Tag: wellbeing

Public meeting with the Ringwood Pool Action Group

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The Ringwood Pool Action Group was formed this year amid concerns in regard to the future of the Ringwood Aquatic Centre.

The facilities at Ringwood Aquatic Centre are ageing and faces escalating maintenance costs and declining patronage. In addition, the Centre lacks the wellbeing and gym facilities that compliment the aquatic activities.

Council’s plan for a regional level facility has been scaled back due to a lack of commitment from the State and Federal Governments and is therefore pursuing a district level facility.

While the final configuration of the Centre is yet to be determined, Council is committed to the future of the Ringwood Aquatic Centre and the Ringwood Pool Action Group will serve as an important conduit with the community as Council discusses options for the Ringwood Aquatic Centre.

10th Anniversary of the Swimming Bus Program

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The Maroondah Swimming Bus provides transport for frail aged older adults to access Ringwood Aquatic Centre on a weekly basis each Monday. The program is provided by volunteer drivers who provide their time to deliver the members to and from the Ringwood Aquatic Centre.

The service has delivered not only improved health and wellbeing but social interaction and inclusion through the forming of friendships and support. This afternoon volunteers and participants celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the swimming bus program

The speech I delivered during the celebrations is available within this entry:

Good afternoon and welcome to the 10th anniversary of the Swimming Bus Program. I would like to welcome Cr Ann Fraser, as well as welcome past and present participants, volunteer drivers and aerobics instructors of the program from the past 10 years.

I’m very pleased to be here at the 10th anniversary of the swimming bus program which began on 9 October 2000. There has been approximately 43 residents participating in the program over the past 10 years.

Over 15 volunteer drivers have given their time enabling a large number of otherwise house bound older adults to access the Ringwood Aquatic Centre on a weekly basis for the Monday Swimming Program. This free service has played a vital role in both maintaining and improving health and providing an opportunity for socialisation. Many valuable long term friendships have been formed on these bus trips which has provided another support mechanism for these otherwise isolated residents.

Congratulations to everyone who has been involved in this program over the 10 years including the volunteers who provide the transport services, your dedication has improved the lives of many older Maroondah residents.

Media Release: Help cards tackle issue of family violence

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As part of Community Safety Month Maroondah City Council has joined forces with other Councils in the eastern metropolitan region to address the growing concern of domestic violence.

Maroondah Councillor Alex Makin said later this month Eastern Region Family Violence Help Cards would be distributed in the hope of better supporting victims of family violence.

“The support cards are designed to support families experiencing any form of family violence. The gender specific cards provide definitions, tips for dealing with situations and helpful contact information for services locally and across the Eastern Region,” Cr Makin said.

“The wallet size cards will be distributed across the region and will provide details on how people can discretely seek support if they are experiencing any form of family violence,” Cr Makin said.

“By uniting with the other Councils in the eastern region we are showing a clear and consistent message that family violence is not okay,” Cr Makin said.

The cards will be launched on October 28 in Nunawading.

“The launch will feature some key note speakers including White Ribbon Day Ambassador Nick Mazzarella, family violence survivor Robyn O’Sullivan and Victoria Police Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Wendy Steendam,” Cr Makin said.

“The Doncare SasSing Choir (Survivors and Supporter’s Sing), made up of woman who have escaped family violence or those who support the cause will also perform,” Cr Makin said.

The Eastern Region Family Violence Help Cards will be launched on October 28, from 2-4pm in the Warratah Room, Whitehorse Centre, 379-397 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading.

– ENDS –

Maroondah Weekly: Changes on the way in community care

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Maroondah City Council provides home and community care services to eligible residents that have a disability or are frail aged, as well as carers. These services, which include Meals on Wheelers, carer support, social support programs, domestic assistance, respite care and property maintenance, are provided to people in need of additional assistance.

The State Department of Health has recently developed a new approach to the delivery of home and community care services. This approach, known as the Active Service Model, has the aim of providing tailored services rather than the traditional one-size-fits all approach, resulting in higher confidence and wellbeing for participants.

Maroondah City Council has been implementing the Active Service Model which will be gradually rolled out to the 3000 home and community care clients that reside within the municipality. The Maroondah Weekly has reported on the improvements that will be delivered through this new approach:

Mayor Alex Man said the revamp would abolish the “one-size-fits-all” approach and instead focus on each client and their individual nutritional, social and cultural needs.

“It’s about providing services which promote capacity building and restorative care so that people can stay involved in everyday activities, maintain or rebuild their confidence and strengthen their capacity to adapt to changing life circumstances.”

Maroondah City Council was recently announced as a finalist in the LGPro Aged and Disability Services Awards, reflecting the Council’s commitment to delivering an approach to home and community care that improves the wellbeing of the recipient.

Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee – September 2010 Meeting

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The Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of Council’s Community Wellbeing Plan. The Committee includes Council representatives, as well as well as a number of agencies and community based organisations, including Eastern Volunteers, the Migrant Information Centre, Wesley Mission and Eastern Access Community Health.

Today’s meeting discussed the use of portfolios to assist in identifying the areas of interest held by each member and to strengthen dialogue with the relevant areas of Council. Portfolios will enable monitoring and oversight of individual areas within the Community Wellbeing Plan.

I also provided an update on Council’s advocacy campaign for the upgrade of Ringwood Station, which is critical to improving the safety, accessibility and sustainability of Ringwood.

Launching Maximising your Strength at the Croydon Leisure and Aquatic Centre

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The Maximising your Strength program is a new physical activity group within the Croydon Leisure and Aquatic Centre, which provides strength based training for people with neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis.

This morning I was invited to launch the Maximising Your Strength program, which includes two separate streams; one for people of all ages and one designed specifically for younger people, known as Striving for Maximum Strength.

The program, which is the first time it has been available east of Blackburn, is a partnership between Maroondah City Council and MS Australia and incorporates strength training exercises. Training is conducted by a qualified fitness instructor, who has received training from MS Australia Physiotherapist and Exercise Physiologist.

Maximising Your Strength aims to increase the wellbeing, strength and endurance of participants who experience neurological conditions, for further information please visit www.maroondahleisure.com.au/venues/croydon-leisure-centre.

Please continue reading this entry for the speech that was delivered at the launch of this program.

Continue reading “Launching Maximising your Strength at the Croydon Leisure and Aquatic Centre”

Delegates’ Report: Thanking our volunteers, supporting cultural diversity and youth and reducing greenhouse emissions

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On the 31st of July I attended an evening hosted by Maroondah’s Sudanese Community, where they shared traditional Southern Sudanese cuisine with the wider Maroondah municipality. Maroondah is home to almost 200 people from Sudan who share similar aspirations, in regard to employment and housing, like many other members of our community.

The food included lamb and cous cous combined with traditional Southern Sudanese cooking and ingredients and it is great to see all members of our community welcoming each other into Maroondah. Our municipality consists of people from a range of backgrounds and cultures and it is diversity that enriches our community and provides opportunities.

I congratulate the Sudanese community for bringing Maroondah’s communities together for the meal and for sharing their aspirations within the municipality.

On the 4th of August I had the pleasure of hosting the Community Volunteers Luncheon, providing an opportunity to acknowledge the work undertaken by the many volunteers within our community. Maroondah is fortunate to have many people committed to volunteering and working together to improve the wellbeing and amenity of our municipality.

The Community Volunteers Luncheon is Maroondah’s way of acknowledging and thanking the efforts of our volunteers and I would like to congratulate the many people who devote their time, energy and resources into improving our community.

On the 5th of August I attended a meeting organised by Common Equity Housing Limited (CEHL), the managers of the affordable housing cooperative in Larissa Avenue, Ringwood. The meeting provided an opportunity to meet prospective tenants of the development and to discuss Council’s plans for the Ringwood Central Activities District and the need for a State Government commitment towards Ringwood Station. It was great to see such enthusiasm towards the vision for Ringwood from the participants at the meeting. While Council was understandably concerned over the State Government’s removal of Council’s planning powers over the development, it is critical that we now work towards ensuring that the tenants of the development are a part of our community and able to partake in the same opportunities that we are all able to enjoy within Maroondah.

On the 6th of August I attended the launch of the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action’s Solar Hot Water Program. The Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action is formed through six Councils within Eastern Melbourne, including Boroondara, Whitehorse, Maroondah, Yarra Ranges, Knox and Monash. The program will provide assistance in reducing household greenhouse emissions through solar hot water systems. An information session is scheduled for Thursday the 9th of September at 11am at Maroondah Federation Estate in Ringwood, where members of our community can learn more about this program.

I’ll be tabling the rest of my report.

Luncheon with Noeline Brown – Ambassador for Ageing

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This afternoon I attended a luncheon organised by Yarrunga Community Centre, with Noeline Brown the Ambassador for Ageing.  Noeline was appointed as the Ambassador for Ageing in 2008, which was a newly created position that aims to create a positive image for ageing.

Alex with Noeline Brown, the Ambassador for Ageing, and staff at Yarrunga Community Centre.
Alex with Noeline Brown, the Ambassador for Ageing, and staff at Yarrunga Community Centre.

Approximately 100 guests attended the luncheon, where Noeline spoke about the importance of healthy lifestyles and remaining socially included within our community. In addition, Noeline discussed her extensive film and theatrical experience, discussing the techniques she uses to memorise scripts and to develop the characters within the roles she performs.

Yarrunga Community Centre holds a range of programs for all members of all community, including extensive offerings specifically for Maroondah’s seniors. For further details please visit the Yarrunga Community Centre website at www.yarrunga.org.au.

Maroondah Leader: Groups unite to help drinkers

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The Victorian Early Intervention Pilot Program (VEIPP) is a combined Victoria Police, Department of Health, Eastern Access Community Health and Turning Point initiative that seeks to provide a holistic to combating alcohol abuse by young people in Maroondah.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the program which is being piloted within the City of Maroondah:

Mayor Alex Makin said Maroondah had the highest level of alcohol-related harm and the second highest alcohol-related injuries in the eastern region.

The program will link younger people with health and counselling services to try and intervene prior to the involvement within the justice system and the courts. This will work towards reducing the worrying trends of alcohol abuse that have been emerging within the municipality.

Maroondah’s Community Wellbeing Plan identified the need to promote healthier lifestyles and to address the level of at-risk alcohol consumption. As a result, it is encouraging that several agencies are working together to combat this growing problem within Maroondah.

2010 NAIDOC Ball and Awards Evening

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NAIDOC Week is held in the first full week of July and provides an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous culture and achievements. NAIDOC traces its history back to the 1920s when the first organised groups were formed to advocate for the recognition of Indigenous rights and culture. In the 1950s a committee was formed (then known as NADOC) to oversee a day of remembrance and celebration of Aboriginal culture, later expanding to to cover an entire week in July. In the 1990s the committee became known as the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) in recognition of the distinct Torres Strait Islander culture.

At the conclusion of NAIDOC week, several NAIDOC Balls are held across Australia, including one in eastern Melbourne. The NAIDOC Ball includes an awards night that provides an opportunity to recognise achievements within Indigenous communities. This evening I attended the 2010 NAIDOC Ball in Croydon, where I was joined by Cr Rob Steane and several Councillors from the Shire of Yarra Ranges, as well as many non for profit organisations, businesses and Indigenous elders.

NAIDOC provides an opportunity to not only celebrate Indigenous culture but also to recognise the many individuals, organisations and businesses that are working to improve health, education and opportunities for Indigenous communities within Melbourne’s eastern region and beyond.