Volunteer opportunities at MNC
We have many opportunities to be involved at the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre. The following are open now, and those detailed below are always welcoming new hearts and hands:
- Community lunch kitchen assistant
- Reception and administrative support at the Centre
Seeking volunteers to work with local households to improve the thermal comfort of their homes. Full training is provided.
Food links project
Seeking volunteers to be part of a steering committee, to get actively invplved in the care of community gardens, and to help make connections with other community gardens in the Shire, promoting food security and community.
Baringhup-Maldon Community Bus
The Community Bus has been spending a bit more time parked than before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Unfortunately, the close quarters on the bus prevent us from offering our usual Community Transport service and popular Bus Tours. However, our fantastic volunteers have had the bus on the road twice a week delivering frozen meals across the community to those impacted by the pandemic. New volunteers welcome.
Walking Group leaders
There is an opportunity to lead a new weekly walking group on Monday mornings, first aid training is provided. This is a partnership between Maldon Hospital, CHIRP Community Health and MNC.
Maldon Market: Hand Made, Home Grown
Held on the second Sunday of every month, volunteers are needed to help set up and pack down market equipment. Only 1 or 2 hours each month!
Committee of Management
MNC aim to provide a platform for community members to become involved in decision-making and actively participating in community development and civic life. There will be vacancies on the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre Committee of Management at the next AGM.
Contact us on 5475 2093 or info@maldonnc.org.au if you want more information about any volunteer opportunities with the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre. And please sign up to our enews to be kept posted when new opportunities come up.
Project about loneliness and belonging in Maldon
“[Loneliness can be a] sense of being unmoored, unanchored, and not belonging …. A sense that you won’t be found by the world in the way you want to be found”*
We all need to feel a sense of connection and belonging, that we are cared for and supported. The figures suggest that, for many, this need isn’t being met **.
- Nearly 30% of Australians rarely or never feel part of a group of friends
- 1 in 4 (25.5%) do not feel they have a lot in common with the people around them
- 1 in 5 (21.4%) rarely or never feel close to people, rarely or never feel they have someone to talk to (22.1%) and don’t feel they have people they can turn to (21.4%).
- Nearly 1/4 (24.5%) say they can’t find companionship when they want it.
What the project is about
The purpose of this project is to explore what loneliness looks and feels like for people in the Tarrangower community? Why and how do we become isolated or socially disconnected? And what is it that we do (or could do) to change that?
The project will work alongside local people to:
- research the experience and impacts of social isolation
- identify (and gain understanding and inspiration from) how people have been able to ease loneliness and connect with others
- build on this to create something new.
Approach
The process will be one of listening to people’s experiences, their ways of managing, and the solutions they come up with. It’s research, with action built-in. So, community members will have an active part in exploring and defining loneliness as an issue locally, identifying things to build on and new things to try out, getting those things going and seeing if they work.
Timeframe
The project will take place from March to September 2020.
Who is involved so far
A group of 8 community members have formed to guide the project, sharing their own experiences and ideas, shaping how the research will unfold, and putting some energy behind coming up with some 'solutions' to try.
The group has met once and will continue to meet throughout the project.
Getting involved
We would love your help on a number of fronts:
- Tell us about your experience of loneliness, and what has worked for you to keep it at bay.
- Call to book an interview
- Answer the survey questions when they come out
- Put your hand up to join the advisory group if that's somethingyou'd like to do
- Step up to be part of any of the ideas or activities that come out of the project
Contact on info@maldonnc.org.au or 54752093
* Julia Bainbridge, How loneliness tells you where to go, The Lonely Hour podcast #33 with David Whyte, August 1 2019
** Australian Psychological Society and Swinburn University of Technology (2018) Australian Loneliness Report: A survey exploring the loneliness levels of Australians and the impact on their health and well-being. https://psychweek.org.au/2018-archive/loneliness-study/
Maldon Neighbourhood Centre to re-open June 1
The latest announcement from Premier Andrews is that there will be a gradual easing of restrictions throughout the state from 11:59pm Sunday 31 May 2020.
Restrictions on community services and local government facilities will be eased. Neighbourhood Houses can open again from 1 June with various stipulations.
Community facilities are permitted to open with no more than 20 people allowed in each separate space, subject to the four square metre rule, in addition to those required to operate the facility.
Community members are required to ensure appropriate physical distancing by keeping at least 1.5 metres between people at all times.
Maldon Neighbourhood Centre will:
- arrange the physical space to ensure those using the facilities can do so comfortably and safely
- ensure strict hygeine practices are in place at the Centre, enabling those using the Centre to look after their own and each-others' health.
Maldon Market announcement
The Maldon Market will reopen June14th - the 2nd Sunday of the month. We are excited that we can once again offer our community and visitors the best Hand Made and Home Grown products from all your favourite stallholders.
The Market will run from 9am to 1:30pm on Fountain St and in the Shire Gardens. Whilst we are excited to be able to run the market again we are aware that the risk of infection and the spread of the COVID-19 virus require us to be hyper-vigilant with applying stringent protocols for social distancing, personal hygiene, cash management and food safety.
We will ensure appropriate spacing between stalls, provide sanitation stations around the market, display signage outlining the requirement for only 1 person for every 4 sq m and carefully manage any queues at any stall.
There will be coffee and hot food served but we will be discouraging people from congregating and socialising that does not comply with the social distancing guidelines.
Of course we hope we can turn on some great weather and have everyone enjoy an outing at our beautiful market but please remember the threat of Covid-19 is not over so Be Safe, Be Clean and Be Kind at all times.
Follow us on social media for all the latest news.
Community pantry up and running for Mount Alexander Shire residents
Local volunteers, community groups and organisations are working together to provide much needed food relief for residents in need in Mount Alexander Shire. Mount Alexander Community Pantry is a centrally coordinated food relief system which aims to provide assistance in the absence of a local foodbank.
“We’ve all been impacted by COVID-19 and many people are finding it difficult at the moment. Some people have lost their job or regular income, and others may not be receiving the same levels of support due to things like social distancing rules,” said Martyn Shaddick, Manager, Castlemaine Community House.
Volunteers, community groups and organisations has worked quickly to set up the Mount Alexander Community Pantry to offer prepared meals and food packages
"It is time to come together as a community, a giant family. Like we do as Aboriginal people. It is also time to adapt and deepen support for each other and focus on what is the same,” said Kath Coff, Coordinator, Nalderun.
To access pre-prepared meals or food packages, please contact the Mount Alexander Community Pantry Intake Coordinator on 0472 537 866, or email mtalexcommunitypantry@gmail.com or order online at www.cch.org.au/communitypantry
Read more: Community pantry up and running for Mount Alexander Shire residents
