Community Projects - Past Projects

Bush Fire Relief

Hampton was involved in several projects to aid those who suffered from Victoria’s terrible Bushfires in January 2009

We provided 2 Shelter Boxes as well as 2 provided by the Rotary Club of Thuringowa Central. This very generous Club from Queensland donated $5000.00 towards Fire relief.

Members helped erect some of the small city of tents and are photographed here with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Premier John Brumby and Police Commissioner, Christine Nixon.

We also raised the cost of a stand at our Over 50s Expo which was held in May. We measured entry numbers at St.Leonards’ College Community Day and had buckets for left over loose change. This stand was donated to an Upper Yarra Valley business that needs help in recovering from the Fires.

We were lucky enough to receive a generous donation towards Fire Relief from the Bayside City Council. Hampton and RC Beaumaris combined their $2500.00 each with further funds donated by generous Tasmanians and RC Healesville towards a children’s playground at Marysville. In June, a stalwart group of Rotarians from these 3 Clubs and a few other keen volunteers spent a day in the newly built village, watched by excited children, building this playground. Many thanks to the foresight of our local Council.

Link: www.bayside.vic.gov.au

Professional Aboriginal Interpreter Accreditation Project. PAIAP

By Jennifer Newton and Lorraine Huddle 14 September 2008.

The power of Rotary is amazing.

I have a little story to tell you which demonstrates clearly how the networking and pro bono expertise of Rotarians can achieve so much. Our small club of 24 members has facilitated an historical event over 4000 kilometres away. It is a project which meets the fundamental mission of Rotary which is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

It is the beginning of a long overdue upgrade of educational opportunities for interpreters of Aboriginal languages to professional level. This will facilitate greater understanding between the cultures of all aboriginal Australians and the legal, health and education systems in Australia.

It all started when a mother and daughter were talking. The daughter was a Public Prosecutor in Darwin, and the mother an incoming President of our Club. The daughter mentioned that there were no Aboriginal language interpreters with professional accreditation and what was more there was no facility for anyone to become accredited.

Current formal qualifications for interpreters of aboriginal languages are only at the paraprofessional level however the interpreters are required to interpret at a much higher level in many situations, for example in court or hospital interpreting, without the minimum qualifications for these tasks.

The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters provides training and examinations for over 25 languages, but despite repeated requests has not provided training or testing in any aboriginal language. The Aboriginal Interpreter Service is responsible for all training and testing for the 200 or so paraprofessional interpreters registered with them.

The President contacted the aboriginal interpreter's service in Darwin to find out more. She discovered that about 4 years ago a feasibility study had been undertaken by Dr Michael Cooke, but funding to implement it had been rejected by the National Accreditation board. The Aboriginal Interpreter Service was very interested in developing a pilot study and provided a costing to train 6 paraprofessional interpreters to professional level. This came to $31,000 of which they could give $11,000. The Rotary Club of Darwin was contacted; they were delighted, and offered $1000.

The remaining money was raised by members of our club with contacts through corporate sponsors, and our club donation of $5000. A problem arose as the corporate sponsors governance needed tax deductibility, and as we are an incorporated entity in Victoria, a third party in the NT was needed for the project. This involved lengthy legal and financial paperwork, which was undertaken pro bono by one two of our members. It was very encouraging to see the enthusiastic support of our corporate donors Trust Company Ltd, Russell Investment Group, MLC Implemented Consulting for this project.

The president was introduced to a member of the Rotary Club of Darwin, the former Chief Justice of the Northern Territory, who was impressed with the project and suggested the Arnhem Land Progress Association Inc as the third party.

The funds were used to fly the candidates to Darwin, accommodation and food costs for the two week training and examination, the National Accreditation Board fees for each candidate and to engage linguists from the Charles Darwin University to write examinations and tests which were also approved by the National Accreditation Authority. The tests and examination have been written in template form so they can be used for other aboriginal languages in the near future.

The project has been 1 year in coming to fruition. The interpreter service in Darwin advertised for 6 places, and 15 suitable people applied. On the 1st September, eleven people from East Arnhem Land have enthusiastically attended the training session and they are currently undergoing the examination. The language chosen for the initial program is an East Arnhem Djambarrpuyngu language which is understood by several dialects.

The project won the Rotary District 9810 Vocational Service Award for 2007-8 and it is hoped that the relevant Governments throughout Australia will view this pilot project as worthy of continuing, and more languages will be represented by accredited interpreters. The Aboriginal Interpreters already demonstrate and provide a professional approach to their work. The opportunity to gain accreditation at the professional level will give them the recognition that has until now been denied them, not as a result of their inability to reach such a level but due to the fact that there was no way to do so.

Such things can happen from a little chat; when the power of Rotary is brought into action.

E Link

On June 15th, The Rotary club of Hampton participated in the opening of the new E Link Freeway. Together with many clubs in D9810, we cooked and sold hundreds of sausages to hungry bike riders and directed vintage cars. As a result of this effort, Hampton was lurky enough to win one of the BBQs used on the day. We have donated it to Gordon Care; a facility for homeless youth.

Storm Water Conservation Project at Hampton Primary School in Bayside 2004-05

With Victoria just coming to the end of a period of 8 years of drought, there had been much attention to the issue of water conservation and the harvesting and reusing of water. This project harvested and then reused the stormwater from the Hampton Primary grounds in the school toilets. This reduced water consumption at the school by 150,000 litres per month. This practical demonstration of the possibilities for water conservation has now been applied at other schools across Victoria.

International Community

RAM

Rotarians Against Malaria aims to provide mosquito nets to as many as possible people in those areas around the Pacific Rim which are heavily infested with mosquitoes and thus Malaria. This is an essential project to save lives, particularly babies, of an increasing problem. During 2007-08, the Rotary Club of Hampton has donated funds to this cause, which is of special interest to Hampton Honorary Rotarian Sue Garner.

Wellness Centre in Metacawalevu Village - Yasawa Islands - Fiji

A combined initiative with St. Leonard's College - Brighton 2007-08

Background:

St. Leonard's College sends year 9 students on a cultural 'Big Experience' annually. Students spend 4 nights in a Fijian village in the Yasawa Islands.
Rotarian Greg Wragg was asked to identify a project that would be of enduring benefit for the Villagers and Community based.
Diabetes was identified as a major health risk to the Fijian Islanders.
A Wellness Centre was planned and built with funds raised by St.Leonard's students and the Rotary Club of Hampton.
Visiting students and Rotarians participated in the construction, and well as the Fijian locals.
Gymnasium equipment was installed after ensuring by conference with medical professionals, that the equipment and any dietary advice is safe and appropriate for the villagers using the Centre.
Two local young men have been appointed to clean and maintain the Centre.
Records will be kept of weight loss and the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes.
Various ideas are underway to encourage the Villagers to use this Centre regularly and appreciate the benefits to their health.

Fiji Solar lighting - Outer Yasawa Islands

In the island village of Nabukeru, there has been an amazing change in the educational possibilities for the children. They can now study after dark with the help of a newly installed solar lighting system.

Dentist's Chair for the Solomn Islands

A 37 year old dentist's chair donated by a local dentist has found a new place of service in Honiara. .

Aceh Indonesia - Assistance through The Rotary Foundation

We joined with a number of other clubs in District 9810 to support a Literacy Project in Aceh. This is a Rotary sponsored mobile library literacy van that visits children in the Tsunami affected areas. The activities and reading help the children developing their literacy skills - but also supply welcome relief from the devestation that still surrounds them. Our club contribution was only $650.00, but through PDG Graeme Woolacott, the monies from our club and other Rotary clubs and a Foundation Grant allowed the van to continue this valuable work.

Dam Rectification Project in the Yasawa Islands, FIJI

Our club has funded rectification work in re-building of the dam supplying water to the village of Matacawalevu, Yasawa Islands, Fji.

Friendship Exchange to UK in 2006

18 Rotarians, including Hampton member, Marie Laney, from Victoria and Tasmania completed an exchange visit to the south of England for 2 weeks. This was a wonderful opportunity to cement friendships with English Rotarians and learn about their local culture.