Our Community Winter News 2015

Our Community News
Winter Edition 2015
A Project of Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services Inc.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in Our Community News are not necessarily
those of Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services Inc.
All articles are published in good faith
Produced by East Nowra Neighbourhood Centre and
Sponsored by University of Wollongong Shoalhaven Campus
This quarter we present some ideas about how
diversity and inclusivity can create a safer and
healthier community.
Fostering a more inclusive community can be as
simple as attending a local event and getting to
know your neighbours or saying hello to the
people in your street. Read on to learn more
Inside this issue:
Connecting Community
Healthy Heart recipe
2-3
4
Tax Help
5
In Short
7
Strengthening Community
10
Give Happy Live Happy
Residents around Jaycees Park enjoy a day out and a chance to meet their neighbours.
Living in an inclusive, strong, safe and healthy community is
something many of us seem to yearn for.
Recently, Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services was involved in a project
called #ASK where we asked local residents what sort of community they
would like to live in. Not surprisingly almost everyone said they wanted to
live in a community where they felt safe. Interestingly local crime statistics
show we do live in a safer community but our sense of fear and concern is
built on an impression we receive from many quarters. Like the old saying
tells us bad news travels fast.
Continues over page..
Continued from front page
There is evidence that one of the factors contributing to these safety
concerns is people losing connection with their immediate neighbourhood.
Evidence shows that safer communities are more inclusive ones.
(Ref: www.equalityforafairgo.org.au)
Of course government, at all levels, have an important role in creating that
will empower all residents but we also have the power to make a difference.
Community development needs to start from how we define our situation, the
challenges we face and our aspirations and assets.
Connecting with your community can be as simple as shopping at the local
shopping centre, taking the time to chat to your neighbour or join a class or
group in your neighbourhood. Some ideas are bigger but still simple such as
the community verge gardens in Wilga Avenue in Dulwich Hill Sydney.
Taking part in local activities gives you a chance to meet new people.
Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services has a wide range of local community
groups meeting at their centre or can give you information about community
groups or upcoming events.
People in their street have moved their community out of their backyards and
into their front yards. Squished between a busy road and a train line they
have created a whole street of edible verge gardens! This might not be
something your street can take on, and of course Council may have by-laws
that need to be checked, but what about a street clean up or neighbourhood
barbeque. Communities are stronger where people help each other out and
where everyone finds good ways of making a valued local contribution.
2
Lending a helping hand
to a local community
group not only helps
them achieve more with
limited resources but
also helps create
connections across the
community.
Reconnecting with community
People with a mental illness can be
among the most disadvantaged in
society, and they often confront
many barriers as a direct result of
their illness. Stigma and
discrimination is one major barrier
and can often be worse than the
illness itself. Changing perceptions
about mental illness can go a long
way towards breaking down some
of the barriers that stigma and
discrimination creates.
Mental Health Advocates are a
voice for consumers who use Mental Health Services. They give information
on rights and responsibilities of the consumer and make sure they are
respected and upheld; support and listen to consumers when they are
inpatients; act as a go between with staff of the Mental Health Service including doctors, nurses, social workers in both community facilities and
hospital based services; listen to and take consumer complaints; run weekly
consumer meetings on the inpatient units; and tell consumers about other
services available. They include rehabilitation services, residential services
and support groups.
Image from www.ithinkwell.org
Rehabilitation Peer Support Workers provide support groups and
programmes in rehabilitation settings; attend meetings and represent
consumer views and perspectives; facilitate the recovery process; give views
regarding delivery of service to managers of the
Continues on page 12
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Healthy Heart Recipe
Chilli Con Carne
Serves : 4
Prep Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time : 30 minutes
* Freezer Friendly
This classic Chilli Con Carne is a quick and easy
recipe that's bursting with fiery flavours that the
family will love
INGREDIENTS
Low calorie cooking spray
1 large onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 fresh chillies, deseeded and
chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Spray a large saucepan with cooking oil spray
and fry the onions over a low heat for 6– 8
minutes
Add garlic, chillies and all the spices and
continue frying and stirring for 2-3 minutes.
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
Add the can tomatoes, tomato purée and
stock. Stir well and bring to boil. Reduce the
heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes until
the liquid is reduced.
1 level tbsp. tomato purée
Season with salt and pepper and add the
300ml beef stock
kidney beans. Heat through gently for about 5
minutes.
1 tsp paprika
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
500g lean beef mince
200g red kidney beans
Serve hot sprinkled with coriander leaves.
Serve on a bed of boiled rice.
Want to contribute to this Newsletter ?
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Subscribe to our email list here:
www.sns.org.au/pages/mailinglist.aspx
4
Tim Has an Eye for Detail
Another Essential Employment & Training Success!
In his final year at Shoalhaven High, 17 year old Tim
completed a Certificate I in Employability skill course
“Becoming A Worker” with Essential Employment & Training.
Essential Employment & Training then placed Tim with
Nowra Classic Car Detailers for an unpaid work trial. Tim soon
progressed to an 8 hours a week paid position.
Tim is a quiet young man who loves working around cars.
He doesn’t make a fuss; he just quietly gets on with his work.
Tim has now progressed to fulltime employment and is a valued employee.
We continue to drop in on a regular basis to support to both Tim and the employer.
Essential Employment and Training (EET) is a not for profit organisation,
dedicated to supporting people with disabilities. For more information on how
EET can support you please visit us at www.eetgroup.com.au or at
Level 1, 24 Berry Street Nowra or simply call us on 4423 1191.
Volunteers needed for Tax Help 2015
Volunteers with computer skills are needed to help the Nowra and Bomaderry
communities with their annual Tax Help program.
Tax help is in it’s 27th year of operation, and volunteers are needed in your local
area to ensure its success.
Tax help is a Free Community service for people on low
incomes around $50,000. Volunteers help these people to
prepare and lodge their individual income tax returns
electronically via myTax.
Full training and support is provided.
You can find out more about these volunteer positions by phoning (02) 9354 3618
to talk with a Community Liaison officer from the Australian Tax Office.
*People wishing to access the Tax Help program should begin booking appointments with the
Neighbourhood Centre in late June. Call us on 4422 1299 (East Nowra) or 4421 5077 (Nowra).
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Fostering an Inclusive Community
Provided by Shoalcoast Community Legal Services
Human Rights are taken very seriously by Australians, however it may surprise you
to discover that Australia does not have a Bill of Rights or other instrument that
clearly states how we as a country treat, or wish our citizens to be treated.
The protection of our human rights is given to us through the laws that are made by
both federal parliament and the individual states.
Australia is obliged to provide its citizens with human rights as set out by the United
Nations in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and various international
treaties that Australia has signed. Australia must also report to the United Nations
through the Australian Human Rights Commission on our conduct with regard to
human rights.
The Australian Human Rights Commission and the Federal Attorney General’s
Department provide information to the Parliament to help them make laws that fit
with the Declaration of Human Rights.
In Australia, it is against federal law to discriminate on the basis of age, sex,
disability and race.
The states also make laws about discrimination and in New South Wales, The AntiDiscrimination Board which is part of the NSW Department of Police and Justice
administers the anti-discrimination laws.
The Anti-Discrimination Board describes discrimination as being unfairly treated
because you belong to a particular group or have a particular characteristic. The
laws dealing with discrimination are made to give everybody an equal chance.
In NSW the following discriminations are illegal;

Disability discrimination;

Sex discrimination;

Race Discrimination;

Age discrimination;

Carer’s responsibility discrimination;

Marital or domestic status discrimination;

Homosexual and transgender discrimination; and

Discrimination because of who you are related to, or who you associate
with.
In NSW it is also illegal to be harassed or vilified by behaviour that you do not
want, offends, humiliates or intimidate you, creates a hostile environment, and
targets you because of your sex, pregnancy, breastfeeding, race, martial or
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If you or someone your know is
experiencing problems with gambling
There is help available
If you or someone you know is experiencing problems with gambling there is
help available. It may seem overwhelming, but we can work with you develop
lasting solutions.
Gambling help Counselling service Unifam works with all people who are
affected by problem gambling including family and friends of the problem
gamblers. This support can be provided to individuals, couples and families,
including children.
Ways that Unifam offers support include;

Therapeutic counselling support for anyone impacted by problem
gambling

Assistance in obtaining a venue self-exclusion for problem gamblers

Financial Counselling for anyone impacted by problem gambling

Community education and presentations on problem gambling

Financial literacy workshops

Therapeutic group for family members and significant others of
problem gamblers.
All
services are free of charge and completely
confidential.
For more information or to arrange an
appointment at our Nowra office, call
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Reporting a Problem
See it report it
Snap Send Solve is a free app for your iPhone or Android device that lets you
report issues and provide feedback to Council. It determines your current Council
area using your smartphones GPS location.
You can easily capture and report issues including litter, damaged roads or footpaths, parking issues, street cleaning, trees, general requests and feedback.
All details including incident type, notes, address of incident, photo current
location and email contact are submitted to Council using your email address.
For more information about this free app and to download it go to
http://shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/My-poverty/Reporting-a-Problem
Social Card Making Group meets 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 10 am to 2
pm at East Nowra Neighbourhood Centre, Park Road, Nowra. On the 3rd Friday of the
month, new card makers will be welcome, no experience necessary, and will be assisted in making their first cards. For further information and materials required for beginners, contact the Centre ph. 442212999. As numbers are limited it is essential to contact the Centre.
A word from Maxine - Administrator Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services
Over the last few months we have spent some time talking with
community members about what type of community they would
like to live in.
A common theme that has started to emerge is that people are
saying they want to live in “a community where community
members support each other”.
This type of community is one that is inclusive of others and
values the diversity that all community members bring.
Attending a local event or activity is just one simple way that you can be
included in your community, by taking the time to attend an activity or event
you may get to meet a new person.
Research shows that inclusive communities are more are likely to be
healthier than those where people face insecurity, exclusion and deprivation
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Community Markets at Jelly Bean Park
Nowra Mega Markets is run by local volunteers to raise money to assist and
support people who are living in hardship in our community. The group is a Sub
Committee of the Shoalhaven Anti-Poverty Committee and are working under
the auspices of Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services who often work with the
most vulnerable in our community.
Although Australia is a wealthy country many people in our community still
struggle to make ends meet in this uncertain employment environment. Families
where parents are either out of work or working casual jobs often have very
little to spare once they have paid rent and the costs of running a house.
Nowra Mega Markets Chairperson Lyne French said “ We will be holding
daytime markets this year on Saturday the 22nd of August and the 5th of
December and Twilight Markets on Saturday evenings on the 31st October, 28th
November and 12th December.
The markets are being held at the newly refurbished Jelly Bean Park (next to the
Woolworths carpark at Nowra) and Mrs French says, “There will be stallholders
galore—we already have a number of stalls for each of the markets booked and
we have had numerous enquiries.
“All the money raised from stall holder fees will go to assisting people living in
hardship,” Mrs French added.
Further enquires are welcome. Stall fees are $20 per site for insured vendors
and the those without insurance coverage can apply for coverage under the
organisation’s insurance if they are just starting out and willing to pay an extra
charge. Contact Lyne 0402 616 850.
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Strengthening our diverse and inclusive community
2015 is the year of more@ UOW Shoalhaven. We have 3 new degrees on offer:
Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Education (Early Years) and Bachelor of
Social Science.
This makes the campus a buzz place!
And, we are offering students pathways into Uni through Certificate III&IV in
Aged Care and a Certificate IV in Welfare as well as our University Access
Program. If you have a Certificate IV or Diploma you can step into Uni no
problems.
Careers from the campus to date include nurses, doctors, health workers,
teachers, community managers and project workers, care givers and case
workers. Helping professionals as well as the accountants and managers from
our Business degrees.
Our campus has also stunning performance from people from specific groups
who do not traditionally make it to or through University. There are people in our
community who think that Uni is not for them. I have news for them! Uni can be
for anyone who dreams it!
One of our Nursing students today told me she found our Campus a wonderful
supportive environment. She says she is someone who has tried Uni many times
before and here it is just a different culture and feeling.
Classes are not so big you don’t know who is there. The culture on campus is
that if you stand and ask a question, then someone will say, “hey I know how to
help you” or “I know who you should ask about that”. It is a place for many and
its strength is in its inclusiveness.
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When I watch all our students at their Graduation Ceremony. They walk proud,
heads tall, smiles on their faces. They know they can tackle challenges they couldn’t
tackle before! And I can see the difference in their outward sense of wellbeing over
the time they have studied.
Education is part of building healthy communities. Our local Campus at University of
Wollongong Shoalhaven is doing its part in fostering strength in our diverse and
inclusive community.
I am always happy to talk with anyone about coming to Uni and we have Pathways
and Courses in a much wider range of studies than many realise.
Come join me for a cuppa at our Café on Campus and let me shout you one! Just
ring us on 4448 0888 and make an appointment for a coffee with Robbie.
Of course, we may still have room for you in one of our courses too. Check out our
web page http://shoalhaven.uow.edu.au to see what we offer.
University of Wollongong
Shoalhaven Campus is a
proud sponsor of Our Community News
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Continued from Page 3
mental health service; and attend consumer health meetings within the wider
consumer participation.
Services are also available for carers. A Carer Coordinator and Carer
Consultant are working with Mental Health Care providers to improve the
responsiveness of the service in meeting the needs of carers. This includes
raising awareness of carers’ needs and issues through acting as a central
resource point of contact regarding carer issues within the Mental Health
Service; supporting and resourcing carer focused practice improvement and
service initiatives, linking health providers who are working on carer projects,
and provide information and education; assisting staff and clinicians in
recognising the value of the carers role and the need for them to be informed
and involved in the treatment and recovery plan; providing carers with an
information sheet including examples of relevant questions to ask the doctor
or treating team at time of admission on all mental health units; and
providing an opportunity for carer’s to request information and education
relevant to their needs. Information packs containing information on mental
illnesses and other relevant resources are available on request.
For more information regarding support within the community please contact
Mental Health Administration, Shellharbour Hospital, Madigan Boulevard,
Mount Warrigal on 4295 2577; Mental Health Administration Wollongong on
Cont from P6
domestic status, Homosexuality, disability, Transgender Status or carers
responsibilities.
The areas in which the law protects you are when you are employed, finding
Employment or leaving a job; when you try to get accommodation like renting a
home or staying in a hotel or caravan park and when you try to join or enter a
registered club.
If you feel you have been discriminated against , the Shoalcoast Community Legal
Centre may be able to assist you.
Being discriminated against can be confusing and a scary time and getting help can
seem like a big task. Where do you go for help ? How do you make a complaint ?
Who do you complain too and can someone help you negotiate a better outcome ?.
Shoalcoast helps people with issues relating to discrimination and tenancy or
employment and when dealing with government departments like Centrelink.
If you would like free legal advice from a solicitor regarding discrimination, call the
Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre on 4422 9529 on Tuesdays between the hours
of 10am—Midday for free Legal advice over the telephone.
The details of your legal issues will be collected by an intake worker and a solicitor
will call you back.
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SCAMwatch is warning consumers and businesses to be aware of NBN-related
scams seeking to get your personal details or asking you to buy equipment you
don’t need.
As the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) progresses, you may receive
legitimate materials from NBN Co and telecommunications service providers aboutwhat
you need to do when the NBN comes to your area.
Unfortunately, scammers may take advantage of the NBN rollout, using it as an excuse to
contact consumers and small businesses. Scammers may call or email with false claims
that they need personal details, such as credit card details, to allow access to the NBN.
Some scammers may also tell consumers that they need to buy new equipment to use
services over the NBN.
Scammers often use major government programs or announcements like the NBN to trick
people into handing over their money or personal details. Scammers may pretend to be
from NBN Co, a government agency, or a telecommunications provider to sound
legitimate. They may spin a range of stories to make their story sound real, such as
claiming that personal information such as credit card details is necessary to get access
to services over the NBN. Scammers typically ask for people’s financial and other
personal details to access their money and commit identity theft.
If you are unsure about what you need to do to switch to services over the NBN, you
should contact your preferred telecommunications service provider using the number in
the telephone directory or on their official website.
There are a limited number of circumstances where you may need new equipment when
you switch to services over the NBN. Do not purchase any new equipment before
speaking with your preferred telecommunications service provider and/or your equipment
provider.
Be on guard, you may receive a phone call or email from someone asking for your
personal or banking details in order get services over the NBN at your home or business.
If you are approached by someone purporting to offer the NBN in this way, hang up and
stop contact– the person on the other end may be a scammer. The best approach is to
call your preferred telecommunications service provider using the number they list in the
telephone directory or on their official website.
For more information check out the SCAMwatch radar on
www.scamwatch.gov.au
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Putting RESPECT back into East Nowra
At a Community Gathering at the East Nowra Neighbourhood centre in 2013 an
idea to improve respect in our area was proposed in response to some residents’
concern about the way people spoke to one another in the street and the need to
raise awareness for more respect of one another and for the local environment.
This idea has been extended by the group to include other activities that also
improve people’s pride in their local community.
From this the Nowra East Neighbourhood Pride was formed.
One project that we are working on is a “Reading the Land” where residents will
explore a part of the local environment, learning from people who have knowledge
about the area and sharing knowledge and perspectives, then participants will be
asked to ‘interpret’ what they have seen and learnt by creating an artwork, in an
afternoon of fun. The artworks will then be displayed locally.
“Reading the Land is as much about participation as artistic output, taking the view
that everyone’s an artist, everyone has creative responses to issues, ideas, places. It
has evolved to encompass a range of visual arts along with poetry, prose, fabric art
and musical interpretation.” - Graeme Gibson
If you would like to be part of this project in any way, please contact either Melissa
Hedger on 4429 3128, Judith Reardon on 4422 1299 or Graeme Gibson on 4441
8885.
Need Assistance?
If you find yourself in financial crisis and require financial or material assistance
from the Salvation Army, please contact 1300 371 288.
You will be assessed according to need and put onto the correct Salvation Army
service in your local area.
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Our Community News is produced by a small team of
volunteers and staff at Shoalhaven Neighbourhood
Services.
You can support us by advertising in or sponsoring the
newsletter or volunteering
For more information call Judith on 44221299
Estimated readership over 9,000 in the Nowra area
Page size
Total price
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(GST Inc)
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15
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THE
SHOALHAVEN



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Do you enjoy working outdoors?
Do you enjoy working in the garden?
Do you take pride in your lawn?
Do you have spare time?
Do you want to give back?
‘Yard Assist’ is a volunteer based support group for those
who are not coping at this time, particularly aimed at
assisting the elderly and disabled.
Volunteers help out in the garden by lawn mowing,
weeding etc. ‘Yard Assist’ gives local people the chance to
assist others in their community.
If you would like to join this great group of individuals and
‘give back’.
Please call Penni at SCCH on 44215145.
Looking for something else?
Check out our recently updated brochure ‘Volunteering in the
Shoalhaven’ which you can pick up at the Nowra or East
Nowra Neighbourhood Centres, at many community
organisations and on our website www.sns.org.au
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