Twin Rivers Community Care

We launched our first Ready, Set, Grow! program on Wednesday 11 June, with thirteen participants. Present at the opening were Marten Sherrington (advisor to Brett Raguse MP), Desley Scott MP (Woodridge), and Linda Brown, the Institute Director for Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE. We value their support.

The Ready, Set, Grow! program gives participants a Certificate I in Retail Operations, as well as twelve months valuable experience working in a retail environment. Participants will be placed in positions at Woolworths, Coles, Big W, Mitre 10 and the Twin Rivers Community Care Food Co-op.

On Friday 12 July, the radio station 612ABC aired a story about the Ready, Set, Grow! program on the Madonna King program. Click the play button below to hear the story.

Just in time for the new financial year, our Food Co-op is operating new point of sale equipment.

Generously funded by the Sidney Myer Fund, the machines were supplied and carefully set up by SamPOS.

An updated POS system is a welcome relief to the Food Co-op office staff, who found that the previous system took a great amount of time and typing to maintain.

The new machines will make the challenge of inventory and reporting much easier. The new scanners will ensure that inventory is updated as goods are unloaded from the truck each morning, and the improved software will make reporting easier.

A great deal of time and effort was required to make the change between the two systems, but that was time well spent, and the time-saving benefits are already being seen.

Trainees and Ready, Set, Grow! participants will also receive benefit as they gain valuable experience being trained on industry standard equipment.

We launched our first Ready, Set, Grow! program on Wednesday 11 June, with thirteen enthusiastic participants starting. Present at the opening were Marten Sherrington (advisor to Brett Raguse MP), Desley Scott MP (Woodridge), and Linda Brown, the Institute Director for Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE. We value their support.

The Ready, Set, Grow! program gives participants a Certificate I in Retail Operations, as well as twelve months valuable experience working in a retail environment. Participants will be placed in positions at Woolworths, Coles, Big W, Mitre 10 and the Twin Rivers Community Care Food Co-op.

The participants are currently undergoing training in retail and customer service, as well as receiving hands-on experience on the tills and shop-floor of our food co-op.

A surprising amount of laughter comes from the classroom. Mark, the class trainer, explains: "Learning is so much more effective in an environment of fun. Laughter is also important to the trainer, otherwise lessons tend to become old and dry."

Mark expressed his amazement at the life stories of some of the participants. He is inspired by the way they want to move on in their lives, and rise above past experiences. "It is a privilege to be involved in changing lives - even in just a small way."

The radio station 612ABC have done a story on our Ready, Set, Grow! program. The story will air this Friday at 9:10 on the Madonna King program if you would like to listen.

Calling all mental health consumers: Do you want to showcase your art? Canefields Clubhouse invites you to submit your artwork in the Annual Art Exhibition, Cocktail Party and Auction on 10 October 2008 at 6:00 pm.

If you would like to submit art (for sale or display only), contact Nathan on 3807 0951 before 30 September. All artwork must be ready to
hang.

Canefields Clubhouse is at 21 City Road, Beenleigh. They hold free art lessons every Friday at 2:30 pm. All are welcome.

Twin Rivers Community Care is working towards a program that offers Therapeutic Workshops for our young people with high needs. These Workshops work on a therapeutic level that give the young people an opportunity to not only become empowered and self-aware, but to also make positive steps in taking responsibility for their actions in their lives.

This is an opportunity to build a new type of strength and presence to reconnect with the young person's deep direction and true gifts. The workshops are an opportunity for the young person to feel their unique connection to the community and self.

Therapeutic Workshops:

• Self Esteem, Health, Hygiene and Personal Safety,

• Conflict Resolution and Trauma,
• Art Therapy

Many young people with high needs have been through difficult experiences and often exhibit behaviours that are destructive, unhealthy and unsafe. It is our aim to reconnect effectively with them, recognise what their needs are, and assist them in making positive change in their lives.

Art Therapy classes were run over the school holidays as a trial in which the participants experienced a great sense of pride and satisfaction with what they had achieved. The chosen artwork was glass mosaic with amazing results. Mosaic art is very time consuming and tedious which tested an array of emotions and concentration levels with the participants. The focus was not necessarily on the completion of the artwork but more the journey that occurred whilst creating the artwork. A lot can be learnt about the participant in a therapeutic environment when they feel safe and free to express themselves.

Once the artwork is completed it will be framed and exhibited if participants so chose. Participants will take home these art treasures as keepsakes.

We are currently finalising arrangements with Logan City Council for the use of this multi-function centre in Bishop Street Eagleby. "Our Place" is a large single story facility adjacent to parks and sporting grounds. It consists of one large meeting area, and an adjacent training room. It is equipped with toilet and kitchen facilities. It is perfect for a variety of programs, including a youth drop-in centre, disability respite, and computer training courses.

Once the arrangements are finalised, our first task is rennovation. This will include painting, and removing the existing sliding doors in order to be compliant with disability respite standards.

Youth Drop in Centre

The building's large meeting area and its proximity to sporting grounds make the building perfect for a youth drop-in centre. This would be used for our young people in care and other youth in the area.

Di Carver, our Youth, Families and Community manager, is currently planning ways we can use this facility for young people.

We are currently seeing the benefit that sport can have on young people. Twin Rivers Community Care is participating in Delfin's local "Word Cup" soccer competition. The energy and enthusiasm our young people are showing during this competition is strong evidence of the potential of continuing this type of activity at the new facility.

Disability Respite

Our new Disability department is planning to run a respite program and day use centre from this site, taking advantage of the site's spacious indoor and outdoor areas, tennis court and magnificent cooking facilities.

Co-ordinator Desley Gallagher recently gave me a list of activities she hopes to run, which includes meal planning and preparation days, DVD days, craft days, outdoor activities, computer usage, music afternoons.

The team have developed links with four other agencies who are willing to support us, and have numerous service users just waiting to utilise our service. As we are developing our Disability Sector we are currently applying for funding to expand our services and cover the western Brisbane sector. We are also applying for a few smaller grants one of which to aide in the cost of our Child Safety Campaign to run for a week during September.

Computer Training Room

The facility has room for a 20-30 computer training room. This will be perfect for offering our new TAFE-based accredited training programs.

Twin Rivers Community Care have partnered with the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE to offer accredited training. Over the coming months we will be offering an increasing number of accredited training courses.

Here are some accredited courses we are offering in the near future:

Ready, Set, Grow!

Ready, Set, Grow is a free Certificate I in Retail Program being conducted by Twin rivers Care in partnership with TAFE Queensland, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE, Queensland Government and Australian Government.

Designed for parents and carers, this fully funded program in Eagleby will provide participants with the skills they need to re-enter the workforce, meeting Centrelink requirements. The program covers work preparation skills including resume writing and interview training, a hair and beauty day, and certificate level retail training which includes real work experience placements.

We support these participants with clothing, child care and transport arrangements as well as on-going job search assistance.

If you would like more information about this course, please contact Harry or Renee on (07) 3382 4000 or Email harry@trcare.org.au. Anything's possible!

Smart Start Job Skills Training Program

The Smart Start Training Program is delivered by Twin Rivers Community Care in partnership with the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and is part of the Queensland Government Beyond Barriers project initiative. It, too, is designed for unemployed people who want or need to return to the workforce.

At no cost to participants, this program provides the skills and support you will need to re-enter the workforce including:

• A 1 week employability program covering interview skills, resume writing and personality development.
• A 2 week job skills training program covering basic computer skills, communication, Building confidence and self-eteem, networking, workplace health and safety and Budgeting
• Ongoing support throughout the program
• Placement in employment during and following training with real jobs in different industries
• Up to 6 months ongoing employment support
  

If you would like more information about this course, please contact Harry or Renee on (07) 3382 4000 or Email harry@trcare.org.au.

Telstra Connected Seniors

We have been offering free unaccredited computer training to seniors on a
weekly basis since September 2007. This initiative is funded by Telstra Connected Seniors, and is run from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm each Friday.
Offering easy-to-follow training on Microsoft and other software programs, the training has attracted seniors with a wide variety of
computer skills (from quite competent to totally inexperienced), and has made a positive difference in the lives of the participants.

TAFE are currently working with us so that we can offer this training as an accredited course (starting with Certificate I in IT). Once the details are ironed out, and the course is working effectively, we will offer the training to a wider age range.

This should prove invaluable to those wanting to upgrade their IT skills for employment purposes. By offering TAFE courses in Eagleby we will meet a key need in the Eagleby area, where residents currently need to travel large distances for their training.

Twin Rivers Community Care is focussiing on entering into the labour hire market in Brisbane and Gold Coast regions.

We have already obtained contracts from a Langs Building Supplies, and Urban Turf Solutions, at Yatala.
The money generated from the Labour Hire business will be utilised for various community development programs.

If you would like to talk to us about handling your recruitment or labour hire needs, please contact Harry on (07) 3382 4000, or harry@trcare.org.au.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.
But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and
Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

This month's Employee of the Month is Renee Whan.

Renee Whan works in our Employment, Training and Programs department.

Renee's hard work and great attitude kept the department moving ahead during a period of high staff turnover recently.

Renee loves life, smiling, and sausage sandwiches.