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BCR Communities has just wrapped up our 'Summer Days are Fun Days' school holiday program. Thanks to funding from the NSW Government - Office of Regional Youth, we were able to create wonderful holiday memories for deserving young people in our communities. The experiences were curated around getting participants out of their comfort zones, building confidence, fostering team work, learning new skills and just having fun. They scaled the indoor rock climbing wall, held a python at the zoo, took on the treetop climb, played mini-golf and ten pin bowling, created their own jewellery, learnt about the traditional culture of where we live and had a whole lot of fun at Funland! The best part of the program was seeing how the kids supported and encouraged each other to try the activities and the friendships which formed. Friendships we hope they will take with them into the new school year.

Are you a young person with a NDIS plan (or are you thinking of getting one)? Create unforgettable memories these school holidays with the BCR Work, Life and Training – Two FREE Days of Summer Fun! Yes, that’s right - entry, tickets, transport and refreshments are free! Disability inclusive and fully supervised by BCR support staff. Bus leaves and drops off from Sanctuary Point.

Hundreds of locals from the Bay and Basin packed the BCR Youth & Community Centre in Sanctuary Point for the local pop-up Thrive Together Fair. The Fair supports people who may be struggling with escalating costs of living. BCR Communities partnered with Shoalhaven City Council to put on the event which was a mini version of the successful Thrive Together Fair held in Bomaderry earlier this year. With over 20 different community services setting up stalls to provide information, advice and resources, the fair was an opportunity for locals to connect with each other while finding out more about the breadth of support services available to them. Community Project Officer for BCR Communities, Rohanna Holland said while the fair has been running for three years in Nowra, this is the first time pop-ups had been held in other regions of the Shoalhaven. “We decided to work together with Shoalhaven City Council to bring Thrive Together to Sanctuary Point because for some people who are already struggling, getting to Bomaderry is not easy,” Rohanna said. “Having it at the Sanctuary Point Youth and Community Centre meant it was easily accessible for Bay and Basin locals, and parents could pop in after school and preschool pick-ups.” Community members connected with local welfare, government and health agencies, found tenancy and housing support, picked up free care packs and clothing, received financial information and assistance with fines, debts and legal issues, and found out about NDIS and Aged Care services. While the grown-ups were chatting to stall holders and catching up with each other, the Curious and Creative students from Vincentia High kept the kids entertained with games, and activities, and a fabulous sausage sizzle was provided by the Jervis Bay Lions Club.

Moving home at any age can be a stressful experience but retiring to a new community when you are older can feel especially isolating and overwhelming. BCR Communities client, 85-year-old Vasanthi (Ve) Rao, knows all about the excitement and challenges that comes with moving, not just to a new community but to a new country. When she was 29-years-old, Ve moved with her husband Bob and baby daughter from India to England. It was a culture shock and she soon discovered that not everyone in 1960s Birmingham was welcoming to new arrivals - one neighbour refused to acknowledge her for 20 years. Ve said she found her place in her new community through her work as a high school maths teacher and then as the principal of an all-girls school. After 30 years in the UK, Ve and Bob decided to do it all again, this time retiring to Wollongong Australia to be close to where their daughter was now living. No longer working, the couple threw themselves into volunteering instead and soon built up a large friendship group. They had 17 happy years in Wollongong before starting over yet again in a retirement village in Nowra. “When we first moved to Nowra, I felt really lonely,” Ve said. “First it was the bushfires and then it was the COVID lockdowns so meeting people was hard.” “But I’m a naturally happy, outgoing and social person so I just started doing different activities and trying to bring people together with exercise classes, line dancing, sharing food, and going out together.” “I’m now running a chair exercise group and about 15 people come to the class. We try to keep moving, and we do meditation and mindfulness as well.” ‘Keep moving’ is Ve’s mantra for life and she said she wouldn’t have coped with the recent passing of her beloved husband without keeping active and involved in her retirement community. “Sometimes older people will immediately say ‘oh no, that is not for me,’ but we have to keep trying new things and keep an open mind,” Ve said. “Talk to people, communicate, laugh, be social, be friendly and practice mindfulness. When you go out for a walk don’t just walk, use all your senses – look at the clouds, smell the flowers, touch the leaves, taste the berries.” “Without doing this, I wouldn’t have survived Bob’s passing. If I wasn’t living in a retirement village I would have felt very isolated but there there are many of us in the same boat here and we support each other.” Ve has in home support from BCR Communities with cleaning and shopping so she can continue living independently in her own home within the retirement village surrounded by her friends.

The BCR Communities team had a fantastic night at the Community Industry Group - Illawarra Forum Community Service Awards last Friday night. A big congratulations to our WHS and Quality Coordinator, Jodi Evans for winning the Leadership Award (large organisation), Rochelle McHattan who was awarded a Highly Commended in the Sector Star of the Future category and our wonderful Community Services Team who also received a Highly Commended in the Above and Beyond Team category. We are so proud of all our finalists and the work they do for our organisation and our communities!

We are so excited to announce that we are finalists in seven categories of the 2023 Community Service Awards. Congratulations to the whole BCR Communities Team! Our finalist categories are: A Brilliant Idea Individual – Karen Chambers, Youth & Community Team Leader A Brilliant Idea Team – Community Services and Social Connections Team Above & Beyond Individual – Brad Slaughter Above & Beyond Team – Community Services Team for the Community Fair Business Partnership – BCR Communities & ExSitu Sector Star of the Future – Rochelle McHattan Leadership – Jodi Evans Thank you to Community Industry Group for organising the Awards and congratulations to all the other finalists - we look forward to a wonderful night of celebrations.

BCR Communities has been celebrating since receiving the Outstanding Community Organisation Award at the recent 2023 Shoalhaven Business Awards. This is wonderful recognition for the whole BCR team who support the Bay & Basin region through In-Home Aged Care, NDIS, and Youth and Community programs and services. CEO Heather Marciano said the award is an acknowledgement that while BCR Communities has evolved over the last 30+ years, they have stayed true to their mission to partner with communities and provide person centred services for all. “Even though we have grown so much, we have never lost that initial enthusiasm, commitment and community focus of the original residents who started BCR back in 1991.” Heather said. “Having a team of long-term, local staff and volunteers means BCR continues to have a deep knowledge and commitment to the local area and the needs of local communities”. An example of this is how BCR responded to the voice of local youth. With a higher than average youth unemployment rate in the Bay & Basin, BCR sought the views of local youth and knew that understanding their needs was an important step in finding solutions. Engaging with local youth as design partners helped BCR to successfully secure a $558,000 Regional Youth Investment Program (RYIP) grant to build a dedicated Youth Space in Sanctuary Point. “This PODS project will include a pop-up café where local young people can learn barista, hospitality and customer service skills, a meeting and training pod, and a yarning circle. It will be a safe space for young people to improve their health, well-being, connection, creativity, and learning.” “Being awarded the Outstanding Community Organisation award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the diverse work we do at BCR Communities.”

Reducing clothes going to landfill, helping to ease the cost of living, and bringing the community together – the BCR Communities Upcycled Clothes Party was a success on many levels. The Sanctuary Point Youth and Community Centre was filled today with locals sifting for treasure through racks of pre-loved and new clothes and shoes generously donated by the community and from retail outlets through charities Good360 and Thread Together. There was no need for cash or credit cards with every attendee able to take home bags of clothes for free. Mother of three, Tanya Williamson, was excited to find quality clothes for her children aged 10, nine and two-years-old. “This is such a great event, we were here last year and it really helped,” Tanya said. “We can donate clothes the kids have grown out of and get some things we need back without having to pay anything - it’s a full circle.” “It is especially good at this time when everyone is struggling with the cost of living.” BCR Community Services Team Leader Karen Chambers, said her team were motivated to hold the event because of how many people in the Bay and Basin were finding it hard to afford even the basics, and the staggering statistics around landfill. “Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of discarded clothing is sent to landfill in Australia each year, and only a fraction is recycled,” Karen said. “Synthetic clothes can then take hundreds of years to decompose.” “It is such a waste, especially when at the same time so many people are struggling to afford the clothes they need for their family.” “That is why the Upcycled Clothes Party just makes sense - everybody leaves with clothes they need, it helps the environment, people feel good knowing their donated clothes are helping others in the community, and it’s fun seeing what you can find.” “We have a wonderful community that love to pay it forward. Hosting a community clothes swap means we can have a sustainable fashion event. At a time when money is really tight this is a thrifty way to update the wardrobe, grab some essentials and help fight textile waste. “This event also allows us to check in with families, see how people are faring and if we can offer any additional supports.” BCR Communities will be donating left over clothes to various local not-for-profit organisations so they can be distributed to vulnerable people in the community including those experiencing homelessness.

Monday the 7th of August was Aged Care Employee Day, a time to celebrate the 427,000 kind, hard-working, dedicated, caring people around Australia who care for over 1.5 million older people. A very big thank you to all the team at BCR Communities for making a real difference in the lives of so many people in our community. Without you, almost 700 seniors wouldn’t be able to continue living happily at home. Our thanks goes to those of you working directly out in the field, and extends to our coordinators, managers, and admin and operations support teams including schedulers, HR, Finance, IT and customer service – basically everyone who keeps our wonderful organisation operating smoothly. Every one of you is so valued and appreciated!

BCR Communities will be holding another Upcycled Clothes Party on Tuesday, August 15 from 10am at the Sanctuary Point Youth and Community Centre. This a free event, with all attendees able to take home a bag of new or pre-loved quality clothing. There will be a variety of styles and sizes ranging from babies to adults. We know foraging for treasure is hard work so a light morning tea will be provided. A big thank you to everyone in the community who has already donated clothes for the event!

Hard as boards, dipping in the middle and dating from last century – Adele and Frank Bartolo knew their beds were not helping their health conditions but saving thousands for new ones seemed impossible. “We exist from one pension to the next, and we sometimes have to go without because if you haven’t got it, you haven’t got it,” Adele said. “Everything is so expensive now and there are some things that you end up neglecting when you have a home.” Switching to new Home Care Packages has been life changing for the Oak Flats couple. An assessment by an occupational therapist quickly concluded that new electric beds would be essential in managing their hip, back and neck pain. They are now thrilled with their new matching king single beds which provide a comfortable night’s sleep and can be adjusted to relieve pressure and alleviate joint pain and swelling. “When we got our new beds it felt like we had won Lotto,’ Adele said. “I couldn’t believe I could sleep in a bed like that, it’s something we’ve never had. At our age getting something as lovely as that, would never have happened without the package.” After being concerned they may have no choice but to leave the house they love, Frank and Adele said their new home care packages have been a big relief. “We are also now able to get our gutters done and the windows cleaned - it’s like a dream for us. We have thought many times that we have to move but we love our house and where it is. We want to stay living here for as long as we can.”

The reaction is instant - as soon as the sound of excited little voices float through the window, everyone in the room is wearing the same smile. It’s Friday at the Sanctuary Point Youth & Community Centre, and for the last two months a group of three and four-year-olds from The Basin Pre-School next door have been walking over to be with some special older friends. For many of the seniors participating in the BCR Communities intergenerational sessions it has been decades since they have experienced the pure joy that comes from spending time with pre-schoolers. Four-year-olds are masters of living in the moment, and the seniors are finding any aches, pains or worries are forgotten as they absorb themselves in colouring-in, playing games, blowing bubbles, singing nursery rhymes and having some very cute conversations. 71-year-old Ellen Deutschbein said the sessions were something she looks forward to every week. “The kids were a little shy in the beginning but now they are coming out of their shells and they are just beautiful - I have always loved being around kids” Ellen said. “I’ve only been coming to the BCR Communities social groups for a few months and I’m so glad I joined.” “It’s scary joining when you don’t know anyone but now I just love it. It’s great being with the kids but I also really enjoy talking with other people my age who are experiencing similar things.” The kids are also benefiting from the intergenerational sessions, receiving the kind of one to one attention that is usually the reserve of grandparents. They have a group of grown-ups who take delight in their company, are keen to listen to their stories and ideas, and who cheer them on as they try new activities. If you would like to find out more about the BCR Communities Social Groups phone 1300 222 748 or email at info@BCRcommunities.com