Our History
Caring for Community Organisations
The concept of the organisation came from Barry Fowler, who in 2000, was working for the Broken Hill City Council, as the Community Coordinator, and was a member of Rotary Club of Broken Hill South. He clearly saw the need for a community based organisation, outside of Council, to look after the many and varied community groups that were suffering because of the economic changes occurring in Broken Hill.
Gaps in the Community Structure
People with the skills and energy to focus on community organisations were leaving the community because of lack of work opportunities for themselves and their families. This was leaving huge gaps in management committees and eventually would lead to dysfunction and closure of organisations if left unattended.
Researchers and Mentors
Barry, a graduate in social welfare studies, also saw a need for research and recording of what was occurring in Broken Hill and invited academics and mentors to our community to guide and assist us. This was achieved through a bi-annual event called a “round table”.
Round Table Forums
Round Tables were forums where individuals came and put forward problems, issues and suggestions about our community, groups discussed the myriad of issues, formed solution groups and those groups found people to assist solve whichever issue they were working on. This system of community help worked from 2001 – 2004 because Barry had many contacts, government sponsorship and the backing of the Rotary Club and also the Chamber of Commerce.
Volunteers
Barry Fowlers belief that volunteers could manage the organisation, lead the committees, solve the issues with the assistance of mentors and others, manage the centre and co-ordinate his dream, lead to his eventual mental stress related illness and he left the organisation.
Since his departure, volunteers took up where Barry left off, and with the valuable assistance of Skillscentre’s Work for the Dole Program, Chamber of Commerce, South Rotary and Country Energy, a small band of volunteers continued to maintain the community office 5 days a week, keep the garden area weeded, manage the markets until a new driver comes along and sought further funding for a water project for the centre, to harness the rainwater and raw water for the garden project.
Today in 2007 we are solvent and the centre is managed by a small band of volunteers who:
- keep the centre occupied with paying customers
- maintain the office
- manage the projects such as
- the markets
- the gardens
- maintenance
- still understand and work to achieve the original concepts and
- strive to gain more community groups interest in using the centre