If you would like to visit our meeting, you are welcome to join us at the Theatrette, Chancery Level of the RACV Club. There is no charge for attending the meeting.
If you would like a more general discussion about attending a Rotary meeting, please contact the club secretary at rotaryclubcentralmelbourne@gmail.com
The meeting will commence at 7:40am and conclude no later than 8:30. Members and guests are invited to stay for coffee or breakfast in the club Bistro following the meeting.
Richie Goonan: Youth Projects and Rotary – the icing on the cake
Youth Projects has been working with disadvantaged youth and people experiencing homelessness for nearly 50 years. Our work seeks to have lasting impact on the lives of the people who access our services, but government funding only provides the bare minimum. It is only with the support of Rotary and our local communities that we can provide world class responses that go beyond just servicing clients, we can change lives!
Richie brings 30 years’ experience in the community welfare sector working at the intersection of policy and service delivery across homelessness, residential care, drug and alcohol, harm reduction, primary health, family violence and mental health. From humble beginnings as a youth worker in residential care, youth justice and youth homelessness, Richie has gone on to lead a wide range of crisis and developmental programs for youth, adults and families in the sector.
As Executive Manager, Community Health at Youth Projects, Richie proudly leads teams of passionate social justice warriors to achieve lasting change in the lives of the people who access health, harm reduction and youth-focused programs. With an unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of people with a lived experience, Richie drives service design responses that create positive change in people’s lives, whilst challenging the systems and attitudes that lead to inequality and disadvantage.
We received an amazing and interesting talk from our guest speaker, Sue McBeth, about probate genealogy in Australia. Sue provided an introduction to the legal aspects of genealogy and provided us with a case study. Sue talked briefly about her experience in teaching family history at the Council of Adult Education Victoria and her lecturing experiences in Australia and in England, UK. She then shared insights about Macbeth Genealogical Services, the largest company of professional genealogists in Australia.
The club acknowledged the importance of mental health and its ongoing research regarding the topic by recognising Hat Day at the 10th of October. Club members wore hats of choice for and during the meeting for the club to support and raise funds for the Australians who are suffering a mental health disorder every year.
The District Governor elect, Michael Lapina, also attended the meeting and expressed his regards.
At our meeting this week, 29 members joined our Online Meeting and together we recognised that it was Hat Day, Australian Rotary Health's longest-running mental health research fundraising event, held on the 10th of October every World Mental Health Day.
Hat Day began as a fun and easy way for Rotary Clubs around Australia to get together to raise money for mental health research through Australian Rotary Health. Since its creation over ten years ago, Hat Day is now an annual event in every Rotary Club's calendar. A day for all to wear an exciting hat and raise money for the 1 in 5 Australians who are suffering a mental health disorder every year. 100% of Hat Day proceeds go into mental health research. Starting from 2023, Australian Rotary Health will be narrowing its research to the mental health of 0-12 year olds.
In lieu of a raffle, Club Members are invited to make a donation to our bank account with the reference ‘Lift the Lid’ - details as follows:
Rotary Central Melbourne Inc
033-000 (Westpac Banking Corporation)
791085
Lift the Lid Donation
Youth Projects 2023 Impact Report
Centred around Youth Projects’ six domains of service of jobs & skills, mental health, primary health, homelessness, alcohol & drugs, and social enterprise – their Impact Report shines a spotlight on the very real outcomes and impact achieved at Youth Projects in the past 12-months. You can find out more information in https://impact-report.youthprojects.org.au/
The Rotary Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network (RIMERN) is keeping you up to date with all that’s been happening with volunteers, donations, welfare agencies & clients, and the many exciting things ahead! Click here to take a look at their newsletter and find out more.
A meaningful program has been developed featuring two renowned keynote speakers - Mark Huddlestone and Andy Rajapakse. It is a District funded program therefore free to all attendees.
A quote from DG Ron Payne: ‘Membership recruitment and retention is the responsibility of us all. Please support our District endeavours to support you’.
