Community building NATIONAL NETWORk
A NATIONAL NETwork of community
builders
STREET BY STREET
In every street and neighbourhood, there is an
isolated elderly person, and a person living with a disability, and a new settler wanting to
communicate and develop connections with
locals.
And in every
street and neighbourhood, there are people wanting to make
connections with others and offer support in simple and
practical ways.
UnitingCare Wesley in Adelaide has developed a neighbourhood
support program called
In Your Street. It aims to foster the development of
caring
communities by linking up people who live in the same street
or or nearby. The
focus is on practical helping tasks which can relieve
isolation and make the
difference between someone remaining in their own home or
needing to move
into more supportive accommodation, such as:
-
Taking the bin in
and out
-
Hanging washing
-
Getting a few items
from the shops
-
Getting mail from
the letter box
-
Calling in for a
chat
-
Practising language
skills
Street by Street
will replicate this model in towns and suburbs around the country.
We would like to hear from individuals and organisations around the country interested in
participating in rolling out Street by Street on a national scale.
Community centres, service clubs, neighbourhood
houses, community health centres, scout and guide groups, and voluntary
associations are some of the organisations that we hope will participate in
auspicing a local Street by Street initiative.
Where two or more residents in a street are known
to be in need of regular practical support from neighbours, an auspicing group
will distribute a flyer in that street, inviting neighbours who wish to lend a
hand to make contact, attend an information session, and begin connecting up.
Further information will be posted in the members
section of the Community Building National Network,
including guidelines and procedures for groups and organisations which auspice a
Street by Street initiative.
Register your interest in participating by using the
form below.
Further information:
Vern Hughes
0425 722 890
network@civilsociety.org.au
