Community agencies working together to help others - 27 February 2008
Key human service workers in the Busselton and Dunsborough region have been asked to consider meeting regularly to provide more effective services for their clients.
GP Down South deputy chief executive officer Yvonne Robinson said representatives from agencies who provided professional services to the community were being invited to form an alliance for a more united approach to meeting local needs.
She said agencies providing services for people faced many challenges and were sometimes unaware of other services available for their community members.
“An alliance of human services is not meant to be a governing body or “talkfest” but an opportunity to improve services and planning through collaboration,” Ms Robinson said.
“Meeting together can help people recognise issues of concern, map gaps in service delivery and identify possible solutions.
“It is also a good opportunity to share good practice methods and strengthen the role of human services in the community.”
The alliance proposal is based on a similar successful group formed in the Warren Blackwood region of the South West a number of years ago, which has been a strong forum for support and collaboration for those attending according to Ms Robinson.
“The Warren Blackwood Human Services Alliance has been very effective. We hope to see something similar formed for the Vasse area,” she said.
“The best part is that everyone benefits from an alliance like this.
“Agencies and workers can network and support each other more effectively which makes human service providers’ jobs easier.
“As new services and programs are initiated, the alliance becomes a venue through which information can be widely and readily shared, and obviously the community benefits from a more effective, collaborative human services effort.”
An invitation is extended to agencies or organisations providing human services within the Vasse region to attend the inaugural meeting at 10am on Wednesday March 12 at the Uniting Church Hall, Kent St, Busselton.
The range of agencies invited include health service providers working within government or not for profit settings, police, justice, education, local shire and recognised support agencies or organisations.
For more information or to register your interest in attending, please contact Maria Fitzgerald on mfitzgerald@redcross.org.au or 1800 052 222 or South West Development Commission project director Anna Oades on 9792 2000.