Tag: committees

North Ringwood Community House – consultation over feasiblity study

Posted on by alex

North Ringwood Community House is currently undertaking the feasibility study into its relocation. The study is required to ensure that the community house is able to provide an accessible and diverse range of courses for the community.

As part of the study process the consultants have undertaken consultation with staff, committee members and students to help identify the current and future requirements for the house.

Today’s consultation sessions involved a series of workshops involving several groups of people who are part of the community within the house. A range of issues were discussed including the need for an accessible location that is in close proximity to public transport and available to both the Ringwood and Ringwood North communities.

The feedback received from today’s sessions will help guide the consultants as they undertake an assessment of potential locations for North Ringwood Community House.

Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau Policy Adoption

Posted on by alex

Policies and good governance help ensure a sustainable future for a non-profit organisation, through outlining acceptable behaviour and providing clarity and certainty for staff, volunteers and the committee of management.

This afternoon the Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau committee of management formally adopted polices covering several areas of the organisation, including volunteer recruitment, the committee of management and dispute resolution.

These policies will assist in clarifying roles and responsibilities and outline the requirements for volunteers and staff within the organisation.

Several workshops were held to ensure that the policies reflected the organisation and to gain feedback from staff, volunteers and the committee of management.

Copies of the adopted policies will be available at both the Croydon and Ringwood Office and new volunteers will be provided with a copy.

Further policies are now being developed to further enhance the governance of an organisation.

To ensure that the policies remain relevant they will be reviewed every three years and checked on annual basis.

Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committe – Reporting on the Community Wellbeing Plan

Posted on by alex

The genesis of the the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee was to oversee the implementation Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan. This plan which established the health, safety and wellbeing priorities for the municipality is currently being updated and rewritten as the Community Wellbeing Plan.

During this process the Committee has fulfilled a role in highlighting health, safety and wellbeing issues within Maroondah and works in partnership with external agencies such as Eastern Access Community Health, the Primary Care Partnerships and Victoria Police.

While wellbeing is an all encompassing term designed to incorporate health and safety, it is important that specific concerns are still highlighted and addressed by the committee and its members.

As a result the committee now receives updates from Maroondah’s two safety committees. These committees were formed to address safety concerns within central Ringwood and Croydon and to ensure a cooperative approach between council, traders and services such as Victoria Police.

This provides greater insight into safety initiatives and will help provide an holistic and practical approach to concerns within Maroondah.

Norwood Junior Football Club Life Member Luncheon

Posted on by alex

Norwood Football Club is located at Mullum Reserve off Mullum Mullum Road in Ringwood and is one of Maroondah’s larger football clubs. Norwood has a particular emphasis on junior teams and fields the largest junior side in Maroondah and the second largest within the Eastern Football League (EFL).

This afternoon the Norwood Football Club held its Annual Life Members Luncheon to acknowledge its business sponsorship and the many people that donate their time, through coaching, committees and volunteering to assist the club in its activities.

The Luncheon also confirmed a new Life Member in addition to recognising the ongoing commitment that the many volunteers and members provide to the club. Norwood Football Club is a Division One Club within the EFL and requires ongoing commitments from members both on and off the field.

The Life Members Luncheon provided an opportunity to recognise the ongoing commitment of the many volunteers involved in the Norwood Football Club.

Inaugural Eastern Volunteers Community Conference – Day One

Posted on by alex

Eastern Volunteers has a vision of leading the way in community services, and this was demonstrated through the organisation’s inaugural community conference.

The two-day event, which was entitled Social Inclusion and Community Well-being in the World’s Most Liveable City, was designed to assist in capacity building for the not-for-profit and community sectors.

The conference included presentations from several not-for-profit organisations to discuss the challenges the sector is facing, as well as potential solutions.

The topics on the first day included the challenges facing volunteer recruitment, establishing community partnerships and the difference that is made through volunteering.

As a member of the Eastern Volunteers board and part of the conference organising committee I facilitated the Volunteering – making a difference panel session, where the two speakers discussed the critical role of volunteers within their organisations. This also included a discussion around the challenges in developing good governance and ensuring the wellbeing of volunteers within a growing organisation.

The afternoon sessions discussed the topics of supporting older people, as well as connecting with the community. This session included the construction of a community led playground in Montrose and involving migrant communities within volunteering.

The first day of the conference was well received with the participants looking forward to its continuation on the second day.

Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee returns for 2009

Posted on by alex

The Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing committee meets on a bi-monthly basis to discuss projects and initiatives that deliver a positive impact to life within Maroondah.

This primary objective for the committee over the course of 2009 is to finalise the Maroondah Wellbeing Plan, a strategic document that will guide Maroondah’s priorities over the next four years.

Today’s meeting discussed community consultation for the plan, which will include surveys within the next edition of Maroondah Focus as well as via the council website. More in depth consultation will be available through sessions that will be held within Ringwood and Croydon.

The response to the devastating bushfires was also discussed, with Maroondah having a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Shire of Yarra Ranges. This enables Maroondah to send staff to the Shire of Yarra Ranges to provide emergency assistance. In addition council has donated $25,000 to the bushfire appeal and each councillor has also contributed $1,000 to provide further assistance.

The Maroondah Wellbeing Plan is intended to be ready for council adoption by the end of this year and will be accompanied by a yearly action plan. The composition of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee and potential sub-committees will be guided by the newly developed plan.

Volunteer Recognition Function 2008

Posted on by alex

Volunteers form the lifeblood of any society through the time and dedication they provide to assist the wider community. Today’s Volunteer Recognition Function provided an opportunity to thank the many volunteers that devote their time to creating a better Maroondah.

Whether its people providing Meals on Wheels, advocacy on behalf of their community, assisting in causes such as Red Cross, or delivering services through community houses and other facilities, volunteers are essential to any municipality. One of the key challenges facing our society is the need to encourage additional volunteers so that the spirit of our community can continue to flourish.

I would like to thank the many volunteers within Maroondah and the many community groups that I have met over the past three years. I thank you for the time you have provided to the many causes and services that exist within Maroondah.

Eastern Volunteers 2008 AGM

Posted on by alex

Eastern Volunteers is a not for profit, community based organisation that provides community transport and volunteer recruitment within Maroondah, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Eastern Volunteers is overseen by a voluntary Board and Management and consists of 14 part-time staff and approximately 100 volunteers. I have been a board member of Eastern Volunteers since the middle of this year and was officially nominated as a member of the board at the AGM.

Alex with others members from the Eastern Volunteers board of management

The guest speaker was from Bendigo Bank who spoke about Bendigo’s community banks and the assistance that these banks can provide for community groups. The Bendigo community banking model demonstrates how the business sector can become involved in the local community and it is encouraging to see an increasing number of businesses assisting community organisations.

The AGM included several changes to Eastern Volunteers Rules of Incorporation to reflect deductible gift recipient status and to empower the organisation so it can raise funds for a new and accessible head office.

Rotary Club of Ringwood – Community fundraising ideas

Posted on by alex

The Rotary Club of Ringwood meets each Wednesday evening and is one of the 51 clubs within Rotary District 9810, which spans Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs.

Tonight’s meeting included a presentation on community fundraising ideas by Melbourne Open Air Cinemas, which provides an outdoor move experience. The outdoor cinemas can be combined with community causes to assist in fundraising activities. A number of different sized screens are available, depending on the size of the area and the number of people that are expected to attend.

I am part of the Rotary Club of Ringwood Community Committee and the potential for an outdoor cinema event will be discussed as we consider fundraising projects to assist the many community causes that Rotary supports.

Maroondah Forum for People with Disabilities and Carers – consultation and providing feedback

Posted on by alex

Today’s forum for people with disabilities and carers provided an opportunity to discuss the feedback produced by the workshop that was held earlier this year and also to consult the participants on council’s new disability policy and action plan.

While current budgetary resources meant that the forum must remain at its current quarterly frequency, this will be reviewed early next year. Assuming that I am returned as a councillor after November’s elections, I will be advocating for the forums to be held on a bi-monthly frequency or for another working group to be established to exclusively examine strategic and advocacy issues. Either option will ensure a greater level of engagement for people with disabilities and ensure an improvement to the level of accessibility within Maroondah.

One of the major concerns from the feedback was the lack of publicity in regard to the forum, this has been rectified with council issuing media releases to publicise the forums and it being included on the council website. This will assist in ensuring that the community is aware of the forums and the opportunity to provide input and to inform council on accessibility issues. Terms of reference have been developed to provide direction for the forum and help improve communication and feedback between participants in the forum and council.

The guest speaker was from the Commonwealth Respite Centre who spoke about the programs that are available for carers and for people with disabilities in seeking respite or taking a break from their usual duties.

Today’s forum also included a workshop on council’s future Disability Policy and Action Plan. The policy, which is expected to be adopted in draft status at the next council meeting, will govern council’s approach to accessibility issues and its role as an advocate on behalf of the community. It is imperative that the views of people with disabilities and carers are taken into account so that council can be responsive to the needs of the community.

While the forum provided an additional opportunity for comment, people will be able to submit their thoughts on the policy once it reaches draft status. I encourage members of the community to take an interest in the policy as it will shape council’s position on accessibility.

Alex with Edward (Woody) Marriott, one of the participants of the Maroondah forum for people with disabilities and carers. Woody operates Ambleside Tours a company that specialises in holidays for people with disabilities.

One of the areas that requires feedback is in regard to the need for a Disability Advisory Committee. Councils such as Monash, Knox and Whitehorse all have committees which provide strategic advice to council in regard to accessibility issues. This differs from Maroondah’s forum, in that the focus is on strategic issues with representation from peak groups. The forum for people with disabilities and carers provides an opportunity for input on specific issues, while the committee could oversee the strategic direction on council’s approach to accessibility and supervise the implementation of the disability policy and action plan.

Such concepts must be considered as part of council’s approach to accessibility to ensure that Maroondah strives to create an inclusive municipality.

The next forum for people with disabilities and carers will include a session on the Ringwood Transit City and the need for an accessible and safe Ringwood Station.