Events
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Events
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Good Shepherd Staff come together to discuss agency directions and priorities,
and to take the opportunity to share information and "catch up".
West Park House &endash; back in action
Due to the efforts and commitment of Good Shepherd staff members,West Park House in Hastings has reopened.
West Park, a once popular focal point for the local community, had been closed for around 12 months due to a lack of resources and coordination.
However, on Tuesday 18th May 1999, a 'coffee morning' was held at West Park House to reintroduce it to locals and to help Good Shepherd ascertain the types of services people would like to access there in the future.
Originally opened in 1994 to provide a wide range of services and activities to local groups, West Park House is now offering a parent drop-in activity group and meeting place for Koori families. In the past West Park has been a place for writing groups, relaxation groups, gardening and calligraphy and services offered have included tenants advice, a young mothers' support group and youth activities.
Young People's Voices
The Brimbank Youth Forum 1999, Young People's Voices, was the result of a community consultation project initiated by Brimbank City Council and Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service in April 1998. Held on Tuesday 20 July, the day enabled young people in the West to come together and present ideas and solutions to issues affecting young people today.
The aims of the project were to:
The 12 month consultation phase, which included the distribution of 670 surveys to schools across Brimbank, culminated in a day of activity and dialogue between young people and key community members in Brimbank.
Issues addressed on the day included:
The Mayor of Brimbank, local Councillors, Business people, police representatives and the media, were in attendance on the day.
Young Peoples' Voices has resulted in the establishment of Youth Advisory Committee which directly assists Council dealing with youth issues, and which ensures young people are represented appropriately in our community.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) Youth and Family Services Redevelopment
Under the guise of increased effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and accountability, the 'contract' relationship is defining the services the DHS will purchase and for whom. This approach challenges Good Shepherd's commitment to working in partnership with government guided by a spirit of interdependence, complementarity and mutual respect. It also threatens the community's capacity to provide innovative responses to people's needs which stress the importance of early intervention, flexibility and long term involvement.
In the midst of the DHS's repositioning, our challenge is to maintain a vision for 'justice in action' which embodies strong, genuine connections with individuals and families with which we work, the provision of broad based services responsive to changing needs, and ongoing public advocacy work for a fairer society.
The importance of open communication and the provision of ongoing mutual support for staff, other colleagues and community members are also paramount. Managing change has been an inherent part of the Good Shepherd Sisters' history. The collective wisdom embodied in the Good Shepherd heritage provides us with a rich resource to manage the current changes.
A New Tax System
What will it mean for Good Shepherd?
The implementation of a GST and the proposed changes to Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT), will inevitably carry with them an additional burden for already over committed and under resourced agencies such as Good Shepherd.
The community services sector, particularly those agencies assisting low-income and disadvantaged individuals and their families, is already overburdened by an increased demand for services and a decrease in government funding to provide them. Add to this the compliance costs of implementing the Tax changes and we are further decreasing our funds, and our capacity to provide quality services is diminished. We are being forced to take from those who most need our help.
While Good Shepherd does not support the introduction of a GST as outlined in our Social Policy document "THE TAXATION TROJAN HORSE: when tax reform is more than reforming taxes", we remain hopeful that the Charities Consultative Committee will clarify issues around the impact of the GST for community service agencies, and through consultation, will negotiate a fairer system on our behalf.
The Fundraising Appeals Act 1998
The new Fundraising Appeals Act, to be in operation from 1 July 1999, will replace the previous Act of 1984. It seeks to ensure that fundraisers are accountable for the money raised through appeals, that accurate records of the sources of funds are kept, and that money is expended as indicated in any appeal documentation. The Act will protect the public from fraudulent fundraising practices.
Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service is new to the area of fundraising and sees this new Act as being in line with its philosophies and values, and endorses the notion that the public should be protected from misleading appeals.
RejuveNation
RejuveNation is a Good Shepherd 'process' focussed around Jubilee.
Jubilee has its origins in the ancient Hebrew tradition of declaring every fifty years as a time for justice and celebration. It was a time for a radical social and economic reform. Good Shepherd is acting on this tradition to initiate its own response to the challenges of Jubilee.
The year 2000 is a Jubilee Year, a time to RejuveNate, renew and reinvigorate our nation, our towns, our local communities, and our families. It's a time to put right what is wrong.
An initiative of the Good Shepherd Social Justice Network and Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service, RejuveNation has been developed with the Good Shepherd philosophies at its core, and with a commitment to ideals inspired by Jubilee.
Good Shepherd is inviting all people to participate in RejuveNation by developing a vision for Australia which takes into consideration the needs of all individuals and communities, and by offering solutions to bring about change.