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

Community Issues 

Poverty Education Project established, along with a resource centre, as a 3-year project to develop and extend the Brotherhood’s involvement in community education, assisting the community to increase its understanding of the causes of poverty and the means for its eradication.Poverty Education Project Flyer_1981.pdf . ^[1] 

Employment & Training 

The Unemployment Rights Service had its public opening on 30 January with a lot of publicity on radio, TV and in the newspapers.  In the first week the Service saw over 60 people.  The Service published Unemployment Benefits: Know Your Rights and the Department of Social Security agreed to prepare and distribute a special edition for its service users. . ^[2] 

Fundraising & Resources 

The BSL's Salvage Division headquarters moved from Lygon Street, Brunswick to premises purchased in Bamfield Road, West Heidelberg, and was renamed the Donated Goods Division.  ^[3] 

Older People 

A two-year experimental Home Improvement Service was established in the City of Geelong West.  This was designed to help elderly home owners by arranging the necessary alterations and improvement to their property to eliminate or minimise physical risk factors, allowing them to stay in their own homes as long as possible.  The project aimed to overcome lack of confidence or fear in employing tradesmen.  Three groups were catered for: those with no resources, for whom the Brotherhood made a grant or interest free loan; those able to pay but unable to organise; and those nearing retirement who want to identify improvements and want them done while they were still employed. ^[4] Read what was written about this in 'Acton' June 1979

Building of the new Clifton Hill hostel for frail aged (later known as Sambell Lodge), having been delayed by waiting for government subsidy, was further delayed by an objection to the plans.  The case was heard by the then Town & Country Planning Authority on 29 May, but  the wait for approval meant construction did not commence until March 1980. ^[5]  

Organisational aspects (BSL)

David Scott argued in his Review of Some Aspects of the Brotherhood that "rapid growth and diversity tend to slow down innovation adn focus increasing resources on oranisatinal maintenance".  (See his 1981 paper A Proposal for Renewal )

Presentations & Publications 

Inside the Brotherhood was a feature on the ABC Radio Program Encounter in March ^[6]

The BSL funded a directory of every Day Hospital, Day Centre and Drop-in Centre in metropolitan Melbourne.  The directory was compiled by a committee of representatives from these centres and was distributed to all hospitals, municipalities, welfare organisations and general practitioners. ^[7]

Publication of:

• The Second Year of the Action and Resource Centre - Giving, Receiving, Servicing: The Indigenous Model David Brous ^[8] 
• The Second Year of the Action and Resource Centre - Developing a Low Income Organisation David Brous ^[9] 
• Local Employment Program - a proposal for a pilot project based on a developmental program for the unemployed disadvantaged worker - a proposal for a pilot in job creation  (later known as the Neighbourhood Employment Development Program)  ^[10]
• SPAN - A Community Project for Older and Retired People. First progress report Jean Hamilton-Smith ^[11]
• Peter Hollingworth's Australians in Poverty was published by Thomas Nelson (ran to 4 editions and was on the HSC English curriculum) ^[12] 

Young People 

A Needs Action Review focused on teenage girls and motherhood. It asked "Are single teenage girls having babies to a greater extent than they used to? Are they more vulnerable? Can this be related in any way to high rates of unemployment among young women?" The review recommended that these questions be taken up by the research department.  ^[13]