Money Minded is a FREE program covering 6 topics regarding personal financial management. This course was developed by the ANZ Bank and Berry Street and is offered free of charge to participants.

Michael Curtis is a Chartered Accountant with 18 years experience in public accounting and industry and is a fully qualified Money Minded Facilitator.

Thursday 22 February to 29 March (6 weeks)

1.00 to 3.00 pm

Bookings essential.

For Volunteers Week this year 24 of us went to Tahbilk Winery, Wetlands Cafe for lunch with Marea, our wonderful benefactor. George drove the bus through the forest to the winery south of Nagambie. The Wetlands Cafe, a faily new feature of Tahbilk Winery, overlooks the billabong on the Goulburn River and serves excellent meals.

Our volunteers work in admin, catering, gardening, shed program, and the driving service. Not forgetting the Committee of Management.  Everyone gets along very well together and had lots of laughs while enjoying good food and wine. The volunteers are the core of our organisation, without them we would not be able to function properly and grow.

In appreciation of all the support we get from Marea with our driving service we presented her with a big flower arrangement and she was quite overwhelmed. What a great lady!

Pictured left to right:

Lorna (driver), Marea and flowers, Yvonne (committee member), Gillian (coordinator) and Kay (secretary, committee of management)

Yesterday at the Rushworth Community House monthly committee meeting we celebrated the fact that we now own the land on which the Community Garden is established.

Several of the members attending joined President Sandy in a glass of vintage champagne. Congratulations to Sandy and her team for the way the garden looks now, compared to what it looked like 5 years ago when it was started by a group of Community Jobs Program workers.

Milestones along the way include $20,000 grant from Regional Solutions Program (federal) to build the shade house, hot house and mud brick shed, $5,000 from Foundation of Regional and Rural Renewal, two further CJP groups to work on the garden development and two small grants (from Shire of Campaspe and Regional Arts Victoria) for an art project, which created a conversation seat carved from hebel brick.

 

This morning Poppy (Ken) brought his orphaned baby goat in to the office for a visit. He has named her Rosie because now life is rosy after having been abandoned by her mother who had twins. Our printer/photocopier is also called Rosie, for no appartent reason.

Birds captivate town was the headline in the Shepparton News of 28 April 2006.

Hundreds flocked to the Rushworth Easter Festival which presented art exhibitions, opera, dance and puppetry with bird themes on Saturday 15 April.

"We had the biggest day in Rushworth in years," festival artistic director Angie Russi said.

A special choreographed sequence titled 'Dance of the Birds' involving scores of community members and school students was a captivating finish to the event.

"Dance of the Birds was both environmental education and community collaborative arts-making project culminating in outdoor theatre," Ms Russi said.

The streets were packed, it was estimated over 1/3 of the towns population attended. It was a celebration of the birds in the Rushworth State Forest. The project was managed by Rushworth Community House with funding from Festivals Australia.

 

Today I added lots of friends to my list

The campaign for increased funding for Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres is increasing in intensity across the state as time for budget decision making draws closer.

Local Houses in Rushworth, Murchison and Girgarre have been taking part in the campaign by having their participants send letters, cards and sign petitions to be presented to the state government.

Representatives from the Neighbourhood House Coordination Program met with members of the National Party in Melbourne  to raise concerns on behalf of neighbourhood houses in rural and regional Victoria.

Neighbourhood House coordinators and volunteers across country Victoria are under extreme stress due to a lack of funding and many have either left the centres, or are burnt out.

Neighbourhood Houses make an enormous contribution to reducing disadvantage and minimising potential social problems, and the sector needs immediate financial assistance from the Bracks Government if it is to survive.

 “Coordinators of the Neighbourhood House Coordination Program are only funded for an average of 17.8 hours per week, when in reality most coordinators are working up to 40 hours per week,” said Noel Maughan, Community Services spokesman for the Nationals.

“Worse still, there are about 30 Community and Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria which receive no funding at all from the Bracks Government because they are not recognised as neighbourhood houses under the Neighbourhood House Coordination Program.

“At present the government has no practice in place to assess new centres to determine whether they fit the criteria for neighbourhood houses and this is absolutely appalling. The government needs to immediately establish a formal eligibility process for new Neighbourhood Houses.”

 The thirty Community and Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria which were not yet recognised by the government as being approved Neighbourhood Houses were facing additional pressures because they were not covered by the government's public liability insurance.

 “Many of the centres, including Rochester Community House, are being forced to cancel programs because paid tutors and participants do not have public liability cover,” he said. The government should extend its insurance cover to all Neighbourhood Houses until such time as a formal eligibility process is established.

This one night course gives those working with children and other asthma sufferers a valuable qualification. Wednesday 8 March 7pm to 10.00pm. All course fees on application.

First Aid Courses commence next week on Thursday 23 February and they are filling fast so if you are thinking of doing the full course or updating please phone 5856 1295 and put your name down.

CPR Update - 6.00pm to 9.00pm on 23rd, Reaccreditation - 6.00pm to 10.00pm on 23rd, Level 1 - 6.00pm to 10.00pm 23rd and 30th, Level 2 - 6.00 to 10.00 23 February to 9 March.

Please note change of date for the Diabetes Support Group planning day. It is now being held on Wednesday 22 February at 1.30 pm.

This change of date is so that our Diabetes Educator, Lynne Santamaria can attend the meeting.

Lynne is going to outline an exciting new program which is available for the group to use. How and when this program is developed is up to you, the members of the group.  It should make for a very beneficial year for all who attend.

There will be a delicious afternoon tea served while everyone enjoys some time catching up with each other.

Newcomers welcome

If you know of anyone who would like to attend this group please bring them along. Bookings are not essential but they are helpful for catering purposes.

Anyone with type 2 diabetes, their partners, carers or friends are welcome to come along.

Have you ever dreamed of a particular career? Are you thinking of going back to work but feel unprepared? Does the prospect frighten you? Could your confidence do with a boost? Will you be required to return to work in 2006 or 2007?

If the answer is yes

If the answer is yes, read on.

Job applications and resumé writing, career pathways, improved self-esteem, stress management, time management, communication skills, computer skills, basic workplace conditions, goal setting, first aid, workplace safety. These topics and much more are covered in the accredited Certificate 1 in Vocational Preparation.

 

Introductory session overview

Find out what’s up there and where it all came from:

Galaxies, the Solar System Family, Planets & Moons, Spacecraft exploration results, Comets and Asteroids and the risks they pose to Earth. Meteor Showers—when they occur and how to view them. Auroras—When are they likely? Ecliples—Solar and Lunar, viewing risks.

Buying and using small telescopes and binoculars, Using cameras to capture unique memories.

Enjoy a short informal session over refreshments with Cass Alexander and optional visit to Rushworth Observatory afterwards. Date to be chosen in mid February when conditions are right. Register your interest on 5856 1295.

This will lead into a full course being run in Term 2.

Black holes—are they really out of sight? Are we alone?

 

 

 

Certificate 1 in Vocational preparation is based around the development of 'employability skills'. It's an accredited course which centres on the individual,  providing learners with  the confidence to return to the work force or further study   The modules include such things as Orientation to work, Personal Effectiveness,  Computers, First Aid, O&HS, and Orientation to learning .   By integrating vocational learning it provides pathways such as Employment Certificate II in Vocational Studies (industry specific courses)  Pre-apprenticeships Training courses. (See students comments this page)   

This course is well timed with the Federal government’s commitment of encouraging people  back to work and is suitable for those who have not been in the work force for some time or are considering returning to work or study.  

INFORMATION SESSION

To learn more about this course come along to an information session at the Community House on Tuesday 14 February at 1.30 followed by afternoon tea.

 

Comment from a student who did the Personal Effectiveness module last year shows some of the benefits of the course.

" My kids have noticed the great change in myself with doing this course and they are much happier. My life is on  a positive path and I have so much to look forward  to in the future. Thank you very much."

 

 

     

 

The Assoc. of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres (ANHLC) has a submission before the Bracks Government for $84 million over 5 years for the 350 neighbourhood houses for increased recurrent funds for coordination.

On 2 November coordinators in the Rodney electorate met with their local member Noel Maughan at Tongala Communty Centre to launch the 'Save the heart of our community' campaign. Members of the community are encouraged to write to Minister Candy Broad with stories of how their neighbourhood house has made a difference in their lives. Noel encouraged us to start petitions which he will present to Parliament when it resumes in February 2006.