Agenda of Community Development and Services Advisory

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 2

Community and Culture

Item: COM001-17 Aged & Disability Activities and Programs

Author: Community Development Officer – Ageing and Disability, Maria Athanasopoulos

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and noted.

Executive Summary

1. Council’s Community Development Officers-Aged and Disability coordinate a range of community development activities for seniors and people with disability in the Georges River community. The following is a summary of recent and upcoming events.

International Day for People with Disability

2. International Day of People was held on 3 November 2016 at Kingsgrove Community Aid Centre. The event was a Fun Day where a number of service providers from the local area hosted activities for the community to partake in. The event was launched by Georges River Council’s Administrator.

3. Approximately 60 community members of all ages attended the event. At this event Council was able to consult on the development of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan. Feedback was positive and organisations and community are keen to be part of another similar event next year with Council.

Disability Inclusion Action Plan

4. Progress has continued on the development of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP). A project plan for the completion of the DIAP, summarising the consultation strategy and key dates, has been attached.

Financial Implications

5. Within budget allocation.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment View1

Project plan for completion of DIAP

Georges River Council - Ordinary Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017

COM001-17 Aged & Disability Activities and Programs

[Appendix 1] Project plan for completion of DIAP

Page 3

13 March 2017

Page 2 of 1

PROJECT PLAN: DISABILITY INCLUSION ACTION PLAN

Project:	To develop a Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) for Georges River Council. The plan is to outline the specific actions that will increase inclusiveness, access to services and increased employment for people with a disability in the Georges River Council area. The DIAP will identify the four key focus areas which have been nominated by people with a disability as being of prime importance in creating inclusiveness. These are: 1) Positive Community Attitudes & Behaviours 2) Liveable Communities 3) Supporting Access to Meaningful Employment 4) Accessible Systems & Processes The plan will be developed with people with disability through consultation, implementation and monitoring of the plan. Consultations will occur internally with council staff. There will also be external consultations with the community. The Disability Inclusion Act 2014 requires New South Wales (NSW) public authorities to develop Disability Inclusion Action Plan. Council has a statutory obligation to develop a DIAP.
Dates:	Draft plan completed April 2017. Plan endorsed by 30 June 2017.
Staff role and name:	Maria Athanasopoulos, Community Development Officer – Aged and Disability Nicolas Best, Coordinator Community Development
Total Cost:	Approximately $5000. Costs include; catering and booking fees for community consultation meetings, printing and document translation into Easy English by the Council for Intellectual Disability.
External Partners:	People with a disability that live in, work in or regularly visit Georges River Council. Community groups and organisations that work with people with disabilities in Georges River Council.

Objectives:

· To engage people with disability and the general community to provide feedback and suggestions on how to improve accessibility and inclusiveness in Georges River Council.

· To highlight the current work and practices Georges River Council undertakes in being an inclusive Local Government area and employer.

· To plan how council will support the inclusion of people with disability by creating opportunities for access to the full range of services and activities based on the recommendations from the consultations.

· To comply within the legislative requirement of developing a Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

Key Target Group:

The key target group for the consultations consist of:

· people with Disability who reside, work and engage services within Georges River Council local area

· carers of people with disability

· service providers and organisations that provide services to people with disability in the Georges River Council

· staff employed through Georges River Council.

Background:

· The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD) recognises that all people have the same human rights to access the community and live their life the way they want.

· The National Disability Strategy 2012-2014, along with Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local Government sets out the plan for improving the life for Australians with disability, their families and carers. This supports the commitment made by the UNCRPD.

· Under the Disability Inclusion Act 2014 all New South Wales Government services, including Local Councils, must develop a DIAP by 30 June 2017. The DIAP should outline how the organisation will work towards the inclusion of people with disability in the community and workplace.

Project:

· The DIAP is to cover the four key focus areas identified through extensive consultation throughout NSW: developing positive community attitudes and behaviours; creating liveable communities; supporting access to meaningful employment; and improving access to services through better systems and processes.

· A review of Council’s current policies and procedures will occur, focusing on what the organisation is currently doing well and what it needs to improve in.

· The process will include consultation offered to all Council staff in order to encourage staff to make suggestions on how Council could become more accessible and inclusive as an employer and in its service delivery in the community.

· Council will hold a number of consultation sessions with people with disability in the community to see what they identify as working and what needs improving. Consultations will be held with groups at two Council libraries, at Council’s Australia Day celebrations and online.

· Consultation will also take part in a number of venues where community organisations deliver services for people with disability.

· After reviewing current practices, processes and analysing feedback received from internal and external consultations the community development team will the lead the development of the draft DIAP.

· The draft DIAP is to be publicly exhibited from late March, presented for feedback at the 10 April 2017 Community Development & Services Advisory Committee (CDSAC) and tabled for approval at the 1 May 2017 Council meeting.

Consultation and significant milestones outline:

A detailed task list identifies the key sections and respective timeframes for the completion of this project.

Date	Task or consultation venue	Comments
11 October 2016	St George & Sutherland Disability Interagency meeting.	Consultation information provided along with surveys
11 October 2016	Wesley Mission Life Skills Beverly Hills.	Consultation with clients
20 October 2016	Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre informal consultations.	Stall set up with Ability Linker for people to complete surveys
25 November 2016	CASS St George Group.	Amy Ko, Community Worker from CASS, attended and assisted with translating and support to engage group
30 November 2016	International Day of People with Disability.	Consulted with people attending event along with stall holders
18 January 2017	Research Easy English translating and cost.
24 January 2017	Public consultation Kogarah library.	Met with Library staff and discussed community members visiting library and any issues they may have identified
25 January 2017	Public Consultation at Australia Day Celebration.	Consultations held with people with disability, with a focus on access issues and inclusiveness at Council and locally held events.
31 January 2017	Life Start Early Linkers Consultation.
8 February 2017	Focus group consultation with former Hurstville Access Advisory Committee members.
9 February 2017	Public Consultation Hurstville Library.
24 January 2017 – 10 February 2017	Public consultation held online.	Opportunity to complete survey promoted through media release, Facebook posts and email distribution.
24 January 2017 – 10 February 2017	Staff consultation online and through hard copies at sites without email access.	Invitation to all staff through email from Manager Community and Cultural Development and through General Manager’s newsletter.
14 February 2017	Service provider consultation at disability Interagency meeting.
13 March 2017	Draft plan to be completed and presented to Executive Team.
20 March 2017- 10 April 2017	Public exhibition of draft plan.
10 April 2017	Draft Plan presented at CDSAC meeting for feedback.
1 May 2017	Plan to be tabled at Council meeting with consideration of feedback from public exhibition and CDSAC.

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 8

Item: COM002-17 Youth Development Report on Activities

Author: Youth Services Officer, Angus Megarrity and Community Development Officer – Youth, Amy Iheakanwa

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and noted.

Executive Summary

Council’s Youth Development Officers coordinate a range of community development activities for young people aged twelve to twenty four years and their families in Georges River Council area.

Recent Events

1. Youth Development Officers in conjunction with Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre organised a Halloween Movie Night in the Kogarah Library foyer space. The event consisted of 2 films, one rated PG and one M, pizza and refreshments. 70 young people and parents/carers attended the event. Feedback was positive overall, particularly the youth friendly space. Attendees requested more events such as this throughout the year with different themes due to their inclusive nature for those aged under 18 years old.

2. The Short Stuff Youth Film Festival Awards Night was held on November 11, 2016 at Event Cinemas Hurstville. Approximately 200 people attended with over 50 attendees completing evaluations of the festival. Responses showed unanimous high praise for the festival and highlighted the community’s view of the event as a cultural highlight within the calendar of local youth events. Short Stuff was delivered in partnership with Shopfront Arts with support from headspace Hurstville and Event Cinemas.

3. International Games Day 2016 saw over 400 young people engage in the event through Hurstville Library. The event was an exploration of youth culture at a localised level, engaging independent content creators, showcasing their primarily comic book and high fantasy art as well as a number of small businesses servicing the youth pop and gaming cultural markets including Good Games and Games Workshop.

National Youth Week 2017

4. Planning is currently underway on a range of events which make up Council’s calendar of events celebrating National Youth Week 2017. These events include:

a) Georges River, Live and Acoustic. This will be a free live music event held on 30 March 2017, and will be delivered in partnership with 3 Bridges Youth Zone. Georges River Live and Acoustic will showcase local performers in an intimate and supportive environment. Youth Workers will be present to build relationships and increase engagement of new clients through the drop in space.

b) Beats Rhymes and Strokes. Beats Rhymes and Strokes will be a free Hip Hop event held on 31 March featuring notable MC’s, mural artists as well as local performers. The event will have a mental health theme and will see the creation of a live art mural which, once completed, will be housed in a key local youth mental health service. Relevant local youth services including headspace Hurstville will be attending the event to spotlight their service to a traditionally hard to access demographic.

c) Short and Stuff: An Exploration of the 2016 Short Stuff Youth Film Festival. This event is an exhibition encompassing a rolling screening of the films from the 2016 Short Stuff Youth Film Festival as well as behind the scenes photos and additional content that underpin the festival. An exploration of some of the key themes presented in the films that link to youth health and wellbeing will be showcased in creative and meaningful ways. This event will be held throughout April at the Hurstville Museum and Gallery.

d) Race Around Georges River on 12 April. Race around Georges River will set challenges for teams of young people through a number of key local sites and services for young people. These sites include Hurstville Aquatic Centre, headspace Hurstville, 3 Bridges Youth Zone, NOVA Employment, Shopfront Arts Co Op and Kogarah Library. Each challenge will see participants develop a new skill or explore a major issue for young people such as mental health, sexual health or peer relationships, as well as seek to break down stigmas attached to health and youth services.

e) ScribbleInk Youth Literature Awards. Youth Week will again provide a launching pad for Council’s major literary awards for young people, ScribbleInk. ScribbleInk has grown in leaps and bounds and has seen local high school aged writers enter into professional writing off the back of their participation and seen a number of entrants have their works go to print through reputable sources. Activities related to these awards will be held between April and June 2017.

2017 Youth Consultation Survey

5. Youth Week 2017 will provide a platform for Council’s major youth consultative process. An online survey of approximately 15 questions has been developed, exploring how young people connect with Georges River and what their patterns of access for key services and places of interest look like.

6. Respondents will have the opportunity to review the impacts of key health and wellbeing issues on their lives and provide possible options to address these issues from a young person’s perspective. Approximately 500 responses are expected with the findings informing Council’s key strategic planning documents.

Financial Implications

7. Within budget allocation.

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 10

Item: COM003-17 Community Grants

Author: Coordinator Community Development, Nicolas Best

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report on Council’s grants programs be received and noted; and

(b) That the committee review and confirm the local priorities for the 2017 Club GRANTS round.

Executive Summary

1. Council coordinates a range of grants programs where community organisations can apply for funding to run projects that benefit the local community. The following is a summary of recent and upcoming activities in this area.

Stronger Communities Fund Grants

2. At the Council meeting held on 7 November 2016, Georges River Council’s Administrator approved the allocation of $1 million to 27 Stronger Communities Fund applications by community organisations.

3. The successful organisations were invited to an afternoon tea and certificate presentation by the Administrator on 1 December 2016. Speeches congratulating the successful organisations were given by the Administrator, the Minister for Local Government Mr Paul Toole MP and the Member for Oatley Mr Mark Coure.

4. The Stronger Communities Fund round received 63 applications. Five applications were submitted in partnership between two or more organisations. Three of these applications were successful.

Georges River Council Community Grants

5. At the Council meeting held on 7 November 2016, Georges River Council’s Administrator approved the allocation of $200,000 to 38 grant applications by community organisations.

6. The successful applications included 15 with a community development focus, 15 with a cultural and arts development focus, four with an environment and conservation focus and four with a sports and recreation focus. Two applications were presented in partnership between two or more organisations, and both were funded.

7. An afternoon tea and certificate presentation for successful applicant organisations is being held on 14 February 2017. This event will be hosted by Georges River Council’s Administrator.

Georges River Council 2017 ClubGRANTS Local Round

8. ClubGRANTS is an initiative of the New South Wales (NSW) Government and Clubs NSW to provide funding for community development projects and services that have a direct impact on local communities.

9. Georges River Council is the convenor of the local committee for the ClubGRANTS scheme. The Georges River Committee has amalgamated the former Hurstville and Kogarah committees and now incorporates 11 participating clubs.

10. The committee, formed by representatives from Council, NSW Family and Community Services, the National Council of Social Services (NCOSS) and the 11 participating clubs, will meet on 16 February 2017. At this meeting a Chair will be elected, the local priorities will be adopted and a timetable for the roll out of the grants will be confirmed.

11. While ClubGRANTS has State-wide categories and priorities for applications, each local committee is to set local priorities for their local area. Council is proposing to have 10 local priorities within the four ClubGRANTS priorities. Please see attached priorities to be proposed to the local committee.

Financial Implications

12. Within budget allocation.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment View1

Draft Proposed Local Community Priorities - Club Grants 2017

Georges River Council - Ordinary Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017

COM003-17 Community Grants

[Appendix 1] Draft Proposed Local Community Priorities - Club Grants 2017

Page 12

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL 2017 ClubGRANTS LOCAL GRANT ROUND: PRIORITY COMMUNITY NEEDS

COMMUNITY WELFARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES

1 Community safety and crime prevention programs which support families affected by domestic violence.

2 Programs that reduce social isolation through the provision of recreational and skill development opportunities for older people.

3 Provision of programs, events or resources that support families, including on parenting support and healthy living for children.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

4 Initiatives that develop positive community attitudes and behaviours towards people with disability.

5 Programs, events or resources which foster inclusion, community harmony, strengthen community networks, and reduce religious and racial intolerance.

6 Projects that deliver community education to vulnerable groups including social housing tenants, recently arrived migrants and single parent families.

COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES

7 Programs that provide assistance and/or education to young people in areas such as drugs and alcohol, healthy eating, physical activity, bullying and respectful relationships.

8 Programs that provide ‘soft entry points’ to support services for people who are experiencing mental health issues.

EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES

9 Programs that support mature workers and young people at risk of dropping out of education and training in finding employment or training programs.

10 Development and implementation of employment assistance projects which have the objective of achieving a higher rate of meaningful employment for people with disability.

FURTHER INFORMATION

ClubGrants is an initiative of the NSW Government and Clubs NSW to provide funding for community development projects and services that have a direct impact on local communities.

Georges River Council is the convenor of the Local Committee for the ClubGrants Scheme. For further enquiries and assistance on the Georges River Council 2017 ClubGRANTS Local Round please contact Nicolas Best, Coordinator Community Development, on 9330 9466.

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 13

Item: COM004-17 Multicultural Services – Community Development Initiatives

Author: Multicultural and Indigenous Development Officer, Jamal Bassam

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and noted.

Executive Summary

1. This report provides a summary of recent and proposed community development initiatives that engage culturally and linguistically diverse communities and promote a better understanding, respect and appreciation of the rich cultural diversity of the local area.

Background

Open Day for new migrants

2. Over 200 recently arrived migrants and new settlers in the area were welcomed to the Council's Open Day held on Thursday 10 November 2016.

3. The Open Day event provided an opportunity for members of the multicultural community to meet Council staff and learn about Council's role, responsibilities and range of services. Interpreters were organised during this visit.

4. Council’s Multicultural Services’ main focus is to bring members of the multicultural community closer together with Council through capacity-building initiatives such as the Open Day. They demonstrate Council’s commitment to improve access and increase participation of culturally and linguistically diverse community members living in the local government area.

Review of Engagement Framework Working with CALD community

5. Council produced a resource in 2014 – ‘Engagement Framework - Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Community’ as part of Council’s commitment to providing equitable, accessible and culturally appropriate resources and services for all communities. The aim of the document is to improve Council’s consultation processes and encourage participation of the community at large and with the CALD community in particular. The Framework outlines meaningful processes of consultation and resources needed when consulting with the CALD community.

6. Council has since been utilising this framework as a resource to staff, service providers and community leaders to assist them when consulting with members of the CALD community.

7. The Framework is due for review to capture the Georges River Council area. A number of community consultations regarding Council’s engagement strategy were held in November 2016 targeting the Filipino, Indonesian and Spanish speaking communities, with more consultations planned in early 2017.

Harmony Day Celebration

8. Council is organising a number of activities in March to celebrate National Harmony Day (21 March). Harmony Day celebration is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of Georges River Council’s Local Government Area.

9. Council’s successful Harmony Day Program continues to promote respect amongst the diverse community groups and understanding of difference.

10. The program on Wednesday 22^nd March 2017 from 10am – 1pm at the Civic Theatre, Hurstville, will feature short film screenings, live stage performances and the sharing of personal stories of immigrants.

11. Activities in the libraries include a henna art session and Harmony Day themed children’s story times and cultural performances.

12. Council is partnering with St George Hospital’s Diversity Health Unit to celebrate Harmony Day so that we can reach a wide range of local workers including health professionals and hospital visitors.

Community consultations with CALD community

13. Council staff will be reviewing the Multicultural Strategies of the former Councils and developing a combined Multicultural Strategy for Georges River Council in late 2017 - early 2018. The CALD community will be consulted widely in a spirit of co-production and active partnership to provide input into Council’s Corporate Plans.

14. Planned activities in March 2017 during Harmony Week and International Women’s Day will provide unique opportunities to consult with a broad section of CALD communities across the LGA and gather information on issues relevant to their settlement. Survey consultation will be an ideal methodology at these forums and surveys will be translated into a number of community languages.

Financial Implications

15. Within budget allocation.

File Reference

16/2125

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 15

Item: COM005-17 Community Safety

Author: Community Development Officer – General, Daniela Oliveiro

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and noted.

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on the current Community Safety initiatives.

Domestic Violence Awareness Project –Through Coffee Cups and Conversations

1. Council supported a new public awareness campaign – ‘Through Coffee Cups and Conversations’ – which ran from 25 November to 10 December 2016 and aimed to generate conversations about domestic violence in the St George area.

2. As part of the initiative, a total of 27,000 cups were printed containing artwork, designed by a local young person, that provided an important message encouraging victims of domestic violence to reach out and receive support from the NSW Domestic Violence Line. These cups were provided free of charge to over 45 local cafes and businesses and local organisations in St George alongside handouts with related domestic violence information translated into Chinese and Arabic.

3. The ‘Conversations over Coffee’ campaign was officially launched at the Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre on 23 November 2016. This event was hosted by Georges River Council’s Administrator and attended by representatives from government and non-government service organisations, local business and community members. Ms Natalia Esdaile Watts, who has since been named Georges River Council’s Australian of the Year, spoke about her personal experiences as a victim of domestic violence.

4. Initial feedback has been positive, with indications the method of messaging has been well received by local businesses, their customers and community partners. A survey of café owners is being undertaken and the findings will be collated and presented by the St George Domestic Violence Committee by 1 March 2017.

Financial Implications

5. Within budget allocation.

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 16

Item: COM006-17 Cultural Development

Author: Community Development Officer – Cultural Services, Arabella Lee

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and noted

Executive Summary

This is a summary of recent and upcoming activities undertaken by Council’s Cultural Development staff.

2016 Discovery Festival

1. The Georges River Council Discovery Festival of Community Arts is an annual showcase of local cultural development projects and programs presented over 6 weeks throughout October and November. The emphasis is on the local community development inherent in each initiative. The 2016 festival was held over 13 event days and attracted a total of 1,690 attendees/participants.

2. Highlights of the 2016 Discovery Festival programs included:

· ‘What’s With the Dots?’ a seminar about understanding and ‘reading’ Aboriginal art, with guest speakers Amanda Peacock from the Art Gallery of NSW and local artist and Aboriginal elder, Annette Webb

· Macedonian Cinema Days Film Festival, held over three days at the Civic Theatre with support from Screen NSW, this festival is unique to the Georges River Region

· Art and Craft Day at St George Creative Art & Craft Centre promoting the centre and its arts and craft programs to the wider community

· St George Art Society 72nd Annual Awards and Exhibition at Kogarah School of Arts

· Two Fiestaville and Friends Concerts featuring the 26-member multicultural community choir and local performers

· Discovery Writers Literary Awards at Mortdale Community Centre celebrating the group’s 10th anniversary

St George Arts and Culture Expo

3. Georges River Council will be holding an Arts and Culture Expo at Rockdale Town Hall in partnership with Bayside Council during the Bayside Arts Festival on Friday 28 April 2017.

4. The Expo is an opportunity to showcase and promote arts and cultural businesses, educational facilities, community organisations and individuals across a wide range of art forms in the St George region. The event will be promoted throughout the community and will offer arts and cultural experiences, workshops, products, artwork, performances and information about courses, classes and skills development.

ANZAC Lemnos Commemorative Statue and Plaque Unveiling

5. The ANZAC and Lemnos Commemorative Statue and Plaque in Kogarah Town Square will be unveiled at a special ceremony at 10.30am on Saturday 4 March 2017. The monument commemorates the relationship between Lemnos and Australia forged during the Gallipoli Campaign, and recognises the fundamental role of nurses in theatres of war.

Financial Implications

6. Within budget allocation.

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 18

Item: COM007-17 Creation of new community reference groups

Author: Coordinator Community Development, Nicolas Best

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and a recommendation is produced regarding the creation of new formal reference groups

Executive Summary

1. Advisory or community committees provide advice to Council on a range of issues. This report seeks recommendation on the establishment of two new community reference groups.

Background

2. Georges River Council currently has two advisory committees relating to community development, wherein selected community members and former Councillors meet periodically to discuss and provide recommendations on specific issues.

3. The Community Development and Services Advisory Committee (CDSAC) acts as a consultative mechanism for the development of Council’s plans and strategies in the areas of community and cultural development, access and community safety.

4. The Aboriginal Advisory Committee provides advice and input on the development and implementation of Council’s programs, policies, services and facilities that relate to the local Aboriginal community.

5. Council also has a formal reference group, the Youth Advisory Council (YAC). This reference group does not have any former Councillors’ membership, and activities carried out by the YAC are reported at the CDSAC. The YAC’s mandate is to act as a sounding board for Georges River Council on policies, programs and events relating to young people. This reference group has a membership of approximately 20 young people, and any young person with connections to the Council area can nominate to be involved in it.

6. The former Hurstville City Council had three other community related advisory committees: the Access Advisory Committee, the Multicultural Advisory Committee and the Community Safety Committee. These were discontinued after council amalgamations, with the CDSAC taking on the roles of the three discontinued committees.

Access Advisory Committee

7. The former Hurstville City Council’s Access Advisory Committee provided a forum for raising issues of concern regarding access, aimed to inform and educate Council and the general public on access issues, and advocated for better and appropriate access at all levels of government.

8. Membership of this committee included local residents with lived experience of disability, a representative from the Department of Education and Training, representatives from local disability services organisations and two former Councillors.

9. The Community Development team proposes that a Georges River Council Access Reference Group is established, with its activities reporting to the CDSAC in the same way as the YAC.

10. The new Access Reference Group would be able to provide direction and advice to Georges River Council on policies, programs and events relating to people living with disability and their carers at a grassroots level. The new committee would meet on a quarterly basis and be convened by Council’s Community Development Officer – Disability. Membership would be selected through an expression of interest system.

Multicultural Advisory Committee

11. The former Hurstville City Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee provided a mechanism for Council to consult with multicultural organisations and community representatives in regards to the needs of residents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

12. Membership of this committee included local residents from extant and emerging multicultural communities, a representative from the Department of Education and Training, a representative from Advance Diversity Services, a representative from TAFE NSW, and four former Councillors.

13. The community development team proposes that a Georges River Council Multicultural Reference Group is established, with its activities reporting to the CDSAC in the same way the as the YAC.

14. The new Multicultural Reference Group would be able to provide direction and advice to Georges River Council on policies, programs and events relating to the needs of residents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds at a grassroots level. The new committee would meet on a quarterly basis and be convened by Council’s Multicultural and Indigenous Development Officer. Membership would be selected through an expression of interest system.

Financial Implications

15. Within budget allocation. Funds to support the running and work of the reference groups would come from the budgets relevant to the area.

Georges River Council – Community Development & Services Advisory Meeting - Monday, 13 February 2017 Page 20

Item: COM008-17 Georges River Council Positive Ageing Festival 2017

Author: Aged and Disability Development Officer, Brenda Eggleton

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation:

(a) That the report be received and noted.

Executive Summary

1. Council’s Community Development Officers - Aged and Disability coordinate a range of community development activities for seniors and people with disability in the Georges River community. The following is a summary of recent and upcoming events.

NSW Seniors Festival 2017

2. The Seniors Festival is designed to celebrate the role that senior citizens play and contributions they make to the local community. As the festival now runs for longer than a week, its name has been changed from NSW Seniors Week to NSW Seniors Festival.

3. Georges River Council will coordinate the We Are Active Seniors, Positive Ageing Festival. Council staff will coordinate and facilitate 22 events, and actively support and promote over 10 community-run events between Friday 3 March and Thursday 30 March 2017. A publication with all of the events’ details is in the process of being published and will be distributed throughout the community.

4. Council’s Administrator will be attending the official launch of the ‘We Are Active Seniors, Positive Ageing Festival’ to be held at Events Cinema, Hurstville Westfield on Wednesday 8 March. The festival launch event will be the ‘Aged Care Information & Cultural Entertainment Expo’ featuring 35 community-based organisations with stalls providing relevant information for senior citizens. Attendees will be able to have free blood sugar levels tests, hearing tests and massages, enjoy multicultural entertainment, enjoy light refreshments and win lucky door prizes.

Projects in partnership with NOVA Employment

5. Council has engaged NOVA Employment to provide participants with work experience as part of the Work Ready Program. These initiatives are in in line with Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan identified key outcome of supporting people with disability access to meaningful employment.

6. Participants from NOVA Employment will be engaged in the production of monthly newsletters for the Hurstville and Kogarah Seniors Computer Groups and in a research project where information on current seniors exercise classes and groups in the Georges River Council and surrounding areas will be collated. This resource will assist Council’s Community Development Team in supporting and funding these types of programs, and to help inform the community.

Financial Implications

7. Within budget allocation.

Item: COM009-17 Draft Venue Hire Grant Program

Author: Manager Community and Cultural Development, Scott Andrew

Directorate: Community and Culture

Recommendation

(a) That the report be received and feedback is provided regarding the draft Venue Hire Grant Policy.

Executive Summary

1. Council is developing a new Venue Hire Grants Policy for Council owned or managed facilities. The program is designed to provide a subsidy to not for profit organisations providing services, activities, events or programs in Councils venues that deliver benefits to the local community. This policy will replace the Concessional Rental Policy and the Waiving of Fees for the Use of Council’s Community Halls for Charitable or Non-Profit Community Organisations Policy of the former Councils.

2. The draft policy has been developed with input from community organisations who have previously hired Council facilities for a discount rate, and Council staff working in the areas of Community Services, Sports and Recreation, Library Services, Entertainment, Property, Events Management and Customer Service.

3. Community consultation sessions were conducted between November 2016 and February 2017 and the draft policy was placed on public exhibition from 14 December 2016 to 8 February 2017 for further feedback.

Background

4. The former Hurstville and Kogarah Councils both offered discounted and free venue hire arrangements for community groups and not for profit organisations utilising Council owned and managed facilities.

5. Former Kogarah Council provided this through its Waiving of Fees for the Use of Council’s Community Halls for Charitable or Non-Profit Community Organisations Policy. This policy permitted permanent hirers to apply for free hire of Council’s venues for up to ten hours per month. Kogarah Council also offered a special rate for community groups hiring its venues through a tiered rate structure in their fees and charges.

6. Former Hurstville Council provided this through its Concessional Rental Policy which permitted any hirer to apply for free or discounted hire of Council’s venues as part of an annual program whilst also allowing ad hoc submissions. Applications were assessed based on their ability to meet selection criteria in the application form. Hurstville Council did not offer a lower hire fee to community groups through their fees and charges; instead they had a single rate of hire per venue.

7. In addition, both Councils determined applications for venue waivers for parks and property leases on an ad hoc basis at their Council meetings.

8. Funding provided by the former Councils was seldom publicised and relied on hirers knowing about the subsidy options provided within Council’s policies. Successful applicants were not required to provide public acknowledgment of the financial support they received from Council or to provide proof that the activities taking place in Council’s venues were indeed benefiting the local community.

9. A new process for managing venue hire waiver requests is needed to ensure Council can consistently and strategically allocate subsidies to community organisations that provide significant benefits to the local community through provision of services, activities and events in a transparent and equitable manner.

10. A grant program for managing these requests will allow better awareness of Council’s financial support whilst improving Council’s ability to judge the merit of requests for funding.

11. Following the public exhibition period Council staff will make any necessary changes to the draft policy and prepare a report to Council outlining the submissions received and seeking approval of the final policy document.

12. Upon adoption of the Council Owned and/or Managed Facilities Policy applications will immediately open for an extraordinary round of the Venue Hire Grants Funding Program.

13. An information session for community organisations on the grants program and training in applying for government grants will be held before the closing date for the extraordinary round.

14. Normal grant rounds will commence in July 2017.

Financial Implications

15. No budget impact for this report.

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