LOCATION

Lifeline commenced in 1971, in a manse provided by Congregational Church, Mair Street, Ballarat

1981 Outreach commenced in a small room under Wesley Church, with Congregational volunteers who provided emergency relief, food and clothing and bedding

1982 Commenced rental, followed by purchase in 1984, of 205 Dana Street for use by UnitingCare staff

1983 Outreach offices relocated to 105 Dana Street

2014 A second office location is leased in the Ballarat Technology Park complex, Lydiard Street South, due to agency growth

DIRECTORS/ CEOS

1982 Lyn Light appointed

1998 Cliff Barclay appointed

2001 Change in Uniting Church constitution resulted in two separate Boards of Management, Outreach and Lifeline, coming together to form one agency - UnitingCare Ballarat

2015 Carolyn Barrie appointed as interim CEO

2016 October 3 saw UnitingCare Ballarat join with 21 other Uniting Church community service agencies to form a new single organisation across Victoria and Tasmania

OPPORTUNITY SHOPS

1974 Shop made available at Stone’s Corner Main Road, for Outreach funding

2000 Shops at Shepperd Street and Albert Street opened, with 80 volunteers

2004 Shop opening at Light Lounge, Dana Street; former Wesley Hall upper level

2015 Relocation of Shop from Shepperd Street to 1323 Howitt Street; reopened and re-branded as 'Restore'

HOUSING

1976 The Ballarat Central Uniting Church Congregation Outreach Service purchased a house (in Peake Street) as emergency accommodation for women and children seeking refuge

1979 A second house was made available by Housing Commission as a refuge. These were used by 40 families, including up to 160 children in the first year. All workers were volunteers

1986 3 emergency houses (maximum 6 weeks stay) and Peake House (3-6 month stay) assisted 200 family units. A caravan was purchased for emergency youth accommodation

2003 UnitingCare Ballarat holds management of 131 properties, including 2 rooming houses. Reid’s Guest House purchased, providing rooms for 50-60 people per night

2011 UnitingCare Ballarat became the entry point for Ballarat homelessness services, working with other agencies

2011 UnitingCare Ballarat holds management of 160 properties, and has assisted 6231 clients across multiple agencies

2016 Agency has 203 units of housing under its management, and provided 500 tenancies

LIFELINE

1971 Lifeline Ballarat established

1980 Lifeline extended its sphere of responsibility and influence into most of Western Victoria

1997 7903 crisis support telephone calls taken

2001 Service has over 100 volunteers. Lifeline 24 hour a day / 7 days a week service is in place

2003 10,000 crisis support telephone calls received within the year

2009 Lifeline Ballarat becomes part of Lifeline National, auspiced to UnitingCare Ballarat

DO CARE

1985 Do Care is commenced, - a one on one visiting program for lonely, housebound 'shut ins'

1989 A TeleLINK contact program began. Telephone contact and conversations are established between some Do Care clients

1996 Do Care services 230 clients. The program provides outreach visits for housebound clients assisting them to live longer in their own homes, providing social contact and reducing isolation

1998 Friendly Visiting Program commences. A fortnightly lunch held at the Queen Elizabeth Centre, with 60 clients enjoying good food and company

2005 Service expanded to provide the Friendly Visiting Program to Ararat’s residents

2016 Regular bus trips to country areas are a highlight for many older or supported clients in Ballarat. One on one visiting by volunteers continues to grow in Ararat

COMMUNITY VISITORS SCHEME (CVS)

1995 Commenced visiting lonely isolated clients in Residential Care. UnitingCare Outreach one of the first agencies to be involved, starting at Queen Elizabeth Centre and Kelaston, with 17 visitors

2005 Now visiting 15 Aged Care facilities, 1872 visits from 79 volunteer visitors

2015 Community Visiting Scheme celebrates 20 years with a large birthday celebration at Sunways

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

1989 First community car purchased, servicing 96 clients in the first year with 466 trips primarily to medical appointments. Our clients are taken door to door by volunteers

1999 2000 Community Transport trips taking place per month, supported by 22 volunteers. A bus is added to the fleet. UnitingCare Ballarat is recognised as a leader in the state for its transport program

2003 Service expands to Ararat, with the purchase of one car and support of 10 volunteers

2016 4 cars on the road in Ballarat, 5 days a week, 51 weeks of the year. 30 volunteers drive frail, aged and people with disabilities to medical and social appointments. Ararat has 2 cars, and 15 volunteers, transporting clients to Melbourne, Ballarat and other areas for medical treatment and appointments

EMERGENCY RELIEF

1978 Financial assistance given to families from Shops surplus funds. Most client families dependent on benefits and seen by UnitingCare Ballarat if these payments disrupted

1988 4,400 appointments provided, primarily to single parent families / unemployed with an increase in teenage clients

1996 12,600 appointments provided, totalling $222,700 given in assistance

2006 Program supports 2,477 clients

2016 1,573 clients supported and 86 White Goods Loans approved

REACH OUT / FAMILY TIES PROGRAM 

1992 Commenced for families experiencing hardship or crisis, providing support and material aid

1996 18 families supported in the program

2006 26 families supported

BREEZEWAY MEALS

1998 Service commenced, providing up to 25 meals per day

2000 45 meals served per day by 3 staff and 30 volunteers. 40,000 meals provided since Breezeway's inception

2006 More than 22,000 meals provided during the year

2011 80 meals per day being served, 365 days each year

2015 Upgrade/ refurbishment of Breezeway kitchen. 21,840 meals provided during the year

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG SERVICES

1999 Alcohol and Other Drugs Dual Diagnosis Tender successful

2001 Tabor House established as a youth withdrawal unit. 100 client admissions within first year of operation

2003 Prisoner Support Program begins, a service to clients in police cells, watch house, appearing in court. 109 clients supported.

2004 Relocated to purpose built Tabor House. Client average stay of 10.5 days, with primary drugs of concern being alcohol and cannabis

2016 182 clients supported, with primary drugs of concern being alcohol, cannabis and methamphetamines.

OUTREACH AUXILLIARY

Established to provide funds for Emergency Relief and make improvements to houses in the Housing Program. In later years when these were funded, they provided meat for Breezeway. This small group of hard working ladies organised specific functions, with the highlight being the ferry on Lake Wendouree, and several coffee parties. The Auxiliary disbanded in 2004.

CHRISTMAS AT UNITINGCARE BALLARAT

Christmas is a busy and important time of year at UnitingCare Ballarat. Our aim is to make it a happy and joyous time for people. For those who are struggling, Christmas can be a time of great stress, loneliness and financial hardship, with increased risk of personal debt.

Over the years, clients have told UnitingCare Ballarat staff that we have helped them to have a real Christmas celebration. We proudly distribute more than 700 Christmas hampers and vouchers, and more than 2000 toys.
This is made possible thanks to the hard work of the many people behind the 3BA Christmas Appeal and donations from our generous community members and long term corporate supporters, like St John of God Hospital staff and Target Ballarat.

UNITINGCARE BALLARAT AWARDS

2000 Victorian winner of the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnership

2003 Ballarat Health Award – Best New Initiative – Tabor House Youth Withdrawal Unit

2009 CGU Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Award – Best Community Development, Not for Profit Award

2009 The Premier's Community Volunteering Awards, Victorian Regional Finalist

2009 ABC Radio’s Most Valued Volunteering Organisation in Rural Regional Victoria

2010 United Way Volunteer Recognition Awards, Community Group Award winner, and Corporate Group Award, and Breezeway Partnership with St John of God, Volunteer of the Year winner Kath Sanders

2011 Federal Government Recognising Volunteering program – Aged Prize for Volunteer Commitment

2012 IPAA Award Victoria’s Leadership in the Public Sector Award – Karrung Foyer – Innovation in Service Delivery Award