PHILOSOPHY
The underpinning philosophy of the Co-operative is Social Justice, with particular emphasis on Access & Equity and Multiculturalism in Children's, Aged and Disability Services.
The Co-operative is committed to ensure that people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Backgrounds be provided with the opportunity to participate and receive services relevant, sensitive and appropriate to their linguistic, cultural, religious and lifestyle needs. This is also in accordance with the existing range of legislation.
The Ethnic Child Care Family and Community Services Co-operative Ltd., was established in 1978 with the coming together of seven ethnic communities which had received capital and recurrent funding from the then Commonwealth Department of Social Security to set up Long Day Child Care Centres in various geographic areas to meet their child care needs. In 1979, the Department through the Children's Services Program under the Special Services provided funding to the Co-operative to set up the Ethnic Child Care Development Unit as a Special Resource, Advisory and Training Agency. The aim of the program was to assist the seven ethnic communities to establish their child care centres, to research the child care needs of ethnic communities in the inner and outer metropolitan Sydney, to provide relevant information to ethnic families and communities for them to access child care services and to work with children's services to provide training, advice, resources and support to enable them to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate care. In the 26 years of its existence the membership has increased from the original 7 member organisations to 56 non-profit community based organisations which operate children's, welfare, disability, social, recreational, aged care, respite care, vacation care, cultural, and educational services. Some are funded by the three levels of government others operate on a voluntary basis and from fund raising activities.
The Co-operative is the state-wide peak organisation in NSW on CALD issues in Children's and Disability Services and is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, State Government Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care, the Department of Community Services and the Department of Health and Ageing to operate programs targeting the CALD children, families and communities to facilitate access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services to meet their needs.
Formerly known as the Casual Ethnic Workers Pool (CEWP), the Bicultural Support Pool is a program operated by the Ethnic Child Care Family and Community Services Co-operative for Children's Services Central and is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The Bicultural Support Pool offers time limited linguistic and cultural and other support to Children's Services. The Bicultural Support Workers aim to educate, inform and empower Children's Services staff to enable them to support and include CALD and Indigenous children and families in the their services by providing hands on language support, assistance in planning, implementing and modelling appropriate cultural activities and programs, and relevant resources and information.
This program is funded by the NSW Department of Community Services. The aim of the project is to provide support, training and resource development to children's service providers and staff to improve access and opportunities for families and children from CALD backgrounds within the Local Government Areas of Sutherland, Rockdale, Hurstville, Kogarah, Botany, Woollahra, Waverley, Sydney and Randwick. The project works with all children's services including family day care, vacation care, OOSH, long day care, preschools, and home based care.
A program funded by Sydney South West Area Health Service which aims to provide support and training for primary carers aged 25 and above from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities who care for people with intellectual, psychiatric, and/or physical disability living in the Canterbury/ Marrickville Local Government Areas.
This project is funded by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DAD&HC). Training sessions pertaining to cultural diversity and disability have been developed for management, staff and volunteers in line with the National Competency Standards. The modules and training packages have continued to be provided to all DAD&HC funded disability, advocacy, information and related services throughout New South Wales.
A community development program, funded by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care which aims to create awareness and understanding of disability and multicultural issues within CALD communities, Government Departments and ethnic and disability service providers. The EPDP provides information and support to people with disabilities from CALD, encourages the development of support networks for them and increases access to disability services by the target groups through information provision, training, ongoing support and consultation.
A program funded by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care which aims to ensure that HACC funded services providers and related health and aged care services are relevant to the needs of the CALD groups. The project focuses on service evaluation, structural development, community development activities and promotion strategies and cross-cultural training for management, staff and volunteers. ESMAP has part-time Italian, Russian and Greek bi-lingual support workers who provide information and referral to existing and potential consumers. It covers the Local Government areas of Botany Bay, Randwick, South Sydney, Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra.
The program is funded by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care and aims to facilitate and enhance access to HACC and HACC like services for the Russian, Korean and Pacific Islander speaking communities in the Inner West. This is achieved by the promotion of HACC funded services to the Russian, Korean and Pacific Islander speaking communities, assisting HACC funded services to implement culturally appropriate activities, and providing language support and assistance to the members of these communities. Next year the program will be extended to the Vietnamese community.
This free interpreter brokerage program is funded by the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care for the utilisation of HACC service providers in the Inner West Local Government Areas. The program aims to meet the needs of frail older people, younger people with disabilities and their carers from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds.
The program is funded by various departments including, the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care, NSW Department of Community Services and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. The main aim of the program is to provide one to one Respite Care, Peer Support, Recreation and Vacation Care for children and young people with different disabilities and their families from CALD background and support their carers to continue their caring roles.
The program targets CALD people with disabilities and their families who reside in the Marrickville/Canterbury LGA's, but the geographic boundaries extend to Leichhardt, Canada Bay, Strathfield, Burwood and Ashfield for the Women's Group.
This year, the Co-operative has been successful in obtaining funding from the Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care for the Community Participation Program for CALD young people with disabilities aged 18 to 25 years. The program aims to assist young people with a moderate to high support needs to maintain and develop life skills and increase independence through leisure, recreational, social and cultural activities. Consumers are offered a choice of programs and activities and a variety of learning opportunities for social interaction and participation within the Addison Road Community Centre Complex.