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Children & Families
HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters) launched by Professor Avima Lombard (founder of HIPPY) on 24 February at The Cottage. First 30-week HIPPY program commenced at the end of March with 19 families and 3 tutors covering the languages of English, Greek, Vietnamese, Hmong, Thai and Lao. The pilot program, funded from a range of Trusts, so impressed the joint directors of The Body Shop that they offered to sponsor its operations for three years. Victoria University agreed to evaluate the pilot phase (Brotherhood Action June 1998 p.1 & September 1998 p.5 (no numbering); BSL Annual Report 1998 p.23).
A 13-week joint family literacy program was developed by the Yarra Melbourne Regional Library Service, the Fitzroy Learning Network and the Brotherhood to bring together parents and children under the age of 3 in a series of stimulating activities designed to encourage literacy. Parents were encouraged to learn to read books in English or their first language, and to become familiar with literacy materials and library resources available for themselves and their children. The Cottage hosted the program with the intention of hosting it again in 1999 (Building Better Lives, Summer 1999 p.5; Building Better Lives, July 1999 p.4).
An Early Intervention program began in the Greater Dandenong area to provide support to children with disabilities and developmental delays. Initially the program worked with 15 children in behaviour management, support and education (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.8).
Community Issues
Public transport campaign conducted by the Craigieburn Development Group (a group facilitated by the BSL) (May)
The People Together Project, for their "Community Summit: The Widening Gap", commissioned the BSL to illustrate the growing disparity in the community. These appeared in the document Measuring the gap: changes in inequality, wealth and poverty. (June)
The Purple Sage project, inaugurated by the Victorian Women's Trust, was supported by partnership with the Stegley Foundation, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the People Together Project, the Victorian Local Governance Association and YWCA Victoria. The management group included Bishop Michael Challen, the BSL's Executive Director. "The aim was to foster community dialogue and identification of major issue of concern in the context of significant change in State government politics and policy. There were two stages of dialogue, in three months from September to December 1998 and again about six months later. Some 6000 people (in groups of about 10) were involved, with three-quarters of group leaders women. ... The major issues of concern that were worrying people across the State were around unemployment, job security, democracy, community support and services being weakened, gambling and importantly a huge bag of issues around the environment."
See http://thesource.melbournewater.com.au/content/Issue/October2000/power.htm for a clear historical outline in an interview with Mary Crooks in which the following appears … "The management group of Purple Sage included people like Ben Bodna, who had been the Public Advocate and the head of Community Services in the 1980s, Bishop Michael Challen, and Trudy Wyse, who knew local government and community services inside out. It was an extraordinary body of skill. The partnership - the Victorian Women's Trust, the Stegley Foundation, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the People Together Project, the Victorian Local Governance Association and YWCA Victoria - was very powerful and committed."
Just Essentials staff surveyed 300 families about water and energy costs (with assistance of research staff from Social Action & Research) (Sally Jope "Our greatest strength - Consulting with service users for social action: The report of the Social Action Oriented Consultation Project" (October 2000).
Employment & Training
The Fitzroy-based Active Placement Unit (APU) and Disability Access Service (DASU) closed due to the termination of the Federal Government’s Skillshare program. The Contracted Case Management program was discontinued in April and replaced by the Job Network which began in May (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.20).
BSL won a tender to provide the Community Support Program in Fitzroy & Frankston. The program offered both practical assistance and counselling for people suffering from substance abuse, psychological and psychiatric issues, family crises and health problems who experienced multiple and/or severe barriers to employment as a consequence. The aim was to help stabilise and consolidate their lives as a first necessary step to helping them find work (For a case study see "Respect where respect is due" in Building Better Lives Summer 2001, p.5).
The Body Shop agreed to undertake a Hospitality Traineeship Program with STEP for staff for their restaurant and STEP signed up its first group of 25 Personal Care Trainees with the Villa Maria Society (STEP is the only Group Training Company that focused on disadvantaged jobseekers) (May)
Frankston Furniture Works supplemented the second-hand furniture of the Fitzroy Furniture Service with beds, wardrobes and tables made at its Frankston factory (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.11).
In response to the restructure of Federal Government employment services, the Brotherhood was one of the initiators of Job Futures, a national consortium of non-profit organisations in the new Commonwealth-funded Job Network. Some BSL staff were on the Job Futures Board. Fitzroy and Peninsula Employment Services were inaugural members. The Fitzroy Employment Action Centre (EAC) became Brotherhood Job Futures in May (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.19).
Fundraising & Resources
Joint venture commercial agreements were signed with Anglicare Canberra/Goulburn and Anglicare Border North East, for clothing collections within each respective region, to be reviewed in six months (Operations Directorate report to the Executive Director, January 1998).
A joint promotion venture was proposed with a major clothing retailer (Piccadilly Circus) who would promote a Trade in Your Coat campaign for a $50 sale price discount on new coat purchases, with the trade-in coats being given to the BSL. The promotion was scheduled to commence in April and end in September and, if successful, was to become an annual event (Report of the Operations Directorate to the Executive Director, March 1998).
Proposed Capital Appeal to focus on Sumner House and Millott Rooming House.
Raffle 23, conducted in country Victoria over the Christmas period, realised a small $4,000 profit. It did generate another 500 members of the "Raffle Club", grown to 1,200 members by March.
Andrew Denton agreed to do up to five 30-second community service television advertisements with up to five celebrities (produced by Bendigo Street productions) - Lillian Frank, Rob Sitch, John Clarke and Ivan Deveson agreed to appear in the home collection commercials & they were filmed on 30-31 May and screened in August 1998 (Brotherhood Action September 1998 p.3).
The Springvale and Footscray shops opened in June (Footscray stocked clothing and a small amount of furniture)
Advertisement for BSL Boomerang Industrial Supplies, selling cleaning products 20/04/1998. No information in BSL newsletters about when this enterprise started or closed down.
The BSL approached fashion students at RMIT to set up a vintage store for the BSL as their final marketing project - two students took up the project. This led to a niche market 'retro' clothing shop opening under the Hunter Gatherer brand in Smith Street, Collingwood in the basement of the Brotherhood's Collingwood shop. Assistance was given by prominent commercial retailers, especially The Body Shop. The Collingwood store closed later in the year; a new Hunter Gatherer store opened in Acland Street, St Kilda and was featured in Vogue magazine as one of Melbourne’s best retail experiences (Brotherhood Action September 1998 p.1; BSL Annual Report 1998 p.24).
Fundraising included:
- Raffle 23, conducted in country Victoria over the Christmas period, realised a small $4,000 profit. However, it did generate another 500 members of the Raffle Club, now 1,200 members (March)
- Literary Luncheon with Author Shane Maloney (23 April) (Brotherhood Action February 1998 p.5)
- A repeat of the bulb offer (Brotherhood Action February 1998 p.5)
- Half-priced Christmas Cards (from 1997) (Brotherhood Action February 1998 p.5)
- Winter Appeal, The Voices of Poverty (the theme was drawn from Brotherhood research included in the publication Australian Poverty: then and now).
Material & Financial support
Two new emergency relief centres opened in Fitzroy and Frankston:
- A joint venture with Anglicare Victoria opened on 24 March at 75-77 Brunswick Street, incorporating an Anglicare Op shop, Food Service and Material Aid, with the BSL furniture service continuing from rear of the premises (Brotherhood Action June 1998 p.3)
- The Brotherhood's Material Aid service in Frankston took on a new name - Just Essentials -and moved to new premises in May. Programs included Wear for Work to assist jobseekers with new clothes for job interviews; this attracted interest from other agencies such as Employment National, Human Services and Centrelink. The clothes were hired out for a fee for the interview and, if successful, for the initial employment period until they could afford to buy their own (Brotherhood Action June 1998 p3 ; "Dressing to win", Brotherhood Action June 1998 p5; BSL Annual Report 1998 p.11).
The Springvale and Footscray shops opened in June. The President of the Western Bulldogs (David Smorgon) joined the BSL's Executive Director Bishop Michael Challen at the opening of the Footscray shop and foreshadowed a developing partnership with the BSL in "overcoming the negative effects of poverty" in the local community. Springvale shop opened on 1 June and the Footscray shop opened on 17 June. (Brotherhood Action September 1998 p.1).
Christmas Toy Program operated again in Fitzroy & Frankston. As in 1997, primary focus of Fitzroy's program was on assisting families in the City of Yarra (formerly a broad metropolitan service) though in the last four days of the program families from out of the area were serviced. The Frankston service assisted those in the Westernport Region. Some of the surplus toys were passed on to the Phillip Island Community Centre. Support for the program came from Kmart, Toys R Us, the Myer Foundation, Ingham Chickens, the Frankston Emergency Relief Providers and groups, businesses and individuals. NRMA staff provided a gift wrap service. Lease Plan & Mitsubishi supplied vehicles (Review paper "Brotherhood of St Laurence 1998 Toy Program") .
Some 3,000 education packs for children from low-income families were distributed in Frankston and for the first time in Fitzroy. Made possible by a grant from the Melbourne Newsboys Club Foundation and staff of the National Australia Bank, the packs included computer disks for older children and scrapbooks for the younger ones and were compiled by the pupils of the Naranga Special School, Frankston as part of their voluntary service (Building Better Lives, Summer 1999 p.4).
Older People
BSL was announced in April as the successful tenderer for 45 Koori Aged Care Packages across Melbourne, catering for the specific cultural needs of local Indigenous elders, and with the aim of transferring to an indigenous service provider as soon as possible. An additional 35 Community Aged Care packages and an extra 10 Linkages packages were funded (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.14).
The Coolibah service was redesigned from July to operate 6 days a week (closed Saturdays) and to cease breakfast
Enhanced safety and security systems for residents at Broughton Aged Care Facility (Frankston) and Cox/Collins Court (Carrum Downs) were installed thanks to a special grant from the AMP Foundation (Building Better Lives, Summer 1999 p.6).
Organisational aspects (BSL)
Arising from the review Beyond 2000, the Brotherhood's Operating Charter and Service Criteria were revised and all service delivery areas of the BSL were challenged to assess themselves against these documents.
Data Collection Report & Manual submitted by the consultant in February; Services Development Project Officer to rewrite and develop implementation plan. Stage 2 commenced in April.
BSL service provision in Ballarat (and the Central Highlands Region) ceased in March with the conclusion of the Provincial Community Enterprise Project (PCEP). The legacy was hundreds of people assisted over the past 4 years, the BEEF scheme and the curriculum on New Business Formation (the Certificate III in Business - New Enterprise Formation) developed by Teresa Arnold.
Consumer Consultation Project was begun by Tim Gilley. The project was designed to contribute to the further development of systematic good practice in obtaining feedback from users of services about their experiences and views of service access, quality and relevance, in order to improve service delivery and identify areas requiring advocacy. (May)
Exercise to develop key performance indicators carried out by Mary Duckett with the Board and with Community Services Managers (May)
The STEP Board established a new constitution as the first step in separating from and clarifying the relationship with the BSL (May)
Strategy "Think Tank" convened as initial contribution to the 1999 Strategy Plan with external panel of advisors, key Board members and the working Directors on 4 September.
A new two-part format was introduced for the Orientation Days conducted for new staff and volunteers - one day at Fitzroy, the second at Carrum Downs/Frankston. This sought to ensure that participants gained a wider appreciation of the dimension of the BSL's activities (Operations Directorate report to the Board, January 1998).
The Care Manager software program, developed within the Brotherhood, was taken up in 130 sites across Australia by services providing post-acute care, coordinated care trials and a range of disability services (Brotherhood Action September 1998, p.5).
The thirty years of pro bono support from the legal firm of Freehill, Hollingdale & Page (Freehills) for the BSL was recognised in the 1998 Pro Bono Awards and in the presentation of a Certificate of Appreciation by the Brotherhood (Brotherhood Action September 1998, p.5). .
The Management Development Program continued from 1997 with up to 35 participants across the Brotherhood, supported by funding through the Australian Catholic University.
With the pending retirement in 1999 of the Executive Director, Bishop Michael Challen, a nation-wide search commenced for a successor.
People
Mrs. Margaret Utber celebrated forty years of service as a volunteer at the Ormond and Bentleigh shops (Brotherhood Action June 1998 p.5).
After 30 years as a volunteer at the Brotherhood's Brunswick Bazaar, great-grandmother Iris Sanguinetti retired at the age of 83 years (Brotherhood Action February 1998 p.4).
People with disabilities
An Early Intervention program began in the Greater Dandenong area to provide support to children with disabilities and developmental delays. Initially the program worked with 15 children in behaviour management, support and education (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.8).
Presentations & Publications
Address of the Executive Director to the BSL's Annual General Meeting
68th Foundation Festival, Christ Church South Yarra, speaker - Sister Margaret McGovern RSM (14 June) (?not sure)
The 17th Sambell Oration: Economic efficiency and social harmony was presented at the State Film Theatre on 13 August by Fred Argy, author of Australia at the Crossroads.
Bishop Michael Challen instigated the publication of "Social tracts for our times", social statements with philosophical/theological under-girding. The first of these was Altruism and capitalism: through the new 'Job Network'? by Dr. Paul Pickering of the Australian National University.
The rationale was given as follows: "The current changes in our society together with those of government policy, are raising issues of fundamental values such as 'communitarianism or individualism' and 'personal responsibility and community care'. Little space is made available for the informed discussion of such issues in either our electronic or print media. Since the BSL has its origins in the Christian faith, I believe it has the responsibility to do what it can to promote the public discussion of key values as they emerge .in contemporary social policy issues. This is the purpose of the 'Social Tracts'." (Correspondence of Bishop Michael Challen to Clive Hamilton, 3 March 1999).
Publications from the Future of Work (FOW) project included Communities at work, the Future of Work Report and the reprint of the FOW publication, Reading the Signs
Launch in March by the Governor General at Melbourne University of Australian poverty: then and now (Melbourne University Press) which includes chapters by Alison McClelland, Janet Taylor and Michael Challen ("The voices of poverty", Brotherhood Action June 1998 p.6).
BSL's domain name <www.vicnet.net.au/~bstl> replaced by <www.bsl.org.au> in March
Publications included:
This was launched in November by Dame Margaret Guilfoyle, a former Minister for Socail Security, at the annual conference of the Australian Institute of Family Studies in Melbourne (Building Better Lives, July 1999 p.4).
Young people
The Bridge Transition Project launched on 13 March by Victorian Education Minister Phil Gude at Karingal Park Secondary College, Frankston (the second largest college in Victoria). Operating on a case management model through a school-based project worker, this project was based on a similar BSL project at Brunswick Secondary College. The aim was to assist students considering leaving school before completing Year 12, who consequently were at risk of long periods of unemployment, homelessness and personal hardship ("Bridging the gap", Brotherhood Action June 1998 p.2 (no numbering); BSL Annual Report 1998 p.18).
Other
A second season of La Mama plays by Daniel Keene, directed by Ariette Taylor, was presented in the Brotherhood's furniture warehouse in Fitzroy from 18 February - 15 March. With the theme of Poignant tales of the underclass, there were three components - Neither Lost Nor Found / Untitled Monologue / Night, A Wall, Two Men. Known as the Keene/Taylor Theatre Project Season 2, the outstanding reviews and publicity about the intent of these plays generated interest in the community, particularly those interested in the performing arts, resulting in an extension of the season from a three week to a four week season of six performances per week with a total audience number of over 1,000. A third season, the Keene/Taylor Theatre Project Season 3 from 5-21 June, featured three plays - To Whom it May Concern, Custody and What Remains of Dying. An unnamed reviewer wrote: "These plays quietly but insistently affirm an emotional intensity of suffering that is rarely acknowledged or given voice, in the lives of the humble poor." (Brotherhood Staff Link No.32, 16 February 1998; Brotherhood Staff Link No.33, 6 March 1998). The Keene/Taylor Theatre Project won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre (Green Room Awards, 1998) and the Kenneth Myer Medallion for the Performing Arts. (Brotherhood Action February 1998 p.6 & June 1998 p.6).
(See details of the cast and reviews and here)
The BSL approached fashion students at RMIT to set up a vintage store for the BSL as their final marketing project - 2 students took up the project. This led to a niche market ‘retro’ clothing shop opening under the Hunter Gatherer brand in Smith Street, Collingwood in the basement of the Brotherhood’s Collingwood shop. Assistance was given by prominent commercial retailers, especially The Body Shop. The Collingwood store closed later in the year; a new Hunter Gatherer store opened in Acland Street, St Kilda and was featured in Vogue magazine as one of Melbourne’s best retail experiences.
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