COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

KIDS SPACE

We have had the biggest year at Kids Space so far! Each term brought new and exciting activities for all the kids to participate in. When we asked the kids what their favourite thing about Kids Space they all shouted various things but what stuck most is each week they did something different, making friends and having fun. We have another fun packed term 1 for Kids Space at North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre. Throughout the 8 week program, each week we set a different theme filled With fun and challenging activities to offer.

MENS SOCIAL GROUP

During Term 4 the men have been busy redoing the garden at Autumnleaf Neighbourhood Centre.  Thank you once again to the boys from the Boys Shed Program for helping with the project. Also a big thank you to the community and to Bryce Roney, the Field Coordinator from Public Spaces Maintenance at Penrith City Council for the generous donation of plants.

CRAFT AT HEART

Craft at Heart have been busy at work this term doing their bit to support our wildlife who have been affected by our recent bushfires, making koala mittens, joey pouches and bird nests that were donated to the Animal Rescue Craft Group. 

  

SENIORS LIVING WELL

During 2019 Seniors Living Well have done many amazing things. We have enjoyed bingo, created fabulous art pieces, gone on outings and shared many stories. On one of our outings we went to Berowra Waters to see a Christmas show. The ladies enjoyed sharing food, listening to live Christmas music and experiencing  somewhere new. They have also enjoyed celebrating birthdays, giving advice and being there for one another. The ladies have had an amazing year and are looking forward to 2020. Also a huge thank you to our volunteer bus driver Ted, that helps make every week  possible. What a great year it has been in Seniors Living Well group.

HAPPY HEALTHY KIDS 

This group have had a fantastic term playing with colourful parachutes, play-dough, yoga, playground fun and plenty of toys, a great partnership between Penrith City Council Children's Services team and Community Junction. We are  looking forward to more fresh-air and creative fun during 2020. 

YOUTH PROGRAMS

FRIDAY NIGHT OUTING

On Friday 13^th December 2019, we held our last Friday Night Term outing to Penrith Ice Place where our Youth Team took 32 young people from our 5 different Youth Spaces on a huge, fun joint outing. There was lots of first timers on the ice, trips and falls but above all heaps of laughs and playing tips on the ice.  It has been so awesome to see the friendships young people have built throughout 2019 continue to grow through our joint outings and we can’t wait to have more fun on Friday nights throughout 2020!

WERRINGTON YOUTH SPACE

This year at Werrington Youth Space the centre has seen many new faces. There have been friendships created and many laughs shared. The group have had a good time sharing jokes, competing in games and just hanging out. Handball has been a centre favourite for many months and has encouraged healthy competition with our young people. Prizes were won, rules were disputed, moves were created and laughs were never lacking. Werrington Youth Centre has loved bringing in more kids and is looking forward to continuing this in 2020. What a great year 2019 has been. Thank you to all our young people for making this a reality.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Children's Week
During Children’s Week 2019, we held two successful Children’s Week events. One of these events was held at North St Marys Children’s Centre and the other at Colyton Neighbourhood Centre. Both were great events and were enjoyed by workers, caregivers and children most of all. Rooby Roo made an appearance on both days, there was plenty of activities for everyone and the food grazing tables were a hit. Mission Australia and Ability Links also helped at these events providing activities and helping hands. A big thank you to our services and St Marys Band Club for providing us funding for these events. It was a great two days and we hope to do it again in 2020.

Carers Week 

“This Day is My Pamper Day” was held at Autumnleaf Neighbourhood Centre in St.Clair, with over  25 people attending. It provided opportunities for participant to meet with other carers from the local area, develop friendships and start to build strong bonds with each other which will help reduce isolation and not feel alone as a carer. The event empowered participants to improve health and self-care in a supportive and fun environment. The event had self- care guest speakers, health check stations, pamper stations and a stretch class demonstration workshop. Their was a lot of chatting, laughter, a few tears as well as support amongst all the carers who attended. The atmosphere this created was one full of love and joy making participants feel that they were in a comfortable environment to be themselves and breakaway from there carers role.

‘ROOBY ROO’ OUT AND ABOUT

Rooby Roo has been out and about this term visiting her friends and sharing her love for reading and rhyming. One of her favourite places to visit is St Clair Library. Each term Rooby hops into the library to join Storytime.  This term, Storytime will be held on Thursday 30th May 2019 from 10:30am.

Why not come along and meet Rooby and her friends and join in by singing and rhyming  and show Rooby how much you love to read too.

MIND BODY & SOUL SENIORS WEEK EVENT

We celebrated our National Seniors Week Event on Thursday 21^st February with great attendance. This has been the first time we have celebrated a Seniors Week Event in St Clair in 10 years.  Seniors had a great day

learning more about local services that are there to support them, engaged in a range of workshops and leave the event with a goodie bag. Community Junction Inc would like to thank all the services who supported our event, by  holding workshops, mini demonstrations and information stalls on the day.

 

MENS SOCIAL GROUP

This term we have had a great bunch of men coming regularly to our Men’s Social Group. The group meet Wednesdays fortnightly at Autumnleaf Neighbourhood  Centre from 12-2pm and enjoy being able to talk to other men in the local community over lunch. 

This term we had a guest speaker come out from Australian Hearing and each man received a screening check. They received information of what services Australian Hearing can provide their clients which the men found interesting. We welcome men living locally to come along for lunch and  discussions around men’s issues. Term 4 group commences Wednesday 18^th October

LINKS TO LEARNING BOYS SHED

The Links To Learning ‘Boys Shed program’ is made up of young men in grades 7-10 along with 2 youth workers who work on a meaningful project throughout the term, while at the same time discovering different aspects of what it means to be a man.

The grade 10 St Clair Boys Shed group  decided it would be great to learn how to cook while learning how to help people for their meaningful project.  On Tuesday 15 August the Boys Shed groups hosted a community lunch for the ‘Cecil’s Place Men’s social group’ that runs every

Wednesday fortnightly at the Autumnleaf Neighbourhood Centre. 

The boys organised a popup  burger café, with for the day nicknaming themselves ‘the burger boys’ where they served food and had great conversation. It was a great day where the boys hosted both Community Junction staff and the Men’s group. One of the men mentioned it was “great food” and another said “great interaction- very polite, respectful and we want them back every fortnight.

CHRISTMAS FOOD AND TOY DRIVE

A big THANK YOU to members of our community who generously donated food and toy items to our annual Food / Toy Drive.  The goods were collected by members of St Vincent De Paul through Holy Spirit Catholic Church St Clair.  They then made up hampers and donated these to needy families in time for Christmas.

Christmas Celebrations

Community Junction  are gearing up for Christmas with 2 planned community Christmas Events.
On Saturday 5th December join us at Autumnleaf Neighbourhood Centre St Clair, for Movie Under the Stars, gates open at 6.00pm.  There will be a visit from Santa, sausage sizzle, popcorn and fairy floss will be on sale, a face painter to keep the kids happy.

Arthur Christmas, the movie will be showing at 8.15pm.  On Thursday 10th December bring the family over to North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre for our Community Christmas party, starting at 3.00pm.  There will be face painting, kids craft, jumping castle and a sausage sizzle. We hope to see you all there.