The ‘I’m Singing In Sunshine’ choir entertained Brimbank community groups which gathered to discuss issues facing the municipality’s most disadvantaged residents during anti-poverty week. 71571 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
BY NATALIE GALLENTI
COMMUNITY groups across Brimbank banded together last week in a bid to raise awareness of the area’s more disadvantaged residents.
Sunshine Mission and Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services hosted forums during anti-poverty week to increase the community’s understanding of the constant battles many families are facing to secure a stable living and educational environment for their children.
Ces Martin, director of Sunshine Mission, said the organisation hosted a lunch which looked at the prevalent issue of Brimbank’s homeless.
Ms Martin said the problem stemmed from a steady increase in rental prices in the last few years, often leaving tenants unable to pay rent and utilities.
“Another part of the problem is we don’t have a lot of transitional or emergency housing,” Ms Martin said.
She cited a recent incident where a mother of three was forced to find housing on the other side of city because there was no housing available in Brimbank.
Guest speakers also spoke about the steps to take if a tenant received a letter to vacate the premises or if they’re were unwell and could not pay their bills.
Carmel Stafford, member of the Financial and Consumer Rights Council and co-ordinator of anti-poverty week activities, hosted a forum at Good Shepherd in St Albans, which looked at ways to ensure children would not miss out on schooling.
Guest speakers from St Albans Primary, Stevensville Primary and Copperfield College attended the meeting and discussed the measures the schools took to ensure every family could afford to send their child to camp or excursions.
St Albans Primary School’s program which offers breakfast to students each morning needed to be implemented at many other schools, Ms Stafford said.
