Nambour Community Centre
July - June Bulletin

Migrant Settlement

Sista 4 Sista

The Launch of the Sista4Sista project that is funded by The Department of Home Affairs Fostering Integration Grants Program was held at Mudjimba on the 10th May with 80 Multicultural women sharing a wide range of skills. A total of 12 Financial and Social free events will be held in different venues and locations across the Sunshine Coast over the next 12 months. 

The ‘Cashed Up Sista's’ Financial event was a great success attracting 40 participants and was held in Maroochydore on the 28th May, with Denise Clark from The Smith Family presenting on "Your Money Story & How to Change it". Our next ‘Social Sista’ event being held in Nambour on the 15th of June, is ‘Come and try Jazzercise’, followed by  a relaxation session and coffee afterwards. The next scheduled ‘Cashed Up Sista's’ event is a session on  "Know Your Rights - Employment, Family & Consumer Law".

We are inviting anyone to contact us if you would like to host a multicultural Sista event.
Look out for upcoming events on our Facebook page Sista4SistaSunshine Coast (Nambour Community Center) or email for information on sista4sistasunshinecoast@gmail.com or
call Linda on 5441 4600.
 
 

Fire, Film and Fun - Open Arvo Events
3-6 pm on Friday 21st of June

Fire, Film & Fun presents Solua a charismatic multi instrumentalist duo that offers a selection of upbeat songs built around bouncy hooks and meaningful lyrics & Suzi Scrimshaw from Circus Connect. Circus Connect happens in community settings. We are about active fun, daring flair & creative attitude.
 

Multicultural and Community Development

In this land we belong

On a wet blustery day in April, Kabi Kabi traditional custodian Brianna Hanson and community worker Ana Greenfield joined with fourteen people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds for the first of two walks on country at Maroochy Bushland Botanic Gardens. 
 
The group learnt about local plant species that are used by aboriginal people past and present and heard stories from Brianna about the land. Everyone enjoyed a shared morning tea and then group members from  Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Ukraine, Burma, Netherlands, South Korea and Australia shared stories about their personal connection to the land. 

It was a great day for connection to the earth and each other. 
 
The project started from seed funding won as a part of a project bid through an 'Art of Hosting' workshop facilitated by Sunshine Coast Council, Anti Discrimination Commission and Sunshine Coast University in 2018. 

Move to the middle
 
Nambour Community Centre worker Liss Perez has been working hard on a project designed to bring people from multicultural backgrounds together with local people who are a part of clubs and organised groups to 'meet in the middle' through shared activity. 
 
Events to date included: Tennis at Nambas Tennis Club, Yoga, land care at Maroochy Bushland Gardens, singing with Cool Harmonies choir in Coolum and a garden tour at Yandina Community Gardens. The next planned activities are Salsa dancing at Caloundra RSL and Mudjimba Park Run.

Watch our facebook page for more events as they role out through June.   For more information on the project contact Liss on 5441 4660. 

Friday Night Dinners - Seeking Performers

On the first Friday of every month from 6pm to 8pm a diverse group of people come and connect at NCC over a shared meal and live music or entertainment. 

Bring a plate of home cooked food to share, get to know other people in your community and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

We are always looking for new acoustic acts including spoken word, duos, solo artists, poets etc.

Just turn up with your instrument.

All welcome.  
 

Nambour NAIDOC 2019

A shout out to the mob & community!  The annual Nambour grassroots NAIDOC family arvo is happening on Wednesday 10th July from 1.30 to 3.30pm at Quota Park, Nambour.
 
This years theme is ‘VOICE. TREATY. TRUTH.  Let’s work together!’
 

Our local crew have planned an awesome arvo of activities around the local theme of
‘tree-ty’.  Everyone welcome. This history is not just the history of our first peoples - it is the history of us all, of all of Australia. Just turn up.

Volunteer Program

Volunteer Information Day a Success

Nambour Community Centre’s recent Information Day to recruit volunteers was a fantastic success. Representatives Lily and Mat from Volunteering Sunshine Coast  also took part informing 25 attendees of local volunteer opportunities at the centre and across the region.
 
Lily spoke about the value, benefits and rewards of volunteering both on a personal and community level. We also heard from current NCC volunteers who shared their stories on what volunteering meant to them.
 
The Centre has now welcomed 10 new volunteers who will add valuable administration and community development skills across our programs.
 
Welcome to our new NCC volunteers – Francoise,  Karen, Ellen, Robyn, Marion, Kylie, Leila, Jaime, Sharon, Bree, Olga and Margaret.  A big thank you to all of you.
 
Keep and eye out for a new face, and say g’day.
 

Volunteer Profile - Lyn - Volunteer Coordinator

Lyn has been involved with the Centre since September 2018 when she completed a placement as part of her Business course. At the completion of her placement Lyn became a volunteer and has been a familiar face at Reception ever since.  She is currently working as a Volunteer Coordinator.

Lyn came to Australia from the Philippines nine years ago and has lived on the Sunshine Coast since 2016. She has a passion for helping people from diverse backgrounds and sees volunteering as her way of saying thank you for the opportunity to live in Australia.

A florist by trade Lyn also enjoys playing guitar and speaks English, Japanese and Tagalog.  She recently completed a Mental Health First Aid workshop.
 

Farewell to Roshell

Farewell to Roshell who has volunteered at the centre for 18 months in various roles, thank you for all of your support and we wish you all the best for the future.

Volunteer BBQ

As part of National Volunteer Week the staff at the Centre held a BBQ on Friday the 24th May to thank our volunteers.  The lunch was delicious and gave the volunteers an opportunity to meet each other. There were prizes to be won and every volunteer received a thank you gift.  The prizes and gifts were generously donated by Majestic Cinemas, Fruity Life, La Salsa De Vida and Downtown Burger Bar.

COMMUNITIES WITHIN COMMUNITY

It is frequently the ‘big’ projects and events that get recognised and validated in the media and social services sector, but for the team at Nambour Community Centre (NCC) we recognise it is often the more skilled, relational and subtle work that we do at the community centre that has real change making potential and social value. We would like to share three pieces of relational community work that have been happening at NCC over the last few years; highlighting some of the awesome ‘communities within community’ that exist in our shared space.

Strong Women Strong Communities –this work has been happening for over 4 years and during that time has connected to over 400+ women. Strong Women is a 'women centered' group with a focus on developing social support and healthy connections, and is facilitated through art and craft. It is an open group that meets weekly under a tree in Quota Park Nambour. Women of all ages, experiences, backgrounds come together and create. Women find their own way into the group, either by a referral from a friend or support worker. Strong Women is supported and facilitated by two social workers from our family support team. The Strong Women community regularly hosts specific events around DV prevention, dancing for joy, mindfulness, healthy relationships, mental health etc. Children are welcome (because children are part of many women's lives), but in this instance we do no cater for children in terms of activity. This is to privilege the giving of space to women and their needs. The park provides a beautiful nature based space that is easier to access for many women who would struggle to walk into a 'group' or building.

Nambour Caravan Park Volunteer Crew – There is a volunteer crew of community members that reside at the Nambour Caravan park that have been supporting our community centre through their regular volunteering and event participation over the last three years. Recently this ‘community within a community’ have again been collectively represented, stigmatised and disadvantaged by the negative external reputation of their place of residence. Often in the flurry of activity following a critical incident media and support responses focus only the negative aspects of a community, to the detriment of the positive human relationships and contributions that are also part of any community. A large number of our volunteers at NCC are also residents of this caravan park.

This volunteer crew has been connected to NCC through our family support and community project work and have been turning up to volunteer in our reception, community kitchen, work in our gardens, cook and cater for our free NCC events, develop menus, grocery shop, sort and source resources, drive our bus; and continue to provide invaluable contribution that enables our centre to flourish. So a ‘shout out’ to this evolving and revolving crew of volunteers that continues to ‘turn-up’ for us.
 
Blue Chair Connection (“have a chat or just sit back”) – a weekly community led group who genuinely care about connecting with each other for mental well being. Over the past 10 months this ‘connection’ has experienced the expected ‘forming-storming-norming-performing’ associated with group development; but the early Community Development work to clarify process and develop community ownership around the meaning of the group has resulted in a core group of people connecting with compassion and vision. As a team at NCC it is inspiring to walk out into the communal space on a Tuesday morning and hear robust, real, meaningful conversations between people of all ages, stages and backgrounds.
 
While each of these community activities have their own desired outcomes, they share some universal principles that have been intentionally embedded through the work being done by our NCC team members.
 
Each of these groups values the little acts of kindness that occur organically between group members.
 
Each of these groups recognise that contribution and participation can look different at different times – sometimes just ‘turning up’ is an act of contribution/participation in itself. For many people this really is a daily challenge.
 
Each of these groups is fluid and voluntary; participants engage because they want to, and are able to ‘flow-in-and-out’ depending on well being and needs.
 
Most significantly each of these groups operates on the principle that it is ok to have opposing views, different backgrounds, different skills and knowledge’s. Within these spaces the participants are finding ways to come together and bond over a shared vision, goal, idea or need, despite these differences. Participants are often surprised by the unexpected friendships or points of connection that occur.
 
It is this ‘coming together’ or ‘point of connection’ that is significant and has real change making potential. These types of community opportunities, which are often grown at community centres, can potentially address bigger picture social tensions, and work towards reducing social isolation and community conflict. All of these activities are FREE for community members. To be part of these and other opportunities at NCC check out our FB or INSTA pages, drop in to the centre, or call reception on 5441 4724.
 
Constantly inspired,
 
Carey Shaw – NCC Manager
 

Thriving Families Program

Our Supporters

A big thank you to Majestic Cinemas, Fruity Life, La Salsa De Vida and Downtown Burger Bar for all of the prizes and gifts that were generously donated at the Volunteer BBQ held on Friday the 24th May.
 

Regular activities and programs

LITTLE SEEDS—BIG TREES
Outdoor playgroup with activities inspired by the seasons pre-school aged kids.
When: Every Monday  Where: Lions Park, Yandina  Time: 9.30-11.30am
 
NAMBOUR YOUTH PROJECT
After school hang out place, fun activities and a shared dinner.
When: Every Monday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 3.00pm - 5.00pm
 
5 SENSES COMMUNITY PLAY SPACE
Nature & sensory based community play for big & little people. 
When: Every Wednesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.30-11.30am
 
THE WELLNESS NEST
If you’re pregnant or having a new bub, come meet up with other parents at The Nest.
When: Every Friday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.30-11.30am
 
ADVENTURE FRIDAYS
After school catch up for families with fun activities, games and adventure based play.
When: Every Friday Where: Alternate parks (check for updates)  Time: 3.00pm - 6.00pm
 
THE PEOPLE’S KITCHEN COMMUNITY LUNCH
Everyone is welcome to contribute in the kitchen or come along and join us for lunch.
When: Every Thursday  Where: Nambour Community Centre
Time: 9.00am for cooking and 12.00pm for lunch

WEDNESDAY FRIENDS
Stuck within four walls? Come & join this group for some relaxed conversation, tea, coffee & friendship.
When: Every Wednesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 10-12noon

HEART FELT COMMUNICATION 
Proven to support people to communicate for better relationships in family, community & workplaces.
When: 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 10 - 12noon
 
STRONG WOMEN STRONG COMMUNITIES
Weekly women's space offering social support, well being, community connection and creativity. 
When: Every Thursday   Where: Usually Quota Park  Time: 9.30-11.30am

SCOPE—DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE SERVICE
Personal, confidential counselling and information for adults and children. Bookings necessary.
When: Every Wednesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.00am to 2.00pm
 
WATCHING OUR WEIGHT
A friendly social group who share an interest in good company & keeping an eye on their weight.
When: Every Wednesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre   Time: 8.30-10am

Al-ANON FAMILY GROUP
Al-Anon provides support to anyone affected by a relative or friend’s drinking.
When: Every Saturday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 5-7pm
 
TOPIC
A friendly social group who share an interest in good company & keeping an eye on their weight.
When: Every Thursday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 5 pm start
 
YOGA
Balance, strength, flexibility and relaxation. Please bring a cushion and yoga mat.
When: Every Tuesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 6.30—8.00pm

BLUE CHAIR CONNECTION
A blue chair connection initiative for community wellness and suicide prevention.
When: Every Tuesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.30am

TALK 2 FRIENDS
Open to all adults of culturally diverse backgrounds to practice spoken English.
When: Every Friday (except school holidays) Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9-11.30am

SUNCOAST COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICE
Providing legal advice & referral for general & family law matters. Bookings required.
When: Every second Thursday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9am to 12noon

DOCUMENT SUPPORT
Do you need assistance developing a resume, completing forms, writing letters & NILS loans?
When: Every Friday by appointment  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm 

COMPUTER ASSISTANCE
Would you like to learn how to use Google, use email and other basic computer applications?
When: Every Thursday by appointment  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm 
 
INTERNET SAVVY SENIORS
Learn how to do internet banking, create documents and keep in touch with family & friends.
When: Every Wednesday  Where: Nambour Community Centre  Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm