Services - Parish Liason & Community Development
Contact details:
Anne Marmion
Ph:(03) 9459 6144
Fax:(03) 9459 6166
Email: amarmion@maryofthecross.org.au
The Community Development and Parish Liaison Unit has four separate
functions:
- To support parish priests, pastoral associates and parish communities;
- To facilitate and co-ordinate community development workers;
- To facilitate and co-ordinate peer support groups;
- To select, train, allocate and support volunteer workers.
Assisting Priests, Pastoral Associates
and Parish Outreach Groups
The Unit responds to enquiries from parish workers on behalf of parishioners
who are seeking help in relation to drug use.
If both the priest/pastoral associate and the referred person wish, the Unit
will arrange a referral to our Counselling unit or on to another agency should
that be more appropriate.
The Unit, together with the Education Unit, provides an ongoing education
program for parishes and priests and pastoral associates.
Speakers are available to come to parishes on request.
Community Development Workers
- We plan to have two community development workers in two local communities
with the aim of working with them to develop and implement strategies to
address the problem of drug abuse in those areas.
- The community development workers will assist local people affected either
directly or indirectly by drug abuse.
- Mary of the Cross Centre has established outreach services in the
City of Greater Dandenong and in the western suburbs.
Support for this initiative is provided by both the parishes of the Dandenong
Deanery and the Westgate Deanery.
Peer Support
Peer Group support involves the provision of advice and material support
(phones, publicity services, meeting rooms, photocopying) to other non-profit
groups working in the drug and alcohol field. Groups currently meeting at the
Centre include:
Parents Bereaved by Drug Use.
Contact: Mrs Chris Harms.
Ph: 03 9337 7177.
Family Drug Support Group.
Ph: 03 9572 2855
Volunteer Coordination
The Centre is dependent on our volunteer workforce. Volunteers are
interviewed and screened, given information and skills training and are
supported with care.
