Community Development Worker, Tonje Akerholt at Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative. (Photo: Gabiann Marin)
Story by Gabiann Marin
For over 45 years the Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative has been providing much needed community resources, advice and facilities to the people of the Blue Mountains. Tonje Akerholt and the other staff at the Centre work tirelessly to ensure that the space continues as somewhere everyone can feel welcome and connected.
Key Points:
- Studies have shown that people with well-established social networks and strong connections with community, social institutions and programs are more likely to deal successfully with personal crises and economic adversity.
- Neighbourhood centres offer innovative and community-focused activities which are accessible and create strong social inclusion.
- As well as referral and advice services, the Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative offers a number of ways in which community members can volunteer their time to help others. This can result in great health and social outcomes for volunteers.
Nestled in a small shopfront in Springwood’s bustling Hub complex is the unassuming but important Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative, a place for the community to gather, get information and find resources.
This small but mighty space and its hard-working staff do so much more than you may expect, from providing local service advice and referrals, innovative community programs, food and emergency supplies and resources for bushfire and disaster recovery. The Springwood Neighbourhood Centre is a vital community resource, open and available to all.
Open to all. Springwood Neighbourhood Centre is a great place to go for coffee and respite. (Photo: Gabiann Marin)
In the lead up to last summer’s bushfire season the staff at the Centre were busy preparing programs and resources to help the community in the event fires made an unwelcome return to the area.
Thankfully this year we avoided any major bushfire threat, but in an area which still remembers not just the events of 2020, but also the shocking and devastating 2013 Winmalee fires, staff here know that when a fire or disaster does occur, fast and effective community resourcing can be the difference between a resilient community or one which is devastated irrevocably.
“We are always here as an advice and referral centre, so people can come in who might not know where to start with bushfire preparedness and we can work with them individually to help them develop a plan,” explains Tonje Akerholt, a community development worker at the Centre.
Yet while the Centre provides a lot of emergency care and information – everything from contact details for local services, food donations to families and individuals doing it tough and a number of resources to help the community prepare for bushfires, Tonje believes that its real role is to be a centre for everyone in the community at all times of the year, during feast, famine, times of hardship and times of plenty.
The role of a neighbourhood centre, Tonje believes, is to facilitate people to find connections, as well as provide advice and assistance. A truly diverse and resilient community can only be created through encouraging everyone to feel connected and involved.
“We run a lot of community programs, some have been running for years, others are started because a member suggests it or we find a way to access an innovative grant which can help to foster something amazing within the community. “
Tonje Akerholt at the Centre with participant Helen Lewsley and Volunteer Digital Mentor Barbara Gow (Photo: Gabiann Marin)
Traditionally, Tonje acknowledges, the Centre has attracted a lot of seniors and people struggling with social issues, which is an important part of their overall contribution to the community, but she stresses that the Centre is really a place for everyone.
Since the COVID lockdowns the need for a greater sense of community and social inclusion has been understood more widely. It is clear that people who are elderly, or who are impacted by mental or physical health issues are more likely to suffer from social exclusion, but building a more connected and vital community across all sectors and generations is imperative if the whole community is going to flourish.
Studies have shown that people with well-established social networks and strong connections with community, social institutions and programs are more likely to deal successfully with personal crises and economic adversity. Community is the DNA of happy and healthy populations as well as personal health. Similar studies show that people who feel isolated or excluded from community are more likely to suffer from health issues, depression, stress, anxiety and mental health disorders.
Creating Connection
Tonje and the team are very proud of the programs and initiatives they have managed to create and facilitate, often on tiny budgets.
“It is a fundamental part of being a human, belonging to a community. And because of things like COVID and social media we have become so insular, we are not going out and connecting like we used to,” Tonje says.
In order to foster social inclusion, the Centre supports everything from fitness groups, Yoga, and Tai Chi for those who want to get or keep active, to art classes, choirs and acoustic music groups for the artier among us. There is the annual Blue Fringe Art and Literature Prize which showcases artworks from those who struggle with mental health issues, and the Centre facilitates a social card and games group – open to anyone who wants to engage in some casual social interaction.
Springwood Acoustic Club is one of several innovative and social activities hosted by the Centre (Photo: courtesy Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative)
There are also more innovative ideas, like the small Recycle, Redesign and Recreate group, colloquially known as RRR, who meet fortnightly, bringing in items which need to be sewed or upcycled. The crafty members sit together in comfortable companionship, sharing helpful tips on each other’s projects and just enjoying the quiet friendship and amity of working within a group while completing their own personal projects.
Enid, a Winmalee local, who has been a driving force behind the redesign group, is incredibly appreciative of the support given by the Centre.
“It can be quite isolating, sitting at home just working on a project, but in this group, you can work on what you like. Just come, sit, and share space and company.“
Local craftperson Enid Schaffer has extended the opportunities within the Centre’s RRR program to support other community groups such as the Wild and Woolly Warriors. (Photo: Gabiann Marin)
Enid has extended her designing and crafting skills, honed through the group, into other wonderful community projects including the Woolly Wildlife Warriors, a group of women who meet to knit, sew and crochet pouches and rehabilitation nests for injured native wildlife. It’s an example of how small ideas can turn into productive community initiatives.
While the RRR began as a thriving group of individuals, after COVID the group diminished, leading the Centre to work with the existing members to revise and re-ignite the idea as a more dynamic and diverse activity which could attract a new batch of crafty makers.
“A lot of the events we run have been suggested by or run by members of the community,” Tonje reveals, underlining one of the key principles of effective social inclusion: the ability for members of the community to identify what works for them and have opportunities to design or give feedback on the projects or activities which are most suitable. This approach has led to an incredible variety of activities, events and programs; far more than you would think possible for such a tiny space and such a small group of staff.
“We do have very small budgets so we have to look at what is feasible. Most of our programs are supported through grants which have limited periods of time, so we really need to think about and provide the kinds of ongoing programs that can be embraced and run by the communities who engage in them.”
Intergenerational Connections
Recently the Centre has focused on a number of intergenerational activities and providing innovative and inclusive ways for the community to connect, both inside and outside the Centre itself.
During the recent COVID lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, we all saw how social exclusion can affect the health and wellbeing of even our most resilient community members. Even though the Springwood Centre, like so many community organisations, was severely restricted in what it could offer in the way of social engagement, Tonje and the rest of the team were coming up with innovative and clever ways that members of the community could engage and support each other.
One of the most successful initiatives was when Tonje approached locked down students from a local Faulconbridge Public School class and invited them to write letters to isolated elderly members of the community.
A simple letter writing program facilitated by Tonje kept social isolation at bay during Covid. (Photo: Will Milne Attribution (CC BY 2.0))
“It started with the kids just asking loads of general questions about what these people used to do when they were 10 years old, and if they had ever been through a pandemic before and what other things have you been through that were as bad or worse than COVID. That kind of thing,” Tonje recalls; “But it became this wonderful moment of connection as those who received the letters really felt like someone else was taking an interest in them, and their lives and their thoughts.”
Several of the letter recipients began doing family research to provide even more detail in their responses and the result was engaging the kids to write back and create real moments of important human connections and value sharing for older and younger members of the community. This small initiative has grown over time to blossom into one of the Centre’s most popular onsite programs: Majors and Minors.
The Majors and Minors Intergenerational program has brought incredible benefits for young and old! (Photo: courtesy Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative)
“After COVID lockdowns that ABC program came out (Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds) and I thought, I could do something like that, get kids and seniors together.”
Tonje started to plan an intergenerational activity where the benefits she saw through the letter writing activities could be expanded to include more direct engagement between the older and younger members of our community, in collaboration with a local preschool, who were really keen to be involved.
“We started a monthly get together for seniors and young kids. It’s been incredibly popular. So we applied for some funding and now we can run it more effectively.”
Majors and Minors has been running successfully for two years and is about to be revamped to include even better accessibility into 2024. The benefit to the seniors seems obvious with opportunities to engage with younger people, get out, be active, and share their lives with the next generation. But the benefit for the kids is equally important.
“There is a whole body of research that shows kids who have been part of intergenerational programs are more likely to stay on at school, less likely to get into trouble with the law, really significant benefits. And they all just love it.”
Tonje would love to expand the current program to involve older kids too, perhaps in an intergenerational planting program which could help older and younger participants share their knowledge and love of planting and sustainability – something that she is happy to say is a big focus of the younger generations and something that older generations often have lived experience of, having grown up in times when things were not quite as available as they are today.
“I am always thinking about what else we could do to connect with different groups in the community,“ Tonje enthuses, “and the Centre is always happy to hear about activities or events locals would like to be involved in.”
Volunteering
One of the other main opportunities for social inclusion which the Centre offers is the opportunity to connect to the community through volunteering. The Centre has a number of community programs that are always happy to welcome new volunteers.
Volunteering offers benefits for community and volunteers. (Photo: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 2.0))
“We facilitate a volunteer program where people can go and visit older residents, who would otherwise be socially excluded, to share a cup of tea, a chat, read a book or just hang out together, as well as more formal assistance like delivering food or helping others to do their shopping,” Tonje explains.
Even the smallest interaction can make a huge difference for older residents feeling isolated from the community, but the benefit for the volunteers is often less understood.
Recent research into the health benefits of volunteering undertaken by the Mayo Clinic in the USA found that those who volunteer their time to community projects not only enjoy stronger social ties and an opportunity to develop or hone professional and social skills, but they also have improvements in mental and physical health more generally. Volunteering really is good for everybody.
“Often when people retire, or they find they have more time than they expected, they feel a bit lost, like they have lost their purpose. If they start visiting someone or take them shopping – suddenly they have a purpose again. It almost always results in really strong friendships and social connections.”
Another more flexible volunteer option is offering to drive less-mobile people to appointments or Centre activities.
Volunteering doesn’t require a huge commitment. Simply driving someone to an appointment or activity helps others and creates social connections. (Photo creative commons Attribution (CC BY 2.0))
Many people across the Mountains would love to volunteer but are often unclear how to start or what volunteering opportunities may be available. But here again the Neighbourhood Centre can be a great place to start a volunteering journey as they are an important hub of opportunities and information.
“Just give us a call or pop into the Centre, tell us what you may be open to doing and fill out a volunteer form. We pay for and facilitate the police checks (which is mandatory) for any of our programs and give you any necessary training you may need. It really is a very simple and effective thing to do.“
Volunteering to help out may be simple, but ensuring that the volunteer relationship is beneficial for everyone is a bit trickier and requires a real understanding of community and individual needs. Thankfully, the staff at the Centre are all well trained in aged care and community services which has equipped them with the skills to expertly link the right person with the right volunteering opportunity.
”It’s a bit like matchmaking,” Tonje laughs. “We have to find the right combinations. Like if there are really different political views, we might not put those two together, but if we see two people who have different views but are curious and interested in learning, we might think about linking them up. It’s all about finding the people who will work well together.”
Tonje and the rest of the team may have a lot on already, but they are more than happy to talk to anyone who has other ideas which the Centre could help to facilitate, whether it be other community activities, volunteering ideas or simply an existing group that needs a bit more support.
“If someone came in and said, I know a lot of people who want to do a weekly walking group or something, then we would be happy to talk about how we could support that. I mean we have to think about budgets, because like with all community organisations, money is never really abundant, but we find ways of doing things.“
Of course, no one has to come up with a new idea in order to get involved, with the variety of things on offer it could be as simple as just turning up to one of the current activities or applying to volunteer for one of the existing home visit programs, or volunteering at the Centre itself.
And that is what the Centre and its staff excel at. Helping people make the right connections.
So, next time you’re in Springwood why not pop in for a cup of tea (available by donation) and free pastry or biscuit (donated by local bakeries) and get to know your neighbours and facilitators, volunteer for one of the programs or pop in for one of the many activities during the week: all of which can be found on the website here.
Current opening times are:
Monday: 9 am – 3 pm
Tuesday: 9 am – 3 pm
Wednesday: 9:30 am – 1 pm
Thursday: 9 am – 3 pm
Take Action:
- Volunteer: There are a number of fantastic volunteer opportunities available through Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative. Pop in and have a chat or go to their website and fill out a quick and easy Volunteer Form.
- Join in: There are plenty of different activities to choose from. To find out more, including times and costs, go to the Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative website, or pop in during opening times and chat to the friendly staff to share or get information.
Share this article:
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
More from around the region
Civil engineer Mark Liebman has worked closely with the Planetary Health Centre to explore ways we can manage water to reduce the impact of severe weather events, from flood to bushfire. At Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March he`ll be giving a presentation and tour of the Centre`s Bushfire Sprinkler Demonstration Wall and the prototype of an underground water tank that could be built at the end of flame zone streets around the perimeter of the City to reduce both stormwater and fire damage. Our video of the Bushfire Sprinkler system has already been helping survivors of the Palisades fire in the US prepare for future fire events. In this week`s story for Blackheath Area Local News you can also read about the green roof Mark built on his garden shed to reduce the impact of extreme weather events at his home in Blackheath. You can see all the videos and reserve a place for Mark`s talk at Planetary Health Day here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/future-proofing-with-community-water-tanks-and-bushfire-sprinkler-systems-tickets-1255928087719
#bushfiresprinklersystem #watertanks #disasterriskreduction #stormwater #bushfire #greenroof #planetaryhealth #katoomba #blackheath #bluemountains #beprepared
Our popular Upcycling Fashion Program has now been running for over a year! Come and check it out at Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1st March. As well, you can build your skills to reduce textile and plastic waste by sewing your own Boomerang Bag with @bbagsbluemtns , joining the Repair Network and learning darning with Elizabeth from @lacebrookstitchery Elizabeth has been studying how people upcycled and mended clothing throughout the centuries. She`ll be demonstrating some basic darning stitches that can be used on woven and knitted garments. She also shares her passion for the timeless crafts of stitchery, crochet, knitting, Victorian lacemaking, and darning skills, through her classes and workshops. You can find out more at www.lacebrookstitchery.com.
NB. There will now be a $10 cost to participate in the Upcycling Fashion Program with pattern maker Sherlie McMillan. Book your place here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fashion-upcycling-program-on-skillshare-saturdays-tickets-1254329957669
#repair #repairnetwork #upcycledfashion #reducingtextilewaste #reducingplasticwaste #boomerangbags #learntosew #patternmaking #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains #community
Our homes profoundly influence our lives, our health & the health of the planet. At Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March, Kirstie Wulf & Karina Rafailov will share their extensive experience in the session: Building Smarter Using Passive House Design & Natural Building Materials. Kirstie Wulf is the award-winning founder of @shelter.building.design & spoke to a packed room last year about building fire resistant homes with hempcrete. Karina Rafailov is the founder of @earthy_haus & specialises in creating energy-efficient, healthy, & nature-connected spaces.
You can reserve a place for this inspiring presentation here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/building-smarter-using-passive-house-design-natural-building-materials-tickets-1235896873819
#buildingsmarter #passivhaus #naturalbuildingmaterials #hempcrete #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains
We are thrilled that the internationally renowned physicist, Professor Emeritus Hans Coster will be joining us for Planetary Health Day to address the question of Life and Energy with his presentation: Evolution and the High Life, but Where to Now?
The options that are there for individuals and communities and society as a whole will be examined. An example of a viable energy system constructed with nickel iron batteries at Middle Earth in the Kanimbla Valley will be briefly presented. But is that approach viable for the larger community?
There is no simple way to address all of the issues. How can individuals operate in this energy environment? How do we maintain a healthy industrial sector? What are the Planetary implications of all this?
Whilst not attempting to provide answers, some food for thought will be presented. If you’d like to attend this presentation, reserve your place here (link in profile): https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/prof-hans-coster-on-life-energy-middle-earth-nickel-iron-batteries-tickets-1235955960549
#energy #life #nickelironbatteries #evolution #science #physics #planetaryhealth #middleearth #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains #kanimblavalley #inspiration
Celebrating local innovation we`ll be kicking off Planetary Health Day at 9am on Saturday 1st March with a talk by Lithgow inventor Frank Inzitari. He and his cousin Frank Capomollo were featured on Shark Tank Australia with their invention Fire Halo: a fire-prevention system that cleans your gutters and can keep them flooded with water during bushfires. The product is designed to make it easier to prevent homes catching fire from ember attacks, which are the cause of around 75-80 per cent of bushfire damage to properties. It can also provide redirection of chemicals away from your tank when cleaning your roof or solar panels. If you`d like to find out more reserve your spot here (link in profile): https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/reducing-the-risk-of-ember-attack-with-a-fire-halo-tickets-1250666470079
@firehalo.au @sharktankau #firehalo #bushfire #disasterriskreduction #emberattack #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #bluemountains #lithgow #katoomba
We had a fabulous day at the launch of the Birds of Australia STORYBOX in Springwood yesterday, giving everyone a preview of our Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition that will be on display at Planetary Health Day on 1 March. Our exhibition of Birds by Warren Hinder, Merryl Watkins and Holly Kent is now on display at Springwood. Worth checking out! If you`d like to find out more about all the frogs of the Blue Mountains, and come to Planetary Health Day you can register at the link in our profile. #birdsofthebluemountains #frogsofthebluemountains #frogs #birds #bluemountains #springwood #katoomba #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday
If you weren`t able to catch our fabulous exhibition of Bird Photography by Warren Hinder, Holly Kent and Merryl Watkins you can now pop down to the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub where they`re on display to complement The Birds of Australia STORYBOX. We`ll be there sharing information about the Planetary Health Centre for the launch today from 10am to 12 noon. Lots happening for the whole family: presentations with the Australian Museum and STUDIO ESEM, WIRES, Wagana Dancers, a replica of Gould`s book in the library, Craft activities, environmental information stalls and more! Come along and say hello.
#planetaryhealth #birdsofaustralia #springwood #bluemountains #birdsofbluemountains
Research is indicating that increasing the number of plant-based meals we eat is better for our health and the health of our planet! A highlight of Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1st March will be the Plant Based Cheese Making Demo & Tasting by Teya from @plantinspired99 For anyone who loves food and cooking, learning new techniques is always exciting! Teya will demonstrate how to make basic artisan cheese, blue vein cheese and a melting mozzarella-type of cheese for your pizzas and warm sandwiches. Reserve your place here for this popular event (link in profile): https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/plant-based-cheese-making-demo-tasting-tickets-1235848188199
#plantinspired #plantbased #plantbasedcheese #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthdiet #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains #planetaryhealthcentre #newcookingtechniques
Timber is one of our most valuable resources but too often, when a tree comes down, people only think of turning it into wood chip or firewood instead of much higher value timber products that can last as long as the tree took to grow! Come along to Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1st March and be inspired by how Michael Trickett can bring his mobile sawmill to you and produce high value timber for building or furniture making. Reserve your spot for Planetary Health Day here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/planetary-health-day-tickets-1235611640679
#timber #mobilesawmill #planetaryhealth #trees #morethanwoodchip #morethanfirewood #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains
Have you been hearing frogs in your yard or neighbourhood? One of the highlights of our upcoming Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March is our exhibition of Frogs of the Blue Mountains. We`ll have photos of all the known frogs of the Blue Mountains with links to their calls and we`re thrilled that Britt Mitchell from the @australianmuseum will share her experience as a frog call validator for the Museum`s FrogID project. She will discuss how FrogID has assisted her PhD research: “Australia’s frog species in the Anthropocene – habitat loss, climate change, behaviour, and disease”, the positive impact FrogID is making and how to get involved with this Citizen Science project. If you`d like to hear Britt speak you can reserve a place here (link in profile): https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/frogid-people-powered-frog-conservation-tickets-1235831287649
The photo of the frog below is by Holly Kent and features in the exhibition.
@frogidaus #frogs #treefrogs #frogsofthebluemountains #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #citizenscience #katoomba #bluemountains #familyday
Planetary Health Day is coming up on 1 March. SAVE THE DATE! We all need a Planetary Health Day where we can connect with community, have fun, get inspired, buy fresh local produce and learn ways to work together to restore the health of our planet and prepare for a more challenging future.
Check out our program and book to come along here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/planetary-health-day-tickets-1235611640679
#planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #community #beprepared #conservation #restoration #repair #localproduce #mobilesawmill #frogID #plantbased #bushfire #disasterriskreduction #firehalo
