Tag: youth

Storytime at Croydon Library

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Children’s Week is held annually during the fourth week in October and has the theme “A Caring World Shares”, which aims to focus on the needs of children and the ability to enjoy childhood.

This morning, as part of Children’s Week, I attended Storytime at Croydon Library, a weekly program that involves the reading of stories and songs to preschool children. The program typically involves four children’s stories and I was invited to read two of them, as well as participate in the songs and activities held during the session.

Storytime is a great program designed to encourage reading and an appreciation for books and it was great to see so many children and their parents attend the session. Storytime sessions are available at both Ringwood and Croydon Libraries, for details please visit www.erl.vic.gov.au/kids/storytimes.htm

Media Release: Maroondah’s top youth recognised

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Maroondah City Council recognised the efforts of more than 45 young people at the 2010 Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening on Thursday, October 21.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin, who attended the night, said the event recognised the outstanding contribution made by young volunteers and leaders in the Maroondah community.

“Young volunteers in Maroondah play an important role in our society, and it is important to have events like the 2010 Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening to officially recognise the efforts that these young people are putting in to help others in their community,” Cr Makin said.

“Whether it be by organising events for young people or acting as a role model for new settlers in the community, all of these volunteers have dedicated their own time to better the lives of others, and they should be applauded for their efforts,” Cr Makin said.

“It is great to know that we have such generous and dedicated young people working to better our community,” Cr Makin said.

Guest speaker for the 2010 Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening was Gerard Pidoto, owner of Fist2Face Music Store in Ringwood.

“Gerard spoke about his own past involvement in volunteering for a number of organisations including Maroondah Youth Services and talked about how the skills he learned through volunteering had helped him in his journey to become a successful business owner,” Cr Makin said.

The individual awards went to:

Matthew Allard, Joshua O’Toole, Frances Rowlands, Lane Tukiri, Kristie Stark, Matthew Bass, Katelyn Smith, Melissa Nicholls, Georgia Appleton, Naomi Corbett, Jonathan Medlin, Scarlett Sobota, Shenae Kerr, Darcy Krenn, Mikaela Kos.

The group awards went to:

EV’s Festival Crew: Josh Kerr, Ashley Mallett, Marissa Lee, Alex Wakeley, Jessica Wilson, Jackson Miller, Kayla Jones, Sophie Gill and Sarah Ross.


Beaut Buddies: Anyang Majok, Rosetta Ivy, Mary Mabior, Parku Khup Lian, Mitch Gowland, Tania Tuima, Jodie O’Donahue, William Smith.

Audio District 2010 Maroondah FReeZA Group: Athena Soldo, Christie Taylor, Stephanie Luff, Brittany Josephs, Eleanor Savage, Gage Roberts, Shane Barton, Ratih Grayson-Widarsito, Keely Lohman, Montee Douglas, Gavin Styles

1st Croydon Hills Scout Group: David Nicholls, Tahlia Purdie and Rochelle Anderson

– ENDS –

2010 Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening

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The Maroondah Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening provides an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts younger people make through volunteering within their communities. Tonight’s function reinforces the strength of volunteering that exists within Maroondah and highlights the positive work that younger people undertake in a voluntary capacity.

Volunteering not only benefits the community but can also provide educational and employment pathways through the development of new skills and experience. There are a range of volunteer opportunities and I encourage younger people to look at how they can become involved in the community.

The speech provided during the recognition evening is available within this entry:

In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are meeting on 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, Maroondah City Council, 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.

Good Evening and welcome to EV’s Youth Centre for Maroondah City Council’s Annual Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening. I am very pleased to be here tonight to take part in an evening that celebrates Maroondah’s young people.

Council’s Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening is held in recognition and appreciation of the outstanding contribution made by young volunteers and leaders in the Maroondah Community.

As I look around the room tonight, I see a number of inspirational young leaders and volunteers from the Maroondah Community. The dedication these young people have shown towards their volunteer work is inspiring and has helped brighten so many lives around them.

Each nominee should be very proud of their volunteer work and that an individual from their relevant school, agency or organisation has acknowledged their efforts by nominating them for tonight’s award ceremony.

On behalf of Maroondah City Council and our local residents, I would like to thank and congratulate all the nominees for their dedication and commitment to their work. Volunteering is something that often goes unnoticed, but the value it gives to our community is immeasurable. It improves the lives of so many and should be celebrated and recognised. It is young people like yourselves that build strong community to make Maroondah such a fantastic place to live.

I would also like to thank the representatives from schools, church groups, service clubs and various organisations for their efforts in assisting young people achieve their goals through volunteering. A special mention to the individuals who took time out of their busy schedules to assist with the nominations. With your support, Maroondah City Council is able to formally recognise the contributions of the young people here tonight.

Thank you also to Council’s Youth Services Team; for your hard work in putting this event together. Tonight is one of many great events and programs run by Council’s Youth Services Team, so be sure to speak with a team member if you would like any further information. We shall now commence the presentation of these well deserved awards.

Heathmont East Preschool – 40th Anniversary

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Heathmont East Preschool is located in Pleasant Drive, Heathmont and celebrated its 40th anniversary this weekend.  To commemorate the occasion I was invited to officially unveil tiled pavers, which included the names of students and families that attended the preschool over the past 40 years.

In addition, the preschool provided a range of activities for children and unveiling a new time capsule that included works from current students. Heathmont East Preschool prides itself on its warm and friendly environment and it was great to see a large number of families that attended the anniversary, despite the cold and rainy weather.

Media Release: Council launches petition to upgrade Ringwood Station

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Maroondah City Council is calling on all state political parties to commit to delivering a safe, accessible and integrated Ringwood Station within the term of the next State Government.

On September 1, Council will launch a petition as the first stage of a community based campaign calling for the Station redevelopment.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said Council shares the community’s concern about the station.

“The Maroondah community has waited for far too long for a safe, accessible transit interchange. The current layout of the station fails disability compliance standards meaning it is difficult to access for people with a disability, the elderly and parents with prams,” Cr Makin said.

“The Disability Discrimination Act is about treating people equally and giving people the same opportunities as everyone else as to access public transport. The continued lack of commitment towards the upgrade makes a mockery of delivering sustainable and accessible transport options,” Cr Makin said.

“The Tudor-style brick building which houses the ticket office was built in 1889 and the footbridge linking the platforms was upgraded in the 1960s. Despite the substantial population growth in the region and the importance of public transport, there has been no significant upgrade to the station in more than 50 years,” Cr Makin said.

“Following years of lobbying by Council the State Government undertook initial urban design works in 2004,” Cr Makin said.

“In 2007 the State Government spent $4.5million on design works to integrate the public transport interchange with the Eastland redevelopment. In September 2008 the State Government announced $39million for the Bus Interchange and Maroondah Highway Station Plaza project. While this is a positive step, we are still waiting for a funding commitment to upgrade the most important aspect of the Central Activities District – Ringwood Station,” Cr Makin said.

“Council will continue to work in partnership with State Government, and meet with department representatives and ministers to stress the importance of upgrading Ringwood Station to be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and for safety reasons,” Cr Makin said.

“We will also continue to meet with local members of parliament who are supportive of Council’s campaign and are willing to advocate of our behalf for a funding commitment to this essential project,” Cr Makin said.

“The redevelopment of the Ringwood Station into an accessible, integrated and safe transit interchange is critical to the success of our transition into a sustainable and accessible Central Activities District,” Cr Makin said.

“Council has a critical role in advocating on behalf of our community. The petition is an important way for Council and the community to get that message to the State Government,” Cr Makin said.

“The best way we can do this is generating as much support as possible, so we encourage everyone to sign the petition which will be available online, at Council’s service centres and Ringwood and Croydon libraries,” Cr Makin said.

“The more community support we gain, the stronger our voice in demanding that the funding commitment is made. I urge the community to join this campaign and to get involved” Cr Makin concluded.

To sign the petition and to join the campaign you can:

Go online:
Maroondah Council website – www.maroondah.vic.gov.au
Maroondah Youth Services website www.maroondahyouthservices.com.au
Maroondah Youth Services MySpace page – www.myspace.com/maroondahyouthservices

Visit one of Council’s service centres:
City Offices Service Centre
Braeside Avenue, Ringwood

Eastland Service Centre
Level 2, Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood

Croydon Service Centre
Civic Square, Croydon

Visit one of Maroondah’s libraries:

Ringwood Library
4 Ringwood Street Mall, Ringwood
(Adjacent to Eastland Shopping Centre).

Croydon Library
Civic Square, Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon.

– ENDS –

Celebrating NAIDOC Week Initiatives at Marlborough Primary

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NAIDOC week, which is held in the first full week of July each year celebrates Indigenous culture and has a strong educational focus during the week.

This afternoon I was invited to Marlborough Primary School, located in Heathmont, to attend the presentation of awards to two students who celebrated Indigenous culture through art. The students, in grades six and one, were selected from over 112,000 entries and represents the strong interest and respect Marlborough places on Indigenous culture.

As a former student of Marlborough it was great to be back at the school and congratulate these students on their achievements.

Speaking to Grade Three and Four Students at Heathmont East Primary

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This morning I was invited to speak to approximately 100 grade three and four students at Heathmont East Primary, located in Louis Street, near Canterbury Road in Heathmont.

One of the roles of being Mayor is to explain how Councils function and to discuss the role of being a Councillor and Mayor. This morning I spoke about the ward structure of Maroondah and helped clarify the responsibilities of local councils, compared to State and Federal governments.

I also spoke about growing up in Heathmont, where I was a student of Marlborough Primary, a school in close proximity to Heathmont East. It was great to see the students taking part in the discussion and asking many questions, ranging from the services Council provides to how decisions are made by Councillors.

Australia’s system of governance, with Local, State and Federal Governments, can seem overtly complex at times and it was great to provide an opportunity to discuss the role of Council and the importance of our local community.

Media Release: Green Jobs Corps tackle creek

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The Mullum Mullum Cultural Heritage Trail will be extended with the help of participants from the Maroondah National Green Jobs Corps.

National Green Jobs Corps is a Federal Government funded youth development program which offers young people a chance to gain quality experience and training while participating in community based projects of significant environmental and cultural heritage.

The Maroondah-based team will work in partnership with Council, Mission Australia Employment Solutions, Melbourne Water, Waterwatch Melbourne, Mullum Mullum Creek Bushcare Group, CRISP Community Nursery and Platypus Conservancy.

Maroondah Councillor Alex Makin, who launched the project last Friday, said the program offered the participants the right balance of work experience, skill development and accredited training

“The 16 participants in the Maroondah team will be working to extend the Mullum Mullum Cultural Heritage Trail, weed removal, revegetation works, water monitoring and flora and fauna surveys,” Cr Makin said.

“They have already created some additional paths, planted new trees and removed a large section of ivy along the creek path,” Cr Makin said.

“The Mullum Mullum area is an integral part of Maroondah and it is great to see that the land and it’s biodiversity is being preserved and enhanced,” Cr Makin said.

“At the same time these participants will undertake a Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management at Swinburne TAFE, a Level II First-aid course and herbicide use training.

“In six months the participants will go from being unemployed with limited experience to having nationally recognised qualifications and workplace experience.”

To be eligible for the National Green Jobs Corps program you have to be aged 17-24, unemployed and receiving the Newstart Allowance, Youth Allowance or Parenting Payment.

– ENDS –