1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
Children & Families
The second intake of the BSL's HIPPY program began in April with 35 Fitzroy families, to be followed by a third program with Somali families in Kensington. (Building Better Lives Winter 1999)
Community Issues
Understanding Poverty project commenced (Taylor, Janet 1999 Understanding Poverty Literature Review).
The BSL through the Ecumenical Migration Centre auspiced the production of the play The Torch, a play developed with members of the Yorta Yorta Nation, Outreach Victoria, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, and the Cities of Yarra and Melbourne. Exploring Aboriginal rights, racism and Australia as a fair and just society, and featuring a multicultural task, this premiered at Fitzroy Town Hall (24-28 November) then toured regional Victoria (Building Better Lives, No.3, Spring 1999 pp.5).
The Brotherhood's Ecumenical Migration Centre (EMC) co-convened Justice for Asylum Seekers, a non-incorporated alliance of community organisations founded to work for reform of Australia's policy of mandatory detention for refugees while acknowledging the need for border management and sound migration processes. This was in response to the turbulent political environment in relation to the human rights of refugees seeking asylum in Australia, of detainees and of Temporary Protection Visa holders. Based in Victoria, it had three working groups: Campaign, Detention reform and Lobbying (Submission to National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 5 October 2010.; BSL Annual Report 2001 p.3. "Seven deadly laws to prevent refugees seeking asylum in Australia" in Brotherhood Comment, December 2001 pp.4-5).
A Koorie Elder of the Wurundjeri People, Margaret Gardiner, unveiled a plaque on the front of the BSL's Head Office at 67 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, whereby the BSL acknowledges that it is located on the former land of the Wurundjeri People. (2 June) (Bishop Michael Challen - Executive Director's Report to the Board 15 June 1999).
A "community event", billed as "BSL Family and Friends' day" was held at the Collingwood Children's Farm on Sunday, October 17, to celebrate the Brotherhood entering its seventh decade of working with, and for, disadvantaged Australians. This included renowned author and futurist Robert Theobold in discussion on social justice and quality of life issues with Brotherhood Executive Director, Fr Nic Frances and Aboriginal educationalist, Lillian Holt (Building Better Lives, No.3, Spring 1999 pp.1 & 5 (no numbering); Also Memo from Yvonne Bennett (General Manager - Promotion & Communication) "Building Better Lives Public Appeal update" 28 September 1999). BSL_family_&_friends_day_1999-10-17.pdf
Employment & Training
The Youth Retail Traineeship Scheme managed by The Body Shop and the Brotherhood’s STEP (Scheme for Training & Educating People) program won in April one of the inaugural Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Business & Community Partnerships (Building Better Lives No.2, Winter 1999 p.2; Building Better Lives, July 1999 p.2).
Manager of STEP (the Group Training arm of Employment Services) and two staff in a job-share support position left the BSL, leaving STEP with no internal knowledge base. Much of the Company's activities were based on relationships which then needed to be renegotiated. (April)
Fundraising & Resources
Final meeting of the Fundraising Development Committee "who have given valuable advice for 10 years", with a new Promotion & Communication committee to take over an expanded role (Report of the General Manager, Promotion & Communication, to the Executive Director April 1999).
Donor focus group discussions were undertaken voluntarily by the market research organisation Yann Campbell Hoare Wheeler to identify what it was that donors identified as different about the Brotherhood. Donors were more concerned about immediate community needs and “as the problems besetting Melbourne’s disadvantaged are seen to be worsening, the participants felt that the BSL’s work in helping people build better lives be given priority” (Building Better Lives, Summer 1999 p.2 (no numbering); Building Better Lives, July 1999 p.4 (no numbering).
Three types of plant bulbs in a Bulb Gift Card sold as a Mother's Day 'special' as part of Fundraising. The cards contained 10 bulbs, either ranunculus, freesias or spring stars and sold for $5 (Building Better Lives, Summer 1999 p.6).
Frankston Furniture Works conducted a sale of refurbished furniture at Prahran Town Hall in August
The Building Better Lives Appeal, the BSL's first capital appeal, was launched on 8 October to raise funds for the redevelopment of Sumner House and Millott House. The appeal raised $5.7 million, including a $1 million Myer Family grant to mark the Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration, sufficient to cover not only the cost of the necessary upgrade but to also fund innovative programs for children, families and people without work. (Building Better Lives No.2, Winter 1999 p.3; BSL Annual Report 1999 pp.13 & 19 and BSL Annual Report 2000 p.4). Appeal Patrons were Laurence Cox AO, Archbishop Peter Hollingworth AO, Janet Holmes a Court AO, Dr Jean McCaughey AO, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE, Baillieu Myer AC, Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE, Richard Pratt AC, David Scott AO and Sir Donald Trescowthick AC KBE. The Appeal Committee members were: Graeme Wise (Appeal Chairman); Tony Darvall (Deputy Appeal Chairman); Committee members were Ernest Barr, Michael Buxton, Terry Campbell, Margot Capp, Bishop Michael Challen, Sandy Clark, Dennis Corke, Dr Terry Cutler, Michael Feeney; Fr Nic Frances, Carrillo Gantner, David Habersberger QC, Anthea Hone, Daryl Jackson AO, Roger Johnson, Prof Priscilla Kincaid-Smith AC, Tina McMeckan, Jillian Pappas, John Prescott AC, Ian Reid and Judy Ward. (Memo from Yvonne Bennett (General Manager - Promotion & Communication) "Building Better Lives Public Appeal update" 28 September 1999)
As part of the Building Better Lives Appeal a BSL Family and Friends Day was held at Collingwood Children's Farm on 17/10/1999 Program, Invitation, Media Release re talk by author Robert Theobald about "the future of Australian society"
The Bring Out Your Best Clothing Drive was launched on 11 October. This sought support from large corporates in the CBD and St Kilda Road areas, asking their staff to bring clothing donations to work, from where the BSL arranged to collect them (Memo from Yvonne Bennett (General Manager - Promotion & Communication) "Building Better Lives Public Appeal update" 28 September 1999).
Acquisition of Mod-Style business operations (wholesaler of optical frames)
Stores at Collingwood and Springvale were closed; a new 'super store' opened in Croydon; the Dandenong store was relocated to a larger "and better" location (May); the Brunswick and Frankston stores were refurbished. The niche market retro clothing store Hunter Gatherer was relocated to Acland Street, St Kilda and was featured in Vogue magazine as one of Melbourne’s best retail experiences (BSL Annual Report 1998 p.7).
The Brotherhood Recycling Industries Development Group (BRIDG) was established with external members bringing retail and marketing expertise to the BSL’s retail activities. Members of BRIDG in 1999-2000 were Ms Amanda Brook, Mr Kurt Eisner, Ms Melissa Field, Fr Nic Frances, Mr Don Macfarlane, Mr Michael Perusco, Mr Ian Reid and Mr Paul Spooner (BSL Annual Report 1999 p.7 and BSL Annual Report 2000 p.22.).
The Care Manager software now used in 180 sites across Australia (BSL Annual Report 1999 p.5).
Material & Financial support
Just Essentials, the emergency material aid service on the Mornington Peninsula, received a donation from BP Australia of 2,300 items of clothing surplus to their requirements. The clothing consisted of shirts, skirts, jumpers, cardigans, scarves, woollen vests and bomber jackets. (Building Better Lives No.2, Winter 1999 p.4)
The Brotherhood's annual Toy Appeal resulted in five thousand toys and gifts being donated by the general public, schools, churches, offices, social clubs, factories and the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal. Students from Eltham College assisted in clearing out a local warehouse to make way for the donations (Building Better Lives, No.4, Summer 2000 p.5).
Older People
Dental Research for residents at the Settlement was conducted over April-May. All the residents in residential facilities and 100 Cottage residents took advantage of the free service. The researchers were to return in a couple of months for follow-up examinations and recommendations.
Residents of Sumner House and Millott Rooming House were relocated to Annesley Hostel, Mont Albert (moving in on 23 November) while the major redevelopment of Sumner House and Millott House took place (Building Better Lives, No.4, Summer 2000 p.4).
The Brotherhood began a partnership with Aboriginal Community Elders Services (ACES) in delivering support through 59 Koorie-specific Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) packages to the Melbourne Metropolitan Region. The packages were to be transferred to the Aboriginal Community Elders Service as the future auspice body for Koorie Aged Care Packages in March 2003. The packages provide care management and home care services to Elders at risk of requiring premature admission to a hostel or nursing home.
Organisational aspects (BSL)
Housing agreement drafted with St Barnabas' Anglican parish for Units 1-4, Park Street, Seaford (sic - FSS4-99)
Planned co-location of Brotherhood services in Dandenong, including employment, housing and early intervention, to be housed in the former Dandenong BSL retail shop. (April)
A Reconciliation Working Group was formed by BSL staff members
The Brotherhood Intranet was developed by the "Intranet Development Group" - a team of interested staff members drawn from a general meeting in March. Intranet Development Group members were Sue Azzubair (Community Services), Kaye Bratetich (Social Action & Research), Robert Holland (Chaplain), Andrew Jeffrey (Communications), Trish Newell (Library) & Brendan Walsh (Community Care). The first meeting was on 9 March, with the aim of inaugurating the site on 17 May. An in-house manual was developed for designated staff members (content coordinators) who were trained to put material onto the site for their Directorates.
The BSL Board (at its 27 April meeting) approved the merger with the Ecumenical Migration Centre (EMC) and the union was formally announced on 1 July 1999. An Orientation Day for EMC staff followed at the end of July (Building Better Lives, July 1999 p.1; BSL Annual Report 1999 p.1).
Bishop Michael Challen retired as Executive Director on 20 June 1999 and was farewelled at the 69th Foundation Festival, Christ Church South Yarra ("Executive Director bids farewell", Brotherhood Action No.2 Winter 1999).
The Reverend Nic Frances commenced as Executive Director (21 June 1999) (Building Better Lives, July 1999 p.1).
The Roundtable was established by the new Executive Director as an across-BSL decision-forming consultative group including the Executive and senior managers
With the changeover of Executive Directors initially there was a slight reorganisation. Payroll became part of the Human Resources department and the 'accounting systems' function was subsumed into the Finance directorate.
Twelve staff members from the aged care areas of the BSL commenced the Certificate III Health Services (Direct Care Worker) Course. For the areas of competency covered in the program see the footnote.
People with disabilities
A house for women with intellectual disabilities was established in May at the Settlement; house rules were developed with Brotherhood Community Access
Presentations & Publications
The 18th Sambell Oration: Vision for Australia (unpublished speech) was given by Janet Holmes a'Court
Publication of Social tracts for our times No.2: Tax reform: the missing dimension Clive Hamilton
A 'snapshot' of the BSL's achievements during past decades was featured in anticipation of the BSL's 70th anniversary of its foundation.
The BSL facilitated the making of 7 television commercials in August with John Clarke & Bryan Dawe for Anglicare Top End (Northern Territory)
Publications included:
Young People
Final report on the Transition Project (May)
Other
The work of the Ecumenical Migration Centre was included in the 3-part CD set Making Multicultural Australia - A Multimedia Documentary. Produced by the Interactive Design Group, NSW Board of Studies, in conjunction with the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Special Broadcasting Service, and the University of Technology Sydney.
The Brotherhood’s Ecumenical Migration Centre (EMC) co-convened the Justice for Asylum Seekers a non-incorporated alliance of community organisations founded to work for reform of Australia’s policy of mandatory detention for refugees while acknowledging the need for border management and sound migration processes. This was in response to the turbulent political environment in relation to the human rights of refugees seeking asylum in Australia, of detainees and of Temporary Protection Visa holders. Based in Victoria, it had three working groups: Campaign, Detention reform and Lobbying.
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