FRANKSTON COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND INFORMATION CENTRE ANNUAL REPORT 2003 68 Playne Street Frankston Victoria 3199 Telephone: (03) 9781 4944 Facsimile: (03) 9781 4780 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.frankston.net ABN Number: 95 426 151 625 å VÉÇàxÇàá Vision _________________________ 3 Partnerships _________________ 18 Mission Statement _______________________3 Australian Taxation Department ___________ 18 Statement of Purposes ____________________3 Department of Family and Community Services18 Service Areas ___________________________3 Frankston City Council ___________________ 18 Frankston Magistrates Court ______________ 18 Combined Report from the Chairman and Manager ________ 4 LifeWorks _____________________________ 18 Mornington Peninsula Community Connections 19 _______________________ 6 Reports Operation Larder _______________________ 19 Emergency Relief Program _________________6 SkillsNet Community Internet Project _______ 19 Frankston 1200 Challenge Swim ____________9 Triple A Foundation _____________________ 19 Frankston Community Christmas Appeal 2002 11 Statistics ____________________ 20 Tax Help Program _______________________12 Services July 2002 — June 2003 ___________ 20 Information Technology __________________13 Enquiries by Percentage__________________ 20 ___________________ 14 Volunteers Enquiries July 2002 — June 2003 __________ 21 Expansion, Growth, Change, Challenge ______14 Structure and Personnel _____ 22 Volunteer Roles _________________________15 Organisational Structure _________________ 22 Volunteer Training ___________ 16 Committee of Management ___ 22 Professional Development_________________16 Role of the Committee of Management ______ 23 Training Sessions & Workshops offered: _____16 Committee Members and Positions _________ 23 __________ 17 Volunteer Statistics Staff _________________________________ 23 Volunteer Hours ________________________17 Life Members __________________________ 23 Volunteer Roles _________________________17 Honorary Member ______________________ 23 Acknowledgements___________ 24 Expansion • Growth • Change • Challenge - 2 - i|á|ÉÇ Mission Statement The Frankston Community Support and Information Centre is committed to provide the citizens of Frankston with high quality services based on social justice to support their social, emotional and physical well-being. In 1966 a project known as the Church and Life (c) Encourage the interest, and provide Movement was formed to make people more opportunities for residents of Frankston to aware of the needs of the Frankston become involved in providing services and community. A public meeting was called by the addressing community issues. Movement in 1967, at what is now the (d) Contribute to the development of Frankston Campus of Monash University. At this Frankston by working in partnership with meeting the Frankston Community Welfare other local groups and organisations on Committee was formed, and one of its first community projects, services and projects was to establish a Citizens Advice activities. Bureau. (e) Make representation In August 1968 the to governments, other Bureau began operating, organisations and the directed by the Frankston community on behalf of Community Welfare individuals and groups Committee until 1973 whose needs are not being when a sub-committee met adequately by current was formed to take over services. the administration and planning responsibilities of the Bureau. The Frankston Citizens Advice Bureau became autonomous and self- Service Areas managing in April 1977 with its first Annual General Meeting taking place in August of that Crisis Intervention year. Community Information In 1993 the membership voted to change the name of the organisation to Frankston Assessment and Referral Community Support and Information Centre as Budget Assistance it was felt that this name provided the community with a better understanding of the Financial Assessment organisations role and activities. Relationship Counselling Statement of Purposes Grief Counselling Family Counselling The Frankston Community Support and Tax Help Information Centre Incorporated is a non-profit Association whose purposes are to: Client Advocacy (a) Provide direct aid for the residents of Emergency Relief Frankston City in need of relief from poverty, sickness, suffering, distress, Internet Access misfortune, destitution or helplessness. (b) Respond to the needs of local residents by offering a range of information and support services most of which can be provided capably by trained community volunteer workers. Frankston Community Support and Information Centre • Annual Report 2003 - 3 - VÉÅu|Çxw exÑÉÜà From the Chairman and Manager “The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.” — DEANN HOLLIS We are pleased to report that in the last year Services in response to its Emergency Relief the Frankston Community Support and Discussion Paper. Information Centre has continued to thrive and An exciting decision during the year was to use this Annual Report demonstrates the ability of the experience of the Centre and its Emergency the Centre to provide services, programs and Relief Program to partner Mornington Peninsula activities to our local community. Community Connections to produce a handbook The Committee of Management has played a which will assist small community emergency pivotal role in the strategic direction of the relief agencies in the distribution of emergency organisation by the adoption and relief, and we look forward to its completion and implementation of new policies including Privacy publication early in 2004. and Confidentiality. Our emergency relief Members attending our program continues to last Annual General dominate requests for Meeting voted to accept service with it absorbing the new Constitution 56 per cent of enquiries. which has allowed us to During the year the introduce modern day Centre distributed business practices into $193,361.23 in the agency. emergency relief funds The organisation and our statistics indicate constantly moves forward in excess of 90 percent of with the Centre’s emergency relief went to activities and service new clients. strengthened by the The Centre has been addition of newly trained volunteers, bringing coordinating the annual Frankston Community our number of volunteer staff to 83. The Christmas Appeal fundraising event for twelve Bayside Shopping Centre 1200 Challenge Swim years. Last year the Appeal provided 224 held in February had the impressive support of Christmas hampers to Frankston families which a further 118 volunteers who assisted with the were additional to funds spent on emergency organisation of the event. Our volunteer staff relief assistance. training program reflects the importance of their development and our obligation to provide the From 11,292 enquiries received by the Centre, people of Frankston with a professional service. as expected, most people were Australian born. However, it is interesting to note, our data We continue our commitment to community shows that the Frankston community is development on a local, state and federal level. becoming more culturally diverse. Residents Our involvement includes the Pines Community from 60 different nationalities accessed the Project, City of Frankston Social Housing service for the first time, verifying that Planning Reference Group, City of Frankston Frankston City is gradually becoming a Access and Equity Committee, Frankston multicultural society. Mornington Peninsula Volunteer Group, City of Frankston Responsible Gaming Committee, As a result of enquiries received, our Material Aid Trust, Frankston Swim, Community community workers provided 18,479 referrals to Christmas Appeal, Frankston and Victorian services, organisations, businesses and Emergency Relief Providers committees, government departments. The increase of Frankston Magistrate’s Client Services group, referrals from 12,311 in the previous year the FaCS Emergency Relief Focus Group indicates a more holistic approach our workers together with presenting a detailed submission now take in providing information to their to the Department of Family and Community community. Expansion • Growth • Change • Challenge - 4 - k From the Chairman and Manager (Cont) Working with disadvantaged people has made Throughout the year the Centre has monitored the organisation more aware of community the length of time people have waited for an health issues and a major concern for the interview and excessive hours worked by Centre is the health and wellbeing of the people volunteer staff. We are conscious that providing we assist. The opportunities for affordable a service, which allows people to walk in ‘off the medical attention for disadvantaged people street’ without an appointment, will cause some keep decreasing with fewer bulk billing general problems when trying to manage additional practices remaining within the municipal demands for service. boundaries of Frankston where mental health, The organisation of the Frankston swim is drugs and alcohol are still major problems for a always a challenge. The sixth open sea event number of our residents. held to promote Frankston beach, raise funds Frankston City continues to attract people with for the Christmas Appeal and the Centre complex problems from other areas because of attracted 257 entrants mostly from Melbourne’s its diversity of perceived affordable South Eastern suburbs and the Mornington accommodation that includes