Community benefit

By Kath Gannaway
AN ONGOING partnership between Upper Yarra Community House and Yarra Junction Opportunity Shop will fund a scholarship for a community member to study for a training and assessment qualification in 2008.
Sally Brennan, UYCH CEO, said it is the second year that the Certificate IV Training and Assessment course is available to a person in the community who has the potential to benefit from such a qualification, but who doesn’t have the ability to pay for it.
The course costs $1500.
Warburton resident Suyin Chan, the inaugural recipient of the scholarship, completed the course last year.
Ms Chan is now studying Community Development at Swinburne University with a view to teaching community development back at UYCH.
She said the course had opened up a whole new world of opportunity.
“I have always been involved in community activities. It’s a real passion of mine,” she said.
“All the skills I have learned are going to make that involvement even better. Having the Community Development Certificate as well means I will be able to teach Community Development in this area,” said Ms Chan.
Ms Brennan said the scholarship and its potential to provide a qualified, local teacher to help educate others was a win/win for the Upper Yarra community.
Opportunity Shop coordinator Glenda Ryan said supporting the UYCH and providing education opportunities was something her team of volunteers was happy to do.
The shop which relies on the hard work and dedication of just a dozen core workers donates many thousands of dollars to community organisations each year.
“We like to donate to projects where the benefit goes further than just one individual but has a flow-on to others in the community,” Ms Ryan said.
UYCH is now seeking expressions of interest for the scholarship, which starts in late February.
Information is available from Tony Drummond, Education Trainer Manager, on 5967 1776.