Wyndham Humanitarian Network (WHN)

As a best practise innovative model

Wyndham Community &Education

Centre (formerly Werribee) -

Staff coordinating LLNP classes

Centrelink – Multicultural Services Officer(s)

AMES Settlement & Education – IHSS workers/case managers / AMEP

Manager

Wyndham City Council –

Community Access &

Inclusion: Social Development

Situation in 2005Increasing numbers of

refugee / SHPs settling in Wyndham and no funded

services

Origins of Wyndham Humanitarian Network late 2005 – early 2006

Common problem / need

Dedicated individuals Origins of WHN

WHN

Education Providers Vic Police Community

volunteersService Clubs

Service Providers

Original 4

Early WHN structure

Gradually evolved to include more and more members…

Chairperson WCEC

WHN Members

Health & Well-being

Education Employment & Training Youth Legal, Housing &

Consumer Events

WHN strategic meetings

Karen Community

Sudanese Community

Wyndham Interfaith Network

WHN Structure

Wyndham City

•Diversity Planner•Councillor•Youth Planner•YRC rep•Recreation Officer

DIAC

•Grants Manager•Complex Case Support

•African CLO

HSS /SGP Providers

•WCEC•Spirit West•CatholicCare•NHF•African Holistic Social Services

•AMES Settlement

Vic Police

•Multicultural Liaison

•Community Liaison

Other

•VU•AMES Education•WCIG•Foundation House•CMY•SFYS•DHS – Centrelink•CAV•MacKillop Family Services

•ISIS PC•WELS•LLEN•WCLS•FCLS•Werribee Support & Housing

•YMCA•Community Volunteers

WHN Strategic Meetings

There is also a constant group of transient individuals / organisations who float in and out

Health &

Well-being

•Spirit West Services

Wyndham City

Western Region Health Centre

•Isis PC

New Hope Foundation

Foundation House

•DHS – Centrelink

VICSEG

WCEC•Werribee FC

Gambler's Help Western

Multicultural Gambler's Help

Education

•DEECD

WynBay LLEN

School Focused Youth Services

•WCIG

NPESH

Catholic Education Office

•VICSEG

WELS

Wyndham City – Early Childhood

•WCEC

Primary & Secondary Schools

Foundation House

Employment & Traini

ng

•WCEC

CatholicCare

•DHS – Centrelink

JSAs •VU

New Hope Foundation

•AMES

Youth

•SFYS

Vic Police

Wyndham City – Youth Resource Centre

•WCIG

Spirit West Services

•Centre for Multicultural Youth

New Hope Foundation

Legal, Housing & Consumer

•Vic Police

Consumer Affairs

•WCLS

Yarra Community Housing

•FCLS•WCEC

Events

•WCEC

Vic Police

Parks Victoria

•Wyndham City

AMES

DHS – Centrelink

•City West Water

CatholicCare

KarenCommunity

•Werribee Baptist Church

•Melbourne Karen Buddhist Association

•Australian Karen Organisation

•Westgate Baptist Church

•MEAs

•Others

Sudanese

Community

•African Holistic Social Services Victoria

•South Sudanese Community Association

•St Andrew’s Church

•Epiphany Anglican Church

•Others

Other memb

ers

•Volunteers from community

Family Relationships

ASIC•Sri Lankan Community

Mercy Hospital

ABS•DIAC

Gordon TAFE

AMCS•Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre

MacKillop Family Services

Interfaith

Network

•Werribee Islamic Centre

Brahma Kumaris

Anglican•Melbourne Karen Buddhist Association

Hindu Community

Roman Catholic

•Werribee Karen Baptist Church

Sikh Community

Presbyterian•Westgate Karen Baptist Church

Salvation Army

Uniting Church

•Church of Latter Day Saints

Other Christian

•Doesn’t duplicate services

•Targeted work•Continuity –

core group that hasn’t changed

•Tangible outcomes

•Local

Strengths•Collaboration

in environment of competition

•Keeping momentum

•Communication flow between groups and levels of WHN

•People and organisations come and go

•Small organisations and hierarchical organisations

Challenges

•Ability to lobby

•Strength in numbers

•Partnerships•Reputation•Ability to

respond quickly

Power

•Client•Service

Provider

•Government (funding body)

Who does it work for?

•YES!Is it best practice?

•Yes BUT it won’t be exactly the same nor should it be

Can it be replicated?