It seems a good time to remind readers about the Community Visitor’s Scheme (CVS). A valuable scheme, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing,  that was introduced to enrich the quality of life of residents in aged care facilities, who have limited family or social contact.  Southcare is one of the agencies that have responsibility for managing the scheme in the Perth South East Metro suburbs.

How does the scheme work?

Southcare relies on its many volunteers who cheerfully and efficiently do a myriad of jobs in the community. Most have been helping us for many years,  always with enthusiasm and a preference not to be constantly thanked. This makes it very difficult for us to show how much we appreciate their dedication. We do have the annual “Thank Volunteers Christmas Luncheon’,   which most attend, but if we try and do anything else they often rebel.  “We don’t volunteer for rewards, our reward is having something useful to do and in being part of the team”, is their cry.

So when the opportunity arises for Southcare staff  to nominate volunteers for any awards being given by community groups, we have a few names at the ready. As we did when we nominated Helen Moore for the City of South Perth Volunteer of the Year Award,  which she won in her category. Helen is highly regarded for her work with Southcare, playing a central role in the governance of the organisation as company secretary. In fact, Helen has been the secretary for all the 30 years she has dedicated to Southcare, as well as helping with reception and emergency relief in Southcare’s early years. 

Entertainment Values™ Books 2012 contain hundreds of 25-50% off, and 2-for-1 offers from many of Perth's most popular restaurants, best cafes, casual restaurants, take away chains, sporting events, cinemas, accommodation and fun family attractions.

These books are not available from the publishers but through Not For Profit organisations such as Southcare. They assist in our fundraising efforts as Southcare receives money for each one sold - and the more we order the better the return.

If you would like order a book please contact reception:

Phone: 08 9450 8323

Order from Southcare

or call in at reception at 54 Bickley Crescent, Manning where you can look at a copy of the book and read material which contains further information.

The new books will be available in June 2012 so the sooner you place your order the sooner you can start using it and saving!

This week we will touch on the history of the ancillary activities that are part of Southcare. Many are intertwined; supporting each other to make Southcare a place where members of the community can get varied assistance when in need.  

Southcare started out as the Manning-Karawara Emergency Relief Project in 1982, with the aim of providing caring services to disadvantaged members of the community in Manning and Karawara. Today that emergency relief is administered by the Southcare Financial Counselling and Advocacy which provides free and confidential services to low-income residents of the City of South Perth, who may be experiencing financial hardship.

Empathetic, non-judgemental volunteers work by appointment, interviewing people who need emergency relief or financial assistance.  Emergency relief interviewers can recommend an interview with the financial counsellor and if emergency food is required, clients are given food vouchers to spend at Mankara.

On March 6th 2012,  Southcare celebrated the great privilege of purchasing the decommissioned Manning Uniting Church Property Site at 19 Pether Road. People who have been closely associated with the Church and Southcare -  members of the Southcare Board, senior staff ,  long-serving volunteers, the Mayor Sue Doherty and John McGrath  MLA  joined  the  Reverend John Barendrecht (Como Manning Uniting Church) as he conducted  “Memories and Future : a Ritual “. This took guests on a walk through the front door and into each room in which he acknowledged its past use and blessed its future, exiting through the back door through which Southcare’s buildings can be seen, reminding us of the historical connection. 

Our plans are to use the site to continue our work of supporting those in need in the local community. Southcare’s history is very much intertwined with this building which was built in 1958 and served as a Methodist Church until Christmas Day 1977. The building was then used for local community activities until April 6, 1982 when Southcare moved in,  operating from there until November 1994.

 Southcare is excitedly gearing up for a big celebration in April when will we  celebrate our  30th Anniversary. As part of the lead up to this auspicious occasion we thought we would go through some of Southcare’s early  history.

April 6th, 1982 was the day when Southcare opened its doors for the first time, the beginning of the visible presence of caring people within the community. Concerned citizens from local churches assisted state housing (now HomesWest) residents in Karawara. Assistance and support was given in the form of food parcels, clothing and blankets.  The group worked together to gain funding and to establish community services. The realisation of the dreams and ideas that many people had held for almost a decade meant they could ensure that the less fortunate in our community felt there was someone who cared for them.  Thus began Southcare.

Mission Statement To offer caring services to residents of the City of South Perth and surrounding areas assisting them to enhance their quality of life..

It seems a good time to remind readers about the Community Visitor’s Scheme (CVS). A valuable scheme, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing,  that was introduced to enrich the quality of life of residents in aged care facilities, who have limited family or social contact.  Southcare is one of the agencies that have responsibility for managing the scheme in the Perth South East Metro suburbs.

How does the scheme work?

• Some residents in aged care facilities never have visitors. This can be because their family has moved away or lives in the country and the residents friends are no longer able to drive or may have passed on. A community visitor helps to relieve the loneliness and isolation some residents experience.

• Aged care facilities’ staff members,  health professionals or a family members can put a resident's name forward and the facility then contacts their CVS Coordinator to arrange a visitor for the resident.

• Southcare community visitor positions are advertised through the Go Volunteer website -  www.govolunteer.com.au.

• Once the CVS coordinator has established any mutual interests, volunteer visitors are introduced to a resident in an aged care residence in their area.