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1976

Page history last edited by Social Policy Library 3 months, 1 week ago

 

 

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1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979

Children & Families 

Action and Resource Centre (ARC) for low-income families opened on a self-management basis, taking over from the Family Centre and continuing the Family Centre Project philosophy - "low-income people need a voice and an organisation where they can help other low income people".  With 95 member families, fifteen members of the Family Centre were employed as resource workers. The ARC’s Support Work Program (SWOP) provided employment for men who had been out of work for some time. [1]ARC_first_6_months.pdf BSL_Income_Supplementation_Services_1972-1996.pdf ARC_in_Hazel_Hawke_to NatPressClub_1984-1-26.pdf SWOP_ARC_progress_1977-6.pdf

 

The formal agreement between the BSL and the Action & Resource Centre was signed on 28 July 1976, the first step towards autonomy for the project. [2]

 

Community Issues 

Following David Scott's visit to England in 1974 where he was convinced that rental housing associations could make a valuable contribution  by providing a new form of housing management in Australia, the idea was taken up by SHELTER and a Rental Housing Association Subcommittee was formed.  In November a proposal was made to the Victorian Minister for Housing, Mr Geoff Hayes. [3] Read what was written in 'Action' September 1977

 

The BSL supported the Community Committee on Tenancy Law Reform by direct funding and through providing office space and resources. [4]

 

Employment & Training 

Legacies enabled the Board to allocate $40,000 for a one year pilot demonstration program  - the Job Centre, the renamed Employment Resource Information Centre (ERIC) that was proposed in 1975, to be run from a shopfront at 181 King Street, Melbourne. [5] Read what was written in 'Action' December 1976

 

Fundraising & Resources 

The Brighton Auxiliary reluctantly decided to disband after having raised $23,000 for the BSL since 1957.  Box Hill Shop opened in October, staffed entirely by members of the Auxiliary. [6]

 

The annual major fundraising events continued - the Market Fair (Melbourne Town Hall), Village Fair (G.K. Tucker Park) and the Country Fair (St Laurence Park, Lara)  [7]

 

Material & Financial Support 

ARC established a savings and loan scheme, providing no interest loans for up to $150 to low-income people. With the support of the BSL this later became the Fitzroy and ARC Credit Union, now the Fitzroy and Carlton Community Credit Cooperative. [8]  [9]

 

The Stud at St Laurence Park (see 1975) grew to 70 Poll Dorset ewes and lambs and it was hoped that the stud would soon be registered. [10] Read what was written in 'Action' September 1976

 

Older People 

Guests at the Coolibah Centre’s Christmas Dinner (22 December in Fitzroy) sampled the recipes of the winners of the "Herald's" Christmas cake and pudding competition.  These were made by students at the William Angliss College of Catering & Food Studies for an expected two hundred diners. [11]

 

Organisational aspects

At the annual staff conference (on a Sunday), David Scott (the Executive Director" invoked the spirit of our Founder, Father Tucker "(who) always said: 'We should be dreaming dreams', and if they are concerned with genuine need in some way or other resources will be found to at least demonstrate on a small scale what might be needed and provided on a larger scale." What_should_the_BSL_do_if-it-had-the-money_1976-6.pdf

 

People 

The Reverend R.L.Butterss, a Board member since 1964, resigned and was replaced by the Reverend G.E. Beaumont (later to become Bishop) who was at one time a member of the staff of the Brotherhood.  [12]

 

Jess Millott, manager of the Coolibah Centre, was lauded in the 1976 book Sheilas: A tribute to Australian women (John Larkins & Bruce Howard) in the chapter A gentle woman in Dead Man's Lane:  "Jessica Millott is a protector of the old and weak of Fitzroy.  Some of her charges are simply poor pensioner folk who have maintained their dignity despite the odds; others lapse into Dead Man's Lane (directly behind the Brotherhood).  Sometimes she walks there to make sure none has died or, if they are alive and drinking, to take away their money so there will be no pickings for the human vultures who crouch in the doorways."

 

Death of Shirley Abraham, former secretary to Father Tucker and Bishop Sambell [13] Read the obituary from 'Action' December 1976

 

Presentations & Publications 

The BSL provided a special supplement to the newspaper "The Learning Exchange" in September.  Compiled by David Griffiths (Social Policy Officer), Poverty and Inequality answered the questions most often asked of the BSL: how many poor are there, how are they poor, who are they and where do they live, why are they poor, what needs to be done and what can you do about it. [14]

 

Publication of

 

Other 

A three-month exchange of staff took place between ARC and the Social Welfare Department.  [18]

Footnotes

  1. The Centre was based at 116 Fitzroy Street. Brotherhood Action March 1976 (No.211) and BSL Annual Report 1976 pp.6-7 (no numbering). For a report on the first six months see Brotherhood Action June 1976 (No.212) [ARC_first_6_months.pdf]. Also BSL Internal Working Paper No.2 Overview and History of Income Supplementation services in the Brotherhood of St Laurence (1972-1996) p.10 [BSL_Income_Supplementation_Services_1972-1996.pdf]. Hazel Hawke, ex-wife of the former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, began as a volunteer with ARC and progressed to being a part-time worker for three years before taking a full-time role as personal assistant and secretary to the then Associate Director and head of the Social Issues and Research Department. [ARC_in_Hazel_Hawke_to NatPressClub_1984-1-26.pdf] For a report at the end of 15 months see Brotherhood Action June 1977 (No.216) [SWOP_ARC_progress_1977-6.pdf]. Other papers on SWOP can be found in the BSL Archives catalogue. ▲
  2. Brotherhood Action September 1976 (No.213) ▲
  3. Brotherhood Action September 1977 (No.217) [Fitzroy_Cwood_Rental_Housing_Assocn_1977-9.pdf] ▲
  4. Brotherhood Action March 1979 (No.223) ▲
  5. Brotherhood Action December 1976 (No.214) [Job_Centre_under_way_1976-12.pdf] ▲
  6. Brotherhood Action March 1976 (No.211). Brotherhood Action September 1976 (No.213) and BSL Annual Report 1977 p.3 ▲
  7. Brotherhood Action September 1976 (No.213) ▲
  8. BSL Internal Working Paper No.2 "Overview and History of Income Supplementation services in the Brotherhood of St Laurence (1972-1996)" pp.10 & 26 [BSL_Income_Supplementation_Services_1972-1996.pdf]. ▲
  9. "The Fitzroy & Carlton Credit Co-op was formed by a community of low income people working with supportive welfare advocates, agencies and other Credit Unions. In 1972 the Brotherhood of St Laurence funded a project called the 'Family Centre'. In 1975 the Centre opened to other low-income people and became the Action Resource Centre. ARC started a very small Savings and Loans scheme and a Christmas club for its members. It became apparent that the members needed more financial services and the BSL asked the ARC bookkeeper to investigate the possibility of starting a Credit Union for Low-Income people. In 1977 ARC's Board of Directors approved the establishment of a Credit Union, and the Fitzroy & Carlton Community Credit Co-operative was formed. For the first four years the FCC was completely run by volunteers. The BSL made a building available for FCC, and in 1981 funded a full-time Manager. Today we are still assisted by the BSL because we continue providing services for Low-Income people. The 1994/95 grant to us from the Brotherhood was $100,000. Many of the original families of the Family Centre are still involved with both the BSL and FCC, and we are committed to retaining this community identity and Spirit." < http://www.coshg.org.au/usefulorgs.html> 30 August 2010 - note that the specifics in this website item may not have been updated since 1994. ▲
  10. Brotherhood Action September 1976 (No.213) See [Lara_sheep_stud_1976.pdf] ▲
  11. Brotherhood Action December 1976 (No.214) ▲
  12. Brotherhood Action September 1976 (No.213) ▲
  13. Brotherhood Action December 1976 (No.214) [Shirley_Abraham_Obit_1976-12.pdf] ▲
  14. Brotherhood Action September 1976 (No.213) ▲
  15. Carol Ride "The Housing Battle: A study of the housing difficulties of 60 low-income families" March 1976 p.21 - one of the Family Centre Project’s studies of aspects of poverty in the Australian community. Brief review in Brotherhood Action June 1976 (No.212) ▲
  16. Concetta Benn "The Family Centre Project: sixth progress report February 1975 - November 1975". Brief review in Brotherhood Action June 1976 (No.212) ▲
  17. Michael Liffman & Jan Salmon "The Family Centre Project: a third overview" and Brotherhood Action March 1977 (No.215) ▲
  18. "ARC has a SWOP programme and now has swopped people. Peter Gogorosis. Deputy Superintendent from the Western Region Office of the Social Welfare Department is with ARC for three months. Bob Williams, ARC staff member is at the Western Region Office for three months. Bob has a chance to learn about bureaucracy from the inside and Peter will gain from his time at ARC. Although this kind of staff exchange has not taken place before the Social Welfare Department was keen to try it. Both the Department and ARC worked together on planning the exchange so it became a practical demonstration of co-operation between a government department and a self-help programme." Brotherhood Action September 1977 (No.217) ▲

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