Recently I attended the Australian launch of Aboriginal artist Lena Nyabdi's new installation, Dayiwul Lirlmim (Barramundi Scales) which will cover over 700sqm of the rooftop of the musée du quai Branly in Paris from next June. The work will be visible from the top of the Eiffel Tower and, some say, from the moon.

Two stories from the launch were so moving and enlightening that I'd like to share them with you. One is from the dreaming that informs much of the artist's work, the other is from a wealthy and influential Australian philanthropist, Harold Mitchell.

Lena Nyadbi is a senior Gija women and much of her work, including this piece, is inspired by the Dayiwul Lirlmim Ngarrangarni (Barramundi Scales Dreaming). In this story, three sisters chase a barramundi into shallow water where they try to catch him in their trap made of spinifex grass. The fish is smarter than they are and he escapes by leaping over their trap and through a gap in the mountain range. When the fish lands, his scales fall off his body and are scattered all over the ground. The scattered scales then turn into diamonds.

Belconnen Community Service's Energy Efficiency Outreach Program (EEOP) helps people on low incomes to reduce their energy bills. It's an ACT wide program funded by the Environmental and Sustainable Development Directorate. Households that register for EEOP receive a range of services designed to minimise their energy consumption. The first step is a home visit by Connie O'Day, the Energy Efficiency Officer at BCS.

"I need to find out about how they use energy on a day-to-day basis in their home. After this snap shot’s created I can show them ways to use less energy and save money. When you hear back that they’ve taken $60 of their bills, that’s super rewarding".

The EEOP provides a service that’s tailor-made to each household’s needs. The main focus is on education.

"People get excited about having a better understanding. It gives them more control over their energy expenses".

Connie is able to provide practical support where it’s most needed. The EEOP can assist with window coverings and draft proofing, or replacement of out-dated and inefficient white goods. Connie also partners with other programs that offer further assistance with energy efficiency.

As Executive Manager for Programs and Service at BCS I was privileged enough on Wednesday evening to be asked to speak at the launch of the Challenges exhibition. It is an incredible photography exhibition of work done by young people depicting their real life challenges. The program was supported by beyond blue and focusses on the key messages of:

• Look for signs of depression
• Listen to your friends experiences
• Talk about what’s going on and
• Seek help together

The young people in this project were described as brave and indeed they are, they have told their stories in their own words and through pictures and it is an incredible privilege to be able to have an insight into their challenges.

This project was inspired by our experiences working with young people and hearing the stories they share with us. We hope that that this project will raise awareness for the specific challenges that are faced by young people living with anxiety and depression. Additionally we hope that this project will potentially reduce stigma, as most of us have an understanding of what it means to feel challenged – and how this can impact on our lives.

It was an incredibly proud moment for me and I want to express my thanks to the team of people who pulled this together and supported the young people through the project, in the first instance Nicky and Tim as the tutors of the project and all our team members from Youth Connections, Youth Engagement, Bungee, Latitude and Youth and Family Support, it is an incredible exhibition and everyone involved has contributed so much to making this happen and supporting the young people to share their stories with us and our community.

I encourage all members of our community to come and check out the exhibition that is currently on in gallery@bcs.

Jennelle Irwin - Executive Manager for Programs & Service

As I sit down to write this, it occurs to me that it has been exactly one year to the day since Belconnen Community Service (BCS) launched our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) on March 7th 2012. It was indeed a grand affair with a Welcome to Country by Ngunnawal Elder, Aunty Agnes Shae, an official launch by Dr Chris Bourke MLA, and other fanfare which delighted a packed house in theatre@bcs. As a member of the RAP committee, I had a great sense of pride that night; seeing a year's worth of preparation and planning come to fruition. This feeling, however, was slightly undercut by an unsettling voice in my head which said "well it's all well and good to plan things and say we'll do it... NOW WE HAVE TO DO IT!!!"

Tuesday March 19th sees the inaugural Your Community! Our Community! Expo take place across 3 venues including the Belconnen Community Centre, Belconnen Library and the Belconnen Senior Citizens Club. Seniors Week runs from March 17th – 24th and our expo which is a celebration of Seniors Week in Belconnen, is just one of a host of events that will be occurring across Canberra.

Born from a desire to showcase just what is available for seniors living in Belconnen, the expo will run from 10:00am - 7:00pm. Local businesses, service providers as well as special interest and hobby groups have been invited to come along and participate. The Expo will cover a range of themes including, health and wellbeing, financial and retirement planning, lifestyle, advocacy and legal issues, housing and accommodation, and employment and education.

My name is Wendy McDuff. I am currently employed by the ACT Government in the Community Services Directorate. For the past year I have been working as the sector development adviser responsible for assisting services with the implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF). I am very hopeful that the changes that should result from the implementation of the NQF will bring about changes for children, families and educators that are long overdue in our society.

For over 30 years I have worked with community based services and charities trying to provide quality education and care for children. The services I have worked for have often been trying to confront issues around equity, inclusion and social justice within the communities they have been a part of.

I am so happy I stumbled upon Belconnen Community Service at a time when I had just moved to Canberra to study my Undergraduate Degree in International Relations at the Australian National University. The organisation is a cosmos of culture filled with unique and exciting stories from people from all over the world who live, work and play in Belconnen.

I was intrigued by the opportunity to explore a new part of our diverse community by volunteering to be a tutor in English for Conversation classes held every Thursday morning during the school term at the Belconnen Library. It's amazing how much I have learnt about different cultures whilst volunteering for this program. It has provided me with a cultural perspective to my studies helping me understand the complexities of intercultural communication.

The work we do with the English Conversation Group is really enjoyable. The number of people who attend each week varies, however in saying that we have many regulars and it is always lovely to see their familiar faces.