"How Employers can Benefit from Working with the NDRC"
The work of the National Disability Resource Coordinator ['NDRC'] is guided by its mission to make a real and measurable impact on employment opportunities for people with injury, illness or disability – and their belief in access and inclusion, extending to all facets of life.
Through the delivery of a range of advisory and support services the NDRC aims to build disability knowledge and confidence with employers to help break down barriers to employment for people with disability.
The NDRC provides support to employers to do this by raising awareness in the workplace, developing and implementing best practice policies, procedures, tools and resources, identifying any barriers which could prevent the employment of people with disability, individualised training for staff and distribution of vacancies to the network of Disability Employment Services ['DES'].
Natalie started working in private recruitment in 2001 and left the industry to move into employment services. In 2008, Natalie was in the Disability Employment Services space as an Employment Coordinator and ultimately as Regional Manager covering metro and regional Victoria. She has also set up a training and employment program for disadvantaged youth, and has now been with the NDRC over 2 years.
Simon Gray has been involved in programs for the long-term unemployed since their inception in 1990s. For 12 years he specialised in delivering employment assistance for people with disability, working across all facets of Disability Employment Services including employment consultancy, training, business development and public relations. He also managed a large market-leading DES in Melbourne during this time. Simon has been with the NDRC for over 4 years.
Anyone like to join the newly opened Men’s Shed in the Federation Square car park?
Chairman Alan Seale says men’s shed members, like Rotarians, are all volunteers and the more members the shed has, the easier it is to welcome newcomers, show them the ropes and ensure safe working. “We have 35 members today and are aiming for 100,” Alan says. RCCMS members heavily involved are Alan, Doug Robertson, Roger Thornton, Yanpu Zhang and Peter Duras.
As well, the excellent woodworking tools are an opportunity for our club to get things made for local charities, such as outdoor furniture for a women’s refuge, toys for the Royal Children’s Hospital or repairs or renovations to wooden items.
The shed has spent more than $75,000 of State and city grants on good premises and tools, with further funding for the next five years. The shed caters for members with disabilities while maintaining safety standards.
Our bulletin visited the shed in late August. It is particularly difficult to find, being tucked into a couple of rooms on the lowest level of the car park to the east of Fed Square, opposite the car park lift.
Half a dozen men and Yanpu were busy constructing wooden aeroplanes and trucks for the Children’s Hospital, using top-class drills, thickeners, bandsaws and sawdust extractors. They recently renovated an antique red cedar washstand for a nearby resident as a fund raiser, using the profit to finance consumables.
Hat Day is Australian Rotary Health’s national fundraising and awareness day for mental health research, celebrated each year on World Mental Health Day - Friday October 9, 2015.
Since the inaugural Hat Day in 2011, Hat Day has claimed two Guinness World Records (most people wearing paper hats & most people wearing red hats). Hat Day recently launched a new logo, as well as a new website with social fundraising features.
Hat Day has acquired a number of high profile ambassadors in its five years of running, including actors Elle Dawe, Matt Lee and Pauly Fenech. Most recently, we were joined by Dr Happy – Dr Tim Sharp, Chief Happiness Officer at the Happiness Institute. Since 2014, Hat Day has also partnered with the ABC to promote mental health research in Australia.
Rotary Clubs have been our biggest supporters to date, and with your help we are reaching an increasing number of organisations who are hosting Hat Day events in their workplaces. This year, clubs in Hobart, Sydney and Melbourne will be hosting corporate launch events with high profile guests and speakers, including Dr Happy, sharing insights on happiness.
Jill Tabart and Jim Dixon (Melbourne Sunrise Probus Club); and
Guest seakers Meyer Eidelson & Joe Eidelson.
Immediate Past President Roy Garrett opened the meeting and handed the Chair to Neil Salvano who toasted Rotary International
Announcements:
Koren Harvey and Peter Duras reminded members of committee meeting dates;
Mik Wells advised he had received a donation of 6000 DVD’s from a failed video store, after selecting those appropriate for young people the remainder were available for a gold coin purchase with all proceeds going to support Shine for Kids;
A further call was made for volunteers to assist with the Farmers Market. Volunteers were asked to assemble in Goldsborough Lane at 2pm ready for the 3.30pm launch on Thursday 3rd September.
Neil Salvano advised that he was arranging a table for members to attend an International Day for Older Persons on 6 October at 7.15am-9am. Although the meeting clashed with the Club’s Breakfast he felt that the breakfast presented an opportunity to network and promote club membership. Further details contact Neil Salvano.
Foundation Project Team Report.
Roy Garrett advised that planning was well advanced for the Paul Harris breakfast on 24 November.
Melbourne Sunrise Probus Club.
Jim Dixon, President of the Club and Jill Tabart, Secretary were introduced. Jim a past Assistant Auditor General Victoria and Technical Director CPA is active in community affairs including the Black Hole Puppet Theatre and Has lived in the CBD for 22 years.
Jill worked as a GP in Tasmania. In 1994 she became the first National President of the Uniting Church and has gained wide experience in church governance and is currently chair of the Centre for Theology in Parkville.
Jim and Jill then provided a history of the Club, from foundation through the efforts of the Rotary Club of Central Melbourne Sunrise and the work of Gillian Farrell, Kay Stevens, Doug Robertson and Tony Thomas who Jill described as the midwives to the successful birth. (not sure I can see Tony as the typical midwife)
The Club, similar to the Rotary Club of Docklands, had a nomadic existence in various venues before settling at the Dockland Library where they meet on the 1st Thursday of the month for business, an excellent speaker program and ample opportunity for fellowship before lunch in a nearby restaurant. The mission of the Club is 3 F’s (Friendship, Fellowship and Fun). The Club has about 49 regular attendees and has established a number of interest groups (Arts & Culture, Sunday Breakfast, Cinema and others). The Club continues to recruit and has inducted 17 members during 2015.
Guest Speakers: ‘History as a series of Stories’
Meyer Eidelson a local historian and his son Joe a film maker student have combined their strengths to capture history. Meyer described history as story telling which captures the lives of ordinary people at an unique meeting point in the wider historic flow and the importance of capturing oral histories of people not only to preserve family histories but also as a narrative of the times.
Preserving history was critical in explaining who we are and underpinning our values as individuals, families and a people. Meyer illustrated their approach to preserving history through 4 video’s each of which was themed. One, “History of Lunacy”, was a series of oral interviews demonstrating the impact of Luna Park as a Melbourne & St Kilda icon on the lives of ordinary Melbournians.
According to Meyer one of the problems in compiling and preserving social histories is the printed word quickly becomes dated and frozen in time and overtime digital media such as DVD’s & CD’s deteriorate and become less accessible. To address this problem Meyer and Joe have developed the Silver Chronicles an interactive archive and private ‘cloud’ website as a way of recording and sharing family history and bringing together in a private family website, interviews, film, photographs, correspondence and certificates such as war histories or academic achievement. To view Silver Chronicles click on Family History Projects - Silver Chronicle
The meeting concluded with a drawing of what Tony Thomas described as the weekly swindle, leading to some muttered discussion as to whether the Joker really exists, still to quote Tony ” it’s all a bit of fun and saves the weekly testing of Rotary knowledge and other trivia.”
At 8.45am IPP Roy reminded us “Be a Gift to the World”
"How Employers can Benefit from Working with the NDRC"
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Meyer Eidelson a local historian and his son Joe a film maker student have combined their strengths to capture history. Meyer described history as story telling which captures the lives of ordinary people at an unique meeting point in the wider historic flow and the importance of capturing oral histories of people not only to preserve family histories but also as a narrative of the times. 
