Western Sydney’s everyday heroes were in the spotlight at the 9th Annual ZEST Awards on 15 February, celebrating exceptional people and projects in the community.   Led by Western Sydney Community Forum with major partners Western Sydney University, National Australia Bank, City of Parramatta Council, and Wentworth Community Housing, the ZEST Awards showcase Western Sydney’s inspiring stories of resilience, strength and innovation. 

On Wednesday 7 November, WSCF staff attended the Healthy Ageing Forum in Granville, hosted by Multicultural NSW, facilitated by Granville State member Tony Issa MP, with panelists includng the Minister for Multiculturalism, the Hon. Ray Williams MP and the Minister for Ageing, the Hon. Tanya Davies MP.

Anastasia Sadovaya is a case manager and Team Leader at St Simeon’s Health Care, and Coordinator of Home Care Services - and a 2018 Generation CommunitY Alumnus. Generation Community is a leadership program for young people, delivered annually by Western Sydney Community Forum, which is aimed at developing knowledge, skills and goals toward a self-defined career in leadership and managerial roles. Over 6 months, participants delve into discovering what motivates them in their work and aspirations, working on ways to constructively harness their strengths and work with any perceived limitations.

The Communities of Change Roadshows are underway, delivering key insights from the Communities of Change Report, throughout the local government areas of Western Sydney. The Roadshow sessions are an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the report with WSCF specialists and facilitators, specifically relating the data to current and future service delivery in local government areas. 

WSCF Regional Community Care Forums this month were held in two sessions, focused on Aged Care and Disability respectively, with feature guest speakers delivering presentations to address some of the current issues arising from recent developments and updates in these areas. More than 60 Community Care agencies attended the Aged Care focused session, held in Penrith City Council Nepean Room on June 26. Guest speaker Tanya Travis-Smith, from the NSW Government Department of Health and Ageing, covered a range of issues including the extension to CHSP contracts, the new manual, wellness approach, reablement and restorative care.

“Workers Compensation should be a detour, not a journey for life.” Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson Set back from the street in a quiet industrial part of Girraween in Sydney’s west is a social enterprise that carves out a place of meaningful work, transition and life-changing purpose, for people whose experience in being injured at work led them into a complex of systemic holes.   Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson is the author, powerhouse and patron of the Craig’s Table program, which supports people who have been injured at work and who find themselves stuck in a hard place. Initially from Adelaide, Rosemary has been in Sydney for 15 months, to trial delivery of the program - which is unique in the world – together with with colleague Corey Williams, and supported by NSW insurance and care organisation, iCare.