1
2
Ali
Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Social and Economic Development Directorate’s quarterly newsletter, Out and About. Each edition will focus on what our people have been up to in place: The Hills The Valley And the Urban. We hope you enjoy the read and welcome any feedback you may have. If you would like further information on any of the projects featured, contact the relevant officer direct. Best wishes Ali
3
On Friday 28 February Youth Services supported the Lilydale Centre Safe Committee with the first Lilydale Street Party. Young musicians from local schools and the surrounding community entertained the crowd. Other activities provided by Youth Services included the highly popular Sumo Suits. This event was very successful in engaging the community and local businesses of Lilydale.
Mount Evelyn Skate Park provided the perfect backdrop to launch Council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Christiaan Bailey world champion chair skater and surfer inspired the audience with his story and we were treated to a demonstration of the amazing sport of chair skating.
Alistair Osborn from the Lilydale Centre Safe Committee commented after the event that he wanted ‘to acknowledge and thank Yarra Ranges Youth Services lead by Simon Williams. YRYS ran the musical entertainment and ‘sumo wrestling’ all evening. I think this was a great investment into the Lilydale community’. In partnership with Community Planning and Development and Community Safety, Youth Services’ is involved in the Adopt a Spot project at Churinga Shopping Centre in Kilsyth. Family & Children Services have commenced detailed work on designing the new Integrated Children’s Hub and Neighbourhood House being constructed at Chirnside Park. Architects ‘Clarke, Hopkins, Clarke’ have been working with a range of stakeholders to develop the Centre.
Not only are Youth Services busy engaging with our street traders, they are working in partnership with Aged and Disability Services to focus on access to programs for young people with a disability who need assistance to join in mainstream activities. A number of festivals and events have taken place across the urban area. This photo of bright belly dances was taken at last weekend’s Celebrate Mooroollbark Festival.
For further information about our Health and Well being Strategy contact Rachel Murphy or Cathi Walker.
4
Montrose is a township that is also part of the urban areas of the municipality. A major project being lead by Arts Culture and Heritage is the $1.4M Montrose town centre development. This project will bring together the library and Town Centre to create a new community, cultural space. The Mooroolbark Train Station as a Creative Community Hub Project is in its final stages of planning. The PTV has worked with ACH and Strategic Projects for 6 years and is applying for a planning permit. They expect to start construction this year. The Mayor Cr Fiona McAllister opened up VCE showcase at Mooroolbark on Thursday 13 March. A great opening with excited young artists from the Urban Region. The VoiceMob appeared at celebrate Mooroolbark singing and moving to unexpected festival goers. Cr Maria McArthy joined community people and officers in in impromptu performance on the day. There is video footage to prove it! Culture Tracks got on the road in the urban region with Cr Len Cox introducing Archie Roach’s sold out performance on Friday 21st March Archie Roach in full song playing to a packed house
At a recent Saturday morning, Kilsyth was humming. Out the back of the shopping centre a smallish recreation precinct came alive with colourful tents, graffiti trailer, displays, activities and a chance to have a say on the Blank Canvass community arts project. For further information contact Santha Press CD Officer for the urban area, Amanda May (Hills)
5
Construction work at Robyn Jane childcare centre has been completed with the expanded centre opening up for business in January 2014. Robyn Jane can now cater for 68 children across a number of rooms. Youth Services have been involved in the Cultural Strengthening Project at HISCA which is focusing on Indigenous Hip Hop, The Glen Youth Group, the youth leadership program at Student Voice at Healesville High School and the Hands on Learning at Upper Yarra Secondary College. WHYLD community planning is moving along with the community updating its priorities. The group received a Council grant to run Minimarkets in local schools offering local foods and products. This was the first year the grant criteria included projects related to Community Plans.
On Tuesday 25 February, the Early Years Development Unit, working with Woori Yallock Primary School and other local partners delivered the Bookaburra Twilight Early Literacy Festival at Woori Yallock Primary School. Over 100 families attended this event .
Community conversations are underway with Seville Township Group, planning a Powelltown community dinner and formal consultation on the proposed sale of the old MCH site in Yarra Glen. A five year commemorative Black Saturday event at Yarra Glen used the magnificent stained glass bushfire memorial to frame the community choir - the sun coming through the glass as they performed. Singers young and old participated. Talk to: Community Development Officers, Jess Adams and Chris Riseley and Lou Sbalchiero (Reading Room and Memorial Hall) in Yarra Glen.
6
The Health and Wellbeing strategy outlines our commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of all residents. In partnership with Nourish (Food Fairness Outer East), the Aged and Disability Services Cooking Small, Eating Well program will help the Council meet this goal by supporting nutritional intake of older people through a capacity building strategy.
For more information about the Eat Well Program contact Caroline Perry.
VoiceMob took off at Healesville Market on March 2 with over 100 people engaging and singing ‘unexpectedly’ with regular Sunday market patrons. Mayor Cr Fiona McAllister debriefed with excited participants. Incredible energy and enthusiasm was generated about the project. The VoiceMob also ‘intervened’ at the Coranderrk
VCE Creative Showcase was opened at the Studio gallery by Cr Jim Child. More young people and parents joined together to celebrate their creative achievement. Fragile Couture, Yarra Ranges exhibition as part of The Virgin Australia Melbourne fashion Festival was opened by Mayor Cr Fiona McAllister. Over 100 people on the night, engaged with the creations from ‘upcylced’ materials. Warburton regulars are trying out a range of seats currently placed in the foyer at Upper Yarra Arts Centre. The seats are to be replaced, improving comfort and sightlines. Cinema in the Valley has had some great numbers this year. Nearly 1500 people attended Cinema in the Valley in February. Karen Meuleman’s “contermpory Geisha”features in Fragile Couture currently showing at the Memo.
7
Integrated exchanged: Planned Activity Group participants share in fun and laughter with children at the Sherbrooke Family and Children’s Centre. Throughout February and March Youth Services has been running leadership workshops with students at Mater Christi College in Belgrave. Thirty–eight participants from years 9 to 11 have been learning skills such as public speaking, how to work with different personalities, developing mission statements and how to influence effectively.
In February, PAG participants joined in with a class of 3-4 year old children at the Sherbrooke PAG participants, who are mostly elderly citizens living in the Hills area, had a great time reading stories, playing snakes and ladders and sharing in the children’s natural curiosity, fun and laughter.
This in-school program culminated with awards being presented at an all school assembly on Wednesday March 26. This leadership program is a result of building closer relationships with schools in Yarra Ranges – many of whom have identified leadership programs as a need for their students. Youth Services is currently negotiating with other schools how best to partner with them around implementing leadership programs to benefit more young people in Yarra Ranges community. Sherbrooke Family and Children’s Centre is a pilot site for the Seedlings program. A free session was recently held at the centre for families and early years services which provided information and tools for families and educators to better understand the links between Education for Sustainability and Children’s Development.
Michael, a PAG volunteer, said that he really loved seeing the children and PAG participants learning so much together. ‘It really was a two way exchange. Everyone got so much out of it.’ The fun continued when about 30 children participated in a magic show performed by PAG volunteer, Greg (aka ‘El Bopo’). PAG Ranges Coordinator, Heather Barr, said that PAG and Sherbrooke Family and Children’s Centre are planning to arrange further intergenerational exchanges in 2014. For more information about this program contact Heather Barr
8
The Hills are alive with the sound of Voicemob and lots of other activities. Amanda May has been working with the Township Groups in Upwey, Monbulk and Tecoma on community planning. Peter Kenyon will offer community planning workshops in May and the groups are keen to attend. Andrea Wright (Eco Dev) is supporting the Belgrave Traders with advice on the governance processes around reintroducing the Special Charge Scheme. The scheme enables the trader group to leverage stronger marketing and other outcomes. VoiceMob also ran at Selby fest on Saturday 22 march with Cr Samantha Dunn debriefing with participants. So far over 500 people and over 20 leaders have participated. Another great Launch of VCE Creative showcase on Friday 14th March with Cr Dunn speaking at her 7th annual VCE creative showcase at Burrinja. The Eastern Women on the Go event offers women in business great networking and promotional opportunities. The event took place on Thursday 27 March at Nathania Springs in Monbulk. The 130 attendees were treated to outstanding presentations by leading business women who live in the Yarra Ranges. EWOG Event: Event Manager Extraordinaire Donna Donovan with attendees, the Mayor and Cr McArthy.
Voice Mob in the Valley and Hills
9
Love your work
Lilydale Street Party Alister Osborn from the Lilydale Centre Safe Committee commented after the event that he wanted ‘to acknowledge and thank Yarra Ranges Youth Services lead by Simon Williams. YRYS ran the musical entertainment and ‘sumo wrestling’ all evening. I think this was a great investment into the Lilydale community’. Culture Tracks Well done to the ACH team on the delivery of the Culture Tracks brochure. To arrange that much program for 2014 and deliver it packaged so creatively is a wonderful achievement. EWOG
Hi Donna Just wanted to let you know that I thought today’s Breakfast was fantastic. You could have heard a pin drop as each of your guest speakers were talking! Such inspiring ladies, each in their own way & they complemented each other perfectly. Ilse Jackie Elward received this feedback from sculptor Ernst Fires (Bushfire Memorial in Yarra Glen): Dear Jackie Thank you for producing the wonderful postcard of the Bushfire Memorial. It came out really well. The memorial has received a lot of good publicity and everyone seemed to get something out of it. That was my intention. Thanks again, Ernst Fries
10