BLC Annual Report for 2021
ANNUAL REPORT FOR AGM HELD ON 16TH DECEMBER 2021
Presented by Maria at the AGM.
Our Values : A just, sustainable, creative and diverse community through the nurture of compassion, equality, deep listening and respect and nourishment and support for those in need.
I am happy to be presenting the Annual Report for the Braidwood Life Centre for the 2020/2021 year.
It has been a massively challenging and complex year. Very soon into the community coming together to build resilience and renewal, following the summer bushfires, the Covid 19 pandemic emerged, bringing complex changes and lockdowns; with many requirements to keep things going safely. This continued for the whole of the year we are reporting on and continues on.
The Objectives of the Braidwood Life Centre from the Constitution are as follows:
Braidwood Life Centre Incorporated is a non-profit organisation, whose primary objectives are the relief of poverty, sickness, destitution, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability and helplessness and for the benefit of the health and wellbeing of the community within the Braidwood region, including children, youth, families, the elderly and the Indigenous community.
Braidwood Life Centre Incorporated will identify, plan and deliver social, welfare and educational programs to overcome poverty, sickness, destitution, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability and helplessness and to benefit the health and wellbeing of the community within the Braidwood region or sections of it, including children, youth, families, the elderly and the Indigenous community.
We acknowledge and respect our Aboriginal elders and custodians, past, present and emerging and express gratitude for their tending of our lands over thousands of years.
I would like to initially acknowledge and express appreciation to our voluntary Management Committee for their continued commitment and team work. Alongside, our volunteers who commit to work in the Rooms generously 50 weeks of the year and support individuals and families coming to the Thursday rooms to talk to someone or seek assistance. Alongside, again, thanks to the businesses and general community for supporting the work with donations and inkind support. The Centre is staffed totally by volunteers and there is no ongoing government funding for the core work. The support from our community in donations and fund raising throughout the year, keeps the wheels turning into our twelfth year.
Deep thanks to our community and for our community!
We see many incredibly resilient individuals and families who are struggling through difficult circumstances: illness, financial hardship, loss, isolation, and experiencing trauma still from the fires in our area.
Part of the work is Linking people to services, including financial counselling and assistance through government grants, personal and practical assistance, referral to counselling and outreach services such as accommodation in situations of homelessness. Providing support in situations where people find themselves homeless and in leaving traumatic situations. We provide Information to parents for their children’s needs and support for parents in accessing practical assistance. Access to talk is a very major point of connection in our work. Providing Information about tenancy issues and for the past two years, affordable accommodation and rentals in Braidwood is becoming very difficult.
OUR PROGRAMS
Community Pantry: Food assistance and support through the pantry, with fresh produce very often from local growers and also from our community, non perishables. Food is purchased from Food Bank of which the Life Centre is a member and some small grant opportunities which support purchasing of food, such as Feed Appeal and an annual local government grant. Community donations of both financial and produce support the project. A small community garden has been developed and this also supplements access to food in the neighbourhood. During the lockdowns the work continued through the Life Centre phone and responding with food parcels, being left at people’s doors without contact. These times were difficult as there was a sense of isolation, even though for a safety outcome.
Funding : The Centre is aware of the importance of asking how local needs might be supplied from local sources, including the mutual help of community and a sharing of resources for one another. Awareness, too of the importance of tending across generations, the children, families, elders in the community and those with special needs and those experiencing traumatic situations. It is beautiful to see within groups cross generational participants sharing and enjoying one another’s company.
When through consultation and observation, a community development need becomes apparent, funding applications are made to seek assistance with funding for a particular project, for example, the Community Eating together Project, from Foundation of Rural & Regional Renewal, and Head Heart Hands group from St. Vincent de Paul. These grants cover costs of meals and tutoring and the project is facilitated by our volunteers. The only path to creating greater safety and innovation in community is to trust the goodness and to know there is no substitute for human creativity, connection and human caring. Inclusivity and nurture are large components of the values that inform our work.
Referral and Advocacy are very important in our work and we form partnerships with other welfare and specialised regional services to support our community.
Such partnerships have led to financial counselling supports, with various services and the Dementia Australia monthly information sessions and carer support. This group is currently in abeyance due to Covid situation.
Renewal Group : The Braidwood Life Centre has been active and committed in participating with QPRC Renewal group since early 2020 and continues to work with the QPRC Recovery team and Braidwood and Villages representatives to develop best practices to support resilience and renewal. We deeply appreciate the work of the Recovery team and all involved in this work. In the past year most of the work has been via Zoom meetings with just a few face to face meetings.
Community Counselling and Anxiety/Depression groups : We were successful in receiving a grant from the Community Enterprise Foundation In order to provide five community counselling appointments per week to members of our community who would benefit from this support. These appointments are fully taken up and the project will finish at the end of February, 2022. Included in this grant was also anxiety and depression groups in various forms over 27 weeks. 18 weeks have been provided and the Art Therapy group will take place in 2022. A fully trained art therapist will facilitate the course. The delays in completion are due to frequently Covid requirements meant we could not have the groups. Groups were facilitated by Hollie Bakerboljkovac and Maria Bakas-Booker.
Head Heart Hands group : was funded through 2020 and again in 2021. It is a group whose essence is nurture, creativity and creating ongoing connections in our community, particularly with the trauma of the Summer 2019/2020 fires and Covid 19 following almost immediately. The group has been involved in knitting projects, crochet, rugmaking, drumming and creating music. This project brings joy and connection to all involved.
Braidwood Says No to Violence : a subcommittee of Braidwood Life Centre, chaired by Hollie Bakerboljkovac. The group facilitates educational and awareness raising projects to focus on the incidence of domestic, family and other violence in the community and through education and information bringing the reality of such trauma to the fore. Working also to support and refer survivors of violence to appropriate services.
Gumtree cottage: Funding granted through Community Enterprise Foundation to complete building, drainage, plumbing and electricals. Almost complete, awaiting council to signing off of the work and a landscaping to finalise the cottage. Developing sound protocols for the actual purpose of the emergency accommodation cottage as soon as possible. Small sub committee has formed to co-ordinate the process. The idea is that it is for emergency accommodation, in cases of urgency, such as people leaving traumatic situations and requiring short term accommodation. Meetings have been held with staff from St. Benedicts, Queanbeyan, who have offered assistance with safely developing protocols.
Duke of Edinbburgh International Awards
Due to the COVID pandemic, the Duke of Edinburgh International Award executive made considerable and significant changes to the requirements to allow participants to complete existing Awards; these changes are in place until 31 December 2021.
At the beginning of 2021 eleven students were enrolled in the Duke of Ed Awards; There have been difficulties with commitment and participation since the summer bushfires of 2019/20 and the complexities and trauma of the fires and trauma that ensued in community. Very soon following the Covid 19 pandemic came with lockdowns etc. In early July 2021 four (4) participants transferred their Award to Outward Bound. Of the remaining students, all have completed their Awards, except two students, one has left NSW and one has deferred
Community Annual Christmas hampers and BBQ : occurred in December 2020 with support from the Bendigo community Bank. This is a very special gathering coordinated by Vinnies Conference and Braidwood Life Centre, where 75 individuals and families come together and share a special day and receive hampers and vouchers to support during the Christmas/New Year period.
I would like to just close the report by saying that the Life Centre is growing in the awareness and participation of our local community. There is a circle of community support, and many ideas for projects arising. Those who may be interested to volunteer and commit to the work would be so very welcomed. The work is steeped in care and compassion and non judgement. We support new volunteers in developing understanding and skills to feel confident and engaged in the process. Training and peer support is offered and includes sharing and learning together.
In recent time, in partnership with QPRC Recovery Team, fresh produce is being source from agencies in Queanbeyan and brought to Braidwood Life Centre, who add in perishable items from the Community Pantry to the boxes. These are being delivered by Luke and Mel to individuals and families who require support, in Nerriga and Araluen.
This is also an area where volunteers would be very welcomed to assist.
Presented by Maria Bakas-Booker,
President Braidwood Life Centre..