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1976

Action and Resource Centre (ARC) for low-income families opens 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. (BSL Annual Report 1976, pp.6-7; BSL Overview and history of income supplementation services, p. 10) 

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.  (Brotherhood Action, September 1976, no 213)

ARC established a savings and loan scheme, providing no interest loans for up to $150 to low-income people. (BSL Overview and history of income supplementation services, pp. 10 & 26)

Publication of

• The Family Centre Project: sixth progress report February 1975 - November 1975 Concetta Benn (Benn, B 1976 Family Centre Project; Brotherhood Action, June 1976, no 212)
• The Family Centre Project: a third overview Michael Liffman & Jan Salmon - the final research document dealing with this project. (Liffiman, M et al. 1976 Family Centre Project; Brotherhood Action,  March 1977, no 215)

1977

ARC, following success of an earlier incentive saving scheme, set up a Savings and Loan Scheme where families became eligible for a $150 interest free loan after establishing a savings pattern over 16 weeks.  Planning began for a credit union with a budgeting service.   With the support of the BSL, ARC joined with Fitzroy City Council and other local organisations to form the Fitzroy/ARC Credit Union, commencing on a small scale.  This later became the Fitzroy and Carlton Community Credit Cooperative. (Brotherhood Action, March 1977, no 215, p. 2; BSL Annual Report 1977, p. 2; Brotherhood Action, September 1977, no 217)    

1981

ARC (Action and Resource Centre Community House) established in Clifton Hill as an independent co-operative society in June with a Board of Directors elected by the membership.  The Brotherhood provided approximately 80% of the funds needed to maintain the project. (BSL Annual Report 1981-82, p. 7) 

1990

Publications included:

• Tim Gilley, Empowering Poor People: a consumer view of the Family Centre Project, a follow-up study of the Brotherhood’s Family Centre project (1972-1975) based on interviews with the original 60 families to discuss the value of the project to them. (Gilley, T 1990, Empowering poor people)

1997

Members of the Action and Resource Centre (ARC) decided to dissolve the cooperative in July 1997.  BSL’s ongoing support for holiday camps for low income families was channelled through Preston Neighbourhood House.  (BSL Annual Report 1997, p. 12) 

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