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Children captivated by butterfly project

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Young learners at Cire Children’s Services have been captivated by a wonderful butterfly project, welcoming some much anticipated and beautiful new arrivals at our Yarra Junction, Mount Evelyn and Chirnside Park sites.

As part of a Junior Landcare and Biodiversity initiative, the children have been learning about the life cycle of butterflies and monitoring special hatching kits to see chrysalis (pupa) turn into butterflies. The butterflies will be progressively released into specially created butterfly habitats at each centre.

Children captivated by butterfly projectThe project has captivated all visitors to the Children’s Services sites where educators have created wonderful foyer displays as well as engage children in focused sessions which have included research, butterfly stories and slide show presentations.

It has been thrilling for the children, and staff, to witness the butterflies hatch and soon release them into specially created habitats.

Cire Children’s Services was fortunate to receive Junior Landcare and Biodiversity grants of almost $5000 for the butterfly habitat projects at each of its three sites.

The awarding of the grants in 2020 was timely given the challenges of COVID, particularly Children captivated by butterfly projectlast year, and to help keep children engaged and give them something exciting to look forward to in the new school year, as well as help beautify the outdoor learning spaces.

The Junior Landcare and Biodiversity project involves the development of habitats featuring native plants that attract butterflies, and the purchase of chrysalis kits so the children can witness and learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. The kits are enabling the children to follow the growth of butterflies, releasing them into the habitats once they are hatched.  As part of the project, children have monitored and measured how long it takes for the chrysalides to hatch, measured their growth, explored the best plants for the habitat and will count how many butterflies visit the habitat.

Diletta Lanciana, Executive Manager of Cire Children’s Services, said the project is a wonderfully engaging way to assist children with numeracy, literacy and STEM ie science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  It is also helping beautify outdoor spaces at the centres for children and their families to spend quiet time and enjoy the natural environment.

In the meantime, the children can proudly call themselves lepidopterologists and may even learn how to spell the tongue-twisting name of those who study and collect butterflies.

Click here for further information on Cire’s Children’s Services.

Cire delivers for Second Bite and Rotary

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Cire is supporting the Second Bite fresh food program in the Yarra Ranges through its organisational membership with Wandin Rotary.

Cire has joined the Rotary club’s roster to collect freshly cooked and frozen meals and deliver them to Yarra Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church volunteers for distribution to those in need in the Wandin area.

The Second Bite Program was launched several years ago by LinC in conjunction with local church groups with Wandin’s inclusion on the list in recent months. Other locations include Millgrove, Yarra Junction, Woori Yallock, Warburton and Mooroolbark.

From Wandin Senior Citizens Hall, food is being distributed to up to 30 families each Friday with some elderly residents collecting for their neighbours who are less mobile.

In a ‘paying it forward’ gesture, one woman in her 80s arrived with a shopping trolley overflowing with oranges she had picked from her tree to share far and wide.

‘Everyone receiving the food is so appreciative,’ said Pastor Emanuel Millen.

“It is so wonderful to see so many different groups working together to help those experiencing challenging times,’ he added.

Congregation member Veronica Tirchett who helps coordinate the program said the church was thrilled to be another outlet for the Second Bite Program at Wandin Senior Citizens.

“In light of the global pandemic, we thought that this would be a great help to those in this local community to support them through these tough and difficult times,: Veronica said.

“Hardship can happen to anyone and the cost of fresh food can make it difficult for people in need to maintain a balanced diet. We have a new public distribution point to assist people in need to have access to a range of seasonal fruit, vegetables and bread.”

Wandin Rotary has been assisting by collecting frozen meals and delivering them to the Senior Citizens Hall each week.

Rotarian Gavan McIntyre said the club had been delivering about 40 meals each week thanks to the generosity of a Rowville woman, Christine Smith who operates a commercial kitchen. Christine is currently having a break so the club is covering the cost of purchasing frozen meals while she is away.

For more information on the Wandin program, contact 03 5967 1272 or visit their website.

Main image – Cire’s Melissa Lizza (second from right) with Ian, Beth, Sheree and Rob from the Yarra Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Beauty class supports homeless

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Cire Community School’s beauty class has thrown its talents behind community organisation Stable One Yarra Ranges to help the homeless.

Beauty class supports homeless The class is also appealing to others to support its Stable One campaign through initiatives such as its GoFundMe page, and contributing new clothing and essential items.

Supporting Stable One came about due to COVID-19 restrictions when the class could no longer visit aged care facilities to provide manicures to the elderly who are at high risk as a result of the pandemic.

Lead teacher Megan Small said the class has truly stepped up and personally grown from the challenge, setting up the fundraising initiatives, and asking for donations of essential items and also canvassing businesses.

 “I have gorgeous outgoing women here that are ready to make a difference,” said Megan.

One student Karina said: “It feels good to know that we are all helping, especially for those in need in the Yarra Valley.”

The class has explained its initiative in the following article:

Our beauty class has selected a few ways to help raise money such as our GoFundMe page, and donations box in the front office at both Yarra Junction and Mt Evelyn campuses.

Beauty class supports homeless We are also encouraging essential item donations such as food, clothes, toiletries and miscellaneous items. All items donated will be given to those in need and any money raised will be used to fund larger items such as mountain bikes, games and puzzles.

Please don’t donate second-hand items because it is our mission to provide the homeless with the joy and experience of something as simple as taking the tags off their new possessions.

We have made it our priority to ensure all our proceeds go directly to Stable One and the people in need. This is a cause close to our hearts and those in the community; so your support and generosity in this time of need would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you! – Cire Community School Beauty class

Hayley and Kailea set up the GoFundMe page, which has so far raised almost $400.

“It’s exciting when you check it and see the money has gone up. It’s nice to see,” Kailea said.

The young women said they were stirred into action after the class sat down together to learn about the Stable One success story of James, a man who had been living in his car in Chirnside Park.

“It gave us motivation because he’s a local to our area. Everyone goes to Chirnside Park, so we wanted to help give so that less people are in that situation,” Kailea said.

Stable One Yarra Ranges is a charity made up of several local churches, who assist the homeless community in the area with temporary supported accommodation. Over the past three years, they have supported more than 90 people in need.

Stable One founder Jenny Willetts said: “It’s not just about providing a roof. It’s about connecting people to the help they need, which will allow them to take steps forward.

“We’re all really learning about isolation at the moment when people who are homeless have always been feeling isolated.”

For more information about Stable One, visit their website. To contribute to Cire’s GoFundMe, click here.

 

Celebrating National Volunteer Week

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Volunteering can be defined as ‘time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain.’ But volunteering is so much more than that as we know.

Volunteering can give someone a sense of achievement and purpose, help them feel part of a community and better about themselves. It can help them share skills, learn new skills and create a better work-life balance. It can help reduce stress and social isolation and help them meet new people and feel more connected.

And for Cire, volunteers add a wealth of diverse experience to the Cire team, support the critical work being done to deliver programs to the community, and help build that all-important community connection.

Cire welcomes and encourages volunteers from across the Yarra Ranges community and beyond who choose to contribute their valuable skills and time to enrich their local community.

National Volunteer Week – held Monday 18 May – Sunday 24 May 2020 – is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of volunteers across the country.

In any other year, events would be held across the country during National Volunteer Week to say thank you to the millions of Australians who volunteer their time and energy.

Despite 2020 being anything but an ordinary year so far, we feel that it is more important than ever to recognise and acknowledge (albeit from afar), the generous and continued support of Cire’s volunteers and the commitment they show to the organisation, the team and their local community.

Volunteers contribute to Cire in a number of different and important ways, including:

  • facilitating and co-facilitating educational programs alongside Cire staff
  • providing reception and event coordination support at the community hubs in Yarra Junction and Chirnside Park
  • providing child care support at family and children’s services sites across the Yarra Ranges
  • participating in gardening and conservation works, and working bees
  • engaging in corporate volunteering

Daniel was our first volunteer at Chirnside Park Community Hub and he is an asset to our team. Daniel loves to set up and assist for our Bookaburra storytime and our Senior Citizens club that meet weekly at the centre. I asked Daniel what volunteering at Cire means to him and his response was:

“Volunteering at Cire means meeting new people and doing exciting jobs” – Daniel Bookaburra volunteer.

Each week at Bookaburra children aged 1-5 years enjoy listening quietly to stories, being stimulated by singing songs and being creative with an easy craft project.

“As a volunteer with this program, it is always pleasing to see the delight on the children’s faces as they interact with their parents and carers during these Bookaburra activities” – Lorraine Bookaburra volunteer.

The theme of this year’s National Volunteer Week is Changing Communities, Changing Lives.

At its core, Cire is driven by a vision to enhance the lives, capabilities and opportunities in our community, and volunteers play a key role in achieving this vision.

For being the welcoming face at a community hub and voice the phone directing community members to a course or opportunity. For setting up a meeting room for the weekly Spanish language class and leading a workshop for young people. For all of this and more, we thank you.

Click here find out more about volunteering opportunities at Cire.

Celebrating National Volunteer Week

Cire supports bushfire initiative with Wandin Rotary

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Cire donated more than $700 to Wandin Rotary to directly support their initiative to aid those impacted by the devastating bushfires in the Corryong and Upper Murray region of northeast Victoria.

The money will help offset a $10,000 donation by Wandin Rotary to assist the Rotary Club of Corryong which is working tirelessly to help the local communities and individuals rebuild their lives.

Money raised by Rotary goes directly to those in need, without administration costs and other fees.

Whilst Cire staff contributed to appeals earlier in the year, the Rotary donation comprised of subsequent funds raised at a funky hair day by our Hubs and Children’s Services teams, which was then matched by Cire itself. The Wandin club’s pledge is from its major annual fundraisers including its Wandin Custom Car and Bike Show, the final night of which is on Wednesday evening 18 March.

“Cire is one of Wandin’s first organisational members and we are proud to be able to support the club in this way,” said Cire CEO, Gus Seremetis.

“Wandin Rotary is a small club but incredibly active in supporting the local community as well as reaching out to others in need.”

In commending Cire for its generous support, Wandin Rotary President, Dennis Hoehne, said the club chose to donate $10,000 to the Corryong Club so the funds would go directly to those most in need.

He said the Corryong Club had indicated that was most needed in the community was access to cash.

“Many people’s livelihoods have been taken away with little alternative income available. So far the Club has distributed $30,000 of its own funds to people who have either lost their homes or their properties have been severely damaged. The President of the Club lost his own home to the bushfires’’ Dennis said.

He said it was at times like these that the Wandin Club particularly valued organisational members like Cire who could help harness even more support through its staff and the communities it serves.

He said the club was always looking to expand its membership base so it could continue to provide and expand its work in strengthening local communities and helping those in need.

For further information about Wandin Rotary, please visit http://www.wandinrotary.org/

Embark on a rewarding new career in Individual Support!

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Would you like to embark on a career that allows you to change people’s lives for the better? Do you pride yourself on your compassion, ability to empathize and your desire to help others?

Do you want to work in a rewarding, growing industry that can offer you employment opportunities, job security and flexible working arrangements?

Undertaking study in Individual Support doesn’t just qualify you to become a carer: it provides you with the skills you need to play a vital role in your clients’ unique life stories. You will care for people during their most vulnerable moments and sit with them through difficult times. Your companionship will help prevent the social isolation that has been identified as a cause of numerous health issues, both physical and psychological. You will provide your clients with the support they need to face their personal challenges and you’ll become part of the rich tapestry of our local community.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistic’s Labour Force Survey, there will be over 250,000 employment opportunities in Healthcare and Social Assistance by 2023, with a 39% increase in Aged and Disability Carer roles. Census data identifies Aged Care Residential Services as a major industry of employment across the Yarra Ranges. Opportunities in the field will only continue to increase, with the number of people requiring some form of care projected to double by 2050.

Working in Individual Support is about more than just job security and industry growth. Your work will also be enriching, varied and interesting. Forget spending 9am-5pm stuck behind a desk! One day you might be assisting clients with mobility and daily activities, the next you could be organising social events and accompanying them out-and-about. You will become familiar with your client’s personalities, quirks, behaviours and empower them to make the improvements they need to live their lives to the fullest.

Cire’s Certificate III in Individual Support offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and 120 hours of practical, hands-on work placement. You will learn the foundational skills required to work safely and recognize health body systems, feel confident working closely with a diverse range of people, and be able to provide high-quality individualized care. You will be able to communicate with health-care professionals and monitor your client’s wellbeing. Based on your choice of electives, you may also learn to facilitate the empowerment of older people, provide dementia support and develop the knowledge required to work with a palliative approach.

Here at Cire, we believe in choice. We want you to have control over your own learning and future pathways. With this in mind, we’ve developed three different learning streams within the Certificate III. You can choose to specialize in Home and Community Care, Aged Care or Disability depending on your desired career outcome. You can also decide to study all three, giving yourself a broad general knowledge that will allow you to pursue a variety of roles.

A qualification in Individual Support provides a range of job opportunities, depending on your chosen learning stream. Upon graduating, you may find yourself working as an aged care support worker, a personal care attendant, a residential worker or in respite care.

The Certificate III runs across 7 months at our Yarra Junction Campus, with new enrolments being accepted throughout 2020. Our courses include a mix of classroom sessions, work placement and self-directed learning.

We’ll be running free information sessions, aiming to provide you with everything you need to make the right decision when it comes to enrolling in a qualification. These will cover the courses offered by Cire Training, future career pathways and more!

Click here to reserve your free space.

Shooting hoops set in concrete

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New Basketball Court for Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) Yarra Junction

Cire Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service at Yarra Junction will soon receive an upgrade to their basketball playing area due to the generosity of Upper Yarra Community Enterprise. The Community Enterprise operates the Yarra Junction and Warburton Bendigo Bank branches. Cire Family and Children’s Services Director, Lysa Smart, and Cire Sponsorship and Fundraising Coordinator, Amy Sheridan, attended the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise sponsorship presentation in Warburton recently to receive a cheque for this project to get underway at Cire’s Little Yarra Road campus.

“Providing funding for the basketball concrete pad was a great opportunity for us to support and encourage children to be outside and have fun while being active. The outside school hours program at Cire is an essential and high quality service to our community and it’s great to know the children will be now be able to play regardless of the weather, and on a flat surface. We’re sure there are many future stars among them.”Jaqui Hall Bendigo Bank Community Enterprise

Cire Family and Children’s Services was successful in receiving sponsorship to create a new concreted basketball area for the children. This project will encourage children to participate in being active and healthy after school, enhance social inclusion and team involvement; and also broaden their basketball skills. There is a huge emphasis on promoting physical activity in children these days so by providing them with a safe, fun space to run, play and stretch their legs means the children can continue to be encouraged by Cire educators to get active.

“Physical activity is such an important part of every child’s growth and encourages good modelling for later life in creating healthy lifestyles. Being that we care for children after school, it is important that we can provide these children with an appropriate space to get active.” Lysa Smart, Director Cire Family and Children’s Services Yarra Junction.

The importance of providing activities and space for children to be physically active means Cire staff can help promote health and development, improve cardiovascular fitness, improve balance, coordination and strength, as well as help further develop strong, healthy muscles, bones and joints; which is important to their overall growth. Interpersonal skills are developed and enhanced through participation in team sports.

Cire OSHC staff are so excited the children will be able to safely enjoy their ball sports once their new court has been constructed within the next couple of months. They can’t wait for this new space to be completed.

“Our aim was to provide a space for the children to continue to better their basketball skills and we are thrilled to be able to improve the space for the children to do this and improve our services.” Lysa Smart.

Cire Family and Children’s Services appreciates the continued support from the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise which in turn helps our community by providing them with high quality care.

Stay tuned for project updates.

Exceeding - National Quality StandardCire Family and Children’s Services outside school hours care (Yarra Junction) is proud to announce the achievement of receiving an  Exceeding Rating from Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

For further information all our children’s services click here

SWEY Partnership – Community consultation on education

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How can we make it easy as possible for people in the Yarra Valley to get the skills they need to fill local jobs? SWEY wants to know!

SWEY (Seville, Woori Yallock, Mt Evelyn and Yarra Junction) is a partnership between Cire Services and Seville and Woori Community Houses.  With support from the Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board, we are gathering evidence about the state of employment education in our local area and how we can support more people to get the skills they need to work locally.  This means connecting with businesses to learn what their needs are and connecting with community members to determine how to make training as easy to access as possible.

SWEY is a two-part consultation.  Firstly, we want to gain information from community members (“learners”) about what barriers they face when considering a training program and how we can make it easier for people to get the skills they need close to home.  Secondly, we want to connect with businesses (“employers”) in the Warburton Highway corridor and beyond to determine what skills they most value and what types of training we can offer that will best serve their needs.

“The Yarra Valley region is a vibrant community with diverse business interests and a lot to offer, but we suffer from a lack of public transportation and we are far from major training centres in the city,” explains Erica German, the SWEY Project Manager, “Cire already offers the most accessible training in the region and by partnering with Seville and Woori Community Houses we are making sure that it is as easy as possible for local people to gain the skills that they need to get meaningful employment in the area.”

If you live, train, or work in the region, we want to hear from you!   What training programs would you like to see offered locally?  What can we do to make it easier for people to attend?  What supports can we put in place to make sure people succeed in their training programs?  Get in touch on our website, www.swey.org.au   where you can gain more information or fill in our short survey.  You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sweypartnership

Check out the programs offered by our other SWEY partners on their websites:

Sevillecommhouse.org.au
Wooricommhouse.org.au