Empress Support Services will be offering a range of group & centre programs and activities and will be starting with
Train & Bus Travel
Location: Burnside Community Centre and surrounding areas
Time & Day: Tuesday – 9.00 am – 12.00 pm
Cost: $10
Discovering Melbourne is designed to encourage participants to explore their city and surrounding areas while developing individual skills centred on:
- Negotiating the transport network (trams, trains, buses or walking)
- Use of MYKI
- Safety in the community
- Directions, location and use of maps or GPS (Smartphones as a tool)
- Personal timetabling (considering times needed to complete excursions)
- Planning and ‘diarising’ their travels (developing a forward plan for events, costs, numbers attending)
- Recognising environmental needs (weather-appropriate clothing)
Health, Sport and Fitness
Location: Burnside Community Centre and surrounding areas
Time: Tuesday – 12.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Cost: NIL
This program aims to develop an understanding of how to stay healthy. The program will focus on improving fitness through various activities – such as dance and meditation, and includes learning about different sports and important skill development.
Participants will consider their health and general fitness and set goals to improve. The focus will be on a different sport and the skills associated with that sport, including rules, history and keeping track of various sporting events that are taking place worldwide.
A willingness to participate is all that is needed.
Swimming
Location: Burnside Community Centre & Ascot Vale Leisure Centre Time
Day: Wednesday – 9.00 pm – 12.00 pm
Cost: $10
This program will enhance participants’ strength in a wide range to work gentle exercise back into their routines. Due to its low-impact nature, swimming mitigates much of the risk, pain, and strain presented by more conventional sports and can strengthen participants’ mental and physical well-being. Participants get to network and work with other clients in a group setting and use the Sunna, spa etc., with the supervision of our Support Workers.
Community Gardening
Location: Burnside Community Centre and various community gardens
Time & Day: Tuesday, 12.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Cost: NIL
This program is designed to give participants the basic knowledge needed to create and look after a successful garden. Skills developed will be planning a garden, choosing plants, preparing soils and other garden aspects, and adequately caring for the plants. The theory component will complement practical sessions in garden plots in surrounding community gardens. Participants will be involved in designing, planting and caring for a garden bed. The focus will be placed on indigenous/native plants and visits to community gardens.
On inclement weather days, participants will stay at the Burnside community centre, completing research, quizzes, and worksheets.
Newspaper Rolling & Delivery
Location: Burnside Community Centre
Day: Thursday – 9.00 am – 3.00 pm
Cost: NIL
Newspaper Rolling and Delivery is designed to encourage participants to build their education and employment skills and knowledge using the community independent with the supervision of our support workers and decision-making while using the community and surrounding areas while developing individual skills centred on:
- Building employment skills by working independently and in a group.
- Overseeing a team during small tasks.
- Safety in the community
- Studying the community map and streets
- Planning & Setting Goals
- Capacity Building
- Recognising environmental needs (weather-appropriate clothing)
More upcoming group programs like Bowling League, Biking, Bushwalking, Photographing, Art & Craft, Daily Living Skills, Animal Studies, Book Club, Communication Skills, Creative & Visual Arts, Daily Living Skills, Digital Mix, Exploring Music, Food Handling, Money Skills, Literacy & Numeracy Skills, Photography Skills, Biking & Bushwalking, and Cooking.
