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1965

Page history last edited by Social Policy Library 2 months, 2 weeks ago

 

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Children & Families 

Reassessment of the work and direction of the Social Service Bureau leads to decision to continue working with individual low income families, to consider the needs of those families on a larger scale and to develop ways and means of increasing co-operation with the clergy (The Brotherhood News, March 1965 (No.168) p.4). 

 

The Social Service Bureau, beginning in October, brought together a group of mothers who had been coming to the Bureau for some years for financial aid to help them through recurrent crises caused by unemployment or sickness.  Individual casework had been unsuccessful and it was hoped that from the group experience "increased warmth and self esteem in the mothers would have a beneficial effect on the whole family".  (The Brotherhood News, September 1966 (no.174) p.5)

 

The Creative Leisure Centre, catering for children from five to 15 years, opened each night after school from 3.30 to five, for morning and afternoon periods during school holidays and on two evenings a week for teenagers.  (The Brotherhood News, December 1965 (No.171) p.3)

 

Community Issues 

High Living research project on high-rise public housing continued.

 

Criticism of Victorian Government policy on resettlement of aborigine families from Lake Tyers settlement by David Scott (The Brotherhood News, March 1965 (No.168) p.2).

 

Father Tucker headed The Lara Movement a group "made up largely of lay people of various Christian denominations.  Their main object is to try to ascertain how the Christian religion can be more closely related with things of everyday life and especially in regard to the perilous state of the world at the present time."  The group launched a petition urging negotiation with North Vietnam. (The Brotherhood News, September 1965 (No.170) p.1; The Age, 6 July 1965 p.15)

 

Fundraising & Resources 

The Forgotten People Appeal raised a total of £51,000 (BSL Annual Report, 1964-1965 p.4).

 

Fundraising Button Days were held on October 1-2 in provincial centres in Victoria (including Albury, Hamilton, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Morwell and Yallourn), December 3 in the city of Melbourne and December 4 in the suburbs, along with stalls.  The intent was to raise £12,000 to swell the proceeds from the Forgotten People Appeal which did not reach the target of £75,000, raising £51,000.   More than 2,500 helpers were expected, with 350 (city), 1,500 (suburbs), 300 (outer suburbs) and 500 (country) promised beforehand. (The Brotherhood News, June 1965 (No.169) p.5)

 

To start the year’s activities at the Cheltenham-Mordialloc Auxiliary, each member was given a £1 note and asked to "make it grow" for the Brotherhood.  Members used many ingenious schemes to help along the "make it grow" campaign. According to Thelma Tuxen (former Auxiliaries coordinator), this was a tactic used initially by Father Tucker. (The Brotherhood News, June 1965 (No.169) p.5)

The BSL’s annual market fair held in October in the Lower Melbourne Town Hall raised £1,240 and the Carrum Downs fair had record takings of £650. (The Brotherhood News, December 1965 (No.170) p.4)

The Salvage Division opened a second-hand furniture-theatre-bookshop at 145 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. These premises became the home of the Fitzroy & Carlton Community Credit Cooperative in the late 1990s. (The Brotherhood News, December 1965 (No.170) p.5).

 

Parcels of clothing sent to the Brotherhood averaged 100 per week (sent free by rail) but the record was shattered in the month of November with 642 parcels of clothing from as far afield as Oaklands (NSW), Nhill, Mildura, Yarrawonga and Bairnsdale. (The Brotherhood News, March 1966 (No.172) p.2)

 

Material & Financial support 

The Christmas Toy Sale at Fitzroy was held with six sessions providing 180 families with the opportunity to buy toys for 560 children (The Brotherhood News, December 1966 (no.175) p.2).

 

Older People 

Extensions to Keble Court commenced, adding 12 flats. "In the selection of tenants from the long waiting list, priority is given to age pensioners who have no other resources.  Consideration is also given to applicants who have lived most of their lives in Brunswick or surrounding districts and are anxious to remain in this area.  The services charges at Keble Court are: 28/- for a single pensioner receiving the basic pension and the supplementary rent allowance." (BSL Annual Report 1964-1965, p.8)  

 

A printing industry was established at St Laurence Park, Lara, with residents printing such things as envelopes and circulars for the Brotherhood. The aim was to provide creative activity for the residents to fill in their leisure hours and both women and men were involved. (The Brotherhood News, June 1965 (No.169) p.5)

 

Organisational aspects (BSL) 

Janet Paterson, BSL's Senior Social Worker, became the BSL's first Director of Research & Social Action (BSL Annual Report 1964-1965, p.3Brotherhood Action December 1969 (No.187) p.9; Magree C (ed.) 1993, Looking forward, looking back, p.4)

 

A block of land was purchased in Palmer Street, Fitzroy.  "This adjoins the existing Brotherhood land and so lends itself to future expansion.  At present it is in use as a car park for the Brotherhood vehicles." (BSL Annual Report 1964-1965 p.12)

 

Service summary at 1965 - the Brotherhood of St Laurence provided:

  • Independence, security and activities for 220 elderly residents at its housing centres
  • Professional nursing care for 20 frail old people at Carinya
  • Professional social workers to counsel and assist some 800 families each year
  • An after-school leisure centre for 50 children in Fitzroy
  • The Coolibah Club for 150 age pensioners
  • Holidays for 150 elderly or handicapped people each year at its holiday home ("Morven")
  • A Youth Club for 150 young people
  • A program of research into community problems
  • Avalon conference centre at Lara (BSL 1965, Tucker and BSL History

 

Presentations & Publications 

 

 

 

Refugees & Settlement 

The European Australian Christian Fellowship (formed in 1961 and later to become the Ecumenical Migration Centre) moved from the BSL premises to North Carlton (November) (Langfield M 1996, Espresso bar to EMC, p.7). 

 

Young People 

Mr Graeme Bull was given leave from his role as supervisor of the Youth Centre to take up the 2-year full-time course for Professional Youth Leaders run by the Victorian Social Welfare Department. (BSL Annual Report 1964-1965, p.6)

 

Informal pre-natal classes were run for several youth club members who were soon to become parents, showing the BSL that much more could be done in the way of helping girls at this stage of their lives. The classes were run by Mrs Anne Hollingworth, a physiotherapist specialising in ante- and post-natal care (The Brotherhood News, September 1965 (No.170) p.4).

 

Fitzroy Police & Citizen's Association decided to re-form their old youth club (closed in 1962-1963), with the BSL’s Youth Department directly involved in the Interim Committee of Management. (The Brotherhood News June 1965 (No.169) p.4)

 

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