Stepping Stones to Small Business
The inaugural Ballarat Stepping Stones to Small Business Volunteer Mentor training and induction takes place as an online webinar on Thursday, 14 May from 11am – 1pm.
Twelve community participants with backgrounds in education, business, community development and the arts are being readied to provide one-on-one support and guidance for Stepping Stones alumni from our region who are using this COVID-restricted time to still actively develop their micro-enterprise ideas.
Stepping Stones mentorships are also being augmented by fortnightly online business skills workshops offered by Small Business Victoria and the Brotherhood of St. Laurence for the thousand-plus women across metropolitan Melbourne and our Central Highlands / Goldfields / Wimmera region who have successfully completed Stepping Stones to Small Business.
For more information contact Deborah Klein, Stepping Stones Ballarat Regional Coordinator: steppingstones@brmc.org.au or 0457 934 728.
Migration and Settlement Services
Our Migration and Settlement Services coordinator is available to clients over the phone and online. Please contact Deruka if you are seeking support with employment, education, housing, information about health or other community links and supports. Settlement Services provide support and community links to assist people in their first five years as refugees or vulnerable migrants. We are also providing emergency relief, fresh food and support to vulnerable households so don’t hesitate to get in contact.
Interpreter services are available if needed and we want to hear from you: d.dekuek@brmc.org.au or 03 5383 0613.
Diversity Homework Club
Our volunteer tutors are at hand to help and now include peer tutors from Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat Clarendon College. We can help with homework and schooling needs through our online support and we can help you get connected. We are working online and will be delivering some learning packs to our students this month.
If you know a young person who could use some help with their school work, contact Deruka at d.dekuek@brmc.org.au
Migrant English Program
We are delighted to share that our Migrant English Program tutors and students are going great guns. Upskilling on the go is the name of the game. Not only are we teaching and learning English, we’re polishing our tech skills too. As our participants undertake this journey with enthusiasm and curiosity, we’d like to share the story of MiNo, Loi, Fili and Anh.
They started with us in August 2019 with very little English. With their own hard work and the untiring efforts of their tutors Julie, Denise and Tamika who worked on their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, they are now confident users of the language. The joy of learning is evident from their beautiful smiles!
A big ‘thank you’ to all our tutors – you are our rock stars!
We are also offering the program online to learners in Beaufort, Ararat and Horsham, bringing English learning within the safety of their homes. The support the program offers is being appreciated now more than ever before owing to its flexibility and the fact that each learning session caters to the clients’ individual linguistic needs.
If you would like to join our exciting journey as a tutor or learner, please send an email to Sara at s.kaur@brmc.org.au
Note for MEP tutors: MEP Community of Practice catch-up is scheduled to take place in the last week of May. An email with other details will be sent out soon.
Senior Services
BRMC Senior Services team were busy bees on 21st and 22nd April delivering 135 meals to seniors across Ballarat and regional areas as far as Berringa, Garibaldi, Dereel and Ballan. Our seniors were delighted to receive a bag of treats along with their meal. It’s so wonderful to see all the happy faces of our seniors and having a chat from a distance.
Meals will continue to be delivered fortnightly in May and June. Senior Services are also able to assist with shopping, medication collection and phone support.
If you know of a senior in need of support please contact Teresa on 0417 109 052.
