In March 2015 the Baird Government made a commitment of $20 million for the establishment of an Aboriginal Centre for Excellence (ACE) in Western Sydney. Western Sydney has the largest Aboriginal population in Australia and is also an area of significant population and economic growth. As well as providing opportunities for strengthening individual and community resilience this initiative will have a particular focus on ensuring that local Aboriginal people, particularly young people are equipped to seize opportunities stemming from this region’s growth. A key objective of ACE will be to deliver opportunities that support Aboriginal young people making the transition from the school environment into further education and employment and excel in their chosen field. The first phase of consultation to develop options for the location, scope and target group has been completed. A summary of the Community Consultation report...

Community organisations, groups and individuals have been recognised in the 2016 ZEST Awards – four winners from the Parramatta LGA have been announced and two received recognition in their categories as highly commended. Lord Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard said it was great to see so many nominees from the Parramatta LGA with 23 nominees from the region representing 14 out of the 16 categories. “The huge range of organisations nominated for awards shows that the community sector is really delivering a quality service to the community in Western Sydney. It is important that through these awards we are able shine a light on the remarkable work these individuals and organisations do to improve people’s lives.” Western Sydney Community Forum’s Chief Executive, Billie Sankovic, thanked leaders from Greater Western Sydney for supporting the extraordinary achievements showcased during last night’s...

Greater Western Sydney is still buzzing from the ZEST Awards Ceremony – catering to a full house at ANZ Stadium on February 24. The event attracted around 500 champions of the not-for-profit sector, including leading representatives from both business and government organisations in the region. Receiving over 100 nominations for the third consecutive year, the ceremony recognised 18 winners including 13 highly commended community groups, organisations and individuals across 16 categories, representing Greater Western Sydney. The awards are led by regional peak body Western Sydney Community Forum and this year included key partners Western Sydney University, TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute, TRI Community Exchange Inc. and WESTIR Ltd.. Western Sydney Community Forum’s Chief Executive, Billie Sankovic, thanked leaders from Greater Western Sydney for supporting the extraordinary achievements showcased during last night’s awards. “The ZEST Awards sees the coming together of...

ZEST Awards are pleased to announce 3 nominees from the Blue Mountains local government area – nominees represent the categories for Outstanding Use of Technology by a Not for Profit Organisation and Exceptional Community Partnership Project in a Local Government Area. Meet the nominees: Every Moment Has Potential: Person Centred Active Support Online Learning Resource – nominated for Outstanding Use of Technology by a Not for Profit Organisation A free, web-based learning resource for disability support workers funded by the Federal Government and developed in collaboration between Greystanes Disability Services and La Trobe University of Victoria –including input from a wide range of stakeholders, including Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Tizard Centre (UK), NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Sunshine, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability and the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association. Blue Mountains Domestic Squalor & Hoarding Working Group...

ZEST Awards announces nominees for Outstanding Youth Led Project in Greater Western Sydney – Campbelltown’s Fisher’s Gig is nominated for their annual youth music festival. Fisher’s Gig has been part of the long standing Festival of Fisher’s Ghost celebrations for 18 years, starting as a band competition the event has grown to be an award winning event for Campbelltown and the Western Sydney region – attracting big name local artist such as last year’s headliners The Beards. Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Paul Hawker commends Fisher’s Gig on their nomination and recognises the positive contribution young people make to the Campbelltown community. “Our youth groups who worked hard to bring this large – scale community event to fruition can be proud that their commitment has been acknowledged in such a way” said Cr Hawker. “The nomination also helps to highlight the...

ZEST Awards announces 25 nominees, including community leaders and  organisationsoperating within the Parramatta local government area – nominees represent 14 of the 16 categories in the awards. The nominated individuals, groups and organisations reflect innovative partnerships, project work and  leadership among volunteers, young people and enterprise. Lord Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard said it was great to see so many nominees from the Parramatta LGA. “The huge range of organisations nominated for awards shows that the community sector is really delivering a quality service to the community in Western Sydney. It is important that through these awards we are able shine a light on the remarkable work these individuals and organisations do to improve people’s lives.” Parramatta City Councillor Lorraine Wearne said: “I am honoured to be presenting an awardat the event. This year we are celebrating the year...

ZEST Awards are pleased to announce 5 nominees from the Liverpool local government area –nominees represent the categories for Exceptional Community Partnership Project in a Local  Government Area, Outstanding Voluntary Group/Organisation and Hall of Fame. Mayor of Liverpool City Council, Ned Mannoun, recognises the nominees for their contributions to the community. “I’m delighted to see so many nominees from the Liverpool area. We have a wealth of experienced employees and volunteers working in the community sector who achieve great things everyday” said Mayor Mannoun. “I’d like to particularly congratulate the Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre who run amazing programs to connect new migrants with their community.” Meet the nominees: Anh Nguyen – nominated for Hall of Fame Anh Nguyen, a Vietnamese refugee has over 10 year’s experience working in the community sector in Western Sydney. Anh has worked for a number...

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has released its proposed package of  changes to public transport fares. The purpose of the changes is to deliver fairer, more efficient and more integrated fares across all services on which the Opal card can be used. Western Sydney Community Forum’s Chief Executive, Billie Sankovic, states that “it would appear the proposals from the IPART will inevitably impact on commuters across Western Sydney who rely on public transport to journey to work and access essential services” “IPART is clear that while the recommended changes will reduce costs for some commuters,particularly for those taking multi-mode journeys, it will make travel more expensive for those who travel longer distances” “The net result could well be that commuters in Western Sydney bear a significant proportion of the increase in costs, and more so for those living...