Dear Reader, Welcome to the end of year issue of Volunteering Barossa & Light News (where did 2010 go?!) It’s been a great year for the Volunteering Barossa & Light Team. We have met and helped lots of people; volunteers young and old, experienced and inexperienced, all getting their own personal rewards from volunteering. We have also met volunteer managers and people from community organisations who used our service for the first time. With all the excitement of Summer and Christmas everyone has busy (but hope-fully fun!) weeks ahead. January is always a popular month for people to act on that New Year’s resolution and get out there into the community - don’t

forget you can use our online volunteer expression of interest form at www.barossa.sa.gov.au to make getting in touch with us even easier. January also gives us Australia Day and local councils get the opportunity to honour volunteers and community minded citizens in their Australia Day Awards, always enjoyable! If we didn’t meet you in 2010 we hope you find time to come and see what Volunteering Barossa & Light can do for you in 2011. Wishing you all a great Christmas! Don’t forget to raise a glass to the amazing people who give up their Christmas day to volunteer. Best wishes. Jo Parker Phillips,

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Volunteering Barossa & Light

Issue 3

Volunteering Barossa & Light is a free service for volunteers and community organisations who engage volunteers.

We match volunteers to positions and provide help and advice on all aspects of volunteering. Contact us on 8563 8495, email volunteering@barossa.sa.gov.au or visit us at www.barossa.sa.gov.au

Our office is in Nuriootpa Library, 43-51 Tanunda Road. Open Monday-Friday.

Maggie at the Mall - Seniors Expo 2010 a Huge Success

Those who attended this year’s Seniors Expo at the Nuriootpa Foodland Mall were lucky enough to hear local celebrity and Australian Senior of the Year Maggie Beer talk about the opportunities and challenges facing seniors. The expo extended the full length of the new mall and was a wealth of information and services catering for the senior market. Maggie spoke about the difficulties that can face older people, especially in rural areas where keeping in touch with the community is so important in avoiding isolation. Of course she also took the opportunity to remind us of the pleasure and joy of eating well.

In her time as Senior of the Year Maggie has been invited to attend over 900 events, so when she took time to stop by the Volunteering Barossa & Light

stand we were delighted! For information about Seniors Expo 2011 contact Julie Cartwright from CHAP on 8562 4066 or julie.cartwright@chap.org.au

Maggie Beer with volunteers Margaret Fiebig and Maurie Dow.

To contribute to this publication or if you have something to promote, do get in touch

Contact us on 08 8563 8495, email volunteering@barossa.sa.gov.au or visit us at www.barossa.sa.gov.au

The Barossa Council - 2010/2011

Community Assistance Grants Round 2

Applications are invited from non-profit groups, clubs and organisations within The Barossa Council

district for financial assistance towards community based projects which fall within the guidelines of

Council’s 2010/11 Community Assistance Grants.

The purpose of a community assistance grant is to help in the development of projects and activities which

benefit the community and involve residents of The Barossa Council.

Grant guidelines and applications are available from any branch of the Council or a copy can be downloaded

from The Barossa Council website at www.barossa.sa.gov.au - click on ‘news and

information’ then ‘funding opportunities’

Applications close 5pm Friday, 17 December 2010

Details of The Barossa Council’s year round youth sponsorship and donation request programs can also

be found on the website

Light Regional Council Sponsorship, Grants and Incentive Scheme - Funding Program

Event Sponsorship Program provides grant funding to be

utilised on advertising, marketing and infrastructure associated with a community event activity. Funding is offered up to $1,000.

Heritage Incentive Scheme provides financial assistance towards the cost of conservation work to listed heritage properties within the Light Regional

Council area; grant funding of up to $1,000 is available.

Community Grants Scheme provides opportunity for non profit community groups to conduct projects and activities which contribute to

community development. Grants of up to $500.

Youth Sponsorship Program provides funding for people aged 12 to 21 who have a particular sports, cultural or community talent to develop

through training, programs, or help with participation in state or national teams. Applicants must be Light Council residents. Funding is up to $300.

INFORMATION - Event Sponsorship, Heritage Scheme and Community Grants are available twice a year during February and August. Youth Sponsorship is available year round with applications to be lodged at

least four weeks prior to event.

Guidelines and application forms for all grants are available at the Principal Office, 93 Main Street, Kapunda, Branch Office, 12 Hanson Street, Freeling, and also are available at www.light.sa.gov.au. For more information please contact Sue Eldridge on 8525 3200 or via email:

seldridge@light.sa.gov.au

Following on from the Families SA information session we held in November here are some frequently asked questions regarding changes to Child Safe Environments Law To keep children safe when accessing community services the Children's Protection Act states that organisations providing certain services to children are required to develop policies and procedures to establish and maintain a child safe environment. In this context, a child safe environment is one which protects children from abuse and harm. Q - Who has to comply? A - All organisations providing health, education, welfare, sporting and recreational, child care, or residential services wholly or partly for children. Q - What do you mean by organisation? A - In this context an organisation includes a wide range of bodies who work with children, including businesses, service providers, incorporated and unincorporated groups. An organisation may consist of just one person. Q - What are the new changes?

A - Recent changes extend the steps organisations have to take to protect the children in their care . . . . Organisations will be required to :

Conduct criminal history assessments on certain

employees, contractors and volunteers working with

children.

Lodge a Child Safe Environment Compliance Statement to the Department for Families and

Communities Q - When do organisations have to comply? A - All organisations have to lodge Compliance statements no later than 28 February 2011. The requirement to conduct criminal history assessments will be phased in over three years beginning 01 Jan 2011. Organisations will need to check when their sector is being phased in. (see where to get further information below)

Q - What is a Child Safe Environments Compliance Statement? A - A compliance statement details the policies and processes an organisation has established to create a child safe environment. The statement will demonstrate that the organisation has met the Standards set by the Department for Families and Communities. See where to get further information (below) for details of the Standards and how to submit the statement. Q - Is a criminal history assessment the same as a police check? A - No. To carry out a criminal history assessment a police check is obtained and as-sessed in accordance with the Child Safe Envi-ronments Standards. The organisation can then make a decision about whether to employ or retain a person to work with children. The Department For Families and Communities has a comprehensive list of factsheets and information

regarding the changes at

www.families.sa.gov.au/childsafe or phone the information hotline on

8463 3468

Child Safe Environments Changes

COUNCIL COMMUNITY GRANT INFORMATION

Contact us on 08 8563 8495, email volunteering@barossa.sa.gov.au or visit us at www.barossa.sa.gov.au

Earn $500 to assist with education expenses!!

Would an extra $500 help cover your education costs? Saver Plus is a nationally recognised program that helps people to save for education.

An initiative of the Brotherhood of St Laurence and ANZ delivered in partnership with Berry Street, The Benevolent Society, The Smith Family and other community agencies. ANZ rewards participants with one dollar for every one dollar they save (up to $500). By joining Saver Plus you could receive $500 to help pay for school items including computers, books and uniforms. The program is designed to help families achieve a savings goal, establish a long-term saving habit and pay for educational items.

Saver Plus provides financial education training and personal financial coaching.

To be eligible you need to:

•be a parent or guardian of a student attending school, or be intending to attend accredited vocational training yourself •have a current health care card or pension card, and •have some income from paid employment.

For more information contact Patricia on 0457 778 022 or email phatch@anglicare-sa.org.au

Barossa Bushgardens Green Volunteers

Twenty two year old Matthew Nitschke from Marananga has been a volunteer for Volunteering Barossa & Light since the very start.. He was involved in the early planning and now gives two mornings a week to the Volunteer Resource Centre.

He squeezes this in alongside his regular employment as a library assistant at Nuri Library and as a Receptionist at Barossa Enterprises. Amazingly Matt still finds time to be the Nuriootpa Tigers Number One Fan and during the Summer he scores for the cricket club at Greenock.

Ask him why he volunteers and he smiles and says, “I just enjoy giving back to the community”.

Matt Gives Back

The two Bills! Bill Plush and Bill Reilly in the Bushgardens nursery on Research Road Kayla McCloud and Val Stanvovo

On the beautiful late-October morning we visited the Barossa Bushgardens nursery, the volunteers were out in force. The volunteer team were busy filling pots and enjoying the sunshine along with a good dose of team banter. “It has to be fun or what’s the point” one laughed. The nursery volunteers meet every Tuesday and Thursday and spend their time propagating and planting seedling tubes under the supervision of nursery manager Pam Payne. “They are a great bunch of people” said Pam, “we respect each other and work well together, we couldn’t do it without them.” The nursery volunteers are one of three Bushgardens volunteer groups along with the Patch Carers and the Committee. Last year, volunteers

donated a whopping 8,500 hours of time to the upkeep and development of the gardens. Plans are in place to move the nursery on to the Bushgardens site in 2011 which will mean that volunteers can easily move between nursery and garden roles if they wish. “There will be much better facilities for the volunteers as well as the public when the building work is finished next year” said Bushgardens manager Chris Hall, “we see it like this; we take care of the volunteers and in turn they take care of the environment, so it’s a win win situation!” For more information about The Bushgardens or becoming a Bushgardens volunteer contact Chris Hall on 0407 799 245 or chall@barossa.sa.gov.au

Would you like to see

your volunteer

vacancy advertised

here? Give

Volunteering Barossa

& Light a call

Volunteer Vacancies

For info on any of

these positions,

contact

Volunteering

Barossa & Light

8563 8495 Volunteering Barossa & Light is a free service for volunteers and community organisations who engage volunteers.

We match volunteers to positions and provide help and advice on all aspects of volunteering. Contact us on 8563 8495, email volunteering@barossa.sa.gov.au or visit us at www.barossa.sa.gov.au

Our office is in Nuriootpa Library, 43-51 Tanunda Road. Open Monday-Friday.

The Tanunda Lutheran Home is looking for people who have a love of floral arrangement to join their Floral Group. A great opportunity to be creative!

Would you enjoy selling books and gifts in a friendly, Christian environment? The Cottage in Nuriootpa is looking for volunteers. Various time shifts.

Community minded volunteers wanted! Fusion International in Kapunda is looking for people with office skills and to become involved with youth work.

St John Ambulance volunteers are trained as senior first aiders in exchange for event volunteering. Training is fortnightly. Attendance at events when available.

Volunteer drivers are required for the Barossa Regional Community Transport Scheme which helps a variety of people who are transport disadvantaged.

Chat ‘n chow is a friendly social lunch gathering held at The Hub in Tanunda. Volunteers are needed to assist with meal preparation, serving and socialising.

The Barossa Regional Gallery is looking for volunteers. Enjoy being part of the Barossa Valley cultural community and meet others. No previous experience required. Flexible hours.

The Barossa Village needs volunteers to assist with the Pianola Musical Memories activity. An interest in music and the ability to work with the frail and elderly is required. Saturday mornings.

Tanunda Lutheran Home is looking for volunteers to assist residents to develop basic computing skills. They would also love a Nintendo Wii enthusiast to help residents use the Wii.

On 9th November, Barossa Leisure Options once again hosted the Try Leisure Games. Nearly sixty competitors from the Barossa, Gawler, Lower North and Yorke Peninsula took part in a full program of sports including basketball, soccer, hockey, golf and cricket. They continued into the night with a medal presentation and a Hollywood Party at the Tanunda Football Club. The evening was kindly supported by the Kiwanis and run by a team of over forty volunteers. “Many of these athletes who have a disability or mental health illness, would not have been able to attend without the help of wonderful volunteers and we would like to say a huge thankyou to them” said Helen Mitchell from the Leisure Options team.

Greg Bartsch, Sue Roesler & Sue Nicholls enjoying the Hollywood Party

The Kapunda Health Service is looking for caring volunteers. Opportunities exist in delivered meals, hospital grounds, fundraising & community garden plus lots more.

Sincere thanks to all Do Care Friendly Visitors and Welcome Home Volunteers! Your time and effort are appreciated and provide an invaluable service enriching the lives of others! A special thank you to Volunteer Barbara McRostie! Barbara is involved with both the Do Care and Welcome Home program. Barbara’s community involvement and commitment is invaluable; in addition Barbara provides her assistance with Solace and the Great Revival Op-Shop. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

From Sue Southam & Trish Brydson

This is your space to tell us about a special volunteer, or simply to say thanks. Send your message to volunteering@barossa.sa.gov.au