Tag: workshop

Media Release: Equipping Maroondah’s young people for the future

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Year 10 students from throughout Maroondah have converged on EV’s Youth Centre this week for Council’s annual Young Leaders Program.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said 20 students are taking part in the week-long, interactive personal development program from 3 to 7 May.

“The Young Leaders Program provides a safe and supportive environment for young people to challenge themselves and grow in self confidence during a week-long learning program,” Cr Makin said.

“The program aims to empower young people to participate more confidently and effectively in their school and community by assisting them to develop and refine their skill and knowledge in regards to leadership, communication, participation, group dynamics, decision making, public speaking, assertiveness and conflict resolution,” Cr Makin said.

Cr Makin said a second phase to the Young Leaders Program would again be held in 2010.

“The success of the pilot of last year’s Community Action Project (CAP) meant it was an easy decision to include it again in 2010,” Cr Makin said.

“The CAP will open the door to selected Young Leaders Program participants to take part in a 12-week community-oriented project where they will address the needs of young people in Maroondah. This will begin shortly after the Young Leaders Program,” Cr Makin said.

Last year, CAP participants produced a short film on bullying and ran workshops with younger students about bullying.

To find out more about Council’s Youth Services phone Youth Programs Worker Railey Orger on 9298 5701 or visit www.maroondahyouthservices.com.

Media Release: Living clean and green

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The first in a series of educational workshops on sustainable living will be held at Council’s Braeside Avenue Offices in Ringwood on Thursday 11 February.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said the workshops formed part of the Sustainable Living Space (SLS) Project, a community learning initiative involving Council, the City of Manningham, North Ringwood Community House and the Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre.

The first SLS community meeting will address draught-proofing the home.

“Presenter Maurice Beinat will discuss draughts and heat leakage and how these are a major source of inefficiency in home heating and cooling,” Cr Makin said.

“By sealing the sites of the draughts, comfort can be improved and money saved by reducing heating and cooling costs,” Cr Makin said.

“Maurice will discuss a range of products available to eliminate draughts and there will be plenty of time for questions,” Cr Makin said.

The second SLS community meeting will be held on Thursday 11 March, addressing lighting and insulation. The meeting will discuss options for residents interested in power efficient lighting and insulation alternatives.

Both sessions run from 7.30 to 9.30pm with a gold coin donation.

To book or find out more, phone SLS Project Worker Christine Easdown or Sue McDermott on 9876 3421, or email project@sustainablelivingspace.org.au

Media Release: Outstanding citizens recognised for Australia Day

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It just wouldn’t be Australia Day in Maroondah without recognising some of our community’s most valued citizens.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said he was looking forward to presenting Australia Day Awards at a special ceremony on 26 January. Awards will be presented to Maroondah’s Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, and Community Event of the Year.

“Australia Day is an opportunity for all of us to take pride in our citizenship and reflect on the meaning and importance of being Australian,” Cr Makin said.

“It will be a pleasure to recognise the contributions of Maroondah residents to the community during Council’s annual Australia Day awards,” Cr Makin said.

Australia Day in Maroondah is again shaping as a fun-filled affair with a range of activities on offer for the entire family.

The action gets under way between 11am and 2pm at Ringwood Lake Soundshell with a flag raising ceremony to mark our national day.

Head on down and enjoy a free community barbecue & childrens activities including art workshops, animal farm, jumping castle and face painting.

And there’s plenty of entertainment on offer throughout the early afternoon, with a live performance by the Ringwood Folk Band and a childrens stage act.

Maroondah Transition Towns Public Meeting

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Transition Towns is a community-based movement that aims to strengthen local communities  and encourage them to meet the challenges faced by climate change and peak oil.  While Transition Towns is an international concept, each local community develops its own resources as part of the program.

This evening the newly formed Maroondah Transition Towns group convened a public meeting to discuss the concept and how members of the community can become involved within the project.

Two speakers discussed their experiences as part of the Castlemaine Transition Town project and spoke about the impact that climate change and peak oil will have on our local communities.

I was invited to act as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and assist in the facilitation of the event.  The evening included a mixture of presentations and workshops aimed at raising awareness of these environmental challenges.

Transition Towns is an ongoing movement and the Maroondah group will be meeting on a regular basis to plan community activities and discuss how our local community can adapt to these challenges.

Maroondah Women in Business Lunch with Maggie Beer

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The Maroondah Business Week is held between the 5th and 9th of October and consists of several events which aim to support businesses within Maroondah.

One of the major events within Maroondah Business Week is the Women in Business Lunch, which was held at the Karralyka Centre. Chef and television presenter, Maggie Beer was the guest speaker at the event and she discussed the challenges in establishing her business through the need to adapt and evolve to ensure a profitable and successful venture.

Maggie was an extremely informative speaker who provided significant insights into operating and managing a business. Maggie also signed copies of her books and the lunch featured her recipes.

Maroondah Business Week continues throughout the week with several events, including an expo, workshops and tours of Ringwood. For further information please visit www.bizmaroondah.com.au.

Media Release: Seniors Festival offers something for everyone

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October is a great time to be an older person in Maroondah! It’s the time when you can enjoy the fabulous range of activities held during the annual Seniors Festival celebrations.

The Victorian Seniors Festival, now in its 27th year, is held throughout the state between 4 and 12 October. Once again, Maroondah has a line-up of wonderful activities planned for residents.

Councillor Alex Makin is encouraging older people in Maroondah to get out and have a go at some of the events organised by Council as well as a number of other community organisations.

“The Victorian Seniors Festival in Maroondah is a chance to celebrate the achievements and contributions of older people within our community by offering a diverse, exciting and enjoyable program of events,” Cr Makin said.

“All you need is your Victorian Seniors Card, the program of events, and a willingness to get involved,” Cr Makin said.

“Two day-trips have been planned by Council, which will give people a chance to explore Hanging Rock (Tuesday 6 October) and Daylesford (Thursday 8 October),” Cr Makin said.

Also featuring during the Maroondah Seniors Festival is a series of free classes and activities at Croydon Leisure and Aquatic Centre. Older residents can also swim free at CLAC throughout the week upon presentation of a Seniors Card.

To find out more about the activities on offer or to book your place, phone Anne-Marie on 9294 5508.

The Maroondah Seniors Festival program includes a range of workshops, exercise and recreation sessions, morning and afternoon teas and day trips organised by many community groups and neighbourhood houses in Maroondah.


A detailed program of all events in Maroondah is available from Council’s Service Centres, the Ringwood and Croydon libraries, or by phoning 1300 88 22 33.

Opening the Leadership Plus Workshop – Leadership Skills for People with Disabilities

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This morning I was invited to officially open the Leadership Plus Workshop, a program designed to encourage leadership among people with disabilities and supported by Maroondah City Council.

The workshop examined leadership styles and the concept of over-strengths, whereby someone over-uses their strengths, which may cause difficulties in a team or group environment.

I opened the workshop with council’s Acknowledgement of Country to recognise the Wurundjeri, as traditional custodians of Maroondah:

Maroondah City Council, in the spirit of reconciliation, acknowledges that we are meeting on the land for which the Wurundjeri people have been custodians for many centuries, and on land which the Indigenous Australians have performed age old ceremonies.

We accept, respect and have shared with the Wurundjeri people in their customs of welcome.

The Wurundjeri people support the coming together of all people, respecting their individuality, to focus on a unified and cohesive nation.

The acknowledgement reflects on the diversity of our community and that all people possess leadership qualities. Leadership can take many forms and I am sure that the participants from today’s workshop will gain insight into leadership and strengthening their own skills and abilities.

Media Release: Business Week registration now open

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Online registration and bookings are now open for all Maroondah Business Week activities and functions. There’s a great range of events to get involved in including breakfast, lunch and evening events with guest speakers, training sessions and workshops.

Councillor Alex Makin said the annual Business Week offered local businesses an opportunity to network and update their skills.

“The week runs from 5 to 9 October and is a great opportunity to learn from the experts and share your experiences with other local business people,” Cr Makin said.

“This is a chance to raise your business profile and spend the week reflecting on where your business is currently and where you see it heading in the future,” Cr Makin said.

“The range of guest speakers is fantastic so come along and hear their own personal stories and share in their triumphs,” Cr Makin said.

“So you don’t miss out at any of the events, get online and book your place. Spaces are limited so it’s best to get in early for all the events and workshops,” Cr Makin said.

The week begins with the Eastland Women in Business Lunch with Maggie Beer, who will talk about her passion for food and her success in the business world. Maggie will be appearing on Monday 5 October at the Karralyka Centre, so book your tickets now to enjoy a two course meal while listening to her inspirational story.

Another one of the week’s highlights will come when Steve Moneghetti speaks on Wednesday 7 October at the NAB Business Breakfast. Steve’s success as a marathon runner is legendary. A Commonwealth Games participant, he is one of Australia’s greatest ever long distance runners.

There are also two guided bus tours available through the Ringwood Central Activities District. As places are limited it is best to book in early. Booking forms are available online.

For a full listing of all the events being offered during Business Week, or to book your place, go to www.bizmaroondah.com.au.

Copies of the 2009 program are also available at Council’s service centres or by phoning 9298 4320.

Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau Policy Adoption

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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.

Delegates' Report: Advocating for public transport improvements and an update on the Ringwood Spiders

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On the 18th of June and the 16th of July I attended the Eastern Transport Coalition, as Maroondah’s delegate to the committee. The Eastern Transport Coalition is a regional body, that consists of Melbourne’s seven outer eastern councils and this includes the City of Maroondah.

One of the priorities for the group is to engage with the wider community and provide advocacy for the needed public transport improvements within the region. As part of this program, the Eastern Transport Coalition will be launching a regional petition, which will be circulated throughout the member councils and the wider community.

The Petition will be launched tomorrow and I would like to thank our Mayor for confirming his attendance at this important event.

The petition is calling for much needed public transport infrastructure improvements and has six key requests including several which are relevant to Maroondah:

  • A full and public feasibility study for an increase in capacity on the Belgrave/Lilydale and Glen Waverley lines,
  • Improved facilities for passengers, particularly at interchanges located in central activity districts – Ringwood, Dandenong and Box Hill,
  • Fully accessible public transport facilities and vehicles

Among those requests is the need for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station into a safe, accessible and integrated transport interchange, recognising the regional importance of Ringwood to Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs.

On the 22nd of June I attended the second series of workshops for the review of Maroondah’s bus network. These workshops are an initiative of the State Government and aim to make recommendations to improve the configuration of bus routes, their frequencies and service spans.

It is encouraging that the network recommended for Maroondah consists of largely positive proposals, including the need for more direct and frequent services. While the final report still needs to be prepared, it was somewhat disappointing that details were vague in regard to the implementation of the recommendations.

This is an issue the Eastern Transport Coalition will be following in coming months to call on the Government to commit to the timely implementation of the bus route reviews, particularly since parts of the reviews conducted in other regions of Melbourne have already received commitments.

On the 28th of June I attended the Ringwood Spiders Home Game against Parkside. The Ringwood Spiders are a football club for people with disabilities and is supported by the Ringwood Football Club at Jubilee Park. The game coincided with the Ringwood Spiders Sponsorship Day Afternoon and it was great to see the team playing some of its best football all year.

The Spiders had a tremendous victory against their competition and the development of the team over the season was clearly evident. What is always amazing about the Spiders is their focus on providing a sense of community and opportunities. This was reinforced by the player who was awarded the Best Player of the Match and who spoke about what the Spiders meant to him and how it helped him realise his potential.

The Ringwood Spiders now sit at the top of the division ladder and are playing their next home game on Sunday the 26th of July from 11am at Jubilee Park in Ringwood.