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Congratulations to Humans in Geelong team member Brandon Dellow who won the #geelongyouth award for Community Citizenship. Brandon is proudly from Corio. He attended Northern Bay College and is an advocate for mental health, cultural diversity, equal opportunities, Human Rights, education, the community and Type 1 Diabetes having #livedexperience.

In 2018 Brandon enthusiastically joined the Humans in Geelong voluntary team offering a young perspective, spreading positivity and hope to all members of our community. He has contributed stories in a professional and very reliable manner. His stories often highlight our rich multicultural element.

Over the past 3 years Brandon has been working at Northern Bay P-12 College in the areas of: Education Support Staff, Community Engagement Officer, Media and Reporting Coordinator for ‘Northern Bay Promise’. He is an enthusiastic and passionate advocate for acquisition of basic human rights. He provides education support for EAL students at Northern Bay College and believes education should not be undervalued.

He closely worked with EAL Coordinator of Northern Bay College for cultural celebrations – Harmony Day, Cultural Diversity Week, Refugee Week and NAIDOC Week.

Continue reading “Community Citizenship, Brandon” →

Free Coffee for the homeless – Could you warm somebody’s heart with a suspended coffee? PLEASE SHARE. The deal is, you purchase additional coffees for someone who is doing it tough. There are a few cafes around our region that offer this initiative. If we have missed any, please add them in the comments on our facebook page.

Cafes keep track of how many suspended coffees they have available on sticky notes next to the cash register. Offering this initiative in Geelong are Neo café Geelong in Market Square, Lavish Speciality Coffee Belmont at 161A High St and Bonappuccino which has outlets at the Waurn Ponds and Lara train stations. If Bonappuccino build up a number of suspended coffees they take their mobile coffee trailer to The Outpost in Geelong where the homeless are fed lunch daily form 11 – 2pm. Ronnie’z Café and take away and The Bungalow Restaurant, both in Drysdale, also offer this service. There’s The Little Teacup in Lara. In Ocean Grove we’ve found Michels in Marketplace and The Olive Pit Delicatessen. Pier Front Pizzeria and Postscript Café in Portarlington.

The Suspended Coffee movement started in Naples but has spread to become a global movement. ‘A suspended coffee is the advance purchase of a cup of coffee for someone who needs it, no matter why. But it really is about so much more than the coffee. It can provide physical comfort, conversation, a smile or even a laugh, and a sense of belonging. A suspended coffee can change lives, sometimes even save them.’ Information from the website http://suspendedcoffees.com/

Story: Jacqui Bennett Photo: from their website

Feeding the homeless – We’ve found Geelong’s answer to Melbourne’s Little Soup Kitchen. It’s Asian Essence, right in the middle of town at 146 Moorabool St. Here they feed the homeless every Saturday evening from 5pm – 8pm. PLEASE SHARE. After sampling a scrumptious, cheap Halal meal, in this warm, friendly place, I caught up with Emma (pictured) and her friend Hanim.

‘As Muslims, we are encouraged to do charity work and good deeds. Charity is a major teaching of Islam, it is the Third Pillar. Being charitable and providing for the needy are important features of the Muslim character.

‘During Ramadan is the time to do twice as much good. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year from May 16 – June 14 where strict fasting is observed from dawn to sunset. The philosophy behind this is that the more you give, the more you get in return.

Continue reading “Feeding the Homeless, Emma” →

It’s not every day we get to celebrate a 150^th birthday, but this month that’s exactly what one Geelong organisation did. Bethany Community Support is celebrating 150 years of service to the local community.

On 1 May 1868, Bethany first opened its doors in Hamlyn Heights as the Geelong Female Refuge. Today, Bethany Community Support operates from the very same site as a leading not-for-profit community services organisation supporting women, men, children and families.

In her 150 years, Bethany has witnessed a changing landscape, experienced prosperity, hardship and survived against all odds. Our organisation has survived because we have evolved, adapting our services to meet the needs of the community.

Continue reading “Bethany celebrating 150 years.” →

‘Paddling has changed our lives. Breast cancer survivors, you’ve finally finished treatment but what now? Come join The Geelong Dragons ABreast Team, The Juggernauts, and belong to a dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors and their supporters.’ I had the pleasure of meeting Fran Forsyth, who was paddling with the Juggernauts at Geelong’s Wooden Boat Festival.

‘Our group was formed in 2003 and I was 60 when I started ….. I’m now 75 & still paddling! Geelong’s Zonta Club sponsored this beautiful wooden boat which was blessed by Buddhist monks hence we wear their Sanskrit Mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ on our team shirts. Paddling is a great way to raise awareness of breast cancer plus we have fun and compete in many regattas.’

Continue reading “Juggernauts, Fran” →

genU May 18 at 2:00pm · –

“Reconciliation in the Park is a very valuable day because it involves everyone. Indigenous and non-indigenous people together. I enjoy teaching traditional ways of making baskets. You can never stop learning, and I’m still learning more myself.” Tells Aunty Helen Brotherton. Reconciliation in the Park is on next Sunday 27^th May, 10am-3pm at Johnstone Park. It’s free and it’s fun, PLEASE SHARE.

It’s Geelong’s leading event for Reconciliation Week and will showcase Indigenous Music, Dance, Art and Storytelling. This year sees the first public viewing of locally produced short films – Djillong: Our History, Our Story, Our Future – strengthening knowledge of local Aboriginal history and culture, a project created by the late Uncle David Tournier.

Continue reading “Reconciliation in the Park.” →

The Kolokolo Bird said, with a mournful cry, “Go to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, and find out.” This is the line from Rudyard Kipling’s short story ‘The Elephant’s Child’ that inspired local musician and sound artist Vicki Hallett. Vicki completed a Bachelor of Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts, and studied clarinet before joining the Air Force as a musician participating in concerts and parades.

Now, she works as a freelance sound artist, which involves setting installations recording the natural environment and adapting compositions inspired by nature. On top of this fascinating work, Vicki manages the Geelong Symphony Orchestra. The Humans in Geelong team met Vicki at the Geelong City Council Arts Grant ceremony, where we listened to her story as a recipient of the personal development grant. “It was good to be given something from the local community,” Vicki said.

Continue reading “Sound Artist, Vicki Hallett” →

Happy Mothers’ Day! ‘I feel like playgroup is all about the Mums. It’s one time of the week that I can talk about my problems and concerns and feel normal. Everyone is going through the same things. Of course, there are enormous benefits for our children too. They form lifelong friendships, often going off to sporting activities, kinders and schools together. Playgroup builds community, it gives the kids and parents familiar faces and a support network, which in turn gives the kids grounding and confidence.’ I popped over to Roslyn Playgroup on their Friday morning session to interview Fiona Thomas who has been the coordinator for the last 5 years. The experience brought back so many lovely memories having been part of this group for 8 years.

Sitting around the kid-sized table where the children were sharing healthy snacks, I remembered many birthday celebrations shared with my own and friends’ children around these same tables.

‘It’s a safe place for the children to play and for us to be ourselves. It makes our job as a mother so much easier if you know other parents. For a couple of hours each week I have a group of friends to talk to.

Continue reading “Roslyn Playgroup, Fiona” →

Would you like to have a say in our regions’ Health and Wellbeing Plan? Please join us at a workshop that will explore the health and wellbeing priorities for the Greater Geelong community. The City of Greater Geelong are interested in the voice of the community!!

Come along to the workshops that will be delivered at 2 locations:

• Thursday 17 May 2018 9:30am – 11:00am at the Barrabool Hills Centre, Highton
• Thursday 17 May 2018 2:00pm – 3:30pm at the Eastern Hub (Connor Room), East Geelong

We’ll be discussing the following topics:

1.Improving Social Connections and Mental Wellbeing

2.Increasing Physical Activity

3.Preventing Violence and Injury

4.Access to Safe and Healthy Food

Continue reading “Health & Wellbeing” →