Bidyadanga Community Services
The Community Services team comprises of Community Services Manager overseeing the Municipal Services, Centrelink Agency, Women’s Centre, Men’s Centre, Family Centre, Community Resource Centre, Community Care (HACC) and Art Centre.
The team continues to evolve to meet the needs of the community. It shows effective team collaboration to provide support to the community through social emotional wellbeing, emergency food and power, funeral assistance, transport, postal service, digital inclusion education, support with access to banking, facilitating access with external funding bodies such as Martu Trust, and education activities.
Municipal Services
The Municipal Services team is responsible for care and maintenance of public spaces including the oval, Community Resource Centre, Administration Office, our Support/Service Centres, road maintenance, fire breaks, rubbish collection and disposal, tip maintenance, car removal, and care and maintenance of the airstrip.
The team has been upskilling this year completing a Certificate 3 in Rural Operations and a Certificate 3 in Agriculture. The result of this training helped with the landscaping at the administration office including new pathways, retaining walls, irrigation operations, machinery and equipment maintenance and repairs, weed control, chemical preparation and work health and safety regulations. They also started the upgrade at the front of the Store.
The team works tirelessly, in extremely difficult environments to keep our community running. The dedication and hard work they show is greatly appreciated.
Community Care
Our Community Care Centre provides support for the elders in the community. They collaborate with outside service providers to ensure the Elders are connected and get the support that they need.
The day-to-day support our team delivers includes meals on wheels, provide daily welfare checks, support with transport, washing and social activities.
The team also support the Elders when they need help in accessing Centrelink and Banking. Their efforts to support our clients are appreciated.
The Centre helps coordinate and collaborate visiting service providers and stake holders including Kimberley Aged Care Service (KACS), Allied Health teams, Dentist, Nirrumbuk Environmental Health.
Community Resource Centre and Centrelink Agency
The Community Resource Centre is a great resource to provide community support and access to digital resources. We run education programs, coordinate and support service providers who visit the community.
The team provide one-on-one support, mentoring, welcoming and supporting community members, service providers and stake holders to access the services available.
The Community Resource Centre staff has been involved in some digital inclusion training from the team at WA Digital Inclusion Project Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS). This team also provided training to some of our BACLG staff and high school student. Training included CANVA, setting up emails and accessing myGov, using Microsoft excel.
We run a kids club in the afternoon and have organised a team of Waste Warriors to help keep our community clean.
The Centrelink Agency provides a locally based person that allows community members to obtain support in dealing with services in Bidyadanga.
The Pilot Program for Youth and Families formerly the Mentoring, Educate and Training (MET) Project
The intent is to deliver a range of support services to families in Bidyadanga with school aged children that aims to improve attendance, improve retention of students at high school level and support individuals to transition from schooling to employment. There is also a Family Support element to the project. This involves a series of workshops and mentoring programs around empowerment, life skills and parenting, family and domestic violence, young mums support and leadership.
Education has been delivered through a range of activities such as art and craft, healthy living initiatives, mental health and wellbeing pathways delivered at On-Country trips and camps. We have worked together with external stakeholders and service providers to improve community consultations processes. Delivery of this information to community has been via our Community Champions and social media.
External providers have included Cyrenian House, Broome Circle, Men’s Outreach, BOAB Health, Camera Story, Kimberley Art Network and many more. Our focus on Celebrations of Generations was paramount in the strengthening of our cultural expression and conservation.
A celebration day for the whole community saw attendance of around 450 community members for a day of food, music and service provider workshops delivered to all ages.
We hosted a Music Festival that showcased local bands and a Fashion Show that allowed our artists to display their work.
Community Markets have provided an opportunity for local community members to sell their food and handmade crafts.