The Albury Wodonga Volunteer Resource Bureau's cultural exchange program has been given an $18000 grant to continue its work in the Border community.
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00:00Well the main issue that we're addressing through the Cropful Exchange Program is community
00:06connectedness and building stronger communities.
00:16So the project is our cultural exchange program, very important for our community members within
00:21the Kaur community.
00:24We found that there was a huge need and a gap within the community to support Kaur community
00:32members that found themselves socially isolated.
00:36So we developed this program to support those people and then we have just grown from 2016.
00:43So we have programs such as homework help, conversations in English, tertiary tips, exercise
00:49programs.
00:50So the biggest barriers that our participants face is transportation because most do not
00:55have their license or a vehicle to get to and from the programs.
00:59So we, with wonderful volunteers, are able to pick them up from their homes, bring them
01:03to the programs and take them back home afterwards.
01:06If we didn't have two 12-seater minibuses, unfortunately we wouldn't have people that
01:13The benefits that the program gives to the members of the multicultural community to
01:25help build those stronger communities and that community connectedness is that there's
01:30a number of reasons.
01:31First is the physical, so things like the exercise program, it's encouraging our participants
01:36to be stronger and more flexible.
01:39And then there's the social aspect.
01:42So many of them are isolated and are at home, so the buses are really fabulous for bringing
01:47the participants to the program so that they can build new friendships and they can catch
01:52up with their friends.
01:54And then there's the skills and the educational aspect.
01:58So English is a second language for the majority, all of our community members who are in the
02:06program.
02:07So things like the homework help program and the conversations in English program really
02:11gives those individuals the skills they need to enrol in future study or maybe to seek
02:18employment, get things like their driver's licence.
02:21We had feedback from principals and teachers and also parents of students to say that they
02:26were really struggling with their homework and that they needed that additional support.
02:31We also found from the students attending the programs that their confidence grew, their
02:37English improved and also in turn their homework and their schoolwork in general improved also.
02:45The final aspect, which is the cultural exchange, and that's really where everyone gets an understanding
02:51of everyone's different cultures, their stories and an appreciation for the wonderful community,
02:56diverse community that we have in North Brighadonga.
03:08The Volunteer Resource Bureau is a small non-for-profit organisation that are doing really big things
03:13within the community.
03:14We've been around for 40 plus years so we've had many programs along the way.
03:20We started off as a really tiny organisation that was run by volunteers only and we have
03:25grown into a wonderful organisation that's doing lots of things to support the community.
03:31If we're successful in the Give500 grant program, the funds will be used to support
03:40a bilingual support worker.
03:43So we currently have a field worker, but with the small amount of funding that we are currently
03:47receiving for the program as a whole, it is not enough to keep that person on.
03:52So the importance of keeping her there is huge.
03:56As they are bilingual, they can interpret and translate for the participant, makes them
04:00feel quite confident to attend, knowing that they're going to understand what is discussed.
04:07With the buses, they cost a lot of money to run.
04:10So if we weren't successful in receiving any sort of funding for those buses, unfortunately
04:15we would have to cease that service, which in turn we would lose the participants from
04:20the program because there would be just no way that they would be able to get there.