JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022
LINKING OUR COMMUNITY TO SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
Multi-Million-Dollar Funding Boost Queensland’s 127 state-government funded neighbourhood and community centres will share a one-off $2.54 million funding boost to help with increased demand for services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre, Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch said the state’s network of neighbourhood and community centres has been on the frontline supporting Queenslanders through the pandemic. “Our neighbourhood and community centres have been working incredibly hard to safely continue delivering services and supports to their local communities. For example, the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre has hosted the Community Recovery hub for flood-affected residents, while also providing other supports and services for people impacted by COVID-19” Ms Enoch said. Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said the boost would be welcomed by staff and community members to the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre. “This $20,000 will go a long way towards helping the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre to continue delivering services and responding to increasing demands for support and changing clientele needs, such as requests for emergency relief and assisting clients to book vaccinations and upload certificates to the Check-In Qld App. This funding will also assist the centre with cleaning costs and undertaking outreach opportunities to vulnerable and marginalized groups.” Manager Gay Cayabyab said “it is vital funding to support the many programs that are important to our community. It is the ‘heart’ of what we do and allows us to respond to our community when they are in need.”
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Centre Manager Welcome to our first edition of ‘My Neighbourhood LINK’ for 2022! It has been a challenging and very busy start for all of us here at the centre. The flooding event was definitely not the kind of welcome we were hoping as we start to tackle on the New Year, but it is what is…we have been in this situation before…let Mother Nature do its thing and get on with what needs to be done! This community is resilient, generous and great in helping one another! From the time we open our doors in 2022, we are already collaborating with the Department in relation to the hosting of the Community Recovery Team that will support residents affected by the flood. We have been home to these group of volunteers and workers who came from other parts of the state to assist our community to recover quickly from the recent flooding event. We are very appreciative of all the efforts and hard work this group of community recovery members have done for Maryborough in the last three weeks or so. On behalf of our community THANK YOU VERY MUCH! We had the pleasure of welcoming The Honourable Leeanne Enoch, Minister for Communities, Housing and Digital Economy and Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing and Regional Roads, Mr. Bruce Saunders who visited the centre to meet with management, volunteers and staff. A great opportunity to showcase the work that we do. It was during this visit that the Minister also made an announcement in regards to a one-off funding that will benefit all 127 neighbourhood and community centres across the state. You will notice, that this edition of our newsletter is shorter than usual, this is because we are yet to make further announcements on commencement dates for most of our regular programs, which I promise you will come soon! We are still currently working out ways on how our service users can safely access programs as well as for our volunteers and staff to also safely deliver activities. We will keep you posted on any developments as soon as we are ready! This is it for now…take care!
Gay We are your Local Drug Action Team (LDAT)!
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Programs and services scheduled to commence early February will likely resume towards the end of the month or even early March for some programs to allow for planning in the light of new COVID-19 (Omicron variant) regulations. This is to ensure safety for all service users, volunteers and staff. We will keep you posted on any developments regarding this. In the meantime, feel free to contact us to register for any of the programs below.
Cancer Support Group – Monthly morning tea sessions Social Phone Call Initiative (for Cancer patients, families and carers) Dance to Fitness – Fridays – 4 pm Beginner Plus/Intermediate Line Dance workshop – 3.45 pm Tuesdays Basic Sewing Class – date to be advised English Mentoring – date to be advised Maryborough Youth Community Association – register for membership
LDAT is one of the core programs of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation that supports community organisations to form partnerships within the community to deliver prevention based activities in order to reduce alcohol and other drug related issues occurring in the region. The Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre supports any form of initiatives to prevent and minimize alcohol and other drug related issues in the community and has therefore officially accepted to be the designated LDAT for Maryborough. Permitted ADF community activities will be implemented by the centre to support the objectives of LDAT. The first community activity is to target young people between the ages 12 to 17 years to be part of the Maryborough Youth Community Association (MYCA), a long running program of the centre that has been inactive for a while and is now being revitalized under the LDAT program.
Migrant Development Program – register for membership
Maryborough Interagency Network Meeting (Community Service Workers) – register to be part of the email network We continue to provide Information, Referral and Advice Service, we are accepting bookings for room hire based on COVID regulations and our community coffee shop, the Neighbourhood Café will open soon for take aways only.
For more information about LDAT-Maryborough please email programs@maryboroughnc.org.
We finished off 2021 on a high…. Cancer Support Group Devonshire Tea Fundraiser
Dance To Fitness Christmas Party
Filipino Christmas Carols at St. Mary’s Christmas Bazaar & Carols
...our return to welcome 2022 was a bit challenging...
Exclusion Zone declared by Queensland Police delayed our opening
Return to wearing face masks as a result of Omicron
Flooding in Maryborough CBD
...but we are on track towards recovery!! HOW TO ACCESS GRANTS Apply online at: www.qld.gov.au/communityrecovery Or for help 1800 173 349
applying
call
the
Community
Recovery
Hotline:
If you require further assistance, you can book an appointment to visit the hub. Please contact 1800 173 349 to arrange an appointment
Community Recovery Hub BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre 25 Ellena Street, Maryborough Open daily: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Free tea & coffee station in the centre foyer for flood volunteers
Activated locations: Antigua, Aramara, Bauple, Bidwill, Boompa, Brooweena, Doongul, Duckinwilla, Dunmora, Glenbar, Glenwood, Gundiah, Gungaloon, Island Plantation, Magnolia, Marodian, Maryborough, Mungar, Munna Creek, North Aramara, Owanyilla, Pionerrs Rest, St Helens, St Mary, Teebar, Tiaro, Walkers Point, Woocoo and Yengarie
If you are experiencing hardship or require emotional support as a result of the flooding event, assistance is available. You may be eligible for financial or other assistance to help you get back on your feet.
Services available at a hub include:
Psychological, counselling
emotional,
and
personal
Flood-specific information about safe clean-up, managing health concerns, and how to cope
Information and referral to non-government organisations and local services
Commonwealth/State Grants
Emergency Hardship Assistance Grant
Essential Household Contents Grant*
Structural Assistance Grant*
Essentia l Servic es Reconnection Grant*
* Income tested
Sa fety
&
support
including
The Community Hub will close permanently on Friday 4th February at 5pm. For assistance after this date call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
MEETING ROOM HIRE CHARGES (Rates are for room use only and subject to an annual review)
NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS $20.00 per room (1 hr room hire or less) $15.00 per room per hour (more than 1 hour hire)
BUSINESS/CORPORATE $30.00 per room (1 hour hire or less)
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED (Receptionist, Kitchen hand, gardener, maintenance, etc.) If you have skills and would like to share them with your community, come in and see us at the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre, 25 Ellena Street or phone us on 4121 2141 or send us an email admin@maryboroughnc.org.
$25.00 per room per hour (more than 1 hr hire) In house catering is available during business hours only. Please contact us to obtain our catering options and prices.
Catering and use of office equipments & kitchen utensils will incur additional charges. Call 4121 2141 or email bookings@maryboroughnc.org for more info or you can also visit our website www.maryboroughneighbourhoodcentre.org.
The Neighbourhood Café is one of the fundraising arm of the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre. So if you want a relaxing atmosphere, why not come and support your local community centre.
CAFÉ hours is 10:30am—1:30pm (depending on volunteers)
Assistance in Completing & Understanding Forms - Support Service
The Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre proudly supports the not for profit organisation Share the Dignity in providing disadvantaged women and girls in our community access to FREE sanitary items. So next time you need or someone you know needs sanitary items, just before you get to the ladies lavatory, there is a small green box where you can help yourself with items that you need. You don’t even have to let us know. We also have hygiene bags available for women and teens. Just come see us at reception and let us know what you need and we are more that happy to provide this for you. So if you know anyone who might benefit from these free hygiene bags, please send them over at the centre, 25 Ellena Street, Maryborough. ACCESS TO SANITARY ITEMS IS A WOMAN’S RIGHT!!! Thank you for your support!
The centre is offering assistance in completing and understanding forms on a Friday BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!!! We have a volunteer who is willing to have a look and help you complete and understand your forms. PLEASE be aware that some forms and documents might be too difficult for our volunteer and therefore cannot assist you, but every attempt will be made by our volunteer to refer you on to another organisation or individual who might be able to assist further. To make an appointment with our volunteer, contact centre reception on 4121 2141 or email admin@maryboroughnc.org. NOTE: Please be advised that if your need for support in completing forms is urgent, the centre WILL NOT be able to assist you as this FREE service is being provided to you by our kind volunteers at a time that they are available. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.
Centacare - Counselling and Family Relationship Service Fraser Coast is housed within the Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre. They offer Family and Mental Health Support, Counselling Intervention Service, Family Support Program and Domestic and Family Violence Service. For more information, please contact 1300 236 822.