Finalists in the 2014 Community Services Excellence Awards include projects to establish vegetable gardens, free tutoring for rural students, recycling of unwanted sports equipment and hip hop dance classes for at-risk youth.
Community Services Minister Tony Simpson applauded the strength of the applications from communities such as Port Hedland, Mandurah, Derby, Busselton and Scarborough.
The awards, held every two years, are a partnership between the Department of Local Government and Communities, and the WA Council of Social Service.
Mr Simpson said the awards were a great opportunity to celebrate the successes of Western Australia's not-for-profit sector.
"In one case, we have university students in Perth taking unwanted sports equipment to run programs in the north-west. In another, we have the Peel Youth Services running vegetable gardens and self-esteem programs in Mandurah. There's such a variety of projects run by professionals and volunteers," he said.
The Liberal National Government has delivered a $1billion social services package, including extra funding of $604million over four years to help support the sector.
"The State Government recognises that these organisations are best placed to deliver services to some of our State's most vulnerable people. It will continue to work in partnership with organisations such as the WA Council of Social Service to build a strong and sustainable community services sector," the Minister said.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on May 6. For more information, visit http://www.wacoss.org.au/CSEA2014
The awards are funded by Lotterywest, the Department of Local Government and Communities, Department of Regional Development, Synergy and the Water Corporation. Other supporters include Hesta and Beyond Bank Australia.
Minister's office - 6552 6600
Finalists - 2014 Community Services Excellence Awards
Volunteer-Based Organisation
12 Buckets Inc, Westminster
Offers mentoring in two primary schools to vulnerable and disadvantaged children who have experienced violence, isolation or addiction. Children work with adult mentors to develop life skills. As a result, the classroom learning experience for all children involved and their teaching staff has improved greatly.
Angelhands Inc, Maylands
Provides a peer-based recovery program for people who have been traumatised by homicide and violence. Programs are free, ongoing and have no time limit. They teach healthy coping skills. The volunteer-run programs are personalised and provide participants with an opportunity for rest, relaxation and support.
Fair Game WA Program, Derby
This charity uses recycled sports equipment to deliver health and fitness programs to communities in need to reduce rates of illness and improve mental well-being. University of Western Australia students are mentored by Fair Game volunteers and gain first-hand experience co-ordinating and delivering the programs.
Trash 2 Treasure Community Recycling Yard Service, Leeman
The outlet recognises the need for cost-effective clothing and housewares, along with recycling. One project has seen a group of women using damaged ceramics to make mosaics, resulting in workshops and art sales. Importantly, it has connected this group of women. They have now started a gardening project using recycled materials.
Small Organisation
Peel Youth Services BLO4C Program, Mandurah
After a study identified high truancy rates, social issues and anti-social behaviour, the service relocated to a large property. It now runs a Shed Program for young men, a self-esteem building program for young women, plus new vegetable gardens and a chicken run. By late 2013, the service had 70 community and business partners and has offered support to more than 500 young people and their families.
The HOOD Academy, South Hedland
Standing for hope, optimism, opportunity and dance, the HOOD Academy was set up in 2009 after boredom and anti-social behaviour were identified as issues for young people. Hip hop was offered for its proven self-expression, self-worth, and self-confidence attributes, with routines aligned with issues facing young people. The academy is youth-led and supported by a group of dedicated volunteer parents and community leaders.
Teach Learn Grown Inc, Crawley
About 180 volunteers travel twice a year to 12 schools to provide free tutoring and mentoring to rural and indigenous WA students, to help overcome poverty and disadvantage through education. Funded by a Perth-based tutoring school, they engage children with science experiments, reading and games. Volunteers form relationships with the community, in turn improving attitudes towards education.
South West Counselling Inc, Busselton
After 32 years, the service provides counselling to people at six locations across 23,970 square kilometres. To meet demand, it uses innovative thinking and technology in the design and delivery of services, and has expanded to target domestic violence support programs for women and men, anger management, self-harming and bullying.
Medium Organisation
Halo Leadership Development Agency, Spearwood
The Just Another Day performance, scripted and acted by young Aboriginal people from the Halo community, shows the impact of domestic violence on women and children -- a subject which has been taboo. The play is performed twice, with audience members able to replace an oppressed character the second time for a different outcome. Communities have finally been able to discuss these important issues. Participants are counselled through the process and encouraged to debrief with trusted social workers and elders.
Inclusion WA, Osborne Park
Staff from Youth Connect work one-on-one with youth living with a disability and at risk of social isolation to help them identify their goals, get involved in recreational and social activities in their community, address barriers and develop social skills. So far, every young person has been successful in connecting to community, with some experiencing a sense of belonging for the first time.
Mental Health Law Centre (WA) Inc, Perth
The centre offers free legal advice to people who are involuntary patients within the WA mental health system, and provides support to their families. Demand continues to grow with legal service offered to 935 clients in 2012-13. This is the only community legal service specialising in meeting the complex needs of mentally ill clients. The centre promotes change in the community through a volunteer and education program.
Nintirri Centre Inc, Tom Price
The centre is a backbone for the community, delivering more than 20 services including women's health, childcare, transition to school, domestic violence counselling and protective service. Through a broad range of expertise on the centre's board, and with close relationships across the community, the centre is planning for the years ahead so it can deliver services and infrastructure responses that reflect local priorities.
Large Organisation
Rise Network Inc, Midland
Inspired by a pregnant teenager with nowhere to go in 2004, Rise Network opened WA's first 24 hour-a-day, seven days a week safe house in 2008 for women aged 14 to 18. Named Kira House after that first teenager, the facility helps young women fleeing domestic violence. It provides individually planned approaches for up to six families at a time, with life skills, health management, birthing and parenting.
Silver Chain Group Ltd, Osborne Park
The nursing service helps 70 patients in Geraldton monitor their health through the Telehealth Pilots Program. The nursing service can remotely monitor a client's vital signs using equipment installed in the home, using the internet, text, voice and video. Clients are better educated about their health and can take steps to control the situation, in turn preventing visits to the hospital or GP, and also ensuring they can stay in their community.
Volunteer Task Force, Carlisle
With less rain and higher demand for services, the volunteer task force introduced a trial Water-wise Gardening Program. Working with local governments, the Department of Health and private businesses, the taskforce transformed 186 gardens into Waterwise gardens in 2013 - with a goal of 250 in 2014. The result is better for the environment, the purse, client independence and the taskforce.
Wanslea Family Services Inc, Scarborough
Following the Commissioner for Children and Young People's guidelines to 'involve children and young people', Wanslea developed an emotive and successful film series called: 'I was a foster child'. They interviewed three young people who have experienced foster care for significant periods. The films dispelled some myths, while providing a powerful forum for these young people to share their stories. The films were created with extensive consultation, professional briefings and ongoing support for the children involved.
Regional Organisation
Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre Association Inc, Geraldton
The centre's real strength is its extensive engagement with children, young people and families to foster a strong community and encouraging family units where children and young people are valued and connected. By delivering services in education and care, training and employment, support and counselling, and through the development of local resources, the centre is developing a positive legacy.
The HOOD Academy, South Hedland
The academy was established in 2009 as a learning and healing hip hop centre, an art form known for its self-expression, self-worth, and self-confidence attributes. Through engagements with schools through the 'Kool 2B Kind Hip Hop Festival', youth-led workshops and the 'Battle Zone' competition, the academy shared the power of hip hop with more than 1,000 students in 2013. With visiting choreographers and key partnerships, they hope to engage young people in open discussions about bullying, suicide and substance abuse.
Wongan Community Care Inc, Wongan Hills
With just one employee, the Wongan Hills Therapy Group delivers specialist therapy services for children with special needs in the Wheatbelt, including a successful music therapy program 'You Gotta Get Up'. By delivering train-the-trainer workshops to upskill key locals, the community is building capacity that will continue to deliver much-needed services. Being self-funded has created challenges and opportunities, and with the development of a 'self-regulation kit', the centre is exploring the retail sale of the resource.
Partnerships
Avon Youth Community and Family Services Inc, Northam
Recognising that two services offered similar but separate programs from the same venue, the Shire of Moora and Avon Youth partnered in January 2013 to set up 6510Youth. They focus on school truancy, working with sports clubs and three local schools to measure attendance rates and implement strategies. The 'no learning, no play' policy has helped re-engage kids lost to the education system. The centre encourages youth to drop in after school to provide a link for further referral if necessary.
Foodbank WA, Welshpool
Partnering with WA Country Health Service units, and engaging with key collaborators such as dieticians and health promotion workers, Food Sensations is providing equipment and resources to promote nutrition and cooking. Equipping staff with ready-to-deliver resources for use in person or via videoconferencing builds capacity and supports partners with similar goals. These partnerships have cut expenses and reduced duplication of services and overload of information to communities.
St Bartholomew's House, East Perth
A Good Life is an intensive support program for people experiencing high-risk of chronic homelessness. Clients dealing with many agencies and support workers at once can rely on one key worker and facilitator. The results have seen service consistency, better problem solving, a wider skills base and less duplication, and a better outcome for homeless people.
Street Law Centre WA Inc, Maylands
A pressing need for legal services specifically for WA homeless people was the impetus for Street Law, launched in March 2011. Using volunteer and Street Law staff lawyers, clients received 1,155 hours of professional legal services, 251 advices and opened 169 cases in the last financial year. Three clinics have been set up within community based services. Vital partnerships were developed with law firms, which have ensured that the program could become operational, and maintain and expand its service delivery.
Outstanding Achievement in Raising Awareness of Community Services
Australian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Resolution Inc, Victoria Park
After 35 years, Holyoake acknowledged its need to change focus when WA was listed above the country's average for alcohol and illicit drug abuse. After a successful awareness campaign, it now provides services to 25 per cent more people. With a small budget, it distributed information through referring agencies, doctors, education campuses and community events to advise people who are affected indirectly by other people's substance abuse that they can come to Holyoake for counselling and support.
Man Healthier Directions for Males, East Perth
The charity that works with providers, business groups and individuals to improve the health and wellbeing of men at work, home and play has reproduced its Blokes Book for the Aboriginal community. The Mooditj Marmun Book caters to males in WA's South West and up to Perth. A key factor was connecting with the Nyoongar community and understanding the specific challenges and barriers Nyoongar men have to sourcing and using health services available to them.
Organ Donation and Transplant Foundation of WA, Maylands
Through innovative programs, the foundation is leading the way for other States in the future, and its Workplace Partnerships for Life Program, Night Under the Stars, and Student Volunteering Program are some examples of the creative avenues being used. This is achieved through community engagement programs, corporate outreach projects, promotional events, collaboration and networking functions, and recognition and support of WA donor families.
Seniors Recreation Council of WA Inc, Leederville
The council provides support for seniors to be physically, mentally and socially active through a range of programs, including the Have a Go Day, Have a Go News and a reference booklet with contacts for seniors' services. The council continues to be creative and innovative in identifying the needs of seniors and designing strategies to best service them.
St Bartholomew's House, East Perth
A ground-breaking publicity campaign saw six of Perth's chief executive officers undergo wardrobe and makeup to spend a morning as a homeless person in Perth's CBD. The powerful media coverage provided an insight into the homelessness plight. All mediums dedicated plenty of space to the social experiment, but it was the coverage in The West Australian's Insider magazine that connected the business community. With a $15million capital works fundraising goal, St Bart's has engaged a leading property group, and made connections with other corporations, all on the success of this campaign.
Outstanding Commitment by an Individual
Damiano Chiera, Osborne Park
Joining the Margaret Court Community Outreach program when it launched 15 years ago, Damiano shows no signs of slowing as he approaches his 74th birthday. He began with providing soup, food and clothing to the homeless, sex workers and street kids of Perth, and soon started helping with country outreach by taking food to the regions. He is a volunteer supervisor for the team of more than 50 volunteers in Osborne Park and Kwinana who help pack food hampers and distribute clothing each week. His passion goes beyond just meeting their needs, but to continually encourage, empower and equip individuals with necessary life-skills to change their circumstances, giving them hope for their future.
Esben Kaas-Sorensen, East Perth
He has helped change attitudes to the homeless and young people for whom he is a fierce advocate. His reputation for insight into issues on the street and his capacity to build strong working relationships across a range of sectors makes him a leader with integrity, innovation, compassion and a determined approach to the rights and responsibilities of young people. Esben leads a team of street-based youth workers who link homeless and at-risk young people to the assistance they need. They are making practical changes through the re-vamped Street Connect bus, which has refocused on the older target group. He participates in fundraising activities, community public speaking and works as an impartial grievance officer at Anglicare WA.
Gary Pike, Willetton
He first volunteered for the Great Toad Muster in 2009 and fell in love with the mission of the Stop the Toad Foundation. His passion and energy while out in the bush doing hard, dusty, uncomfortable work was infectious and he came back each and every year to lead a group. Gary's enthusiasm has seen him become the foundation's education guru, and he has provided thousands of presentations to community groups, schools and universities with the one-eyed view of awareness always at the forefront. In recognition of his incredible work for the foundation, he was appointed to the board as vice chairman in 2012 and his peers believe his work has educated a large proportion of the Australian public.
Malcolm Smith, Ocean Reef
He first visited Perth to establish a rehabilitation program in 1985 but the short-term project has extended for some 28 years. From a basic centre in Beverley, Teen Challenge has grown to a 45-bed, fully occupied facility in rural Esperance. Malcolm's passion and vision to help young people with drug and alcohol addiction has not waned in his 50+ years in the field. Coupled with the detox and rehabilitation aspects of the program, Malcolm saw the need to prepare his patients for the next life stage so a training college was launched, providing participants with literacy and numeracy skills, business administration and warehousing. Malcolm has truly helped reshape the futures of thousands of young people with his compassionate and firm approach.
