile, Alexei will continue volunteering at Hope City Mission in Croydon and the Salvation Army, waiting for the next community project to jump onto.

   “If you do something that makes you feel good, it’s always better,” he said.

   “Kindness is a disease that spreads… everyone kindness brings happiness from small things…

   It’s priceless.”

   Partners of Eastern Community Legal Centre’s ‘My Generation’ project include The Basin Community House, EACH, Eastern Regional Libraries, Knox City Council, Knox Leisureworks, Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place (MMIGP), Swinburne University and Women’s Health East (WHE).

   “It has been an honour providing a platform for participants to work together creatively, to learn about ageism and stereotypes; and to have their work permanently decorate a walkway in Boronia and celebrated through events – has just been the icing on the cake,” Eastern Community Legal Centre CEO Michael Smith said.

   Read the original article below:

   Public art project sees collaboration between young and old

    

    

3. EVENT: Chinese Family Day – respecting elders

   March 16, 2018 9:43 am Leave a Comment

   Join us for a Family Day about respecting elders and treating them with dignity. There will be speeches from a variety of services, providing information and helpful strategies on how to treat our elders respectfully. Family members of all ages are encouraged to attend!

   Date:           Saturday 14 April 2018

   Time:           9.30am – 1.30pm

   Venue:         Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill – in the Boyland Room & Visual Art Room

   Language:   Mandarin and Cantonese (with interpreters)

   Morning Tea provided

   Booking essential – please contact Chinese Community Social Services Centre on (03) 9898 1965.

   Download the flyer (.PDF)

   This event is supported by Eastern Community Legal Centre, Chinese Community Social Services Centre Inc., the Victorian Multicultural Commission and the Victorian Government.