e-News 2nd July 2013

3 July 2013

In this issue:

Help Improve Parking for Cancer Patients at RPA

For many cancer patients and carers, car parking at RPA Hospital is a nightmare. The high cost, scarcity of spaces, and distance between parking and treatment can cause significant physical, emotional and financial stress.

Fortunately, the arrival of the new cancer centre at RPA provides an opportunity to turn this around. But it won’t happen by itself.

To improve parking at RPA, the Sydney Cancer Advocacy Network is collecting stories about the hardship that people undergoing cancer treatment, their carers and family, experience finding and paying for parking at RPA.
And they need your help.

  • Can you share your story about parking at RPA?
  • Can you collect a parking story from someone you know who has had cancer treatment at RPA?
  • Once you’ve shared your story, the Sydney Cancer Advocacy Network will present it – together with many others – to hospital administrators and urge them to fix parking for cancer patients and carers once and for all.

This can work – cancer patients at Westmead experienced similar difficulties, until a community group ran a campaign that secured free parking right outside the treatment centre.

If you can help, please record your experience with parking on the page attached and e-mail it to sydneycanceradvocacynetwork@gmail.com If you’ve any questions, please call 0433331158.

Mad Jam Singer/Songwriter and Comedy Workshops

Inner Sydney Regional Council is hosting a singing/song writing session and a stand-up comedy session at the Redfern Town Hall on Saturday July 27th and Sunday July 28th for people affected through mental illness (consumers).

The workshops are an opportunity to develop your musical or comedic skills and gain the confidence to express yourself through the performing arts. Professional mentors will assist participants and assist in creating music and comedy to be performed at the Mad Jam Festival during Mental Health month in October.
You don’t need to be MAD to be involved – any local performers who would like to help out are welcome.
The workshops include a singing/song writing session and a stand-up comedy session.

Download a MadJamSessionsFlyer

To register or for more information, please contact Char Jones on 9698 7461 or email char.jones@innersydneyrcsd.org.au

KLC Community Workers Legal Education Series

The next KLC workshop for local community workers will be about ‘fines’. It will focus on a person’s appeal rights when they receive a fine and on repayment options, including Work Development Orders. Solicitors from KLC will be presenting the workshop.
When     Tuesday 23rd July 2013 Time: 10am to 11.30am

Where    Kingsford Legal Centre Meeting Room

To request a registration form or if you have any queries, please contact Dianne Anagnos by email d.anagnos@unsw.edu.au or phone 9385 9566.

Rudd Government’s New Ministry

Click here for a list of the Rudd Government’s New Cabinet and Ministry

On-line Service Directory – we now need your details

Inner Sydney Regional Council is in the process of creating an extensive online directory of community services in the Eastern Suburbs and Inner City. The map is very easy to read and navigate and will list each organisations details and services.

In order to make it as comprehensive as we can, we need to know the details of your organisation, the type of organisation you are e.g. mental health, aged care, neighbourhood centre and a brief description of your services, and a website if you have one.

Please email your information to Saskia at Saskia.cheney@innersydneyrcsd.org.au. Saskia will then send you the link to the map, so you can check you are happy with the information inputted before the map goes live.

Mental Health Month 2013 – small grants available for CALD communities

Mental Health Month is a national mental health promotion campaign held in October each year. The Mental Health Association of NSW has announced this year’s theme, ’Kindness: little acts, big impacts!’. The theme is a reminder of the importance of kindness and generosity to our mental health and wellbeing, both as givers and receivers of kindness.

The Transcultural Mental Health Centre (TMHC) has worked in partnership with the Mental Health Association of NSW for several years to promote Mental Health Month activities targeting culturally and linguistically diverse communities across NSW.

The TMHC will be sponsoring seven small grants as part of the Mental Health Month NSW 2013 ‘Small Grants Program’ for organisations and community groups whose initiatives specifically focus on culturally and linguistically diverse communities in NSW. The TMHC will be providing two grants of $1000 and five grants of $500.

Small grant applications are now open and will close at 5pm on Friday 12 July.

For more information on TMHC’s activities during Mental Health Month 2013 and for a list of winners from previous years, please visit their website.

To download an application form on the Mental Health Association’s ‘Small Grants Program’ please visit www.mentalhealth.asn.au

Enquiries can be directed to Dora Onesemo, Mental Health Project Officer, TMHC on (02) 8838 2168, email: Dora.Onesemo@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au.

FONGA Profile of the NGO Sector

NCOSS’ Forum of Non-Government Agencies (FONGA) has developed a working group to look at raising the profile of the sector to government and the wider community.

One of the projects the working group has drawn together is a document that outlines ‘24 Hours in the Day in the Life of a Community Sector Organisation.’ This provides a snapshot of the variety and intensity of the work covered by the sector.

If your organisation could possibly submit a line or two outlining the work done by your staff, it would help us to build a better, more complete picture of the diversity of the sector. You do not need to do the whole 24 hours – just pick one particular project at one particular time and write a sentence about the work.

Here is an example of what some organisations have already provided.

  • 6am-7am Wake CCU clients, and offer them some tea, toast, showers and referral to case. (Mission Australia men’s service #1)
  • SM travels to Narrandera for an 11.00 am meeting for Family Case Management, Local Management Group. (Mission Australia Family Services – Regional)
  • Travel to Walgett for staff supervision. (Mission Australia Youth – Regional)
  • Executive Officer sets up the meeting room and prepares breakfast (Volunteer Referral Service)
  • 25 volunteers assist 25 people with disabilities to prepare for the day at Camp Breakaway, providing essential respite for these people -building their confidence and self-esteem, providing essential social networking and human relationships. (Breakaway)
Please email your ‘snapshot’ to Char Jones on char.jones@innersydneyrcsd.org.au clearly stating the name of the organisation and the project.

Quote of the Week

As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind – every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.
John Glenn (1921 – )

John Glenn(1921–)

eNews is the fortnightly bulletin distributed by Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development.

It informs local residents, community organisations and groups about upcoming events, conferences, training and submission deadlines, as well as any relevant news.

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