Belconnen Community Service (BCS), along with its partners, is proud to announce the launch of the new website for The Gateway.

The Gateway is a partnership between Barnardos, Belconnen Community Service, Woden Community Service, YWCA Canberra and the ACT Government.

The aim of this service is to help children, young people and families who are looking for help with the tough stuff, but are not sure where to go. The Gateway connects people with services and programs to help them through difficult times.

The Gateway can support people who require:

• Parenting support
• Case management
• Counselling services
• Group programs
• Youth engagement programs
• Ideas of what support options exist across the community

For more information and to get in touch visit the new website at www.thegateway.org.au or call us free on 1800 647 831.

Your Community! Our Community! is an Expo styled event being hosted by Belconnen Community Service to celebrate Seniors Week 2013. With a distinctive Belconnen flavour to the event, we want to celebrate all that's great about Belconnen and to showcase just what is available for seniors in our region.

This is an event that is being held in collaboration with the Belconnen Library and the Belconnen Senior Citizens Club. We are currently inviting local businesses, service providers as well as special interest and hobby groups to participate in the expo. We are especially interested in providing information for our seniors in Belconnen along the following themes:

• Health & Wellbeing
• Financial and retirement planning
• Lifestyle Advocacy and legal issues
• Housing / accommodation
• Employment / education
• Special interest and hobby groups

There will be opportunities for you to host an information stall as well as a program spotlight in our 140 seat theatre.

There is a range of activities planned across multiple sites and we will be hosting a special exhibition in our gallery of children’s artworks celebrating grandparents and their families.

If you would like to be part of this exciting new event, please contact us at or simply call 6264 0200 to get a copy of the registration form and return it to us by February 15th.

The Expo will be held during Seniors Week 2013 on Tuesday March 19th 2013 from 10:00am-7pm at the Belconnen Community Centre, Belconnen Library and the Belconnen Senior Citizens Club.

Media Contact: Sifu Kahonde 6264 0200

Release Date: Thursday, 15 November 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Belconnen Community Service 10/10 Project

BCS 10/10 Project is an initiative by BCS employees to give something back to our community through volunteering for a one off, free basic gardening and yard clean-up for 10 families, young people and individuals currently accessing programs coordinated by BCS.

The 10/10 project involves cleaning up some yards, gardens, lawn mowing, weeding, and rubbish removal. The main purpose of this project is to give some lasting benefits to the people we are working with who cannot maintain their yards.

For many members of our community garden/yard maintenance is often an area where they struggle. We know people are at risk of eviction because of the state of their yards, children can’t play outside because the back yard is unsafe, for many of our older participants, the fire season can be very scary and they can’t get their yard ready for the bushfire season.

"To meet some of the people who through no fault of their own are having a really tough time has been a real eye opening experience. We met an individual, who recently had the lower half of his left leg amputated and heard his story of how terrible he feels that he is unable to get out and mow his lawn or weed his garden . Our project is aimed at providing much needed assistance to ensure that this is resolved." Colin Lee 10/10 Project team member concluded.

We currently have 10 families and individuals who have registered for this great community event to be held across Belconnen Suburbs on Saturday, November 24 2012 from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Food and light refreshments will be provided on the day, including a lunch with some of the participants and all our volunteers to be hosted at the Belconnen Community Centre from 12:00pm to 1:00pm.

There are opportunities for the media to interview the families, young people and individuals who are part of this important community project and take photographs for publication.

Media contact: Graham McKerchar Belconnen Community Service 6264 0200

Release Date: Wednesday, May 02 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anglicare Australia’s Rental Affordability Snapshot issued yesterday provided a sharp insight into the housing stress that low-moderate income earners experience in the ACT, particularly those in the private rental market.

The demand for public and community housing in Canberra is also outstripping supply. There are many more individuals and families in the low-moderate income threshold who are struggling with high rent or cannot keep up with mortgage repayments. This has been the shared experience of a housing support service assisting people in all types of housing tenure across the ACT to maintain their accommodation when under financial stress.

The Supportive Tenancy Service operates as a partnership between Woden Community Service, the YWCA of Canberra and Belconnen Community Service. This service works with families and individuals in managing issues that may be affecting their ability to maintain long-term secure accommodation. Funded by the ACT Community Services Directorate “The Supportive Tenancy Service provides outreach support to people in housing stress, or who may have an ‘at risk’ tenancy regardless of the reason for their circumstances, it is open to all households including public and private tenants and home owners,” said Dira Horne, CEO of Belconnen Community Service.

"The Supportive Tenancy Service works with all Canberrans, regardless of residency status who may be experiencing housing stress to maintain a safe and stable home," Ms Horne said. The service also provides opportunities to expand knowledge enhance skills, access resources and build connections to communities. People experiencing housing stress are encouraged to contact the Supportive Tenancy Service on 6207 2427 or email . The service is available Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm.

Media Contact: Dira Horne CEO Belconnen Community Service 6264 0200