Youth and Family Focus Inc

Janine Phillis from Youth and Family Focus Inc came and spoke to our meeting. Janine with her two kids moved from South Australia where she was a professional cook. In Tasmania she was retrained as a drug and alcohol counsellor to complete her island-change. She worked as a counsellor and health promotions worker in a range of alcohol, drug, youth and family related services and organisations. Currently she is project manager of the Mersey Respectful Relationships Project.The program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs ( FaHCSIA) under the Gender Equalities for Women Program.

The primary focus of the project is to provide education to young people ( particularly males) so they can develop the skills they need to conduct healthy ,respectful relationships. The initiative uses a three stream approach in the Community, Schools and through an Alternative education stream. The program used in schools is based on a program called 'Relationship Things' developed by the YWCA in Canberra. The school sessions look at: Diversity and Uniqueness, Respect - what it is and how to earn it, Communications and fighting fair - how to effectively communicate and resolve conflict, Gender bias, Looking after yourself and others and Peer education . There is also a special focus to deal with electronic communications amongst young people.

Next weeks is YWCA week without Violence. It runs from 17-23rd October and includes all sorts of activities from public forums to photo competition. Launching the program under the banner of "world family" the YWCA Week Without Violence will be launched with a symbolic laying of flowers for all the past and present victims of violence in Tasmania at the Magistrates court on Sunday 20 October at 1pm. All welcome, please bring flowers!

As part of the week's activities a forum is held at the East Devonport Recreation Centre with Dr Stephanie Dowrick which is free for all people working and living in relationships. It will cover respect in professional and private lives.

Janine, pictured below, hopes the project gets funded again next year!

Janine Phillis from Youth & Family Focus Inc.

Also at our last held meeting;

Remember Lion Sam takes the cake. Every member of our club should try and find an outlet for at least one box of Lions Christmas Cakes. Just order them with Sam and he will make sure you will be stocked up in no time!

Our new shed in  Spreyton is making great process. Bill successfully lobbied for and received $5000 from the Lions Fundation! Next Saturday morning from 8:30am till noon the steel walls are going up. A working bee will be held at the shed the following Sunday morning. Find the shed near the pony club in Spreyton,  the driveway past the tip.

Youth of the Year: If we can all start approaching colleges for candidates we will get a good field of youths to choose from. Alert Lion Rob with possible candidates.

Taste the harvest: Geoff Phillips is the new chairperson again. Held on the the 13th of March this year. Council funding is in the process of being applied for. A new website look is under development - Ian has been working on it with the council. Tuesday 9 November next committee meeting.

Over 90s party: Received over $500 from council. George Russell is still looking for more qualifying elderly people. All aged care facilities have been assigned a member of our club.  The event will be held at the Senior Citizens Club in Devonport on 7 November. The Devonport Times and The Advocate have been notified. Jenny will write a nice invitation. The Mare has been invited and  has RSVP'd. Jim Pearson is create a certificate for the honoured Devonporrt citizens. A commemorative special pen has been made and a special card both paid for with the council grant.

Pink Ribbon Day: Monday 25 October Lions volunteers will be in The Rooke Street Mall near the Hub Arcade from 9am-3pm collecting money for breast cancer..

Lion Garry came back from 3 weeks of holidays in the Kimberleys. As it happened he ran into the 2010 Broome Lions Pearl Convention in Broome on the long weekend from 24 to 27th September.  The Lions descended on Broome for their 45th Lions International District Convention.An impromptu Ellenbrook Lions Club banner exchange was arranged with the 4 representatives from that club. Lion Garry enjoyed meeting 120 Lions from 51 clubs from District 201 W1. Our own Lions Tasmania Convention (District 201 T1) is from 12 to 14 November in Burnie, and is hosted by the City of Burnie Lions Club. 

Sam our memberships chair says we need to bring new blood into club!