CEO AND PRESIDENT’S REPORT
As an organisation with its roots and
aspirations firmly embedded in the
communities we serve, our task is not
only to respond to the growing demand
for our services and programs, but also to
ensure that we contribute to developing
the resilience, health and cohesiveness
of our community. From the services and
programs we deliver, to the way we deliver
them and the partnerships we nurture
and cherish, our goal is to enable those
who live, work, study and volunteer in
Whittlesea to come together to work to
achieve a community that is inclusive, a
community that supports those who are
disadvantaged and a community able to
advocate for its own needs and aspirations.
This year Whittlesea Community Connections
faced and rose to numerous challenges. We
grew our annual turnover by 14 per cent,
and assisted a community member on more
than 18,937 occasions including individuals,
families, young people, new migrants,
refugees and asylum seekers. And through
the generous contribution of more than 300
volunteers, we provided community transport
for 8,386 people, we supported 1, 733 people
in financial hardship, assisted with more nointerest loans to prevent homelessness and
helped place more than 941 local people into
volunteering roles. Our work in responding
to the scourge of family violence has been
intensified and we supported more than
379 people experiencing family violence.
Our legal team assisted 1,961 people with
legal information, advice and casework. Our
community information and referral program
fielded more than 4,588 enquiries from local
people, enabling them to find the agency and
services they need to meet their needs and
achieve their personal goals.
JEMAL AHMET, CEO
MAUREEN CORRIGAN, PRESIDENT
Going forward, our challenges are many. By
the time you read this report we would be
busy attempting to minimise cuts to our
emergency relief services imposed by the
Federal Government, working to determine
how we will manage impendi