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Small Township Facilitators Project launchedThe Hon Peter McGauran, MHR Gippsland Province, and Latrobe City’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Lisa Proctor, launched the Small Township Facilitators Project at the Tyers Mechanics Institute earlier today. By Latrobe City Council - 19th March 2004 - Back to News The project is designed to strengthen communities in seven rural townships in Latrobe City - Boolarra, Yinnar, Glengarry, Toongabbie, Traralgon South, Tyers and Yallourn North, by providing funded Facilitators who work within each community.
Cr Proctor said the project was established through the third stage of funding through the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Service’s ‘Stronger Families and Communities Strategy’, together with funding from Latrobe City Council.
"This project stage focuses on addressing current social needs already identified at a local community level, and tackling emerging needs as they arise," Cr Proctor said.
"This is also very much a project involving partnerships that can engage almost everyone within those local communities, while providing them with self-help tools to develop local leadership within those communities," Cr Proctor said.
"Many of the needs have already been identified in the communities through stage-one of the project which mapped community services and stage-two which identified needs and gaps.
"Youth issues, the needs of the elderly, social isolation, the need to develop skills within the community, neighbourhood networking, the needs of parents of children with a disability, and underused facilities, were all issues that various local communities among the seven taking part in the project considered needed addressing," Cr Proctor explained.
"In addressing those needs, priority is likely to be given to increasing the involvement of youth in the community, building a stronger volunteer base within the community, and building on the leadership capability within the community, at all levels.
"A key strategy will be to establish stronger networks and partnerships with the three levels of government and local agencies, developing initiatives or services that will meet local needs.
"The facilitation can also provide assistance with researching program initiatives and funding, and providing information that can enhance opportunities for further community activity," Cr Proctor added.
Latrobe City’s Acting Manager Community Development Strategy, Kay Jellis, said that a significant proportion of the Commonwealth funding had been for the training and development of the Township Facilitators.
"It’s very important that the Facilitators had access to the skills, knowledge and resources needed to assist them in their respective roles," Ms Jellis said.
"Two weeks intensive training was provided by the Centre for Rural Communities at Monash University Gippsland Campus to provide the Facilitators with skills in community development. This was followed by two weeks training at Latrobe City, where the Facilitators met with various service providers from across Council such as the Aged and Disability team, Youth Services, Family and Child Services and Outdoor Maintenance. They are now well equipped for their role," Ms Jellis said.
Ms Jellis said that the seven small communities had also guaranteed significant support through such things as provision of office accommodation in each town, access to other local resources, guidance and support for each Facilitator, and participation in regular meetings of the Latrobe City Reference Group.
"Membership of the Community Strengthening Project Reference Group was drawn from Quantum Support Services, Department of Human Services, Latrobe Community Health, The Centre for Rural Communities, representatives from the seven small townships in Latrobe City, plus the Churchill and District Community Association, and Latrobe City Councillors, management and staff," Ms Jellis explained.
Councillor Proctor added that it was an exciting project that was leading the way in community development. "It has not been done in the same fashion anywhere in Australia previously," Cr Proctor said.
"The Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Service is interested in our detailed documentation and reporting, as they perceive it as a best practice and leading edge model," Cr Proctor concluded.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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