1968


 

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Children & Families 

During the summer holidays the BSL’s Social Service Bureau placed 23 children aged from 3 to 11 years with foster parents.  The majority of children were from lone-parent families and a few came from large families where a rest for the parents and a holiday for the children were considered necessary (The Brotherhood News, March 1968 (No.180) p.6).

 

Demand at the Family Planning Clinic led to the introduction of an extra session, so that the clinic opened every Tuesday evening and fortnightly on Tuesday mornings.  Analysis began of the circumstances of those who used the clinic (The Brotherhood News, March 1968 (No.180) p.6).

 

The Social Service Bureau continued to see and deal with emergency situations for individuals and families (The Brotherhood News, March 1968 (No.180) p.7).

 

As a result of a donation of $2,000 by Miss L.M. Henderson the Brotherhood established the Dalpatrick Fund.  In 1968 this provided school uniforms for 20 secondary school students from low income families and helped secure or maintain families in rental accommodation of a reasonable standard (The Brotherhood News, March 1968 (No.180) p.2; March 1969 (No.184) p.2; June 1969 (No.185) p.5).

 

Community Issues 

A Study Tour of the Duke of Edinburgh's Third Commonwealth Study Conference included the Brotherhood in Fitzroy.  The two sessions held at the Brotherhood were 'Family life in the Inner Areas' and 'Growing up in Inner Areas' (The Brotherhood News, June 1968 (No.181) p.3).

 

Father Tucker wrote against conscription within the context of a community protesting against the Vietnam war.  On 26 November 1966 the Coalition (Liberal and Country Parties) had won what was then a record majority of 39 for the House of Representatives in an election fought largely over the issues of conscription and Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam war.  The Coalition vote fell sharply, however, in the Senate election of 25 November 1967.  The infamous Mai Lai Massacre occurred on 16 March 1968.  Anti-Vietnam war protests, involving people across generations and classes, sometimes turned violent (The Brotherhood News, September 1968 (No.182) pp.1-2).

 

Fundraising & Resources 

The Leith Trust provided a grant to allow the BSL to award three bursaries for two-year professional youth leadership training.  It was hoped that the new graduates would work in one of several outer suburban new housing estates. The course was the Social Welfare Department Course of Professional Youth Leadership. The bursaries were worth $1,000 each per year. Three conditions were stipulated for the successful applicants: "They must have a personal commitment to a Church, it can be of any belief; they must be prepared to work under bond for two years on the completion of the course; they must be prepared to work in an ecumenical setting in an outer suburban housing estate." (The Brotherhood News, March 1968 (No.180) p.2 and p.5).

 

The Leith Trust granted the BSL $5,000 for educational purposes.  In 1968 this was spread over 10 schools in Melbourne's inner suburbs in the form of grants to attract Government subsidy for school equipment, libraries or grounds and buildings – six secondary schools received $700 each and four primary schools received $200 each (The Brotherhood News, June 1969 (No.185) p.7). 

 

Since beginning in 1954 the Better Way (remembering deceased family and friends through a gift to the BSL) had financed the building of 13 accommodation units at Carrum Downs, Lara and Bendigo (BSL, Annual Report 1968-1969 p.15).

 

New auxiliaries established were the Waverley, Streeton (Doncaster) and the St Laurence Younger Set (Bendigo), while the Sunshine Auxiliary and the Brotherhood Younger Set disbanded (BSL Annual Report 1968-1969 p.13).

 

The BSL Annual fair in the Melbourne Town Hall raised $2,300 and the Village Fair at Carrum Downs made $976 (The Brotherhood News, December 1968 (No.183) p.8).

 

Brighton Auxiliary members organised two opportunity shops (January & May), hiring an empty shop for a fortnight and distributing plenty of handbills advertising their whereabouts (The Brotherhood News, June 1968 (No.181) p.6).

 

Bendigo Salvage Division established in Hargreaves Street, Bendigo, administered by a local sub-committee appointed by the Bendigo Committee of Management.  Two ladies auxiliaries, Bendigo and Eaglehawk, assist in preparing goods for sale and helping to staff the shop (BSL Annual Report 1968-1969 p.12).

 

First St Laurence Park Fair.

 

Tempus Club ( a reminder service) discontinued in January 1968 

 

Older People 

Pensioners were the beneficiaries of ten-day long holidays at Morven (Mornington) throughout the year.  Doctors, clergy and other organisations referred pensioners in need of a holiday to the Brotherhood.  Voluntary drivers transported them to and from Morven, local residents arranged outings and drives and, since the beach was only a few minutes walk away, the boat shed was a favourite place for afternoon tea (The Brotherhood News, June 1968 (No.181) p.4).

 

A system of domiciliary care was introduced at Carrum Downs for those in need of extra help in their cottages and gardens, provided by staff and voluntary helpers including a group of Peninsula Grammar School boys who visited the Settlement each Tuesday (BSL Annual Report 1968-1969 p.10).

 

St Laurence Court aged care facility opened in Eaglehawk, Bendigo with accommodation for twenty-three persons in the first stage, a joint venture with the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo (BSL Annual Report 1968-1969 p.10; The Brotherhood News, September 1968 (No.182) p.6 and December 1968 (No.183) p.6). 

 

Industries continued to expand at the Carrum Downs Settlement (manufacturing calico bags for the BSL's Salvage Division, as well as carrying out mailing programs and repairing clothing) and St Laurence Park (printing thank-you letters and cards and office stationery for the Salvage Division).  These activities provided activity for the residents, for voluntary helpers (who often were working for therapeutic reasons) and for handicapped people with limited capabilities (The Brotherhood News, March 1968 (No.180) p.7 and September 1968 (No.182) p.6).

 

Organisational aspects (BSL) 

An outline of the Brotherhood’s philosophy and practice was described in the article "Long Term Social Work" by one of the BSL's Social Workers, Tom Paterson (The Brotherhood News, September 1968 (No.182) pp.4,7).

 

Research project commenced with the aim of describing "in practical terms the people who use the resources of the BSL’s Social Work Service (laying) the foundation for essential data collection and evaluation, as well as helping in clarifying policy and philosophy about the problems and solutions for the low income group" (O'Neill, J. & Nairn, R. 1972, The Have Nots: A study of 150 low income families", p.2).

 

People 

A survey of volunteers indicated that 610 individuals and 40 groups were regularly involved in voluntary work for the Brotherhood.  Some Guiding principles were established (The Brotherhood News, December 1968 (No.183) p.6 and March 1969 (No.184) p.5. 

 

People with disabilities 

Sixty patients from Sunbury Mental Hospital had a holiday at Morven (in groups of 20), accommodated in the youth centre tents as in 1967.  A group of patients also returned to put a new roof on the boat shed and others visited Carrum Downs during the year to help in grounds maintenance and other jobs (The Brotherhood News, June 1968 (No.181) p.4). 

 

Presentations & Publications 

In response to the support of the then Federal Minister for Social Services for the abolition of the means test which determined whether or not one is entitled to an age pension and the establishment of a 'Removal of Means Test Association', Janet Paterson (Director of Research & Social Action) wrote "A Case for the Means Test" (The Brotherhood News, June 1968 (No.181) p.3).

The Brotherhood's 38th Foundation Festival was celebrated at Christ Church, South Yarra on 8 December with Bishop Geoffrey Sambell as preacher

 

Publication of

 

Young People 

Given their flexibility and lower cost, the decision was made to double the mobile camping capacity of the Youth Department by purchasing a second land rover and support gear.  This also allowed distribution of the camping activities more evenly over the year (The Brotherhood News, March 1969 (No.184) p.7 ).

 

A discussion conference for matriculation and final year students from State and private schools called Behind the Scenes in Welfare was held over 2 days in August.  The rationale was that "organisations associated with helping people in need tend to concentrate on service to the client and public relations with a fundraising aim and to neglect the teaching aspect of their function.  This can mean that they fail to share their knowledge about people and in particular with the coming generation who are going to be the future makers and executers of policy." (The Brotherhood News, September 1968 (No.182) p.6). 

 

Twenty-three students from La Trobe, Melbourne and Monash Universities took part in the annual week-long course based at Morven.  This involved visits to institutions and to homes of pensioners living in the inner suburbs.  New areas in the course were those of alcoholism and destitution; the final session by Janet Paterson was on the techniques of social action and how to work for and bring about social change (The Brotherhood News, September 1968 (No.182) p.7).