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REDLAND COMMUNITY CENTRE INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2016
REDLAN D COMMUNITY CE NTRE INC.
ANNUAL REPORT
2016
REDLAND COMMUNITY CENTRE INC.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Agenda
10.30 am – 27 September 2016
1. Welcome Mike Venes, Chair
2. Apologies Jan Reynolds, Hon. Secretary
3. Registration of proxies Allison Wicks, General Manager
4. Adoption of 2015 Annual General Meeting minutes
5. Reports: Chair: Mike Venes
Auditor: Ross Alcorn, Treasurer (Proxy – Mike Venes)
6. Appointment of Auditor 2016/2017
7. Acting Mayor, Cr Wendy Boglary’s Address
8. Election of Committee Members 2016/2017
Acting Mayor, Cr Wendy Boglary, Redland City Council
9. New Board Chair’s Address – Garry White
10. General Manager’s Update - Allison Wicks
11. Presentation of Long Service Certificates
Cr Paul Bishop, Redland City Council
12. Cr Paul Bishop’s Address – ‘Importance of Volunteers’
13. Presentation of Life Time Membership Award
Mike Venes, Debbie Spearritt
14. Guest Speaker - Katie Mickelberg, Representative for Mr Matt McEachan,
MP, Member for Redlands
15. New Membership Fees
16. Vote of Thanks - Board Chair
17. Meeting Close
Light lunch will be served at the conclusion of the meeting
Table of Contents
Back Pack to School ..........................................................................................38
Christmas Project ................................................................................................39
Thank You....................................................................................................................43
Nominations ................................................................................................................45
Centre People ..............................................................................................................1
About Us ...................................................................................................................... 2
Annual General Meeting Minutes – 22 September 2015.......................................4
Board Chair’s Report ...................................................................................................9
Audit Report................................................................................................................12
General Managers Update 2016 ............................................................................20
Financial Analysis................................................................................................. 20
Strategic Planning ..................................................................................................21
Members & Supporters ..........................................................................................22
Major Supporters ....................................................................................................23
Volunteers................................................................................................................24
Emergency Relief Program ...................................................................................27
Focus on Families....................................................................................................32
Counselling..............................................................................................................35
Groups and Events.................................................................................................37
Special Projects ......................................................................................................38
Centre PeopleBoard Executive Members
Board Members
Staff Members
Mike VenesBoard Chair
David ShellshearBoard Deputy Chair
Ross AlcornTreasurer
Jan ReynoldsHonorary Secretary
Robyn BridgesBoard Member
Pauline DavyBoard Member
Elaine RileyBoard Member
Margaret VenesBoard Member
Board Member
Allison WicksGeneral Manager
Debbie SpearrittAdministration
Manager
Eunice BeerVolunteer
Coordinator/ProjectWorker
Christine DavisFamily Support
Worker
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Garry White
Redland Community Centre Inc.About Us
Redland Community Centre is a non-profit community based organisation with offices inCleveland and Capalaba. We are endorsed by the federal government as a publicbenevolent institution and registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not forprofits Commission (ACNC). The Centre generally provides services to people in the suburbsof the Redland City Council area, including the Bay Islands, and the Brisbane suburbs ofWynnum/Manly.
The Centre aims to build community capacity to respond to needs in our community. Thoseengaged at the Centre aim to:-
Help others, relieve hardship, empower and educate
Build self-esteem and individual capacity
Provide opportunities to be involved; to make a difference
We do this by following the Centre’s vision of ‘serving this community with care andunderstanding’.
History
In 1977 the Cleveland Rotary Club formed a Drug Awareness Group in Cleveland. Thatorganisation later changed its name to Redlands Awareness Group (RAG) to better reflectthe diversity of needs to which it responded.
In Mid 1989 a need was identified for a venue where families and individuals could gettogether to discuss community issues and obtain welfare related information.
RAG responded to this need by submitting a proposal to the then Department of FamilyServices, Aboriginal and Islander Affairs – Division of Community and Youth to purchase
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premises in Capalaba. The proposal was successful and in April 1990 RAG, undersponsorship and funding from the Redland Shire Council, commenced operating fromnewly acquired premises at 29 Loraine Street Capalaba under the name of CapalabaNeighbourhood Centre, whilst RAG continued to operate out of Cleveland.
On the 25th of August 1990, the Capalaba Neighbourhood Centre was officially opened bythe Minister for Family Services, Aboriginal and Islander Affairs.
Financial assistance provided to RAG by the Redland Shire Council ceased in June 1991.Alternative funding in the form of one-off grants from the Department of Family Servicesand Aboriginal and Islander Affairs along with recurrent funding via the Family andIndividual Support Programme (F.I.S.P.) was accessed.
Capalaba Neighbourhood Centre changed its name to the Capalaba Community CentreInc. when incorporated on the 15th June 1992.
On the 25th of June 1996, the Capalaba Community Centre Inc. was invited to assume theaffairs of RAG in Cleveland at which point the organisation again changed its name, thistime to Redland Community Centre Inc., reflecting its wider geographic interests.
In June 1996 the local community in conjunction with the Redland Shire Council,Queensland Government and Life Line committed to a redevelopment programme thatresulted in the present purpose designed community centre being constructed on theoriginal site at 29 Loraine Street followed by an official opening in August 1999. Theredevelopment of this site required RCC to relocate twice within the area whilstconstruction took place.
Since that time, valuable community based services have been provided from both theCapalaba site and leased premises in Cleveland under contractual arrangements withQueensland and Federal Government agencies supported by self-generated fundinginitiatives.
Our long standing and close association with relevant departments at federal, state andlocal government levels remain a priority commitment going forward in order to underwritethe continuance of the Centre’s valuable services to the community.
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Redland Community Centre Inc.Annual General Meeting
Minutes - 22 September 2015
1. Present
Dr Mark Robinson MP, Mr Don Brown MP, Mr Matt McEachan MP, Cr Karen Williams, Mayor,Cr Paul Gleeson, Garry White, Justine Kennedy, Kevin Hudson, Rev. Jim De Witte, MichelleMuir, Gwenda Miller, Mike Venes, Margaret Venes, David Shellshear, Elaine Riley, JanReynolds, Lyn Shellshear, John Waldock, Diana Bitossi, Steve Spearritt, John Coogans, BevBird, Narelle McNamara, Bev Allsop, Peter Crane, Daphne McNaught, Sonia Mack, PaulBarnes, Tony Christenson, Glenys Middleton, Marji Wellings, Karilyn Dal Maso, MargaretDinnar, Carol Donald, Ian Donald, Reece Pianta, Dr Andrew Laming MP, Christine Davis,Margaret Kostowski, Debbie La Burniy, Kerri Long and Paul Leis.
2. Meeting Declared Open
Mike Venes, the Chair, declared the meeting open at 10.35 am.
He welcomed the guests, Mr Don Brown MP, Dr Mark Robinson MP, Mr Matt McEachan MP,Cr Karen Williams, Mayor, Cr Paul Gleeson, Redland City Council (independent chairpersonfor election of Officers), Michelle Muir, Gwenda Miller, Mr Garry White, Ms Justine Kennedy,other guests and members.
3. Apologies
Ross Alcorn, Pauline Davy, Judith Coogans, Robyn Bridges, Del Hudson, Don Bridges,Marjorie Wallace, Jamie Wallace, Rosie Schultz, Ligaya Lowndes, Muriel Moore, SylviaVassallo, Holly Hough, Redland City Councillors: Boglary, Ogilvie, Hardman, Edwards, Talty,Hewlett and Elliott, Cr Alan Beard, Deputy Mayor; Noelene Smith, Eddie Bos, Frank Hemellar,Michael Choi, Jacqui Fiedler, Lucy Hind, Norman Haupt, Mike Stubbins, Jackie Hardy,Pauline Stanley, Bernie Williams, Evelyn Nelson, Lyn Jago, David Field, Col Sutcliffe.
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Motion
It was moved that the apologies be accepted.
Moved: David Shellshear
Seconded: John Coogans
Carried
4. Report on registration of proxies
Kerri Long, Operations Manager, reported on the registration of proxies. A total of threeproxies were lodged, all in favour of Mike Venes, Board Chair.
5. Adoption of Minutes of last AGM – 2014
The minutes of the previous AGM were included in the AGM papers.
Motion
It was moved that the minutes of the 2014 AGM are a true and accurate record.
Moved: Elaine Riley
Seconded: Diana Bitossi
Carried
6. Board Chair’s report
Mike Venes, the Board Chair, delivered his report in which he summarised the many notableachievements during 2014/2015, delivered under challenging circumstances due toincreased operational costs and corresponding reduction in staff rosters. He then went onto highlight some priorities set for the upcoming year including: completion of research intothe social needs of our community; improving our communication and networkingplatforms; and reviewing succession plans within the organisation; each aimed atmaintaining the organisations relevance and effectiveness going forward.
The Board Chair made particular reference to the outstanding contributions of ourSupporters, Volunteers and Staff before singling out General Manager, Paul Leis, for highpraise for his sustained leadership and stewardship since joining the RCC in 2002.
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Motion
It was moved that the Chair’s report be accepted.
Moved: Garry White
Seconded: Jan Reynolds
Carried
7. Auditor’s report
Members and guests were referred to the 2014/2015 Auditor’s Report in AGM papers whichconfirm a sound financial position.
Motion
It was moved that the Auditors Report for 2013/2014 be accepted.
Moved: Mike Venes (proxy for Treasurer Ross Alcorn)
Seconded: David Shellshear
Carried
8. Appointment of auditor
Motion
It was moved that the accounting firm of Howe, Ford & Boxer, trading as HFB AccountingPty Ltd, be appointed as auditors subject to a suitable fee and delivery of the audit reportat least one week prior to the 2016 AGM.
Moved: Mike Venes (proxy for Treasurer Ross Alcorn)
Seconded: Diana Bitossi
Carried
9. Election of Board Members
Cr Paul Gleeson assumed the chair for the election of officers and, after commending theCentre for the work the Centre does in the community, declared all positions vacant.
Members were referred to the list of nominees in the AGM papers.
Paul Leis, the returning officer, confirmed that nominations were received by the due date,correctly completed and that the list was publicly displayed. It was confirmed that allnominees were current financial members as were all proposers and seconders.
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Chair: Michael Venes
Deputy Chair: David Shellshear
Secretary: Judith Coogans
Treasurer: Ross Alcorn
Board members: Robyn Bridges
Pauline Davy
Jan Reynolds
Elaine Riley
Margaret Venes
Motion
It was moved that all Board members, as nominated, be endorsed and elected.
Moved: John Waldock
Seconded: Garry White
Carried with acclamation.
Cr Gleeson congratulated the incoming Board members.
10. General Manager’s Report
Paul Leis, General Manager referred members to his report in the AGM papers. The reportoutlined the operation and achievements of the Centre during the 2014/2015 financialyear.
He recognised all those who had contributed to the outcomes and made specific mentionof the role and importance of volunteers and supporters in the Centre’s operation using acarefully choreographed interactive demonstration of how ‘many hands make light work’,to emphasise the point.
Motion
It was moved that the General Manager’s report be accepted.
Moved: John Coogans
Seconded: David Shellshear
Carried
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11. Presentation of Long service awards
Mike Venes introduced the Mayor, Cr Karen Williams, who then presented long serviceawards to:
Ms Michelle Muir - 10 years’ service as a volunteer
Ms Gwenda Miller - 10 years’ service as a volunteer
Cr Williams then gave an address concerning the importance and value of volunteers andsupporters. She outlined the many achievements of the Centre and recognised thesignificant role of volunteers and staff members in achieving these outcomes for thecommunity. The Mayor stated her strong support for the approach taken by the Board inaddressing the needs of the Redlands community.
12. Guest Speakers
As part of the Centre’s usual practice, the newly elected members of State Parliamentwere invited to give a presentation to the meeting.
The General Manager outlined the advantages of the strong bipartisan supportdemonstrated by the local members.
Mr Matt McEachan MP, newly elected member for Redlands, spoke of his strong interest inthe Centre, including the support provided by the Centre to people located in the southernsuburbs of Redland City. He stated his ongoing interest in the Centre and the benefits ofworking cooperatively. Mr McEachan congratulated the Board members, volunteers andstaff members on the approach taken at the Centre and the outcomes achieved.
Mr Don Brown MP, newly elected member for Capalaba, spoke of his thankfulness ofhaving such a Centre based in his electorate. He outlined a number of the Centre’sachievements and also congratulated the Board members, volunteers and staff memberson the outcomes achieved. Mr Brown stated that he looked forward to providing support,as required, to the Centre.
13. Vote of thanks
Mike Venes, the re-elected Chair, thanked guests and members for their attendance andhis fellow Board members for making themselves available to serve a further term. He alsothanked the staff members for organising and catering for the meeting.
Lucky door prizes were drawn by Michelle Muir and Gwenda Miller.
12. Declare meeting closed
The meeting was declared closed at 11.48 am.A light luncheon was then taken.
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Board Chair’s Report to Members &SupportersAGM September 2016
Preamble: The Certificate of Incorporation hanging on the wall of our Capalaba office,issued by the Department of Communities and Industrial Relations (as it was known then),reveals this organisation started operating as Capalaba Community Centre Inc. on the 15thof June 1992 then became the Redland Community Centre Inc. on the 25th June 1996, sowe are commemorating 20 years of service as the Redland Community Centre Inc.Similarly we should recall the initiatives of the founders, people of the ilk of Peter Hunter(President) and Wyn Stevenson (Co-ordinator) who recognised the need for what we stillprovide today.
2015 / 2016:
As foreshadowed in the August edition of our Members & Supporters Newsletter, the pastyear has seen bereavement, retirement, reorganisation & change accompanied bysustained demand for our services . . . each challenge appropriately responded to by anorganisation that continues to serve the community with care and understanding thanks tothe remarkable resilience and commitment of all RCC stakeholders.
As we move into a new financial year our plans are well considered and focussed onremaining relevant to community needs.
Whilst finishing this financial year with a small operating deficit, the product of one-offinvestment in an IT upgrade, overlapping expenses incurred during the change inmanagement and some other non-recurring costs, we have nevertheless retained a soundfinancial position as reflected in the balance sheet of the audited accounts presented heretoday.
Noteworthy are the generous community donations and internal fund-raising activitiesreceived and conducted by and on behalf of the Centre. This supplementary (non-government) income, when added to the ‘monetary value’ of the many in-kind donationswe receive from the members of the public, enables us to introduce and maintain (morethan would otherwise be possible) the many programmes that support families andindividuals in The Redlands and adjacent areas. Building on this non-government funding isa priority and identified as one of our General Manager’s KPI’s.
In summary, the board considers we are well placed to undertake additional projectsincluding progressively expanding the geographic reach of our services under theleadership of our new General Manager – Allison Wicks who has hit the ground runningsince joining us in early March.
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Snapshot of important milestones & achievements during 2015/2016:
A successful transition of management following the retirement of GM Paul Leis inFebruary, after more than 13 years in that leadership role, with the appointment of newGM Allison Wicks, followed by a further staff change in July when long serving VolunteerCo-ordinator Margaret Kostowski retired, to be succeeded by Eunice Beer in thatpivotal role;
A well-attended and memorable ‘Farewell’ held at the Capalaba Library on April 27 forretiring GM Paul Leis when many of our community leaders and supporters took theopportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding contribution Paul made in leading ourorganisation whilst building valuable social capital in the process;
Distributing over $130,000, plus in-kind donations, via our ‘core-business’ of providingEmergency Relief. Of note is the increasing amount of ER funding now required toprovide rent relief for our clients. As a ‘shop front’ organisation we acknowledge thecritical backing of the Federal and Queensland Governments and the Redland CityCouncil by providing scarce resources to help alleviate hardship in our community;
The Centre was again the beneficiary of almost 7000 hours of volunteer worker’s timeand talent during the year, an invaluable resource that our organisation was foundedon and still crucial to the outcomes of our programmes today;
Credit must be given to our dedicated staff who prevailed during a period ofconsiderable change as well as disruption caused by renovations to our premises whilstupgrading our facilities to meet current OH&S Standards. We thank Col Sutcliffe &Building and Asset Services (B.A.S.) for their support and cooperation in ‘working aroundus’ as best they were able;
Notwithstanding these challenges our magnificent staff still managed to oversee theactivities of more than 13 individual groups and 240 people who visited the Centre‘each month’ for their various cultural, artistic or social pursuits in addition to attendingto the requirements of 2231 Emergency Relief assessments, managing over 20 ‘current’No Interest Loans (NILS) accounts at any point in time, and holding more than 400 No-Cost-Counselling sessions during the year . . . . along with the many other requests forassistance at either Capalaba or Cleveland service centres. We are indeed grateful toour staff and volunteers for their adept responses to what, at times, can be quitechallenging situations;
During the last six months, our staff have accomplished a facilities and IT upgradetogether with a new customised CRM database that is already delivering improvedoperational efficiencies plus has underwritten the launch of a new communicationsplatform featuring a refreshed website, an active Facebook presence and a visuallyaligned Newsletter . . . all aimed at improving connectivity with our various audiences;
As we approach the end of the calendar year we can predict the customary increasein activity associated with organising and delivering two of our flagship projects . . . ‘TheChristmas Project’ and the ‘Back-Pack to School Project’. These two projects havegathered momentum over time and are widely appreciated by recipient families in our
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area. These two programmes epitomise what community support can achieve withRCC becoming the ‘conduit’ through which the public’s generosity is conveyed tomany families in the Redlands and adjacent areas of Wynnum & Manly.
Today we will be bestowing RCC’s inaugural Life Membership Award.
You will notice that this year’s nominations for board positions include Garry White asBoard Chair. Garry has a long-time connection with the centre through his involvementwith the Victoria Point Community Bank – Branch of the Bendigo Bank Limited andbrings a strong commitment to community affairs. The board nominations presented toRCC members today reflect orderly succession and stability going forward;
On retiring from the Chair role, I take this opportunity to thank all RCC members, our valuedsupporters, my fellow board colleagues and the staff at the centre for their generoussupport for the organisation during the 5 years that I’ve been privileged to act as yourChairman. I wish the incoming Chair and other board members and our highly motivatedand talented General Manager and staff every success with achieving the goals thatwe’ve jointly established for the future.
I commend the Redland Community Centre 2016 Annual Report and recommendationscontained therein to RCC Members & Supporters.
Sincerely
Mike J Venes
Retiring Board Chair
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General Manager’s Update 2016Introduction
It is said that change is the only constant in life. Change is a wonderful opportunity togenerate new beginnings. The caterpillar is re-born from its chrysalis into a butterfly and lifeis changed forever, with wings a new vision commences. The challenge with change forthe butterfly is adapting to it and learning how to fly.
The Redland Community Centre has undergone a metamorphosis of its own over the last sixmonths. Five major projects have been running simultaneously in the background whilst‘business as usual’ was being attended to. These developments were necessary to bringabout a sustainable future for the Centre that is aligned with modern business practicesand greater efficiencies. The five projects being steadily implemented are; facilitiesupgrade, IT infrastructure upgrade, website redesign, Facebook presence and acustomised CRM or client relationship management database that will place the Centre ina position of sustainable difference and advantage.
As General Manager I would like to thank the Board for the way in which they haveaccepted a changed vision for the centre’s operations. Most of all I would like to genuinelythank the staff and volunteers who have embraced these necessary changes and shownthe adaptiveness required to ‘fly with our new wings’.
This update will now move forward with a financial analysis together with an illustration ofthe outcomes of the Strategic Planning Workshop 2016 (SPW16). The following sections willprovide the reader with information on the performance of our core business areas being;Emergency Relief, Focus on Families, Counselling, along with statistics on our many groupsand events before finishing with a look at ‘What is New’ and our special projects.
Financial Analysis
The Centre’s Audit Report reflects a deficit for FY16. This small deficit is a direct result of theproject expenses that have been incurred to launch the Centre into a sustainable future.The Board have shown their commitment to the Redland community in moving forwardand embracing technologies for the efficiencies it brings and delivers on a daily basis.
The Centre overall remains liquid with the focus in FY16/17 being to continue to build oncurrent investments, ensuring the continuance of service for Redland community membersin need.
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As General Manager one of my Key Performance Indicators is to reduce the Centre’sreliance on government funding. An analysis of revenue was undertaken for FY15/16 andhas resulted in the Centre’s income being derived 87% from our grant funding and 13% fromother sources.
Other sources of income can range from donations to room hire. It is important to note thatany money donated to the Centre is not used for operations. All donations are used forprojects with 100% of the monies going back to the community. The Centre operations arenot fully covered by our funding in any fiscal year. It is important that the Centre continuesto operate and deliver important and much needed programs such as Emergency Reliefand parenting courses. As a community please help the Centre continue to operate bysupporting us in hiring our rooms and donating to our ‘Operations’ cause on our website(http://redlandcommunitycentre.org/causes/).
As the newly appointed General Manager it is my aim to develop additional revenuestreams to complement our funding and extend our footprint and services.
Strategic Planning
Having a visible roadmap into the future is the single most important planning toolfor any organisation. The Redland Community Centre Board has the advantage ofa steadfast long-term plan together with community focused members that havebeen associated with the Redlands for many years and have professionalbackgrounds in either business or social services. The combination of communityvalues aligned with a professional understanding of the balance required toachieve an aligned strategic vision is an enviable position for the Centre and itsfuture.
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The below Strategy on a Page (SoaP) document is an illustration of the strategicplanning undertaken in the SPW16 and provides a useful visual marketing tool forthe Centre.
If you would like a copy of our SoaP document a full-page version can bedownloaded from our website via our ‘About Us’ page(http://redlandcommunitycentre.org/about-us/) along with an electronic version ofthe Annual Report 2016.
Members & Supporters
A very big THANK YOU goes out to all of our members and supporters who have donated tous over the year/s. Your continued interest in what the Centre does and more importantly,assisting the Centre in delivering our programs is overwhelming. Please refer to the end ofthis report for a list of our valued members and supporters. This is a small way of sayingTHANK YOU and acknowledging your very important contribution to the community. Inaddition we also receive donations from Redland community members who wish to remainanonymous and we have respected your right to remain so but thank you one and all!
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Communication with our members and supporters has changed shape over the last monthwith the Newsletter release in August being via email. The Centre has moved towards anelectronic Newsletter which has a cost saving of over $240.00 per quarterly release. If youhaven’t received your August edition or would like to provide us with or update your emailaddress please contact Debbie our Administration Manager [email protected] or 3245 2117. We can also provide you with a hardcopy if you wish.
Major Supporters
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Volunteers
Our volunteers are much more than the statistics I will provide in the following paragraphs.Volunteers who offer their time at the Centre ARE the Centre. Our programs and servicescould not be delivered without their continued support and acts of random kindness whichare witnessed daily. Our volunteers are selfless and often go over and above what theirrole requires. The culture at Redland Community Centre is inclusive, with friendships and funall part of a day in the lives of those who support our community.
These 75 amazing people are the most caring and professional group of Redlandcommunity members you will have the pleasure to meet. Last financial year our volunteersprovided nearly 7000 hours of service and were involved in delivering a number ofprograms, services and events. All our volunteers freely give of their time, energy andpassion and play a significant role in strengthening and building a better community.
Our vision statement,
“Serving the Community with Care and Understanding”
together with our primary aim to alleviate disadvantage within our community provide anideal platform to respond to the needs of people in our funded area.
During the year our volunteers are invited to a monthly meeting where information isexchanged and suggestions for improvements garnered. The volunteer meetings arefinalised with a small afternoon tea and some lucky seat prizes as our way of saying thankyou.
The Centre celebrated Volunteer Week in May with over 40 volunteers attending. Staffcatered for the volunteers at a special luncheon held in the Activities room and cooked by
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the staff in the Centre kitchen. Awards were presented to the volunteers and staff receivedspecial culinary Master Chef certificates.
This year saw an idea of a family tree grow into a life-size mural on the Tea Room wall. Thetree was brought to life by one of our very talented volunteers (Edwina) who worked on theproject for some days to produce the stunning piece of work. The ‘RCC Togetherness Tree’was dedicated at a special luncheon.
The year also marked the end of an era with the retirement of our Volunteer Coordinator,Margaret Kostowksi. After 11 years in the role Margaret decided that her family, especiallyher grandson, and love of gardening were becoming a greater priority in her life and is nowenjoying retirement.
The new Volunteer Coordinator, Eunice Beer has quickly been coming up to speed with therole and learning 75 new names. Eunice has described her first few months at the Centreas ‘very welcoming’ and ‘like being part of a large family’. As General Manager it is vitallyimportant to me that the inclusive culture of the Centre is upheld. The organisationalculture is seen as a priority ensuring the ‘what we do’ doesn’t override the ‘how we do it’.
What do our volunteers say about their volunteer experiences at the Centre?
“I love volunteering at RCC. The amount of support from staff and othervolunteers is exemplary. It is such a worthwhile and positive organisation for thecommunity and addresses many of the needs.”“I have enjoyed my time volunteering at Redland Community Centre and madenew friends and now have an appreciation of the value of giving time.”“I really enjoy volunteering with the RCC. Apart from being able to help others Ifeel very valued by the team.”“It’s good to feel as if we are contributing something worthwhile to the communityand the Community Centre is the centre of a large family of likemindedindividuals.”“It’s a delight to be part of a team and I especially value the standards, ethicsand practices that are upheld at RCC.”“It’s nice to work with a diverse group of people. An ideal way to socialize and dogood things for others.”“Redland Community Centre is an amazing organisation and I feel very privilegedto be a part of it. Thank you.”
The Centre is always on the lookout for volunteers and in particular we are currently seekingvolunteers with either an events or fundraising background that would like to head up ourEvents & Fundraising Committee.
If you have a background in social work or case management and would like to be part ofour Emergency Relief team we would love to hear from you.
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Please access our ‘Volunteer’ page (http://redlandcommunitycentre.org/volunteers/)to register your interest.
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Emergency Relief Program
Community need for this program is high with the trend for services continuing to rise. Singleparent families (Females aged 36-50) with two dependents are identified as being in mostneed. The primary area of need was food relief; with financial assistance for rent/housingamassing to 41% of the budget spend. During FY16 the Centre assisted over 5000 peopleand delivered $130,050.65 in emergency relief to community members in Redlands,Wynnum/Manly and the Bay Islands.
Affordable housing remains a key issue for the community. Homelessness within theRedlands is increasing and is a major barrier to social connectedness and job re-entry.Statistics gained throughout the year show unemployment and job loss as being thenumber one reason people access our ER service which is closely followed by personaldebts.
The Centre partnered with Night Ninjas during the year to assist the homeless directly on thestreet. The purpose of this partnership enables referrals and case management of clientswith wrap around services. The Centre, through assessment is then able to identify thereasons people fall into homelessness and what interagency connections are of mostbenefit to genuinely assist and elevate people from their current circumstance. The Centreimplemented the ‘Urban Pantry’ project as a means of bridging the gap from the street tothe ER assessment room thereby developing trust within this sector of the community.
Centre staff delivered hot food in the form of BBQ sausages and homemade pumpkin soupat a night-time Monday dinner on Cleveland marina parkland. According to Night Ninja’s itwas the largest dinner to date. The Centre continues to provide for the homeless withcustomised ‘homeless’ ring-pull packs, hygiene packs, plastic crockery/cutlery packs,
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swags, blankets, towels, beanies, vests, and wrap around support with referrals to otheragencies.
‘Ready Set Work’ is an ER project directed at youth employment. The Centre partneredwith yourtown and is assisting Redlands youth in securing qualifications through the‘Transition to Work’ initiative. The Centre provides meals for students which encouragesthem to learn and stay on to complete the program. The partnership to date has resultedin 12 young people being placed into work with 6 students gaining a qualification foremployment and 1 of these amazing young people are now following their dreams withinthe hospitality industry.
The Centre is assisting areas in most need by enlarging our footprint and moving forwardwith delivery of the ER program directly onto Macleay Island as part of the Redland CityCouncil Community Hub. This island service will commence in October 2016.
Other identified areas of need are Redland Bay and Wynnum/Manly. If you know of aspace the Centre can occupy that fits within our limited funding we would love to hearfrom you. We are also happy to co-locate with another like-minded organisation in theseareas and collaborate for greater efficiencies.
If you would like to be part of this special program we would like to hear from you. Pleaseregister your interest in becoming an Emergency Relief Worker on our Volunteer page(http://redlandcommunitycentre.org/volunteers/).
What does our typical ER client look like?
Single female (36-50)with two children, living
in Capalaba
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What is the number one area of need?
What is the number one cost of the ER program?
Food purchases forFY16 totalled over
$40,000.00
The Centre is extremelyfortunate to receive
donations of food frommany different
community churchesand organisations –
thank you for helpingus to assist those in
need we couldn’t do itwithout you!
Rent Assistance forFY16 totalled
$53,796.38
This amount is 41% ofour annual budgetwith the demand
continuing to rise –affordable housing is amajor community issue
within the Redlands
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What type of housing do our clients live in?
Rentedaccommodation is
where 77% or nearly 8out of 10 of our clients
call home
Homelessness equatesto 19% of our clients
These people are:-
- Sleeping rough- Hostels/Boarders- Couch Surfing- Sleeping in cars- No fixed address- Caravan parks
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Where do our clients come from?
What are our clients saying about the service they receive?
“Thank you very much for all of your assistance while my family is experiencing financialhardship and family loss and breakdown. Your food parcels have helped us greatly. Reallyappreciate your service and all the kind hearted people that volunteer their time to helpothers – amazing people at RCC”
“Thanks for your help. I have rego paid, I have electricity back on. We had BBQ Silversideand chips with pasta after 24 hrs with no electricity. I’ve made contact with the financialadvisor you referred me to. I have learnt a lot about myself over the last week. Thank youfor your assistance during my hard days. You have given me valuable guidance and infoand now I can plan forward for the future.”
“To all the staff thank you so very much for the help and to bring tears of happiness andrelief to my two girls and fury kids and myself.”
“I was unaware of the help available in the Redlands and am very grateful to the Centreand staff.”
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Focus on Families
“Focus on Families” is the umbrella for all of the projects designed to strengthen the familyunit. These events/courses provide opportunities for caregivers to interact and play withtheir children while gaining additional information to assist with the important role ofparenting and caregiving.
All families and children are different but research has shown that play is so important in thelife of every child. Play promotes learning, growth and health. It is vital for a child to play,have fun and interact with others. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents andchildren to engage with each other.
Focus on Families Create and Play mornings are organised at the Centre on the 2nd and 4th
Mondays of each month (except school and public holidays). Children are free to choosefrom a number of craft and play activities, which may include play dough, painting,collage, play and reading space, puzzles and books, music and singing. While the activitiesare planned by Focus on Families staff there is great scope for children to use theirimagination, experiment, problem solve, engage in pretend play and socialise. Manyopportunities are provided for children to develop their fine and gross motor skills andcaregivers are encouraged to incorporate play into everyday activities.
During the year 119 adults and 182 children attended the 14 Create and Play mornings.
A parent expressed her appreciation of the mornings when she wrote:
“I think Create and Play is a wonderful morning that is run at the Centre. Sometimessetting up for craft at home seems like a big task so it is nice to come and just getstraight into it (and also gives me some good ideas too).”
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Each Create and Play morning is different with many learning opportunities provided for thechildren. Children and caregivers love creating with the play dough, painting uniquemasterpieces, working on collage pieces, drawing or chatting and spending time together.
Caregivers expressed that they really enjoyed creating with their children but enquiredabout a session in which they could do craft while their children were supervised by Focuson Families staff. This led to a new group ‘Focus on Families Card Making Class’.5 separate sessions were held during the year with 24 adults and 16 children attending.
One participant wrote:
“I really enjoyed myself and it was lovely having help to mind the children.Thank you very much. I have some ideas now to make cards at home.”
Parent education workshops are also arranged with children being supervised by Focus onFamilies staff. Occupation Therapists and Student Clinicians from the Children’s Life SkillsClinic at the University of Queensland presented workshops on ‘Preparing for Prep’ and‘Feelings and Friendships’
Reading and story-telling has also been another very important component of the Focus onFamilies suite of programs. A special ‘Focus on Families Reading Information’ session waspresented by staff from Vienna Woods State School. The purpose of the session was toprovide parents/caregivers with information on how to engage children in reading anddevelop a LOVE of reading.
Focus on Families staff have also been trained in presenting the Smith Family Let’s Read –Early Literacy Program to caregivers who attend the Centre. The program is designed toraise awareness (with parents and care givers of children 0 to 5years) about theimportance of early literacy and the many different ways to encourage and promotereading.
The Smith’s Family Let’s Read information states:
“Reading is a really important part of your child’s development. Sharing bookswith your child from birth is fun and helps build the skills needed for startingschool. Let’s Read supports families to share words, rhymes, songs, books, storieswith their children anytime, anywhere.”
The Centre has provided 22 families with information from the Smith’s Family Let’s Readprogram. 37 children from the 22 families have received their own special book.
In order to extend the reading program it was decided to create a special ‘Book Space’under the title Project ‘Book Konnect’. Capalaba Rotary generously donated money tofurnish the specially design space, which will assist in fostering the love of reading andwhere valuable interaction with families will take place.
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Counselling
Crisis and general counselling has been a part of the Centre services since 1992 and it playsa significant role in supporting our ER program and in ‘serving this community with care andunderstanding’. Clients that are identified as in need of crisis counselling are referred to ourin-house counsellor post assessment. The Redland Community Centre is one of the very fewcommunity centres to continue to deliver free counselling.
South East Queensland has one of the highest incidents of domestic violence in the state.Clients presenting at the Centre with domestic violence issues via our ER program areimmediately made aware of and referred to our crises counselling service. Generalcounselling is also a much needed service to community members who are suddenly facedwith job loss, sickness, relationship breakdown, grief and homelessness.
During FY16 our in-house Counsellor conducted 440 counselling sessions for 344 clients overtwo days a week. Counselling sessions were conducted at both Cleveland and Capalabalocations. Of those sessions 288 clients were female as compared to 56 who were male.
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In addition to the direct counselling sessions delivered throughout FY16 the followingservices were also provided:
Capalaba ClevelandOther Telephone and Face to Face Stats Contact New Referrals 100 69 169 Referrals to other agencies 358 252 610 Support ER Staff 10 23 33 Client follow up 78 54 132 Crisis management 27 20 47
Clients accessing our counselling service are primarily located in the Redlands with BayIslands featuring as second highest need.
The top ten key presenting issues identified this year:-
Relationship/Family Breakdowns
Domestic Violence
Grief & Loss
Job Loss
Parenting
Financial Pressures
Anger Management
Addictiveness
Isolation & Loneliness
Anxiety & Panic/OCD
Client feedback received during the year on how the community rate our service:-
“I found my counselling sessions very helpful and was offered suggestions on where toobtain further information. The Counsellor listened without judging. I feel without mysessions I would still be in the same place. Counselling has enabled me to make mydecisions and see the situation for what is was and move forward with a new foundconfidence in my future.”
“My experience was supportive and understanding and I was helped to face and workthrough my trouble. All the time I felt safe and not judged, she did save my life – literally.”
“I was unaware of the help available in the Redlands and am very grateful to the Centreand staff.”
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Groups & Events
Group attendance at the Centre over the last 12 months remained high. The Centrecontinued to support several community groups who align with our values, promote socialconnectedness and evoke a sense of ‘community’.
The multicultural group WeR1 have the highest attendance of all of our groups and visitedthe Centre 46 times with 762 attendees. WeR1 have been at the Centre for over 11 years.Another well attended group is the Women’s Interaction Group and Art of Friday. If you areinterested in finding out more about our groups please head to our Facebook page or ourwebsite here (http://redlandcommunitycentre.org/events/)
Name of Group Attendance # of times atCentre
Art on Friday 351 46Women’s Interaction Group 478 18WeR1 762 46Baby Health Clinic 140 36Relaxation Group 210 33Applique Group 375 43Card Making 216 21Immunisation Clinic 250 10Crochet Group 162 30Redwrites Writing Group 69 12Readers Anonymous Book Club 64 9Australian Hearing Tests 10 2Digital Photo Book workshop 44 8Family History Group 4 1Community Safety Information Session 18 1Tax Help Assistance 78 13
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Special Projects
Backpack to School
Preparing for a new school year brings with it many mixed emotions for both parents andchildren. The experience for some is both positive and exciting as new uniforms, shoes andbackpack are purchased and the book list is ticked off. The experience for other families isfar from positive as financial pressures restrict the purchase of shoes and the necessaryitems for children to begin the new school year equipped like their peers.
Our Back to School Project has been set up to assist families who are doing it tough. Thecommunity really supports this project by generously donating money and stationeryresources. In essence the families who access this project are supported by members of thecommunity. Redland Community Centre acts as a conduit where the resources areprovided to families by the community in which they live.
The 2016 project was a rewarding project with 357 students receiving back packs andstationery items. 197 students from 81 families were assisted with school supplies through ourEmergency Relief process. Of the 197 students, 106 were prep or primary school studentsand 91 were secondary school students.
In February 2016, following the distribution of back packs and stationery supplies throughRCC Emergency Relief program, 13 schools were contacted and received supplies forapproximately 160 students. The schools distributed these resources directly to studentswhose families may not have been aware of the Back Pack to School project at theCentre. A thank you letter from one of the schools reads:
“On behalf of our school community, we would like to sincerely thank you for your kinddonation of classroom items for families at our school who may be experiencing difficultcircumstances. Please pass our thanks on to the generous community members who havedonated items to your Centre.”
Written feedback was also received from many parents who received support.
“Thank-you for your very kind help. I find Christmas and back to school a verychallenging time financially. I truly appreciate the help from the very caring staffat Redland Community Centre. Thank you heaps.”“I have no support from family and friends. The help I received from thisCommunity Centre has been really appreciated. Thank you.”“I’m so touched by your service – the food, school items, gift vouchers. I’m sograteful. Thank you so much for your help. Being out of work is so hard – greatservice here.”
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“The workers are so helpful. I am a single mum with 3 teenage sons. I was fallingbehind and they have gone above and beyond today as I was only coming toget help with budgeting.””Thank you. You have made my year better with the support of school bags andbooks. I didn’t know this was available.”
Christmas Project
2015 Christmas Family Package Project
Purpose of Project:
The purpose of the Christmas Family Package project is to provide families doing it toughwith the opportunity to experience an enjoyable Christmas Day. We act as a conduit forthe community. The project is strongly supported by community donations, through both in-kind and cash donations.
Statistics:
177 families were assisted with Christmas packages.
432 children were involved.
We take the following approach:
“This is your community contributing to Christmas,
not taking responsibility for Christmas”
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It’s important that the families involved are treated respectfully – you’ll see from some of thecomments in this report, that community members are not only thankful for the support theyreceived, but also for the respectful manner taken by staff and volunteers.
Clients are able to apply for assistance by completing an application form, outlining theirneeds, their situation and their plans for Christmas. 219 applications forms were distributedto interested people. 184 forms were returned. Based on the information we receive, wepurpose build a package to the needs of each family.
Packages usually include non-perishable foods and goodies to ensure family membersenjoy a special Christmas meal on Christmas Day. Using community donations, and whereappropriate, some families received a $60 gift card to allow them to purchase perishableitems.
Items generally included in the packages:
Couple of gifts per child for under tree 5-6 items as stocking fillers per child At least 1 book per child Gift for each adult Christmas wrapping paper Christmas name tags (if available) Christmas cards (if available) Bon Bons Extra items per family – i.e. napkins, Christmas plates, cups etc. – when in stock
Christmas food as listed below: Custard or Cream Bottle or cans of Soft Drink or Fruit Juice Christmas Pudding Mince Tarts Lollies Chocolates Chips Sweet Biscuits Savoury Biscuits Corinthian Wafers Extra items if available i.e. tin hams, cocktail onions, gherkins, etc.
Packages included age appropriate gifts with some “stocking fillers”. Again, whereappropriate and using community donated funds, children were provided with a $20 giftcard to enable them to purchase small gifts for family members – Mum, Dad, Grandma,Grandpa. This was especially well received by families and evoked many emotionalresponses.
We’ve included some photos taken during the project. Many are of groups, agencies andindividuals that supported this year’s project. If you’re not included, my apologies. Thephotos are mainly to demonstrate the extensive support we receive from the community.
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Without this support, we would not be able to achieve the outcomes for families andchildren.
The following comments were provided by community members that were supportedthrough the Christmas Family Package project.
“I’m so pleased. Your staff people and the community are so generous. Thankyou so much”.“Thank you very much for the gifts, food and vouchers that you have providedmy family with. We are very blessed by this gesture and my children will be verygrateful. I can’t thank you and everyone that made donations enough. Youhave made us have a great Christmas and we would like to wish you all a MerryChristmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you so much and God Bless you all”.“I was overwhelmed with the extent, quality and vouchers received. The giftsthat we received were perfect. I cannot thank you enough on behalf of myselfand my 15 year old daughter. My sincere gratitude and appreciation. GodBless”.“Thank you, Thank you. I was worried I would not be able to give gifts to my 4children. Have bare minimum normal times. My 4 children had a wonderful time– to the younger ones the paper ripping was just as important. The main issuewhen cousins bragged about their loot – so did mine. Thank you – God Bless”.“Thank you very much. The presents were perfect for the boys. Without this help Iwould not have been able to give them presents. The money was invaluable forfood. Thank you so much. It was a life saver”.“To all the volunteers – Thank you for all the work you do”.“Am very grateful for the support – I’m truly thankful to the community”.“Thank you all for making a good Christmas for me and my great grandchildren. Ithink you are so kind for what you done for us it was so beautiful to see the kidseyes light up when great nan had something for them. I thank you from thebottom of my heart, you do such a good job for all the people. God Bless youall”.“I really appreciated the Christmas Hamper, gift cards and presents as it helpedme a lot and I think it is a very good thing you are doing for the families”.“Thanks to Redland Community Centre my kids had food and gifts for Christmas”.
From these comments, you can see that this project is powerful – it achieves its primarypurpose of providing families with an opportunity to experience an enjoyableChristmas day – importantly, it also sends a message to many in the community thatothers, unknown to them, care for them.
We sincerely thank all those who were involved in and supported the project.
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Moreton Bay Girls College – everychild and teacher brings in a gift toput under the empty Christmas Tree
during a Christmas Service.
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To all our valued members and supporters who have assisted us over the last 12months with donations
Alcorn, Geoff & RuthAlexandra Hills Men’s ShedAlexandra Hills State High SchoolAndersen, DebbieAnderson, LindaAnglican Parish of Waterloo BayAnonymousAqua Aerobics GroupAuto Electrical Imports P/LBayside Financial PlanningBennett Family Real EstateBradford, DaphneBrightman, JaneBrown, Don MPBurrows, KerriCanterbury Clothing Co.Capalaba Uniting ChurchCarver, JacquieChatterton, SueChurch of ResurrectionCleveland Uniting ChurchCleveland Walking GroupCooper, BevCopeland, JoyCovill, RobynCurves, Capalaba
Dennet, MrsDoguare, MichaelDonald, Carol and IanFerber, MarianneGoodstart Early LearningGrill'D Pty LtdGunter, IngeHardaker, WinifredHarman, NancyHealy, JanineHiggs, ChristineHind, LucyHollingsworth, NormaJago, LynJansons, DainaJenkinson, Chris & DebbieJensen, AilsaKeulemans, LindaKimlin, TashKohlman, LoraineLions Club, CapalabaMaharaj, UtterMatilda's QuiltersMcEachan, Matt MPMcGinley, FayMcLean, Karen
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McVie, AnneMercer, BernadetteMoore, MMoreton Bay CollegeMorgan, BillNice n CleanNorris, LielaOaktree Retirement VillageOdgen, MadonnaP.J.S. AccountantsPaczowski, M & JPalet, RamilaPietrobon, DinoPurple Patch AdvisoryQ.C.W.A. Cleveland BranchRDCOTARedland Bay Uniting ChurchRedland City BulletinRedland City Council - CustomerServ. TeamRedland MumsRedlands Bridge ClubRedlands Christian ReformedChurchRedlands Community FinancialServices Ltd
Redlands Easter Family FestivalRedwritesRobins Accountants, KarenHobbsRooding, KimRotary Club of CapalabaSizzler AustraliaSt Andrews ChurchSt Anthony & St Lukes ParishStockland, ClevelandSwan, LynTaylor, AprilTaylor, DoreenValles, RafaelVictoria Point Uniting ChurchWatson, CynthiaWellings, MarjiWellington Manor RetirementVillageWellington Park Private CareWeR1Williams Global FreightWilson, MeganWomen’s Interaction GroupWoolford, Richard & PamRCC Volunteers
Numerous Anonymous Donors
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NominationsRedland Community Centre Board
2016/17
AGM TO BE HELD ON 27 SEPTEMBER 2016
Position Name of Nominee Proposer Seconder
Chair Garry White Pauline Davy Marjorie Wallace
Deputy Chair David Shellshear Margaret Kostowski Marjorie Wallace
Hon Secretary Jan Reynolds Diana Bitossi Sylvia Vassallo
Treasurer Ross Alcorn Jan Reynolds Diana Bitossi
Board Member Robyn Bridges Margaret Kostowski Gill Irvin
Board Member Pauline Davy Sylvia Vassallo Margaret Kostowski
Board Member Elaine Riley Diana Bitossi Jan Reynolds
Board Member Margaret Venes Pauline Davy Rosie Schultz
Board Member Mike Venes Rosie Schultz Gill Irvin
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