Our Annual Report Highlights

Communities at Work has always been driven by a deep commitment to serve and uplift our community, and 2022-23 has been no different. In fact, the challenges we faced have only served to reinforce our dedication to our mission and the people we serve.

We invite you to join us on our journey of reflecting on the year that has been, celebrating the wins and appreciating the hard work of everyone in the organisation and the broader community who pulled together through the past year.

DOWNLOAD OUR ANNUAL REPORT HERE

Key Highlights from Annual Report 2023-24

Our Financials

DOWNLOAD OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HERE

How we’ve made an impact

It is the extraordinary efforts of our staff and volunteers that have allowed us to enrich the lives of the community we serve. Their willingness to go the extra mile is what truly distinguishes Communities at Work. We’d like to share a few of the many stories from our annual report of how they’ve made an impact to people’s lives.

Providing a safe haven to children…

“I will never forget what your centre meant to my family and my children, and the lengths your team went to, to show just how much you cared. Beyond just educating my children, you provided a safe haven for us all (in different ways) to continue healing.”

You played a pivotal role in our family’s and our children’s journey. We were always greeted by a warm smile, an extra hand, a kind gesture, comforting hugs of reassurance, a phone call to check in, an email to confirm subsidised day care funding, and a hamper at Christmas.

Your patient, loving and caring teachers took the greatest of care to help my children feel calm, safe, and empowered to work through their big feelings at times.

Thanks for your willingness to collaborate and partner with me as we helped find solutions for my children.”

(Parent of two children who attended the Children’s Services Program at our centre)

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The Sanctuary

Over the past year, our team at Wanniassa Hills Out of School Hours Care worked together with the children, families, the school, and educational leaders to transform an under-used space into a beautiful sustainable garden, thanks to an ACT Government grant. The garden has not only enhanced their environmental awareness, but also given them a fun and educational space to enjoy.
We asked the children and families for their input on what plants to grow and let them choose the garden’s name, “The Sanctuary.” Their enthusiasm was incredible, with some families contributing fruit and vegetables for planting.
This project has kept the children engaged and excited as they’ve learned about different plants, participated in planting, and explored science, nature, and nutrition. It’s not only enhanced their environmental awareness but also given them a fun and educational space to enjoy. It’s a special place where learning and play come together.

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Greenhouse Project

Thanks to a generous $20,000 donation from A+P Leemhuis Builders, we developed a hydroponic greenhouse at Galilee School, to integrate food studies, gardening, nutrition, and horticulture. This holistic project aims to positively impact student behaviours, their social and emotional wellbeing, and educational outcomes.
A+P Leemhuis Builders’ funding helped with construction, and our Senior Secondary construction students got hands-on experience. Food Ladder subsidised the greenhouse and shared hydroponics expertise, while The Root Cause, OzHarvest, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and Canberra Seed Savers enriched our learning.
We hosted a ‘First Harvest’ lunch for our program partners with our first crop to showcase the tangible impact of their support.
We’re very proud of our school’s greenhouse project. It’s a great example of local partnerships providing learning and health opportunities for young people and their families.

Getting My Life Back on Track

‘I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I could come to you, and you would know what to do,’ said a client facing homelessness due to domestic violence.

Our Crisis Support service connected her with a local women’s housing outreach program, providing short-term transitional accommodation until ACT Housing offered a long-term house.

During this critical period, we provided her with showers, toiletries, hot meals, a private phone room for coordinating support, and bus tickets to get to appointments. Legal Aid’s popup stall at Tuggeranong Community Centre assisted her with legal issues around her previous tenancy and domestic violence court matters. We also referred her to Care Inc for a No Interest Loan Scheme and financial counselling.

When the client moved into her new home, we provided her with Givit vouchers to buy clothing, bedding, and kitchen appliances. Through our Crisis Support program, she accessed our food pantry to stock her cupboard.

Since her initial crisis, the client has met with our Crisis Support workers several times to create a plan to rebuild her life.

‘You always have helpful information, and I know I can trust you,’ she said. ‘Sometimes just talking it out loud helps me realise that I can do it.’