Posts

Welcome to Term 3 – Yarra Junction Community Hub

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Welcome to issue #8 of OurHub term 3 Guide. As you can see we’ve moved to an online version for Term 3. Don’t worry the much loved printed version will be back for Term 4, and we will also continue to deliver this online for those of you who prefer to check out what’s on offer on your phone or tablet (it’s even better for our beloved planet).

What a whirlwind the last three months have been for not only for our community but for all communities worldwide. We have had to learn to adapt to many changes in our day-to-day routines with everything but essential services closed. For me, these changes meant that I had to adapt to working from home, homeschooling four children and being thrown into the world of virtual meetings and catch-ups. Reflecting on the past few months, I am really grateful for the experience as it has given me the opportunity to spend quality time with my family, enjoy a slower pace of life and gain the confidence that I can adapt to any situation and come out stronger.

We closed the Hubs on 23rd March and I was very unsure of how I was going to support the community and provide courses and programs, without being able to deliver them in the centre. I am very grateful for my amazing team and together we kept coming up with innovative ideas to support the community. Our Fit 4 Life program was the first to be delivered via Zoom and with the members that did not have access to technology, we sent them an exercise DVD and exercise information sheets. We connected our Wednesday morning craft group together on Zoom, and despite some technical challenges, with patience and persistence, we got there in the end. The weekly catch-ups have kept the ladies feeling connected during this isolating time.

We launched Friday Night Live, a program created by our placement students from Box Hill Institute of TAFE, welcomed guest speakers each week and incorporated a question and answer section at the end. Guest speakers included Patrick Boucher and Danny Field from Yarra Ranges TV, David Shepard a Tai Chi instructor, and Emily Webbers, an Indigenous educator.

Two weeks before closed our Hubs, we welcomed Naomi to our team as the Chirnside Park Community Hub Coordinator (pictured above left). You may have already seen her on our weekly Cuppa and Chat sessions on our Facebook page, where she has kept us updated with what is going on at the Hubs. Naomi started the hugely successful Lock Down Lego Challenge on Facebook, reaching around 800 members. The group was created and new challenges were set up daily to engage families to get creative and build Lego. Due to the success of this group we are excited to be launching our Lego Group at both our hubs.

Level Up is unlikely to return to the Hubs in Term 3, or while limits on social gatherings are still in place. Level Up is extremely important for our young people however, we do not want to create a situation where some young people may need to be excluded from our programs. We are eager for Level Up to return as soon as we are able to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all. Gamers Lounge transitioned to an online format in May and will continue to do so for Term 3. Those interested in becoming involved can do so by joining our Facebook group.

We have our Centre link access point for the community to use during our operating hours. You can access the following services to use the internet, get brochures and fact sheets, use the phone claiming service, reply paid Medicare envelopes, scan, copy, print and upload documents and verify identity documents.

We look forward to welcoming you back to our Hub and as always, please feel free to stop in for a cuppa and chat and let us know what you would like to see in our programming.

If you would like to subscribe simply click the Sign Up! button above.

Enjoy OurHubs online
Jenelle Strachan – Manager – Cire Community Hubs

 

Welcome to Term 3 – Chirnside Community Hub

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Welcome to issue #8 of OurHub term 3 Guide. As you can see we’ve moved to an online version for Term 3. Don’t worry the much loved printed version will be back for Term 4, and we will also continue to deliver this online for those of you who prefer to check out what’s on offer on your phone or tablet (it’s even better for our beloved planet).

What a whirlwind the last three months have been for not only for our community but for all communities worldwide. We have had to learn to adapt to many changes in our day-to-day routines with everything but essential services closed. For me, these changes meant that I had to adapt to working from home, homeschooling four children and being thrown into the world of virtual meetings and catch-ups. Reflecting on the past few months, I am really grateful for the experience as it has given me the opportunity to spend quality time with my family, enjoy a slower pace of life and gain the confidence that I can adapt to any situation and come out stronger.

We closed the Hubs on 23rd March and I was very unsure of how I was going to support the community and provide courses and programs, without being able to deliver them in the centre. I am very grateful for my amazing team and together we kept coming up with innovative ideas to support the community. Our Fit 4 Life program was the first to be delivered via Zoom and with the members that did not have access to technology, we sent them an exercise DVD and exercise information sheets. We connected our Wednesday morning craft group together on Zoom, and despite some technical challenges, with patience and persistence, we got there in the end. The weekly catch-ups have kept the ladies feeling connected during this isolating time.

Some of the other programs that went virtual included our Book and Movie Club which meets on the last Wednesday of the month and Majickal Belly Dancing launched a four-week course. Friday Night Live, a program created by our placement students from Box Hill Institute of TAFE, welcomed guest speakers each week and incorporated a question and answer section at the end. Guest speakers included Patrick Boucher and Danny Field from Yarra Ranges TV, David Shepard a Tai Chi instructor, and Emily Webbers, an Indigenous educator.

Two weeks before closed our Hubs, we welcomed Naomi to our team as the Chirnside Park Community Hub Coordinator (pictured above left). You may have already seen her on our weekly Cuppa and Chat sessions on our Facebook page, where she has kept us updated with what is going on at the Hubs. Naomi started the hugely successful Lock Down Lego Challenge on Facebook, reaching around 800 members. The group was created and new challenges were set up daily to engage families to get creative and build Lego. Due to the success of this group we are excited to be launching our Lego Group at both our hubs.

Level Up is unlikely to return to the Hubs in Term 3, or while limits on social gatherings are still in place. Level Up is extremely important for our young people however, we do not want to create a situation where some young people may need to be excluded from our programs. We are eager for Level Up to return as soon as we are able to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all. Gamers Lounge transitioned to an online format in May and will continue to do so for Term 3. Those interested in becoming involved can do so by joining our Facebook group.

We look forward to welcoming you back to our Hub and as always, please feel free to stop in for a cuppa and chat and let us know what you would like to see in our programming.

If you would like to subscribe simply click the Sign Up! button above.

Enjoy OurHubs online
Jenelle Strachan – Manager – Cire Community Hubs

 

 

For a limited time you could be eligible for funding

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Are you interested in returning to study, but can’t afford the full fee? Well there is good news. Cire Training, being a Learn Local organisation, is offering funding for eligible individuals commencing courses before 31 December 2016. If you previously have been ineligible to access Victorian Training Guarantee (VTG) funding, the Victorian Government has granted a limited time exemption to criteria for some individuals.

If you are trying to access funding for training using the VTG Funding, there is usually a number of eligibility criteria you are required to meet. Two of those criteria are;

Upskilling: Individuals over the age of 20 may only enrol in a course that is at a higher qualification level than the highest qualification held at the time of the scheduled commencement of training);

For example, Rachael has a Certificate IV in Disability and has been working in the sector for a number of years. She is now thinking of a career change to early childhood education and wishes to do Certificate III in Early Childhood and Education and Care but she cannot get the Victorian funding since she already attained a Certificate IV qualification, which is above Certificate III level.

Two in a lifetime: Individuals may only commence a maximum of two government subsidised courses at the same level within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) in their lifetime.

For example, John enrolled in Certificate III in Aged Care accessing Victorian government funding and withdrew after a couple of months. He then enrolled in Certificate III in Business Administration again accessing the funding. He withdrew from that course as well after a few months before completing. Now he cannot enrol in any Certificate III level courses accessing the funding in his lifetime based on the eligibility requirements of the funding.

If you were unable to access funding because of any of the above requirements, Cire Training may grant an Eligibility Exemption to the ‘upskilling’ and/or ’two at level in a lifetime’ eligibility requirements for up to 15% of their Victorian Training Guarantee course commencing before 31 December 2016.

Speak to us TODAY and see if we can help you to meet the eligibility exemptions and therefore pay less to access our high quality training to achieve your goals.

Notwithstanding the above, Students are required to undertake Cire Training’s Pre-Training Review. All other eligibility requirements remain in place and are required to be met by students. Cire Training will offer guidance on the best training to undertake to improve job outcomes and complement previous training undertaken. In providing exemptions, preference will be given to training that meets identified skills shortages and localised labour market needs.

To find out more about Cire Training courses click here.

In the vegetable garden

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As the seasons change from summer to autumn, it’s time to think ahead to what winter vegetables you’d like to harvest in the coming months to add to your dinner menu. Now is the perfect time to get to it and start planning, preparing and planting your vegetable gardens for this coming winter.

There are a number of winter harvest vegetables that can be planted from mid-February and into March. Plants such as garlic cloves, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, leek, winter cabbage and Brussels sprouts can be planted as seedlings now in order for them to have time to mature.

Now Brussels sprouts may not be everyone’s idea of the go to vegetable, but even children (who at times are rather fussy eaters) have learnt to love Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts can be steamed, pan fried with a drizzle of olive oil with lashings of freshly ground black pepper and a handful of diced bacon thrown in for good measure. Resulting in a delicious home grown side dish that even the sceptics will grow to love.  If the Brussels sprouts can be a family dinner winner why not try growing them this year in the garden and add them to your winter menu.

Although this summer hasn’t been a scorcher; in many areas it has been a dry summer period with low rain fall. The soil could possibly benefit from some additional nutrients; for example chook or horse manure, click here for the ABC Gardening Australia Fact Sheet on manure nutrients. Paddock horse manure can be added to the vegetable garden beds and perhaps a bit of compost. Adding back to the soil doesn’t need to cost a fortune nor require man-made chemicals. Horse or chook manure is often seen for sale on the side of the road by some enterprising young person costing around 2 or 3 dollars per bag. Why not pick up a few bags next time you’re out and about, and combine well using a fork or spade with the soil? Don’t forget to water in the manure afterwards to make sure it mixes well together.

Planning ahead is the key to success in the vegetable patch. Some winter vegetables can take from 12 weeks to 20 weeks to fully develop. By planting some varieties over the next few weeks hopefully this will ensure that by mid-June and into July you should have some vegetables ready to harvest for the table.

If you are thinking about sowing seeds this coming weekend, you could consider using a small bench top greenhouse or seed tray (purchased or home made), this video will help you get started. Sowing seeds this way helps offer additional protection from weather extremes and makes thinning out the developed seedlings prior to planting easier at bench level rather than bending or crouching down in the garden itself. I would recommend this method particularly if you plan on sowing seeds rather than planting out seedlings.

So whether you have a backyard entirely dedicated to a vegetable garden, have a small plot in a community garden or perhaps you have a few pots out on your verandah, no matter the size or shape of your vegetable garden why not start planning, preparing and planting out your space this weekend in readiness for a bumper winter harvest in the coming cooler months.

If you would like to take your interest in gardening further and make a career out of it? Why not enrol in our Certificate II in Horticulture – AHC20410. This course is the first step to getting a job in horticulture, click here for further details.

Study tips to help you succeed…

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Study tips

It’s a big step to make the decision to get back into study when you haven’t studied in a while… it can be overwhelming.

It can make you start to doubt yourself and question whether it’s all worthwhile, but we can assure you that it is.

You may experience challenges and have some fears about studying again, but there are many ways to overcome them. The key is to be organised so here are some tips to help you successfully gain the qualification of your choice.

1. Make the Time
You need to make time to study, add it to your schedule. Allow this time to focus on your study.

2. Schedule Everything
Include school dates in your appointment/diary including when assignments are due. If using electronic devices schedule reminders to ensure deadline and commitments are met.

3. Make Your Situation Known
Discuss at the start of the course any barriers you may have to completing the qualification. Come up with a plan to achieve your goal with your trainer.

4. Use the Buddy System
Study buddies are a great idea, because you’re accountable to someone other than yourself. They can also give you someone to discuss what has been covered in class.

5. Make Study Time a Family Event
Make a time where everyone is doing their homework. You can lead by example and show them how important it is to study.

We hope these tips are helpful and remember trainers are here to assist so if there are any road blocks that need addressing, talk to your trainer who will be happy to assist you.

For further information on UYCH Community College Nationally recognised training courses click here.