RESOURCES
We have put together some resources for volunteers, which you may find helpful:
- Definition and principles of volunteering, Centre for Participation
- National Standards for Volunteer Involvement, Volunteering Australia
- State of Volunteering Report, Volunteering Tasmania
- Volunteer rights and responsibilities, Centre for Participation
- Volunteer rights and volunteer checklist, Volunteering Australia
Should you have any questions please contact us.
Migrant support
Assisting new migrants towards inclusive communities
A major focus at the Centre for Participation is how we can work with and support our migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker communities from many nations. This approach has culminated in us establishing a designated Migrant Support Worker role. We’ll continue to work closely with partner organisations to explore how we can support migrants to ‘arrive, survive and thrive’.
Some of our key initiatives include:
Licencing the Wimmera – tailoring our program to support new migrants to obtain their driver’s licence.
English language classes – introducing more options to practice conversational and extension English
Computers and digital literacy courses – equipping people with hands-on skills to encourage digital participation
Engagement workshops – working with migrant women to understand their work and education aspirations, and how we can support them to achieve their goals
Social Pantry – to support many initiatives to build skills in customer service and hospitality
Multicultural festivals – exploring opportunities to bring together different migrant groups and break down cultural barriers
Microbusiness classes – working towards opportunities for people to create microbusinesses and have greater social and economic participation.
L2P
Creating safer drivers we want to share the road with
As we all know a driver’s licence is essential for getting around and accessing our region’s resources and facilities. Especially in a rural area like ours.
But many people have barriers to get the driving experience they need. This could be lack of access to a suitable supervising driver or car.
Our Licensing the Wimmera program matches disadvantaged or at-risk learner drivers between the ages of 16–21 (TAC L2P program) or over 21 years (P21 program) with experienced volunteer mentor drivers, who help them gain the driving experience required before they are eligible to sit for their probationary licence.
Experience for learners comes from practice drives with their mentor, along with professional driving lessons. Volunteers are trained through VicRoads accredited trainers, and all mentors must complete appropriate checks including a satisfactory driving history.
Who is eligible for the TAC L2P program?
Learners need to meet the following criteria to join the L2P program:
- be between 16 and 21 years old
- hold a current learner permit
- have limited or no access to a vehicle or a supervising driver
- live in either Horsham Rural City Council, Hindmarsh Shire, West Wimmera Shire or Yarriambiack Shire.
The TAC L2P Program is free for eligible young people and includes limited professional driving lessons. L2P does not pay for you to get your learner’s permit or the probationary driving test itself.
To access the service you need to:
Login to your myVicRoads account (link) or Create an account (link) to get started.
Navigate to Licenses and Learner Permits in your account
Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Apply as a learner in the TAC L2P Program to go to the learner’s online application form.
Alternatively you can contact our L2P coordinator on 5382 5607.
Become a mentor
Mentors attend training approved by VicRoads prior to being accepted into the program. Mentors must have a full (non-probationary) current Victorian driver’s licence with a good driving history.
Volunteer mentors act as supervising drivers to support learners and supervise their on-road driving practice while using one of our vehicles.
To enquire if you are eligible for the P21 program, please contact our program coordinator on 5382 5607
Youth
The Youth Connection program aims to help young people in the Horsham LGA connect with the community to develop pathways, link to services, activities, increase aspirations and grow transferrable skills. The program utilizes a co-design process with young people at the centre of the design.
With support from the Youth Community Connector, young people will be able to establish goals, focus on strengths to achieve their life ambitions whilst providing support and helping establish pathways. The program aims to support young people to create the future that they want.
A case plan is developed to support the young person to:
- Strengthen supportive relationships
- Be empowered to make positive life changes
- Engage/re-engage with education and training
- Maintain stable accommodation
- Build upon independent living skills
- Connect with positive community activities
If you are concerned about a young person who is at risk of disengaging from school, engaging in risk-taking behaviours, facing challenges at home, or engaging in self-destructive behaviours, this program is there to assist. Referrals can come from local schools, Victoria Police, Youth Justice Diversion Program, other organisations, parents or the young person themselves.
Support can provided in individual or group settings.
SLES
Centre for Participation’s School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) program supports Year 12 school leavers, to assist them with the transition from school into employment. Supports may include work experience generally in open employment, job site training, travel training and activities that contribute to achieving an employment outcome and linkages to ongoing employment support.
Participants will have SLES in their NDIS plan and this gives them choice and control of how supports are given and which service providers they use.
When a SLES participant leaves school, they have a number of pathways and supports available. Their choice depends on their aspirations, skills, abilities, interests and personal and family circumstances.
Centre for Participation’s SLES program can (but is not limited to) focus on the following ‘hard and soft skills’:
- Job Search activities such as resume writing, industry visits and job seeking
- Cooking activities such as meal preparation, food safety and budgeting
- Creative activities such as wood works, growing your own food and recycling
- Life skills such as tax knowledge, insurance knowledge, budgeting and saving, healthy eating, social skills, transport and living arrangements
- Social activities
To become part of the SLES program participants will need to have SLES listed in their NDIS plan. SLES programs can be customised to suit the participant. To discuss options and availability, please contact our SLES coordinator on 5382 5607
Wimmera Food Collective
Purchase Meal Relief Packs Here
Our Wimmera Food Collective is an inclusive and vibrant space providing food programs, where people can sell, buy, and celebrate local, affordable, and culturally desired fruit, vegetables, herbs, grains, and legumes.
Located on site, the Food Collective will provide for the producers and the Wimmera-Southern-Mallee community. Leveraging their deep connections with the multi-cultural community and targeting non-English speaking people and young people living across the region, the Food Collective will build on their work to change lives and strengthen communities through food.
MyCareCrew
Our Theory of Change.
Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP)
Centre for Participation provides Social Support across Horsham via various Planned Activity Groups under the Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP). These groups include:
- Women’s Journey
- Men’s Outing
- English for Beginners
- Participation in Youth Program for under 24’s
- Couples/Women’s Outing’s
- Participation in Volunteer Activities
- Participation in Meals on Wheels Delivery
The Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP) supports Victorians from birth to 65 years, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from birth to 50 years if their capacity for independent living is at risk. This may be due to chronic illness, mental health issues, disability or other conditions where they need one-off, intermittent or ongoing support to undertake the activities of daily living.
HACC PYP supports Victorians to optimise their health and wellbeing, while maintaining or regaining their independence to live safely in their homes, and actively participate in their community.
People who are eligible for Home and Community Care (HACC) services can be linked to other organisations for assessment and other supports including but not limited to:
- Shopping assistance
- Community Health Services
- Property Maintenance
- Meals
- Dietetics
- Personal Care
- NDIS
Learning / ACFE
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.
Learning is the key to opening different doors and can prove beneficial in your personal or work life. The journey to self-development starts when you are ready; no matter your age or circumstances, it is never too late to learn.
By improving language, literacy and numeracy skills and increasing digital literacy, we support people in their upskill, ready for further study or career options and encourage people to become lifelong learners.
Our courses are targeted towards people who may have experienced gaps in education or financial difficulty, those who would like to grow their transferrable skills or those who simply require updated professional skills. The Centre for Participation provides non-discriminatory learning opportunities that build skills, knowledge and confidence via localised, pre-accredited courses.
For more information about our array of training and enrolment options, please click here (link to training calendar).
Support for Carers
Carer Support
Unpaid carers provide care and support for their partners, friends, family members or other loved ones. They may support a person with a disability, mental illness, chronic illness or medical condition, terminal illness or ageing related support needs.
Carers need good health and well-being to continue their vital roles. The Victorian Support for Carers Program (SCP) in conjunction with the Centre for Participation can assist. Assistance includes:
- Weekly Carer Support group at 10.00 am every Thursday;
- Someone to talk to;
- When simple tasks of meal preparation or gardening become overwhelming – we can help out;
- Financial contribution towards a support worker, small break away; and
- Vouchers to take make life a little bit easier and relieve some of the stresses associated with being a Carer.
Carer Support Group
Would you like to meet with other carers to share your experiences?
The Carer Support Group allows unpaid carers to meet regularly to discuss their caring role, socialise, share information and offer each other support. The group is a way of providing emotional and social support and provides a connection with other carers who may have similar experiences.
Our group is a safe and confidential space to share your story where there is no judgement, only a willingness to support each other.
The facilitator can provide members with information on local services and arrange guest speakers on topics of interest.
Carer Respite
To give the Carer a break our respite services can be provided at home, in a community venue or in the general community. Services are available during weekdays and weekends, and are offered on a regular basis, episodically or intermittently as needed.
Call 5382 5607 and ask to speaker with our Carer Support Team Member.