History
How has Frankston Life Community served Frankston?
The most visible part of our work has been with the disadvantaged and homeless in Frankston – we have done this in a number of ways.
Food Distribution
we provided hundreds of food parcels to the needy of Frankston each week.
A Free Community Restaurant
each week City Life served up to 100 guests at each serving (lunch and dinner) with a hot 2 or 3 course nutritious meal.
A Free Community Breakfast
In Partnership with the Frankston Breakfast Club, they have served the most vulnerable of Frankston a hot nutritious breakfast (most sittings upward of 40 per day)
Outreach Food Program
City Life supported and operated a free food van (called Cornershop kitchen) that has been working with the disconnected youth each week at Frankston skate parks – providing hot food and support to vulnerable youth.
Social Inclusion Program
A Connect Program was provided for disconnected clients, such as a weekly games day, a football team for the homeless and disadvantaged (this was administered through RECLINK Aust), concert activities etc.
Medical Care and other associated services
City Life oversaw 2 nurses that were based at the City Life Care centre and who worked alongside the disadvantaged and homeless of the city (in cooperation with RDNS & HARP respectively) – Other medical, dental, ophthalmic and Psychiatric services visited the site regularly to support the many clients.
Free Shower and Bathroom facilities
Provided bathroom services to the homeless to enable them to shower and change their clothes.
Schools
POVERTY & SOCIAL AWARENESS
Bridge program
City Life hosted hundreds of schoolchildren each year from many of the local primary and secondary schools. This program allowed the students to come and spend a day at the City Life centre working alongside either some of the clients and/or City Life staff, preparing and or serving food. We also offered certified training in food handling for some of these students.
Connect program
City Life hosted a weekly classroom of disconnected youth from a local high school (McClelland College) to help them to reengage with their studies and schoolwork and prepare them for entry into the workforce. (This program won an award from the State Government in 2011)
Theatre and Drama production
City Life worked in a consultative capacity with a number of schools in the production of Dramas and school productions about and for the disadvantaged – one particular significant drama was staged by Woodleigh School called ‘Every 15 Minutes’ that outlined the need and the issues to do with homelessness (this was co-production with City Life)
Disability
City Life has provided a safe place for various disabled groups and people to work amongst our volunteer base in the support of the most vulnerable, thus giving them a sense of dignity and self-respect (we actually received a commendation from Nepean School for our support to their client base.)
Street Choir
City Life facilitated a choir of our regular clients that would meet and sing around a piano or guitar to give them a sense of community and connectedness.
Support Services
City Life offered referral counselling and other associated services to clients, which helped them to deal with many of their issues; this includes legal services and Centrelink representatives.
Ispirato Training Café
This café trained young people in Barista and café skills and serving the general public.
Christmas Day Lunches
City Life runs a Christmas Day lunch which cates for up to 500 people – which is now being housed (thanks to the support of Council) at the Frankston Arts centre.
Training courses
City Life offered training in various vocational courses:
- Community service work (Cert III, Cert IV and Diploma Levels)
- Kitchen operations and Safe food handling (Cert III).
- Cert III and IV in Urban Discipleship.
- Diploma in Christian Ministry and Theology.
- Also offered other courses to train people in working with the disadvantaged and needy – (we have our own DNA course – called “Poverty, who cares” – that has been used to train Frankston police and other local people to work alongside the disadvantaged)
- WFD Projects that included a Video production training program (That produced a Video production at the end of the semester), food for life (Jam and Relishes production from Rescued food) – Retail experience. Food Recovery and reuse program.
City Life Community Store
The Community Store served 2 roles – to supply low cost (and times free) goods to the many disadvantaged people in the city and also to raise funds to operate the many City Life activities.
Good Friday in Frankston
This is a major event on Good Friday which is run in conjunction with Frankston Minsters Network that celebrates the Good Friday message – this event attracts 3000+ people to a wonderful family day on the foreshore of our city.
Workforce
City Life, at any one time had the support of over 100 volunteers working in the various programs offered through our centre. These volunteers came from all walks of life. We also have been a long-term recipient of CBO (Community based orders) and also work for the dole activities.
Community Engagement
City Life participates in many local community initiatives and provides insight and support to other local welfare agencies that work with the poor and disadvantaged.