|
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Acknowledgements
Artwork by Wanda Bargo
Wanda Bargo is a Kuku Yalanji woman born on Wurundjeri land. Her artwork is featured through this publication. Titled "Mother and Child – Illusion or Reality" Wanda says of the artwork, "for many people they look, but don't really see. I wanted to show that Aboriginal people are not invisible, we're still here. We're not an illusion – we are real".
Woiwurong Language and translation
Many thanks to Aunty Doreen Wandin-Garvey – Wurundjeri Land Council
This booklet would not have been possible without the generous assistance of:
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
How to get the most out of this guide…
Part One: Introduction
In the first part of Burndap nahlinggu-dji I talk about some of the experiences I had when I was in Deer Park and what it was like for me getting released from there. I talk about a lot of things that happened to me while I was in there and share some of the different ways I found to help me cope in jail.
I also talk about things like, family, relationships, culture and identity, drugs, alcohol and having fun. Some of the other things I mention are more practical and can save you a few hassles just before you get out and make things a bit easier once you're on the outer. Things like ID, money, housing, Centrelink, or Medicare, and I also talk about more personal stuff like saying goodbye, freedom, life out here and trying not to go back in. There's stuff about parole and community corrections, working and not working, loneliness, taking care of yourself and community.
I hope some of the things I learned while I was in there – and while I was getting ready to get out of there, come in handy for you on your journey out the gates of 'Dame Frosty'.
Part Two: Community Services
The second part of Burndap nahlinggu-dji lists a lot of services that I hope will also come in handy when you first get out. There's information on legal services, health services, Co-ops, drug and alcohol services, education, family violence and many, many other community based services (and some government ones) that can help you get back on your feet when you get out of jail. I've listed them all in alphabetical order so they're easy to look up.
Part Three: Material Aid
The third part of this booklet is a straightforward list of places all over Melbourne (and some regional areas) that give out material aid like meals, food vouchers, food parcels, furniture, clothes and sometimes even cash. These are all listed in alphabet order too.
And lastly…
We didn't have enough room in this booklet to include all the community services and organisations that exist in Victoria – so I've included mostly just head office numbers for a lot of the services and organisations in parts two and three. If you live outside of Melbourne, many of these places, if you contact them, will be able to give you the number for your local service.
'Burndap nahlinggu-dji'
Womin-Je-Ka
The words on the front of this booklet mean 'Welcome Back' in the Woi-wurrung language spoken by the Wurundjeri people of Victoria.
These words were chosen for the title of the booklet because all
of us, as Aboriginal women and as the Mums, the Grand-mums, the Aunties, the Sistas, and the Cuzzies who breathe life into our culture and connect and maintain our families, we all hold very special places in our communities…
When one of us goes away for whatever reason, we leave a huge hole in the hearts and the lives of the people who love us and who care about us…
And it makes everybody sad…
But…
When we come back…
The Whole Aboriginal Community Celebrates!!!
Burndap Nahlinggu-dji
Welcome back, Sis!
We've missed you…
Hi, My name is Vickie Roach and I was once, right where you are now – yep, flash blue trackies and all!
In 2004, I was sentenced to six years with four on the bottom, for negligently causing serious injury and conduct endangering life during a police pursuit.
I served four years at Deer Park and was released in 2008 – some of you might even remember me.
One of the things I remember from that time is what it felt like to be in jail and what it was like going through that whole 'preparation for release' thing that you're doing now.
For me, it was an exciting kind of nightmare! Once I got my parole, I was so excited I could pop – but then I started thinking about housing, and clothing,
and money, and transport, and how I was going to get my son home, and all those other things you can't do anything about when you're inside – not to mention all the corrections stuff you have to think about as well… and yeah,
the 'dream' soon turned into a nightmare!
It was hard for everybody – but I reckon it was even harder for us Koori women because there really wasn't much for us in any of the pre-release programs, although I hear there's a bit more now – and there was no real guide to all the Aboriginal programs and services that are available to Koori women in Victoria either. Not unless you count a little section for us in mainstream booklets written for men.
Burndap nahlinggu-dji is a response to this lack of information for Koori women – and I got this fantastic job of putting it together, simply because the Koori community knows how busy you're going to be when you get out and they hope my experiences while I was at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and afterwards,
can save you fullas a bit of time and energy in chasing this stuff up for yourselves.
I hope so too – Good Luck!
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Part One: Introduction
Now here's a bit of my story…
I landed at DPFC in 2004 and although my release date wasn't until August 2008, I figured I'd better start making some plans for myself about 6 months before I got out. I soon realised there was a truckload of things I needed to think about, too many to keep track of – so I made myself a list…
Top of the list was of course, my son, so I wrote…
No. 1 – Family
I really needed to help my son get home – he was in New Zealand and wanted to come home to Australia. He was 25 though, so no Department of Human Services.
You might have kids with rello's or with DHS and have to jump through hoops
for them to come and live with you on your release. Your Aboriginal Well-being Officer (AWO) and Family Services can help with DHS and children's issues and can also help you prepare the kids for when you do come home. The Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service and the Aboriginal Legal Service can also help if there are legal issues surrounding your kids.
I had this and a few other family situations going on when I got out – you might have a whole different lot of stuff going on in your family. The best person to talk to about any family issues is your Aboriginal Well-being Officer (AWO). Your AWO can refer you to other services that can help you and also keep you in contact with family members – and that can make dealing with these kinds of things a whole lot easier. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to stay in touch with my Mum!
And then I wrote…
No. 2 – Relationships – Dump Psycho-boy!!!
'Psycho-boy' was my boyfriend when I went to Deer Park and had been a violent and abusive partner. I had a couple of really good friends and a couple of people
I saw as 'mentors', or people whose opinions I valued, to talk to about this kind of stuff and it helped – good friends can have a way of pointing out the bleeding obvious and of being brutally honest with you when you most need it. At times though, it made me even more confused, especially when everybody started having an opinion!
The Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service can help if you have a violent or abusive partner – but even a healthy relationship can get knocked around when one partner goes to jail. If you think your relationship could use a little help, talk to your AWO about getting some family and relationship counselling.
And then, thinking about family and relationships got me thinking about other things. Things like Identity and Culture and Country – and I added these to my list…
No. 3 – Identity
Now, that was a big one! I wasn't even entirely sure who I was legally, let alone in any cultural or personal way so I broke this one down into two headings, Cultural and Personal, but this might be different for you.
Cultural Identity
My Mum and I both grew up in the system so Cultural Identity was and still is pretty important to us.
Link-Up Victoria, Stolen Generations Victoria and the Family History Unit at the Koori Heritage Trust are really great resources in this area.
For some of you though, it might be as simple as re-connecting with your Cultural Identity rather than having to find one – and you've probably found that some of the programs in Deer Park have been able to help you do that.
Getting involved with all the Koori organisations and Koori community members who come into Dame Phyllis to deliver programs or services can also have some other, unexpected benefits.
For example, I was able to go out to work at the Koorie Heritage Trust in the city for nearly the last six months of my sentence as a result of 'networking' with all these people – which was really just me talking to them, a lot… oh okay, so I pestered the hell out of them! And it's not easy! Pester-power alone won't cut it. You will need to do plenty of homework before even being considered for these kinds of leaves. You must also check whether you could be eligible for leave to work. But you get my point – it can be done if you put enough effort into it and ask the right questions.
Another good thing that happened from networking and getting out to work was that I wound up with a job when I got out. Work release, if you can get it, is a good plan and can turn into paid employment when you get out.
The other half of my Identity list was…
Personal Identity
For me, Personal Identity meant accepting the kind of person I had been (you can't change the past), looking at the kind of person I was now (which was weird because it's hard to tell what kind of person you are in an unnatural environment like jail), and working out what kind of person I wanted to be in the future – and that one, at least, was easy. All I had to do was make, like, a wish-list of all the great points I'd like to be able to make about myself (which sounded really corny at first and kind of felt like I was having tickets on myself – but remember, this is only the kind of person you'd like to be, not the one you tell the world you are – yet!) But a funny thing happened when I thought about all the nice things I'd like to say about myself – without realising it, I started acting like I really was that person and after a while, I stopped feeling like I was faking it and the people around me really were saying nice things about me – well, most of them anyway.
Personal Identity might mean something completely different to you – but whatever it means, it's a good thing to have a think about.
Another thing I thought about a lot was where I belonged – so I wrote…
No. 4 – Country
In my case, I only found out where my ancestors came from, the place I considered 'my Country', while I was inside. Link-Up and the Family History Unit at the Koorie Heritage Trust did all the research for me and gave me all the information and it was pretty exciting to finally know the country I belonged to and who my people were. These organisations can help you too if you're like me and don't already know your people or your history. Stolen Generations Victoria is another good resource for re-connecting with lost family members.
And then I spent quite a lot of time thinking about drugs, grog and men…
No. 5 – Having fun
People have fun in all kinds of ways. You can have fun night-clubbing, partying, listening to music, walking on the beach… you can have fun doing pretty much anything. For me though, any kind of 'fun' involving either drugs, grog or men had always spelled trouble, with a capital 'T'. I also knew that all these things were part of the reason I was serving the longest jail term I'd ever done in my life. Somehow that didn't stop me from dreaming about drugs, imagining the taste of grog in my mouth, or thinking about guys for pretty much my whole sentence.
If this happens to you, or if you know the grog, or the gear (or the ice or whatever), are having a negative impact on your life – like landing you in jail every time you scratch yourself – you might want to have a go at Drug and Alcohol counselling.
While you're still at Deer Park, you can access D&A counselling through Programs and Caraniche, or by talking to your AWO – but if you want to keep doing it on the outside, there are some contact details a little further on in this booklet for D&A Services in Victoria that help Koori women with these issues.
Now, stop thinking about it and DO something!
This next section is all about some practical things you can do before your 'release-to-freedom' – and trust me, it can save you a whole lot of drama if you can get some of this stuff organised before you get out!
Remember all those cards and things you used to have in your wallet before you went to jail – your health-care card, your Medicare card, Keycard… credit cards if you're lucky? Well, depending on how long you've been in, or whether you actually arrived at DPFC with all your personal things, you're probably going to have to replace most of your cards. I've had to do this every single time I've been to jail and it's a real pain. It's really important though to get your ID and a bank account ready. The last thing you want to do is to get out and not be able to get to your money. It's happened to me and there's nothing more frustrating than knowing you've got money and not being able to get your hands on it!
So, first things first. I needed… 100pts of ID. I didn't have a license but if you have, that's great! You've got 100 pts straight up – just make sure it hasn't expired (you can renew it from in there if you need to).
Another card that'll give you 100pts is a Keypass or an 18+ Proof of Age card. You can get a form for one of these from your AWO but they do cost money and you have to have your Birth Certificate to get them.
I had a bank account that stayed open while I was inside but a bank keycard is only 25pts. I needed to make up another 75 points.
If you need to do this, I found the best place to start is by getting your Birth Certificate. This costs money too but the Registry Office can sometimes waive
(or, not make you pay), the fee. Make sure you ask if you fit into one of their 'fee-waiving' categories.
The 'Catch-22' is that you also need ID to apply for your Birth Certificate! Hit a brick wall? No problem! Just ask your AWO for a Statutory Declaration form.
Fill this out, sign it, get a Chief a Governor or the Programs Manager to sign it too, then post it off. And then, you wait...
Once you've got your Birth Certificate, it makes it a whole lot easier to prove who you are and to get a whole range of other cards – and to do things like get on Centrelink benefits or get your Medicare card.
A few weeks before you get out, you'll also get the opportunity to apply for an Emergency Payment from Centrelink, which you'll get as an Electronic Bank Transfer (EBT) card on the day of your release. You won't need any ID to get
your money out with this card, but you will need a bank account if you've got more than $200 in your jail account – anything over $200 gets paid as a cheque and you'll need a bank account to cash it.
Once you've got your 100pts of ID, you can start applying for all the other cards you'll need but don't worry about it too much – a lot of those kinds of things
(like applying for a Medicare card and stuff like that), will start happening as part of your Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) about 8 weeks before you get out anyway. If you've got your bank account sorted and some ID in your property, you're already pretty much on your way.
Saying Goodbye…
Some of the other things you have to do before you get out are not quite so easy to deal with. Saying your 'goodbyes' is one of them.
In spite of what anyone says about 'prison-pals', I made some really good friends while I was in Deer Park. One woman became my best friend and we did nearly four years together before she was released about nine months before me. Just before she left, I started to get sad. I knew I was going to miss my mate but, when I saw a lot of her other friends crying around too, and saw how unhappy this made my friend I thought, what tha? We're all making her sad when she should be looking forward to the happiest day of her life! We ended up throwing her a party and gave her a whole lot of stuff to remember us by – which made her cry anyway even if it did make us feel better.
I knew exactly how she felt about nine months later when I was getting out.
It felt wrong to be feeling happy when I was about to leave so many good friends behind. I can't really offer you any advice on this – everybody, including you, your family and your friends – inside and out, will react in different ways to you leaving Deer Park. All I can say is go ahead, be happy! If you've served your time and you're getting out, you know you've earned it and you have a right to be happy about it. Let your mates know you'll miss them but don't let the thought of leaving them behind get you down. Everyone gets a turn, sooner or later.
I've got to tell you though sometimes friends have really bizarre reactions to news of someone getting out. I was there for a long time and saw lots of women getting out – and one of the strangest things I ever saw was mates turning on each other, just because one of them was leaving.
In one case, there were two women who'd been friends long before they came into Deer Park and who suddenly had a big blow-up a couple of weeks before one of them was due for release. It turned out, in the end, that the woman being left behind was so miserable about spending the rest of her sentence alone in Deer Park, she could hardly talk to her friend without crying. When her mate kept asking her what was wrong and she couldn't explain how she felt, she just exploded! It ended up with two good friends bluing for no good reason – except they were both going to miss each other. We threw a party for them too and even though there were lots of tears, the two friends made up and there were lots of hugs as well. The woman left behind did cope – her friend dropped her a letter or two over the next few months until she got out as well – and as far as I know, their friendship survived Deer Park and they're still mates now.
Me and my mate are still good friends too. Bloody wonder! I hardly heard from her after she got out – in fact, I only got one or two letters from her for the next nine months until I got out too! I swore I'd never do that to my friends… but, and
I hate to say it, I was just as bad…
Try not to be too hard on your friends if they're a bit slack on the letters after they've left Deer Park – there can be all sorts of reasons they haven't put pen to paper. They could have broken arms for instance… or the only post office within
a hundred miles might have burnt down, with all their letters to you in it…
Or, life could be just so bloody hectic out there that your friend really just hasn't had time to sit down and tell you all about it. I used to (and still do), go to write letters to friends still inside and think, nup, I'll do it later when I've got time to write a proper letter instead of just a quick hello. But then, all this stuff seems to happen to stop you getting back to it. You might be working and have to go straight from work to… I dunno, maybe do a urine for DHS, and then to do some shopping, and the washing needs doing when you get home and you've got to cook tea – or, you've got a parole appointment in half an hour but the kids are crying and the oldest one still isn't home from school yet, and on top of it all, you're really, really tired and you really, really just want to go to sleep…
When I didn't hear from my mate for months, it was hard but I tried to understand how busy she probably was and pushed the thought out of my head that we were only some kind of jail-buddies. Sure enough, she was there, waiting for me at the gate the day I got out.
It doesn't always happen like this though. A lot of times the best of intentions get waylaid on the outside and people don't always manage to keep the promises they've made to their friends inside. I really didn't want to disappoint the friends I'd left behind so I tried really hard not to make any promises I couldn't keep. I think I still disappointed a few people anyway – but I hope they understand. I reckon they probably will when their turn comes.
Another thing to keep in mind too is people who might not be such good friends. Sometimes, the night before someone goes home is a last chance for people to try and settle any old scores.
If you're worried about something like this, the best advice is to surround yourself with mates. Oh, and don't go into any units you don't live in and don't go near any strange cells! You'll be fine! And don't forget, you'll be gone in the morning – they'll still be there.
Freedom!
Okay, so this is it! The day you've been waiting for has finally dawned! If you're anything like me, I bet you haven't slept nearly all night! Most of your gear has already gone up to reception and, if you haven't already given everything away, you've only got your personal things left. You've stripped your bed already and
it's only 4am, so now you're just sitting around, drinking coffee, smoking durries – and waiting for the door to open for your last muster.
While I was waiting, I ticked off my checklist.
ID – Sorted ✓
$ – Sorted ✓
Somewhere to live – Sorted ✓
And, someone to pick me up at the gate – Sorted ✓
I had my friend coming to pick me up at the gate but I made arrangements anyway for a support worker or community member to come and get me if she couldn't make it for some reason (see your AWO). And I know the last thing you want on your first day of freedom is some 'official' person tagging along – but it can be pretty handy having a support person around for a lot of reasons.
One, public transport can be confusing and even a bit freaky when the only vehicle you've been in for a long time has been the Deer Park buggy, or a prison van – and it can be really handy to have someone driving you where you need to go that first day. You're also going to need somebody who knows what they're doing and is able to get you to all those appointments that are going to keep you busy for the next few days. Without family or friends, you can also be feeling pretty damn lonely too. Having a support worker around is a whole lot better than having no one.
Muster is correct… and movements may commence!
Wow! I'd heard these words four times a day for four years. The day I got out, they took on a whole new meaning!
For a start, the movements I was about to 'commence' that day, I hoped were going to change my whole life. The first movement was the best one of all – my movement right out of Deer Park – and I couldn't wait to get started!
Now, in the general scheme of things, there's absolutely no way you can get released before all the methadone and stuff has been done so you're pretty much stuck until all that's out of the way. Never mind, it gives you a chance to say goodbye to any people you might have missed.
If you really, desperately need a midnight or 6am release, it's not so easy. For a start, you have to put it in writing to the Governor – and there are very few reasons you'll get one. High-profile prisoners sometimes get them, to avoid unwanted media presence at the jail – and so do women in fear of domestic violence if their partner finds out when they're getting out.
If you have any of these issues, or any other important reasons for needing to be released outside office hours, get as much supporting paperwork as you can from any agencies you might be dealing with, even your own family, and put it in writing to the General Manager. Don't just leave it there though, keep asking and write again if you have to!
But anyway, back to the compound. Everything's all done… your mates are helping you carry what's left of your stuff up to reception and there are tears all round.
I know it's hard to leave – but what else are you going to do? Stay!
And then…
Last hugs, kisses and tears and you're through the doors of Medical – and, this is important – on your way through, don't forget to pick up any meds you're on! If you're on anti-depressants or anything like that, you shouldn't just stop taking them when you're released – it'll make you all weird if you do and they should give you a week or two's supply of anything you've been prescribed in there anyway. Take them, they're free and it'll save you money later on the outer.
It can also be a good idea to go and see a doctor in the community when you get out too, just to make sure the drugs you've been on in there are the right ones for you. Sometimes there are better drugs in the free world than the ones we can be prescribed in Deer Park and there are some drugs like anti-depressants that you shouldn't just jump off when you've been on them for a while.
It can't hurt to get a check up while you're at the Doctor's too. Jail medical centres can be pretty busy places and with jail doctors seeing a gazillion women everyday – certain medical conditions can possibly be overlooked. I felt a whole lot better once I got a clean bill of health from the Aboriginal Health Service.
If you're on Methadone, Bupe or Suboxone, the jail should already have a dosing chemist sorted for you before your release. You'll get dosed at Deer Park on the morning you get out but after that, you'll have to start picking up from your
new chemist.
If you get a chance, go and introduce yourself to your new Chemist before you have to go in for your first dose. This is no biggie and you mightn't even have
time on your first day – but if you can, it just helps to build a good relationship with your chemist and in my experience, having a good relationship with your 'done dispenser can be pretty damn handy.
For example, you could be running late to get dosed and you need him to stay open for just 5 more minutes to give you time to get there, or you need a takeaway, or a weekend dose or something. If you're offside with your chemist,
he isn't going to want to help you out with any of these things. Butter him up!
If you're on the 'done or bupe or anything, your chemist is your best friend.
But, never mind that for now. You're all done in Medical, you've got your little plastic bag of meds and you've been ushered through to reception.
All of a sudden you recognise your stuff – if you've got any!
But, wait for it... here comes the best part!
For probably the first time in your whole lag-in, you'll actually get to change clothes in reception without somebody wanting to look up your bum! Okay, so it's not that big a deal! It did make me feel pretty good though.
And speaking of clothes, in my case, I had absolutely nothing in my property that was a hope in hell of fitting me anymore! In four years I'd put on, like, 50 kilos– I kid you not! I could have used the little skirt I'd worn in as a scrunchie by the time I got out! Chances are, you've probably put on weight too.
If you don't have anyone to bring you in some clothes to wear out, you'll have to do like I did and get something out of the 'Poor Box'. I know, I know but again, what are you going to do? Walk out naked?
Your best bet is to try and get up to reception a week or two before you get out and try and find something before the big panic of your last couple of days. The Salvos can help too if you get on to them early enough – they will often go out and buy a whole new outfit for you. Make sure you let them know what kind of clothes you like – or you could end up in a lovely white dress, a little white hat and shaking a tambourine! Gammin'!
The Salvos are great! So are St Vinnie's. They'll both help you out with food vouchers and vouchers for clothes and furniture and stuff like that. Make sure you talk to them about clothes or vouchers as soon as you start the TAP program. They'll organise everything for you and put the vouchers in your property so you don't have to go chasing them after you get out.
Anyway, you're all dressed now and starting to feel half-pi human again. You've got some cash in your pocket, a cheque as well (if you've been at Deer Park for a while and have more than $200 in your jail account) and an EBT card for half a dole payment. Now this next bit is important but you'll have to organise it with Centrelink before you get out.
YOU ARE ENTITLED to a whole fortnight's payment on your EBT card the day of your release – but you might not know about this as Centrelink don't usually mention it. Whether or not you take this money though is your call and nobody else's! But think about it before you do ask for the whole payment because it will be three weeks before you can get another one.
The first day…
Before you know it, you're out the gate, standing in the car-park, clutching a black plastic garbage bag containing all your worldly goods – and, if you're like me, you're feeling pretty damn good about it all. Hopefully, someone's there to pick you up.
Luckily, my bud was there to meet me. You might have family, friends or a support worker come and pick you up. It doesn't matter who comes but it's always good to have someone because, well… I just know I felt kind of weird and lonely out there all by myself – and that was just in the car park!
My mate was straight so I knew the worst thing I was going to get up to that day was to celebrate with a few drinks. But I know what I really wanted to do! A few drinks was cool but I really wanted to get in amongst everything I'd been missing out on for the last four years.
The last time I left Deer Park in 2003, I drank 40mls methadone and washed it down with a can of Bourbon before I even left the car park. It wasn't till I was halfway through the fourth can of Bourbon and about my 5th pipe that I realized I hadn't had any drugs whatsoever for nearly 12 months – and I'd just swallowed enough 'done to sit me on my moom!
The truth is, nearly a quarter of all overdose deaths in Victoria are ex-prisoners.
But, I'm not going to tell you not to use. If you want to, you will and nothing I can say will change that. What I can do is tell you how to stay safe while you're doing it.
If you are planning on using when you get out, before you leave the jail, try and talk to women who might have just come in from around your area and find out what the gear's like at the moment. There may be some really good stuff around which of course you'll want to get your hands on – but if you do, be careful and try and make sure you're with at least one person who's hopefully a bit less wasted than you are so they can take the right action if anything goes wrong.
Failing that and you do find yourself having a shot by yourself, do yourself a favour, load two fits – half in each. Have the first one and give yourself a minute to see how good (or not so good) it is – then have the other one if you need to. Better two holes in your arm than one in the ground, I always say, sometimes! And use a freshie! They're easy to get, usually free – and you can't get pinched for having one!
You can get information about Hep C and other blood borne viruses, like Hep A and HIV from Hep C Victoria, your Community Health Service or from any hospital. You can go to see a Doctor in any suburb for advice about BBV's if you don't want to go to one in your home town.
'The unnatural death rate of ex-prisoners was 10 times that found in the general Victorian population. Risk of unnatural death was greatest during the weeks immediately following release and greater among those who had previous imprisonments. Over half of the unnatural deaths were heroin-related deaths. Ex-prisoner heroin-related deaths accounted for at least 25% of all the Victorian heroin-related deaths'. Graham, Annette. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Volume 36, Number 1, 1 April 2003 , pp. 94–108(15)
The rest of your life…
Drugs and Alcohol
I've already talked a bit about being safe if you're using drugs and alcohol, but if you don't want to use/drink/whatever, after you get out of Deer Park, even better and there are plenty of people and organisations who'll want to help you do that.
In my case, I let them. Most people who do that kind of work, do it because they care – and that was just what I needed, people around me who cared. I found there were a few places around Melbourne that are specifically for Koori women who want to work on their drug and alcohol issues and I've included their contact details in this booklet.
There are lots more though – in Aboriginal Health Services, Co-ops and Community Centres all over the rest of Victoria. You'll find most of the main numbers for these organisations in this booklet as well and you can ring them to find out exactly what's available in your community.
I also found there are a lot of mainstream services out there you could go to – but none of them really make any claim to cultural awareness. Don't think you have to go to a Koori program though, just because you're a Koori woman. You can go anywhere you like, if you can get a place, but mainstream programs are usually pretty full too.
I've been in both, Koori and mainstream and for me, our D&A programs win hands down! I could relate to my own culture and spirituality far better than I could to the same in most mainstream programs – but, because there are less places in Koori programs than there are women needing them, I've often gone to mainstream programs in the early stages and waited until there was a place on a Koori program.
But that's more about residential programs than counselling – and whatever it is you want to do, residential or counselling, mainstream or Koori specific, don't let me or anyone else tell you what you want – you'll be the one who knows what's best, or what's right for you.
Your community housing support worker (like a worker from somewhere like Flat Out or Women's Housing for example) is a good person to talk to about any of these things – and, if you haven't got any credits on your phone, they can often let you make phone calls, or even make them for you, to set up appointments and referrals which they'll then sometimes even help you get to.
I actually talked to my support worker a lot when I first got out. Their organisations haven't got heaps of resources but what they have got is dedicated to helping us and to helping us help ourselves, to stay out of jail. I was really surprised at some of the things they were able to help me with and they also let me know about a lot of community events which helped me feel a sense of belonging here in Melbourne, even though I'm so far away from my own community back in Sydney.
Your housing support worker can let you know what services are out there and how they can be of help to you. They can also help you access these services, by making the phone calls and referrals and arranging transport to appointments.
Family, Relationships and Community…
Our families, relationships and our communities can be really supportive when we get out of jail, but sometimes, especially when they don't understand where you're coming from (and this was my experience), they can also be whole lot of hurt.
If something's not working for you in your family, in your personal relationships or, in your community, and you don't want to talk to your support worker about it, there are some other numbers in this booklet you can ring to find out where to go for help.
You'll also find numbers you can ring if you're in a situation of family violence. And, you don't have to be getting flogged every five minutes for it to be called family violence. If you or the kids don't feel safe, or if someone's taking all your money, or not letting you see your friends or family, or is constantly putting you down, it's family violence and you don't have to put up with it!
Too Strong, too Black 'n too Deadly for that, Sis!
Trying not to be a boomerang…
Parole and Community Corrections
Some people call women who keep coming back to jail 'returned soldiers'. I think of us Koori women as 'boomerangs' – anyone would think we like it in jail, the rate we keep coming back!
I got sick of 'boomeranging' back and forth, in and out of different prisons all the time – so I figured I had to work out what it was I had to do to stay on the 'happy' side of the razor-wire.
The first thing I realized was, I was going to have to play the game with the parole board and my CCO – which meant I was going to have to report when they said to report and to do all the things they told me to do.
This annoyed the hell out of me. I kind of felt they should be fitting in with my plans rather than the other way round! Still, I did what I had to do and 2 years later, I can say I got through parole without too many problems!
Even if you don't have parole, for instance you might be getting out after serving a straight sentence or from being on remand – you could even be getting released on bail – if you're being released from any kind of custody, chances are you've got some kind of conditions attached to your freedom, especially if you're doing CISP (Court Integrated Services Program) or Drug Court. My best advice is to paste a smile on your face – and do whatever they need you to do. It worked for me! You don't get hassled too much if you're smiling and, if you're helping your CCO tick all the boxes he or she needs to tick, it keeps them pretty happy too.
And now that everybody's smiling… you can get back to doing whatever it is you need to do to get your life back together.
A place to call home….
One thing I found pretty important to getting your life together is having somewhere to live. If you're lucky like me and get in to a property, don't be like me and lose the deposit book to pay your rent with! I ended up about $600 behind and it took me nearly a year to catch up! Somebody (okay, it could have been my landlord!) suggested I make my rent payments by direct debit so it didn't happen again. I thought this was a pretty good idea and I've never fallen behind in my rent since. I pay nearly all my bills that way now.
If you don't have a proper place to live when you get out – then none of the above will be any help to you at all!!! But don't panic (yet), I've also included some numbers in this booklet you can ring for help with housing.
Work
I mentioned earlier that I used to go outside to work for the last five months of my sentence and that it ended up being a paid job for me when I got out. This means it can be done – and applying to do community work while you're still at Deer Park can be a really good way of putting yourself out there for a real job when you get out. It's not easy though, you've got to put in some pretty hard yards to get the leaves approved – and you also have to be serving 3 years or more to be eligible.
You will have already done a whole lot of stuff in TAP around working or applying for a job before you get out and I'm sure you've still got all the little brochures floating around somewhere. For convenience sake, I've included the numbers for the usual suspects, like Centrelink etc. in this booklet, as well as a couple of other places that can help you with clothes for job interviews or pay for uniforms or work boots etc., if you actually land yourself a job.
At home with the kids… or just not up to working right now
Working for a living can be highly overrated. It can also be a lot of hard work and really impractical if you've got a bunch of Boories to look after! The problem with this is that a lot of people will say getting a j.o.b. is the only thing that will keep us from coming back to jail.
I don't know about that. Sure, it can help and it's great for having money to pay the bills etc., and it is a great idea for guys – but, if you've got kids, unless you can get childcare or have rello's who can look after them while you're not there, going outside the home to work is an impossible choice.
Don't let anyone try and tell you you're 'hopeless' or 'useless' if you can't, or don't want to get a job. If you want to stay home and take care of your Boories, it's entirely up to you.
One thing I did see happen a lot over the four years I was at Deer Park was quite a few Koori women who discovered (while they were in jail), that they could do art or, as in my case, that they could write. This can be a good way of earning money on the outer without having to leave the kids to go out to work.
Your local TAFE, Aboriginal Co-op or Community Centre will have art courses you could enrol in and events that you'll be able to show your work at to try to sell it. They can also hook you in to all kinds of community events where you'll meet other Aboriginal artists who you can learn from.
Art, music, theatre, dance and literature are all things that a lot of Aboriginal women excel at. If you're good at any of these things, now might be the time to try and make a career out of them! It really works! I've done it – and I'm not the only one!
Education
I also did a lot of education while I was at Deer Park – maybe you have too.
You will have at least done Koori Ed and Koori Art and if you liked those classes, you can keep doing them through the Gunung-Willam-Balluk Learning Centre at Kangan Batman TAFE's Broadmeadows campus.
If you'd like to do any other kind of courses, (or you don't live near Broadmeadows) have a look at what the local TAFE in your area offers. If you have a health care card, it won't cost you much to enrol either.
Having a TAFE qualification can really boost your chances of getting a job
(if you're looking for one), and if you're trying to make a living from your art like
I mentioned above, TAFEs are a really good place to start making the right contacts and connections.
If you're studying, don't forget to ask Centrelink about Abstudy payments.
Life
This next bit is all about you and taking care of yourself on the outer. And it might sound silly but you really do need to take care of 'You' first if you're going to be able to take care of anyone or anything else.
Taking care of 'You' means, for a start, making sure you never get too tired, too hungry or too thirsty – pretty simple, aye? You'd think so, but this is something I learned when I got out – you get busy and it's easy to forget, or not have time, to eat, drink, or, if you have busy social life, to go to sleep. It can be really great for your figure – but hell on your stress levels! I really recommend eating, drinking and sleeping regularly, as a good way of staying alive. The bonus is, if you're doing all these things, dealing with all the other crap that life throws at you gets a little easier.
Another thing that can help you take care of yourself and get on with the business of living is by maintaining a connection to Culture.
There are all kinds of ways of doing this but your local Aboriginal Co-op, Health Service or Community Centre is a really good place to start. You'll often find out about cultural events, courses, art shows and even jobs by checking out the notice-boards at these places – and they can be great places to catch up with old friends or even meet new ones.
Loneliness was always a kicker for me and I could see how easily my loneliness could turn into depression. Trouble was, because I was feeling sad, I didn't feel like going anywhere or doing anything – and of course that made the loneliness worse. Making myself get up and get going to different places and events where I knew there would be other Kooris was the best thing I ever did! I learned to find my way around Melbourne and I made a whole lot of new friends too.
A bit of pampering never hurt anyone either and you can enjoy a whole day of this in a cultural setting at a Sister's Day Out workshop. These workshops give Aboriginal women an opportunity to get their hair, nails or eyebrows done, have a massage, get some Reiki, eat some delicious food and relax in a cultural atmosphere. At a SDO workshop, you'll also find lots of information about family violence and other services available to Aboriginal women in the community and have a chance to meet and yarn up with a whole lot of other Aboriginal women you mightn't normally see. SDO workshops are held all over Victoria and there's a free-call number you can ring to find out where and when a Sister's Day Out is coming to a town near you.
Don't be shame – and don't be shy. All the community services listed in this booklet and the organizations that offer them are there to help you and help you get back on your feet after jail.
We hope you find this booklet helpful and easy to use…
Good Luck! Be Happy, and…
Have a Great Life!
Burndap nahlinggu-dji
Welcome back… and welcome home!
Stay strong, black and deadly, Sis
We need you out here…
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Part Two: Community Services
This second part of Burndap nahlinggu-dji lists a lot of services that I hope will also come in handy when you first get out. There's information on legal services, health services, Co-ops, drug and alcohol services, education, family violence and many, many other community based services (and some government ones) that can help you get back on your feet when you get out of jail. I've listed them all in alphabetical order so they're easy to look up.
3KND Radio Kool N Deadly
"Journey into the dreamtime, to Inform, Educate, Entertain and Promote Indigenous Australians creating their dreams"
3KND 1503AM is the 'Voice of Indigenous Victoria, Australia'.
• Radio and on-line broadcast services
• Multimedia media training
• Studio recording hire
• Music production
Address: 48 Mary Street
PO Box 95, Preston VIC 3072
Phone: (03) 9471 1305
Fax: (03) 9471 1054
Email: mail@3knd.org.au
Tune in To our deadly 3KND 1503AM Radio Programs Broadcast – live
24 hours a day – 7 days a week.
Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5.00pm
Web: www.3knd.org.au
Aboriginal Hostels Limited (AHL)
AHL offers a home a way from home for Aboriginal people in comfortable, homey environments staffed mostly by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Central Office
Phone: (02) 6212 2001
Address: 2nd Floor, Bonner House West, 7 Neptune Street
PO Box 30, Woden ACT 2606
Email: ahlmarketing@ahl.gov.au
Website: www.ahl.gov.au
Aboriginal Housing Victoria
Our vision: That all Aboriginal people in Victoria will be housed in safe, secure and affordable housing.
Contact us: Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Address: Narrandjeri House,
125–127 Scotchmer Street,
North Fitzroy VIC 3068
Phone: 03 9403 2100 or
1300 724 882 (cost of a local call)
Fax: 03 9403 2122
Email: info@ahvic.org.au
Aborigines Advancement League (AAL)
• Home & community care
• Funeral service
• Gurwidj neighbourhood house
• Family support
• Indigenous tenants at-risk program
• Disability program
• Administration
Phone: (03) 9480 7777
Fax: (03) 9416 9092
The Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) VIC
'Standing Firm Against Family Violence'
Services we offer
The Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Victoria (FVPLS Victoria) provides assistance to victims of family violence and sexual assault and works with families and communities affected by violence.
The FVPLS has offices in:
Warrnambool – servicing the Barwon South West region
Bairnsdale – serving the Gippsland region
Mildura – serving the Mildura and Wentworth and Dareton regions.
FVPLS Head Office: Level 3, 70–80 Wellington Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9244 3333
Fax: (03) 9416 0147
Email: information@fvpls.org
Free Call number: 1800 105303
The above Free Call number will get you through to the Collingwood Head Office who can then connect you to any of the regional offices – but this is only a free call from a landline or public phone – it will cost heaps from a mobile.
ABSTUDY
If you are an Indigenous secondary or tertiary student or a full-time Australian Apprentice, ABSTUDY is an allowance that may help you stay at school or in further study. You can claim ABSTUDY over the phone by calling us on:
13 2317
ACES – Aboriginal Community Elders Services
The Aboriginal Community Elders Service Inc. (ACES) provides a range of services to Aboriginal Elders, such as a High and Low care Nursing, hostel accommodation, a Planned Activity Group (PAG) Program and a Koori Community Aged Care Program (KCACP). ACES is located in a lush bush land setting on the banks of Merri Creek in East Brunswick. At ACES our guiding principles are value and respect for Elders.
ACES welcomes employment applications from Koori women who have been in jail.
Address: 5 Parkview Avenue,
East Brunswick VIC 3057
Phone: (03) 9383 4244
Email: admin@acesinc.org.au
Adult Parole Board of Victoria
The Adult Parole Board meets weekly at its Carlton office and regularly at all prisons in Victoria. It also meets at other locations such as Community Correctional Services Centres throughout Victoria.
Address: 4/444 Swanston Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone: 03 9094 2111
Email: apb.enquiries@justice.vic.gov.au
Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd. (BADAC)
BADAC is a holistic health and welfare service for Aboriginal people and their families.
• Fully serviced health clinic
• Family Services – mums and bubs programs, woman's support group
• Alcohol and other drug counsellors
• Home and community support program
Address: 5 Market Street,
Ballarat VIC 3353
Phone: (03) 53315344
Fax: (03) 53331637
Email: Reception@badac.ballarat.net.au
Batdja Aboriginal Corporation
Batdja Aboriginal Corporation offers childcare and educational programs.
Address: PO Box 6294
44 Edward Street, Shepparton
VIC 3630
Phone: 5831 5479
Fax: 5831 5769
Email: lidje.macs@bigpond.com
Bunurong Health Service
Servicing the South Eastern region
Address: 3 Carroll Avenue, Dandenong VIC 3175
Phone: (BH): 9794 5933
Fax: 9791 1247
Email: Bunurong@ddacl.org.au
CASA Centres Against Sexual Assault
What is sexual assault? Sexual assault is anything sexual that makes someone feel uncomfortable, frightened, intimidated or threatened. It is sexual behaviour that someone hasn't agreed to or where another person uses physical or emotional force against them. It can include anything from hassling someone sexually, right through to violent and life threatening rape. Some of these acts are serious crimes – and they're serious crimes against You.
Sexual assault is an abuse of power. It is never your fault and it's not your responsibility.
Emergency or crisis care A free confidential 24 hour emergency or crisis care service is available for women and children who have recently been sexually assaulted. This includes crisis-counselling support and may include access to medical care and legal processes.
Counselling and support CASAs offer free and confidential individual counselling to child and adult victim/survivors of sexual assault, their non offending family members/carers and partners. They also offer group work, telephone counselling and referrals to other services.
To contact any Centre Against Sexual Assault during the day and after hours call the Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) on:
Free Call number 1800 806 292 (not free from a mobile phone)
Email SACL: ahcasa@thewomens.org.au
Central Gippsland Aboriginal Health Services
Address: 5–9 Buckley Street
PO Box 250, Morwell VIC 3840
Phone: 5136 5100
Fax: 51365155
Email: admin@nindedana.net
Centre for Human Rights of Imprisoned People
CHIRP is a project promoting human rights for people in Victorian prisons through education, community capacity building, legal education, and systemic advocacy.
Address: C/- Flat Out Inc
54 Pin Oak Crescent,
Flemington VIC 3031
Phone: (03) 9376 0800
Centrelink
Call Centres
Unemployment: 132850
Disability Sickness and Carers' Allowance: 132717
Family Assistance: 136150
You probably already know all you need to know about Centrelink so apart from including the general Call Centre numbers (just in case you've forgotten them while you've been in), I won't bore you with all that stuff.
Something you might not know is that Centrelink has 4 Aboriginal Call Centres.
Ring the number below for information and to contact an Indigenous Customer Service Adviser (or ICSA) at a Centrelink near you.
Not all Centrelink offices have ICSA's but if you can find one, they can be really helpful and they'll also give you 'one-on-one', individual service – so you don't have to explain yourself over and over to a whole lot of different people.
Aboriginal Call Centre: 13 6380
If you're studying, or about to start studying, don't forget to ask about Abstudy. Abstudy gives you a living allowance for studying (usually a bit better than unemployment benefits), and a one-off payment once a year for books or anything else you might need. You can ask an ICSA about this or you can ask at any Centrelink office – or you can ring the central Abstudy number below
Abstudy: 13 2317
Community Corrections
Community Corrections Officers (CCOs) manage offenders (they mean us), and are responsible for ensuring they comply with the conditions of their community-based or parole orders.
Community Correctional Services locations
There are 60 Community Correctional Services offices located throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria. You can find the closest one to you by ringing the number below.
Address: 22/121 Exhibition Street
GPO Box 123, Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone: (03) 8684 6600
Carlton
Phone: (03) 9094 2200
Email: corrections@justice.vic.gov.au
Elizabeth Hoffman House
Aboriginal Women's Service Inc.
'Understanding, Options, Information, Advice, Empowerment, Advocacy, Help & Support'
Our office hours: 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday
Address: P.O. Box 167, Fairfield
VIC 3078
Phone: (03) 9482 5744
Fax: (03) 9482 5733
Email: merikio@ehhawsinc.org.au
24 Hour Intake Support Line:
1800 796 112 Toll-free (not free from a mobile)
Fitted for Work
Fitted for Work helps women obtain work by providing business clothing, and presentation and interview skills. They will put together one outfit, plus accessories, for you to wear to job interviews. They'll also give you tips on how to put together your resume and how to prepare for and look your best. When you find employment, you can come back to Fitted for Work for one more outfit to wear on the job.
Address: Level 2, 535 Flinders Lane (between Spencer and King Streets)
P.O Box 558, Collins Street West
VIC 8007
Phone: (03) 9620 5533
Email: info@fittedforwork.org for general enquiries
Fitzroy Legal Service
Address: 124 Johnston Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
PO Box 297 Fitzroy 3065
Phone: (03) 9419 3744
Fax: (03) 9416 1124
Email: enquiries@fitzroy-legal.org.au
Flat Out
Flat Out is a small community based support service for women who are getting out of prison, or who have had contact with the criminal justice system. Flat Out assists in developing women's skills to enable them to re-establish an independent life in the community, to regain self esteem, and to attain some degree of financial security to break the cycle of poverty, crime and imprisonment. Flat Out workers are all women – and only work with women and children. Flat Out works with women in a non-judgmental, compassionate and caring manner.
We can offer
• Compassionate, caring, realistic and honest support
• Advocacy with other services
• Support to maintain housing and to explore housing options
• Referrals to other services
• Advice and information
• Support with children
• Support in court and around legal issues (eg parole, CBO's etc)
• Support and assistance if you are re-incarcerated
Address: 54 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington VIC 3031
Phone: (03) 9372 6155
Fax: (03) 9372 5966
Email: admin@flatout.org.au
Gamblers Help
Help Line: 1800 858 858 FREECALL now (not free from a mobile phone).
24 hours a day – 7 days a week someone will be there to answer your call.
Anybody affected by gambling (your own gambling or someone else's), can call the Helpline, 24/7.
This service can give you the contact details for the nearest Gambler's Help, or another service far away from where you live if you would prefer this.
Calls to the Helpline are free from any landline. If you call from your mobile, charges apply.
Gambler's Help is a free service for people who are affected by gambling. The services provided by Gambler's Help include:
• Free, professional, confidential counseling for people affected by gambling
• Counseling for the family and friends of people affected by gambling
• Financial counseling to help people with gambling-related money problems
• Community education and helping communities reduce the negative effects of gambling
There are Gambler's Help available throughout Victoria. Professional help can really make a difference.
Gippsland Community Legal Service
• Telephone advice – by appointment
• Outreach locations – Wonthaggi and Bairnsdale – appointments required
Hours: Monday – Thursday:
9am – 5pm
Address: 162 Commercial Road,
PO Box 103, Morwell VIC 3840
Freecall: 1800 004 402 (freecall from a landline)
Phone: (03) 5133 0411
Fax: (03) 5133 0577
Email: gippsland_vic@clc.net.au
Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service
Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services works side by side with people who are disadvantaged or oppressed to provide a hand up, not a hand out, for those in need. Good Shepherd can also provide micro-loans to women who have been released from prison. Loans can be used to purchase cars, fridges, washing machines etc.
Address: 21 Budd Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9418 3000
General Loans Phone: (03) 9495 9615
Fax: (03) 9418 3001
Email: info@goodshepvic.org.au
Collingwood
Phone: (03) 9419 5477
St Kilda
Phone: (03) 9537 1416
Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-Operative
Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative delivers health and community services to the local Aboriginal community in the Wimmera and Western Grampians regions of Victoria. Aboriginal women who have been in custody are most welcome to ask for one of our senior female staff members.
Hours: Monday – Thursday:
9am – 5pm, Friday: 9am – 4pm
Address: 43 Hamilton Street, Horsham VIC 3402
(Opposite the YMCA Aquatic Centre Car Park)
Phone: (03) 5381 6333
Fax: (03) 5381 1563
Mail: PO Box 523, Horsham VIC 3402
Email: reception@goolumgoolum.org.au
After Hours Medical Advice:
1800 641 395
Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited
The Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative is designed to provide services and programs to improve the health of the Indigenous community, provide opportunities for economic advancement, and support the cultural wellbeing of our people.
Address: 6 Kinross Court. Warrnambool VIC 3280
Phone: (03) 5559 1234
Toll Free: 1800 629 729 (Victoria only)
Fax: (03) 5561 0392
Web: www.gunditjmara.org.au
Hep C Victoria – Info-line
The Hep C Infoline is a free and confidential phone service for people living with hepatitis C and their families and friends.
Freecall: 1800 703 003 – not free from a mobile
Our opening hours are: Mon to Fri – 9.30am – 6.00pm
Outside of these hours, there is a recorded information service and you can leave a message to request a call back. You can also send us a question by emailing info@hepcvic.org.au
Kangan Batman TAFE
Indigenous Student support
Kangan Institute's Koori Programs Unit provides a welcoming and supportive environment for Indigenous Australian students. Based at Broadmeadows, the unit supports around 500 students from early school leavers, to mature aged students and students in custody and post-release. At the Gunung-Willam-Balluk Learning Centre at the Broadmeadows Campus, students receive:
• Study space
• Computers
• Mentoring
• Tutoring
• Counselling
• Individual support
Phone: (03) 9279 2357
Email: kooriprograms@kangan.edu.au
Koori Court
All offences that can be heard in the Magistrates' Court, except family violence and sexual offences, can be heard in the Koori Court. Koori Court is a less formal atmosphere that lets the Aboriginal (Koori) community take part in the court process. The magistrate sits at a table with everybody else at the court hearing, not at the bench, and talks about the matter in plain English, not in legal language. Koori Court Elders and/or Respected Persons, a Koori Court Officer, the defendant, and their family can all have a say during the court hearing.
Koori Courts
• Shepparton
• Broadmeadows
• Bairnsdale, Mildura
• Warrnambool
• La Trobe
• Swan Hill Magistrates' Court
Children's Koori Courts
• Melbourne Children's Court
• Mildura Magistrates' Court
There is also a County Koori Court operating in La Trobe Valley.
Koori Courts Unit
Address: 7/436 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9603 9364 (Ring this number for a Koori Court near you)
Lady Gladys Nicholls Hostel
Accommodation for Aboriginal students undergoing tertiary education or training and Aboriginal people needing short-term transitional accommodation.
Address: 56 Cunningham Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Phone: (03) 9489 0032
Fax: (03) 9481 3205
Link-Up Victoria
Are you looking for your family?
If you have been adopted, placed in foster care, institutionalised or forcibly removed, Link-Up Victoria can help you to trace and be reunited with your family. Link-Up can help…
Address: 139 Nicholson Street,
East Brunswick VIC 3070
Mail: PO Box 494 Northcote Plaza, Northcote VIC 3070
Phone: (03) 9470 3666
Fax: (03) 9400 3788
Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre
The Centre provides free legal advice, referral and ongoing assistance to local residents in a range of areas.
Our service covers people living in the Greater Bendigo, Mt Alexander, Macedon Ranges, Loddon, Campaspe and Central Goldfields shires. It covers the traditional country of a number of Indigenous groups, including the Dja Dja Wurrung, the Yorta Yorta, the Wurundjeri, the Taungurung and the Barapa Barapa.
Address: PO Box 432
29 Queen Street, Bendigo VIC 3550
Phone: 5444 4364
Free Call: 1800 639 121 (free from a landline if calling from outside Bendigo)
Medicare
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Line
This line is staffed by Medicare Liaison Officers for Indigenous Access who understand the special conditions that may affect Indigenous people.
Free Call: 1800 556 955.
MEGT (Australia) Ltd
MEGT is an apprenticeships and training agency with a focus on employment of Aboriginal people through Australian Apprenticeships.
Big enough to support you – small enough to know you!
• Apprenticeships
• Traineeships
• Education.
Address: 29 Ringwood Street, Ringwood VIC 3134
Mail: PO Box 4069, Ringwood
VIC 3134
Phone: (03) 9879 5222
Fax: (03) 9879 5570
Hotline: 1300 365 022 and 13 MEGT
Email: info@megt.com.au
Mildura Aboriginal Corporation
• Health
• Health care and respite services
• Housing/accommodation services
• Other services
• Drug and alcohol services
• Employment services
• Family welfare services
Address: 120 Madden Avenue
Mail: PO Box 2130 Mildura VIC 3500
Phone: (03) 5022 1852
Fax: (03) 5023 7852
Email: mdunstan@macmildura.org (enquiries only)
Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative
• Family Support Program
• HACC Program
• Health centre (full time doctor)
• Mums & bubs program
• Hearing Program
• Mental health (SEWB)
• BTH
• Youth program
• Kindergarten
• Childcare
• Juvenile Justice
• Out of Home Care
• Men's Time Out Service
• SAAP
• Housing
• Disabled Access
Address: 87 Latje Road,
Robinvale VIC 3549
Mail: PO Box 680 Robinvale
VIC 3549
Hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4pm, Friday
Phone: (03) 5026 3353
Email: ceo@mvac.org.au
Needle Exchange Programs
I couldn't list all of these programs as there are about 200 of them, all over Victoria. The contacts I do have room for will come in handy if you live in and around the city.
If you're not in Melbourne, or even if you're just not in the inner city, you can still call St Kilda Crisis Centre's Free call 1800 number and they will give you the details of a service near you.
St. Kilda Crisis Centre
24 hour, 7 days per week needle exchange program service
Free call: 1800 627 727 – not free from a mobile
Phone: (03) 9536 7703
Address: 29 Grey Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
Foot Patrol
Free needle availability and disposal service in the city
Free call: 1800 700 102 – not free from a mobile
Phone: 0412 155 491
Freeway Outreach Service
Seven nights per week – mobile needle delivery service
Hours: 6.30pm – 9.45pm
Freecall: 1800 642 287 – not free from a mobile
Ngwala Willumbong Co-Operative Ltd
Pitjantjatjara for 'Dry Place'
What we do Ngwala works with individuals, families and communities, in a culturally relevant manner, to address issues associated with drug and alcohol use, to enhance their physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
What we offer Ngwala Willumbong Co-operative Ltd, offers specialist alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation and outreach support services to Aboriginal people and their communities. Services include residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation & outreach support.
Address: 93 Wellington Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: (03) 9510 3233
Fax: (03) 9510 6288
Email: reception@ngwala.org
The Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC)
Koori Justice Workers at the NJC can provide information and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – including children and young people, who have criminal and civil matters before the NJC court.
Drop in: 241 Wellington Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9948 8777
Fax: (03) 9948 8799
Email: njc@justice.vic.gov.au
Hours: The NJC is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Karen Gurney is a Community Lawyer with the Fitzroy Legal Service Inc and can also be contacted at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre on:
Phone: 03 9948 8701
Mobile: 0412 978 991
Njernda Aboriginal Corporation
• GP service
• Family support
• Financial services
• Legal & justice programs
• Drug and alcohol worker
• Housing
• HACC
• Bringing Them Home worker
• KMS
• Allied health
• Child care
• Recreation program
• Best Start program
• SEWB Program
• Family services
• Counselling
• Emergency relief
Address: 84 Hare Street, Echuca
VIC 3564
Phone: (03) 5482 3075
Fax: (03) 5480 6116
Email: ceo@njernda.com.au
Ombudsman Victoria (State Ombudsman)
The Ombudsman's office will investigate any complaints against Victorian government departments, statutory authorities and local councils – including the police.
To complain, you need to write to the department that's done the wrong thing first. If you don't get any joy there, that's when you write a letter to the Ombudsman. If it's a bill you're complaining about, the company can't chase you for the money, or give you a bad credit rating until the Ombudsman's office has finished looking into your complaint.
Contact the Ombudsman:
Phone direct: (03) 9613 6222 (Metro)
Rural Hotline: 1800 806314 (not free from a mobile phone)
Address: Level 9, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Email: ombudvic@ombudsman.vic.gov.au
Web: http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au
Peninsula Community Legal Centre Inc
PCLC provides a variety of legal services free of charge.
Our service covers the areas of Frankston, Casey, Cardinia, Glen Eira, Kingston and Mornington Peninsula.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Address: Chatsworth House, Suite 1–4, 431 Nepean Highway, Frankston VIC 3199
Phone: (03) 9783 3600
Fax: (03) 9770-5200
Freecall: 1800 064 784 (STD only – not free from a mobile phone)
Email: pclc@pclc.org.au
Website: www.pclc.org.au
RhED
Supporting Sex Workers in Victoria
• Free confidential telephone, drop-in and outreach services
• Support
• Counselling
• Information, referral and advocacy
• Sexual health screening, health services and health information
• Education about sexually transmissible infections, HIV and blood borne viruses
• Supplies of needles and syringes, condoms and lube
• Ugly Mugs reports – tells you about dangerous 'mugs' – for your safety
• RED – sex industry magazine
• Pathways to Exit Program
Hours: 9am – 5pm, Mon – Fri
Phone: (03) 9534 8166
Freecall: 1800 548 752
Email: sexworker@sexworker.org.au
Drop in
Address: 10 Inkerman Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
Hours: Tue to Thurs – 1pm to 5pm
RhED is open as a sex worker only space on Fridays – from 1pm to 11pm
• Ask about our Indigenous Programs
Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation
Address: 117 Foster Street,
PO Box 1240, Sale VIC 3850
Phone: 5143 1644
Fax: 51433436
Rumbalara Aboriginal
Co-operative Ltd.
Health, wellbeing & social support services including justice, health, housing, aged care and disability and family services.
• Admin: (03) 5820 0000
• Justice services: (03) 5820 0010
• Health services: (03) 5820 0035
• Family services: (03) 5831 2010
Address: 20 Rumbalara Road
Mail: PO Box 614, Mooroopna
VIC 3629
Phone: (03) 5820 0000
Sisters Day Out
Something special – just for you!
The Sisters Day Out events are fantastic well-being workshops, organized by the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Victoria (FVPLS) to bring Aboriginal women together in their own communities.
Sisters Day Out Workshops are a great way to meet new friends, pick up some information, learn about services available in your area – and, treat yourself, for free, to a full day of pretty, pink pampering (go the hair, nails and foot massage!), heaps of fun for you and the kids with lots and lots of really great food!
Sometimes you just need to do something nice… for 'You'!
Workshops are happening all over Victoria – all the time, so – if you'd like to find out when a Sisters Day Out will be coming to a venue near you…
Please call us at the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Sisters Day Out
Free Call: 1800 105 303 (not free from a mobile)
Phone: (03) 9244 3333
Fax: (03) 9416 0147
Email: sistersdayout@fvpls.org
Or drop in to our Head Office: Level 3, 70–80 Wellington Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Sisters Inside
Sisters Inside was founded by former Queensland prisoner, Debbie Kilroy. Deb is now a practising lawyer and although Sisters Inside mainly operates in Queensland, this organisation continues to be a powerful voice for women in prison everywhere.
Services we offer
• Crucial Connection Program – Reconnect
• PEEK – early intervention program
• Building on Women's Strengths (Bows) Program
• Sexual assault counselling service
• Work pathways programs
• Special circumstances court support program
• 123 transition program
• Day 2 Day Living Program (MH Support Service)
• Kids of Mums in Jail Program
• Aboriginal Women's Support Program
• Townsville Women's Prison Support Program
• Supreme Court Bail Program
Mail: Po Box 3407, South Brisbane, QLD 4101
Address: Level 2, 53 Tribune Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone: (07) 3844 5066
Fax: (07) 3844 2788
Web: www.sistersinsisde.com.au
South West Community Legal Centre
Centre for Human Rights & Social Justice
Address: 79 Liebig Street , Warrnambool VIC 3280
Free Call: 1300 361 680 (Not free from a mobile phone)
Email: jmorrissey@comconnect.com.au
Web: www.comconnect.com.au
The Koorie Heritage Trust Inc
Koorie Family History Service
'Gnokan Danna Murra Kor-ki'
What we do We help members of the Stolen Generations, Koories in custody and Koorie communities to trace their family histories and access records.
Koories in custody
Koories in custody are always a high priority for us. This is because we know there are many Koories inside who do not have links to their culture and history and can't undertake family history searches themselves without someone on the outside acting for them.
Contact Us
Address: 295 King Street
(corner Little Lonsdale Street), Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 8622 2600
Fax: (03) 9602 4333
Email: familyhistory@koorieheritagetrust.com
VACRO Victorian Association for the Care & Resettlement of Offenders
VACRO provides support and information for people charged with a criminal offence – and their families.
• Our Aboriginal Family Visit Program helps the families of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners to visit their family members inside.
• The program can also help with the costs of travel and accommodation
Address: 1st Floor, 116 Hardware St, Melbourne
Mail: PO Box 14093, Melbourne VIC 3000
Women, Children and Family Services are also available at VACRO
Toll Free: 1800 049 871 (not free from a mobile phone)
Phone: (03) 9605 1900
Fax: (03) 9602 2355
Email: info@vacro.org.au
Web: http://www.vacro.org.au
Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd (VACSAL)
VACSAL is a peak Aboriginal community organisation whose key role is that of advocacy and empowerment. VACSAL's key goal is to support Aboriginal community groups and individuals through community development programs. The organisation's focus is early years and youth as well as supporting Aboriginal community awareness and understanding in relation to family violence, disabilities, gambling, social justice and partnerships.
Address: 171 Smith Street, Fitzroy
VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 4266
Fax: (03) 9416 4147
Victorian Aboriginal Health Service Cooperative Ltd (VAHS)
'Caring for the Community'
We can help if you need to see…
• A doctor
• A dentist
• The women and children's doctor
• Family counselling services
Or just drop in for a cup of tea or coffee… If it's hard for you to get to us (and you let us know in advance), we can even arrange to pick you up from your home – and drop you back afterward.
Address: 186 Nicholson Street,
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9419 3000
Fax: (03) 9417 3897
Email: info@vahs.org.au
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS)
How can VALS help me? Solicitors at VALS are specialised in one of three areas:
• criminal law
• family law
• civil law
There are also nine Indigenous Client Service Officers (CSOs). Five of these are based in regional areas across the country in
• Shepparton
• Morwell
• Mildura
• Bairnsdale
• Heywood
The other four CSO's are based in VAL's head office in Melbourne
Head office: 6 Alexandra Parade, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Mail: PO Box 218, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: 03 9419 3888
Fax: 03 9419 6024
Email: vals@vals.org.au
Regional offices
• Bairnsdale – (03) 5153 0445
• Ballarat – (03) 5331 3211
• Heywood – (03) 5527 2281
• Mildura – (03) 5021 5122
• Morwell – (03) 5133 9853
• Shepparton – (03) 5831 5840
• Swan Hill – (03) 5033 0295
Wathaurong Aboriginal
Co-operative
Aboriginal Co-ops can be really useful sources of information on what's available for Aboriginal women in your area.
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 5.00pm, Friday 9.00am – 4.00pm
Address: Lot 62, Morgan Street,
North Geelong VIC 3215
Phone: (03) 5277 0044
Fax: (03) 5278 4123
Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation
If you live in this region, Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation can help you find out what kind of assistance may be available to you in your community.
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday – 9am to 5pm
Address: 21 Scott Street,
Heywood VIC 3304
Phone: (03) 5527 2051
Fax: (03) 5527 2052
Email: wmac@windamara.com
Local Freecall: 1800 009 967
Winja Ulupna
'Women's Haven' in the Yorta Yorta Language
Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre for Koori Women
Winja Ulupna is a 24 hour a day Residential Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre for Koori women who suffer from alcoholism or a drug dependency problem. Admission to the centre is on a voluntary basis and court referrals are also taken.
Address: 14 Charnwood Crescent,
St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: (03) 9525 5442
Fax: (03) 9534 0133
WIRE
Women's Information and Referral Exchange
• Family life and relationships
• Domestic violence
• Family and relationship issues
• Sexual harassment and assault
• Health and well-being (including such issues as depression, anxiety and isolation)
• Intervention orders and family court issues
• Education and training
• Housing
• Finance
WIRE also provides support and information for many services working specifically with Aboriginal women.
Drop in: Queen Victoria Women's Centre, Ground Floor 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Hours: 10.30am – 5pm Mon – Fri
Phone Support: Call 1300 134 130 (Cost of a local call from land-lines in Victoria only – it doesn't cover the cost of calls made from mobiles). Phone support is available to all women, state wide for the cost of a local call (but only from a land-line – it will cost you money from a mobile).
Phone Support Hours: 9am to 5pm Mon to Fri
Email: inforequests@wire.org.au
(for simple information and referral requests)
Women 4 Work
Women 4 Work is a program run by Melbourne Citymission to help women getting out of prison (or on community orders) to find and keep a job. It's totally voluntary and you can find out more about the program by contacting Women 4 Work.
Address: 214 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011
Phone: (03) 9687 4997 (and ask to be put through to the Women 4 Work program)
Web: www.melbournecitymission.org.au
Yappera Children's Service
We believe… that all Aboriginal children should have the right and opportunity to reach their potential through access to the highest quality care and enrichment in a rich cultural setting that strengthens their identity, cultural resilience, health and wellbeing.
What we offer Yappera Children's Service offers high quality child-care programs for children from birth to school age. There are pre-school, child-care and out of school hours care programs for Koori kids in our culturally relevant Children's Centre.
Address: 2B Watt Street,
Thornbury 3071
Phone: (03) 9416 8787
Fax: (03) 9480 0690
Youth Justice Court Advice Service
This is a state-wide service for young offenders aged 17-20- years. The Unit provides supervision and counselling from the time of a first court appearance; pre-sentence reports; case management and referral to appropriate support services for young people on bail or with deferred sentences; information to ensure that personal issues that could lead to further offending are addressed prior to sentence; information about eligibility for remission, parole or special treatment; information about the effects of cumulative sentences; and bail reports at the end of a bail period.
Magistrate's Court of Victoria, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9628 7950
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Part Three: Material Aid
What is Material Aid?
Material aid or emergency relief can be money, food parcels, food vouchers, clothing, furniture etc. The next few pages are a list of places you can contact if you need a hand with some food, clothing, furniture or bills – some organisations can even help out with a bit of cash from time to time!
It's always best to ring first
Sometimes you will need to book an appointment to talk to someone for material aid – or the service will only be open on certain days or at certain times. I always found it was better to give them a ring first and suss out when they were open or what I might need to bring with me to an appointment.
Community Information and Support Centres used to be called 'Citizens Advice Bureaus' and can often help with material aid or suggest a local service that can.
Local Council Offices (yeah I know, this one surprised me too!) Local Council Offices sometimes have what's known as a 'Municipal Social Worker'. Not all of them have one but if your Local Council does, the Municipal Social Worker will also usually have a listing of local places you can go to for material aid.
Churches can also often help with material aid for families/individuals in crisis but there's way too many of them to list here. There's probably a church near you but ring them first to see if they have a material aid program. There's usually a phone number on or around the church somewhere or you can look them up in the White Pages.
Here are some places you can go to for material aid:
Bayside Community Information and Support Service – Hampton East Centre
Address: 12 Katoomba Street, Hampton East VIC 3188
Phone: (03) 9555 6560
• Material aid
Broadmeadows UnitingCare
Address: 413–419 Camp Road, Broadmeadows VIC 3047
Phone: (03) 9351 3600
• Emergency relief and material aid
(by appointment only)
Camcare – Ashburton
Address: 4 Y Street, Ashburton
VIC 3147
Phone: (03) 9831 1900
• Emergency relief
Camcare – Camberwell
Address: 19 Fairholm Grove, Camberwell VIC 3124
Phone: (03) 9809 9100
• Emergency relief
Casey North Community Information and Support Service Inc
Address: Suite S, 1006 Overland Drive, Fountain Gate VIC 3805
Phone: (03) 9705 6699
• Crisis support service
• Emergency relief (food vouchers)
• No Interest Loan Scheme
Chelsea Community Support Services Inc
Address: 1 Chelsea Road, Chelsea
VIC 3196
Phone: (03) 9772 8939 or
(03) 9772 8929
• Emergency relief, food parcels and limited material aid
• No-interest loan scheme
Church of All Nations Community Support
Address: 180 Palmerston Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone: (03) 9347 7077
Emergency Relief – (03) 9347 7943 – 0401 352 551
• Vouchers, Met cards for appointments, pharmacy, Telstra vouchers, food selection from pantry
• Women only emergency relief, support: Thursday 10am – 12 midday
• Lunch, tea and coffee provided, fresh fruit and vegetable market
Coburg Community Information Centre
Address: 91 Bell Street, Coburg
VIC 3058
Phone: (03) 9350 3737
• Material aid
• No Interest Loan Scheme
Community Connections (Vic) Ltd
Address: 135 Kepler Street, Warrnambool VIC 3280
Phone: 1300 361 680
• Emergency relief
• Opportunity shop
Community Information Glen Eira Inc
Address: 1134 Glen Huntly Road, Glen Huntly VIC 3163
Phone: (03) 9571 7644
• Emergency relief – material aid
Cranbourne Information and Support Service
Address: 156A Sladen Street, Cranbourne VIC 3977
Phone: (03) 5996 3333
• Material aid
• Crisis support
• No Interest Loan Scheme
Crossways Food for Life
Address: 123 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 2939
Free or cheap meals at Hare Krishna restaurant opposite Melbourne Town Hall
Dandenong Benevolent Society
Address: Shop 5, 305 Thomas Street, Dandenong VIC 3175
Phone: (03) 9793 3736
• Material aid – food, clothing, chemist prescriptions
Dandenong Community Advisory Bureau
Address: 1186 Foster Street East, Dandenong VIC 3175
Phone: (03) 9791 8344 –
(03) 9791 8366 – (03) 9792 1111
• No Interest Loan Scheme
• Emergency relief
Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service Inc
Address: 1632 Burwood Highway, Belgrave VIC 3160
Phone: (03) 9754 7777
• Emergency relief – food, chemist vouchers, Met cards, payment of small bills, household goods, white goods, clothing vouchers
Darebin Information, Volunteer and Resource Service Inc – Northcote
Address: 185 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Phone: (03) 9480 8200
• Food vouchers, food cupboard, baby formula, Met tickets, Telstra bill payments
Darebin Information, Volunteer and Resource Service Inc – Preston
Address: 287 High Street, Preston VIC 3072
Phone: (03) 9480 8200
• Food vouchers, food cupboard, baby formula, Met tickets, Telstra bill payments
• Darebin No Interest Loans Scheme
Diamond Valley Community Support Inc
Address: Shop 201 Level 2, Greensborough Plaza, 25 Main Street, Greensborough VIC 3088
Phone: (03) 9435 8282 –
(03) 9435 5440
• Food vouchers
• Free internet and email access
Dingley Village Community Advice Bureau Inc
Address: 31B Marcus Road, Dingley Village VIC 3172
Phone: (03) 9551 1799
• Emergency relief
Doncaster Community Care and Counseling Centre Inc
Address: 8 Montgomery Street, Doncaster East VIC 3109
Phone: (03) 9841 4215
• DAWN – support service for women recovering from domestic violence
• Practical Assistance Program – material aid
Essendon Citizens Advice Bureau Inc
Address: Clocktower Centre, 1 Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039
Phone: (03) 9370 4533 or
(03) 9372 0835
• Emergency relief – by appointment only
Family Resource Centre – Wonthaggi
Address: Bass Coast Regional Health, 235 Graham Street, Wonthaggi
VIC 3995
Phone: (03) 5671 3278
• Emergency relief
Frankston Community Support and Information Centre
Address: 68 Playne Street, Frankston VIC 3199
Phone: (03) 9768 1600
• Emergency relief
Glenroy Community Information Centre
Address: 7 Belair Avenue, Glenroy VIC 3046
Phone: (03) 9306 0555
• Transport voucher available (emergency)
• Emergency relief – food parcels (no appointments necessary)
Laverton Community Centre and Neighbourhood House Inc
Address: 12 Crown Street, Laverton VIC 3028
Phone: (03) 9369 4866
• Emergency relief
• Cafe – low cost three course meals – Wednesday 11.30am – 1pm Concession $4, non-concession $7
Lilydale and District Community Information Centre Inc
Address: 214 Main Street, Lilydale VIC 3140
Phone: (03) 9735 1311
• Community information, assistance and referral on a wide range of issues
• Material aid
Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau – Croydon
Address: 214 Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon VIC 3136
Phone: (03) 9725 7920 or
(03) 9723 7686
• Community information, assistance and referral on a wide range of issues
• Material aid
Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau – Ringwood
Address: Ringwood Library Complex, 4 Civic Place, Ringwood VIC 3134
Phone: (03) 9870 3233
• Community information, assistance and referral on a wide range of issues
• Material aid
Mentone Community Assistance and Information Bureau Inc
Address: 36 Florence Street, Mentone VIC 3194
Phone: (03) 9583 8233 (General Line)or (03) 9583 2436 (Administration)
• Community information, assistance and referral on a wide range of issues
• Material aid/emergency relief
• No Interest Loan Scheme
Monash Oakleigh Community Support and Information Service
Address: 25 Downing Street, Oakleigh VIC 3166
Phone: (03) 9568 4533
• Community information, assistance and referral on a wide range of issues
• Material aid
Monash Waverley Community Information and Support Inc
Address: 6 Holskamp Street, Mount Waverley VIC 3149
Phone: (03) 9807 5996
Fax: (03) 9807 9844
• Material aid (emergency food) and referral to benevolent society
Monbulk Care Network Inc
Address: 61/63 Main Road, Monbulk VIC 3793
Phone: (03) 9756 7800
• Welfare assistance – food hampers, furniture, household goods
Mornington Community Information and Support Centre Inc
Address: 320 Main Street, Mornington VIC 3931
Phone: (03) 5975 1644
• Material aid/Emergency relief
• No Interest Loan Scheme – Monday afternoons (by appointment)
• Needle/Syringe program
Ozanam Community Centre
Address: 268 Abbotsford Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051
Phone: (03) 9329 6733
• Women's worker – women's groups, women's early intervention program
• Lunch: midday – 1pm ($2 donation if possible)
• Shower, toilets, laundry, and storage (limited) for people who are homeless
Port Phillip Community Group
Address: St Kilda Community Centre, 161 Chapel Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: (03) 9534 0777
• No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS)
• Emergency relief – ring first-thing Monday morning to book for that week
Prahran Citizens Advice Bureau Inc
Address: Level 1 Suite 17, Prahran Market Square, 163 Commercial Road, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9804 7220
• Community information, assistance and referral on a wide range of issues
• Emergency relief – food vouchers and food parcels
Prahran Mission
Address: 211 Chapel Street, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9692 9500
• Subsidised meal/cafe open for breakfast (winter) and lunch all year
• Goodwill Opportunity Shop/clothing, furniture etc
Southern Peninsula Community Support and Information Centre
Address: 878 Point Nepean Road, Rosebud VIC 3939
Phone: (03) 5986 1285
• Emergency relief
• Bond assistance (applications)
• Needle exchange
Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau Inc
Address: 5 Osborne Avenue, Springvale VIC 3171
Phone: (03) 9546 5255
• Emergency relief
• No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS)
The Lazarus Centre
Address: 203 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9639 8510
• Offers a breakfast Daily 7.30am – 8.30am at St Peter's Eastern Hill
• Emergency food service for people on the streets
• Showers, washing machine, clothing store, advice, referral
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Brunswick
Address: 256 Albert Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Phone: (03) 9388 5500
• Food vouchers and food parcels, limited aid with furniture vouchers (no white goods), limited aid with clothing, Telstra vouchers
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Doveton
Address: 1a Frawley Road, Doveton VIC 3177
Phone: (03) 9793 3933
• Emergency relief
• Food/vouchers/vouchers for furniture, clothing and household items
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Frankston
Address: 17 Forest Drive, Frankston North VIC 3200
Phone: (03) 9776 8456
• Material aid (food parcels)
• Referral to community based services
• Community Kitchen Program – meet to cook and socialise
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Moreland
Address: 828 Sydney Road, Coburg North VIC 3058
Phone: (03) 9353 1086
• Food vouchers, food parcels, material aid including clothing and furniture
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Plenty Valley
Address: Cnr Morang Drive and Fred Hollows Way, Mill Park VIC 3082
Phone: (03) 9436 4581
• Food and food vouchers, clothing vouchers, furniture vouchers
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Preston
Address: 263 Gower Street, Preston VIC 3072
Phone: (03) 9471 9111
• Vouchers for food and food parcels, furniture vouchers (no white goods), limited aid with clothing, Telstra vouchers
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Ringwood
Address: 47 Wantirna Road, Ringwood VIC 3134
Phone: (03) 9879 2894 or
(03) 9870 0720 (office)
• Emergency relief fund, material aid, Telstra vouchers
• Talk and Tucker – lunch and worship service Wednesday 11am
The Salvation Army Community Support Services – Werribee
Address: Thames Boulevard and Tarneit Road, Werribee VIC 3030
Phone: (03) 9731 1344
• Vouchers for food and food parcels
The Salvation Army Emergency Relief Program – Boroondara
Address: 7 Bowen Street, Camberwell VIC 3124
Phone: (03) 9889 2468
• Material aid for people in crisis or emergency, food, food vouchers, clothing vouchers, furniture vouchers
• Sunday lunch: 1pm (gold coin donation)
• Lunch: Monday, Friday at 12 midday
The Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614
Address: 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9653 3213
• Food parcels, clothing, Met Card in Zone 1 (concessions only)
• Breakfast and lunch daily
• Shower facilities, Local call phone
South Port Uniting Care
Address: 319 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Phone: (03) 9690 1188
• Food, food vouchers and prescriptions
Travellers Aid Australia
Address: Main Concourse, 99 Spencer Street, Docklands VIC 3008
Phone: (03) 9670 2873
• Travel tickets and material aid to vulnerable or distressed travellers with transport and social disadvantage or who are vulnerable and distressed
• Tickets for young people experiencing financial difficulties
UnitingCare Ballarat
Address: 105 Dana Street, Ballarat VIC 3350
Phone: (03) 5332 1286
• No Interest Loan Scheme
• Welfare and emergency relief
• Breeze-Way Meals – hot midday meal 7 days
UnitingCare – Sunshine Mission
Address: 32 Withers Street, Sunshine VIC 3020
Phone: (03) 9311 5900
• Emergency relief: Tuesday to Friday, 10am – 12.30pm
• Communal Justice – post prison release
Walker Close Community Centre
Address: 180 Millers Road, Altona North VIC 3025
Phone: (03) 9318 0521
• Emergency relief – food vouchers, parcels and counselling
Wesley Mission Victoria – Wesley Footscray Outreach
Address: 310 Barkly Street, Footscray VIC 3011
Phone: (03) 9689 3515
• Some doctors prescriptions, clothing, food vouchers, food parcels, phone cards
• Fresh fruit and vegetables available on Friday mornings
• Morning teas – shower and laundry facilities available
Western Port Community Support
Address: 185 High Street, Hastings VIC 3915
Phone: (03) 5979 2762
• Emergency relief including food vouchers, food parcels, pharmacy vouchers and petrol vouchers
|
