Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast -August 2020 Newsletter 

We're hiring - Join our team! 

MCCGC & CÜRA are looking for some new team members across our organisation so please help us spread the word if you know anyone who you think would be a good fit!

Home Care Workers (Gold Coast, Moreton & Sunshine Coast)

• We're looking for caring and compassionate individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of seniors. Must have Cert III or IV in Individual Support, current Driver's license and police check. Click here to apply

NDIS Community Connectors (Gold Coast)

• Community Connectors will play a critical role in reaching out to people with disability in multicultural communities to increase awareness of and access to the NDIS for support. These are new roles and full details will be posted on our website soon - please keep an eye on our careers page and follow us on Facebook. 

Marketing Trainee (Gold Coast)

• We're looking for expressions of interest for a part-time Marketing Trainee to help with social media, website updates, copywriting, design, etc. Please email toryi@mccgc.com.au to register your interest. 

Do you know any seniors who need support?

COVID-19 has been especially isolating for many of our senior community members and it's important they have the support they need to stay connected and healthy during these difficult times. 

If you know any seniors in the Gold Coast, Moreton or Sunshine Coast regions who need a hand with anything from shopping, transport, and domestic assistance to a friendly chat, please let them know that CÜRA is here to help! We can provide support to individuals through government-funded Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Programme or on a private-pay basis.

For more information call 1800 94 12 12 or email info@curacares.com.

Citizenship classes starting soon 

Do you know anyone preparing for their citizenship test? We are providing classes through our Settlement Engagement and Transition Support program. Please email Koren at korenh@mccgc.com.au with your visa type, preferred language and arrival date in Australia to register your interest.

Do you know anyone who needs support in these languages?

Our I Speak Your Language program continues to grow and we can now offer social telephone support in all the languages listed above! It's easy to sign up and receive a friendly weekly call to feel more connected. 

If you know anyone who would benefit from this program or would like to refer someone, click here to download our referral form. You can also call 1800 95 40 40 or email ispeak@mccgc.com.au to join the program. 

COVID-19 testing for Queenslanders

An important reminder that everyone in Queensland can access testing for COVID-19!

Visa status should not prevent anyone from getting tested. Even if you do not have adequate insurance coverage and are not eligible for Medicare, you can visit any Queensland Health facility for COVID-19 testing and you will not be charged out of pocket expenses.

If you are experiencing any symptoms, please get tested.
For more information on testing centre locations visit the Queensland Health website:
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/testing-and-fever-clinics

Let's celebrate our seniors!

Seniors Week starts this Saturday 15 August and for the first time in its 60-year history, Queensland’s annual celebration of seniors is going virtual.

This year more than ever people need something to celebrate, in the safest way possible. That is why this year the usually interactive event will transform into an online affair. With some physical events, if allowed.

Seniors Week provides opportunities to promote positive community attitudes towards older people and ageing, facilitate community participation, and enhance community connections

• Click here to access the Queensland Seniors Week Guide
• Click here to give a virtual hug 
• Click here to view all the events

Community Visitors Program update

Our Community Visitors Program has had a great couple of weeks with introducing two of our volunteers to the participants that they have been calling. Both visits were very special and our visits will be returning slowly as we all want to ensure that everyone is safe.

Since the end of March when COVID-19 we saw many restrictions with our services including our volunteers adapting from their regular visits with participants to weekly phone calls. It has been so special to see our volunteers start again with their face to face visits. 

Our volunteer Livvy has been phoning Marienne since the last week of March. They share a fondness of craft activities as well as an interest in moments of history. Marienne and Livvy met for the first time recently and both thoroughly enjoying the visit. Marienne very proudly showed Livvy her table with all the crochet and knitting that she had done which was very inspiring to Livvy as she has just started on her own crocheting project. A very special visit 😊

We've also seen our volunteer Lorena meet with participant, Julius. Julius started receiving phone calls from Lorena during June and both were happy to start with regular home visits. Julius and Lorena enjoyed a lovely visit speaking about different foods, countries of the world and one of their favourite subjects, history 😊

If you know anyone who is on a Home Care Package or in a residential care facility who could benefit from regular social visits, please email our Program Coordinator Jennie at jennieb@mccgc.com.au.

MCCGC Membership Program

Join the family and be part of the peak multicultural organisation of the Gold Coast, support us to continue to make the community more inclusive and enjoy the Membership Program benefits.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Good story of the month

Congrats to our first TESOL course graduate!

In February of this year, we offered our multicultural community a learning opportunity – we had 15 sponsored places available to register for a 120 hour TESOL course.

The Course run by Teach International, combines two certificates; Teaching English to Speakers of Other languages and Teaching English to Young Learners.

When COVID-19 hit in March , the training had to go 0nline and our students met on zoom to get information. Since then, Ms Emelita Woodley, who also runs the CALD Action Group here on the Gold Coast, has been the first student to complete both Certificates.

We would like to congratulate her on this achievement and thank her for persisting with the study during these difficult times!

We also wish the remaining students encouragement to complete their study as well.

CÜRA is a branch of MCCGC (Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast Ltd) and specialises in providing tailored care services including CÜRA Kitchen, CÜRA Active Living, CÜRA Health & Well-being and CÜRA In-Home Support.   Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast  Ltd trading as CÜRA Community Services.