Befriend Inc in Perth, Western Australia | Community organisation

Befriend Inc

Locality: Perth, Western Australia

Phone: +61 8 9520 8574

Address: 3/256 Adelaide Terrace 6000 Perth, WA, Australia

Website: http://www.befriend.org.au/

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25.01.2022 If one of your New Year Intentions is to be more community-minded and get to know your neighbours a little bit, then we recommend checking out your local Buy Nothing page on Facebook! It’s a space to gift unwanted items laying around your house, share fresh produce grown in your backyard, spark a local connection or two and keep items out of landfill. Part zero-waste movement, part community-building project, it’s got a lovely, wholesome village mentality about it. Here...’s a great article from The Guardian explaining how it all started and what to expect shorturl.at/kqwI5 Who here is already part of their local Buy Nothing page? what do you like about it? Tell us and others who might be thinking about joining in the comments below and spread the good word!

25.01.2022 We're having an end of year picnic celebration and you're invited If you've ever: Attended a Befriend social group Hosted an event... Heard of Befriend and wanted to join in on the fun Seen or liked a Befriend post on social media (hint, hint - that's you!) ... then we consider you a part of our community and want to celebrate the end of another year with you We'll be celebrating picnic-style in Burswood Park on the 13th December 2020 https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club//274119824/ Hope to see you there!

24.01.2022 The deadline for the Community Builder position is this weekend, so make sure to send those applications in by 11.59pm on Sunday 23rd August And, just in case you’re still umming and ahhing about whether the position is for you, here’s a quote from Befriend Community Builder Inger to cheer you on If you feel in your heart you are the right fit for this role- click send! If you like to talk, motivate others, support others, celebrate others- click send! If you know nothi...ng about Befriend, love the idea of connecting with others and making a positive difference in people’s lives- CLICK SEND! Goodluck- I look forward to meeting you soon! https://befriend.org.au/abou//community-builder-caversham/

23.01.2022 Every community has hidden treasures, have you found yours? Geocaching is a movement of people using GPS to hide-and-seek treasures all over the world. It’s easy to get involved with and an awesome way to discover your local community A Befriendly introduction to Geocaching will be held in Yanchep on Saturday 7th November, by first-time host Richard. Unleash that explorer's spirit and let's get geo-caching together! https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club//274089424/

23.01.2022 And just like that, Befriend's "Everyday Connectors" series is over! And what a wild ride it was, taking us through eight powerful stories from community members who took part in extraordinary moments of connection throughout COVID-19, contributing to others through being thoughtful neighbours, friends, community leaders and fellow residents. If you'd like to check the full articles in a nifty little flip-book magazine, you can do so just here... but we're warning you in a...dvance that it will definitely result in heartfelt warm 'n' fuzzy feelings! https://befriend.org.au//covid-19-sta/everyday-connectors/ If you spot one of these magazines in a community space near you, let us know by sending through a picture! We'd love to see them being read out in the world Thank you to everyone who took part in the series, supported it, shared it and generally, just cheered it on.

22.01.2022 So lovely to see the Ring Ring group meet in person for the first time after months of chatting in the phone throughout social distancing! Keen to be a part of this flourishing group and meet some new Befriendly faces in Mandurah? They’re meeting in the real world now and you can join ‘em https://www.meetup.com//Befriend-Inc-Soc/events/273131082/

22.01.2022 What does it mean to be a Befriend Community Builder? We asked our team a few questions and here are some of the gems: Being a community builder is like being an explorer discovering treasure in the local community. To be curious, accepting and innovative. A networker and motivator.... It can seem like a Dr Sueus story at times . . . we have meetings here, we have meetings there and we have meetings evvvvv . . .erywhere for the purpose of brainstorming, planning, introductions and everything in between. Lots of getting to know people at networking events and one on one in local cafes, letting individuals and organisations know about the Befriend Social Network and how they can be a part of it, meeting with colleagues to create supportive processes and structures for community building and to imagine new ways of building community We get to spend time with some truly generous and talented individuals, whilst having fun in our local community Sound like your cup of tea? Head on over to our website and apply for the Community Builder role available in Caversham. Applications close 11:59pm on Sunday 23rd August 2020. https://befriend.org.au/abou//community-builder-caversham/

21.01.2022 Want to get to know your neighbours? We sure do! Over the last couple months, we’ve been hearing some incredible stories about neighbourly connections. People checking in on each other during tough times, offering to pick up groceries, lending a spare household item or sharing a cuppa after a long day. Knowing your neighbours is an awesome way to feel a sense of belonging and connection within your community ... If you would like to get to know your neighbours, here’s a few handy actions you can take: 1. Write a note to say hello and put it in their letter box. 2. Bring over some baked goods. 3. Ask to borrow some sugar or a tool, then return the favour. 4. Volunteer at a local service. 5. Join a community garden. 6. Start a book club. 7. Walk a dog at the local park. 8. Throw a housewarming party. Got any extra ideas? Comment ‘em down below Let’s help inspire others to meet their neighbours!

21.01.2022 Can you believe that only two years ago, this team of 17 was a small-but-mighty team of 6?! The Befriend team recently gathered together for an enrichment day to connect with each other and our purpose as an organisation. We reflected upon the incredible growth-spurt this little organisation has had and our joy at being able to do the things we love to do, with people we love doing it with. Who knows how big this team photo will be in another two years' time? Perhaps it's time to invest in a selfie stick...

21.01.2022 When Valerie, a Befriend Community Builder, told us this story of her day we just couldn’t keep it to ourselves If you enjoy feel-good stories about connection, then this one's for you I completed my first formal presentation (what I called a community conversation) today with an English Conversation group in Gosnells. I was told to speak slower because most the students are still working on understanding English words (they told me my American accent was quite differe...nt (lol), however, they appreciated how patient I was with the students and that I took the time to explain different Australian phrases that were uncommon for many migrants) I decided to make the session more interactive and we focused on identifying our value roles. As I walked around many students seemed apprehensive. I think there is an immense fear of the unknown when it comes to opening up in country that has yet to feel like home. So I sat individually with a few students and asked them about home. One student was from Afghanistan and she walked down memory lane with me. She talked about her beautiful garden, where she grew lots of different fruits and vegetables. She would cook food for her community and would sell her food at the local market. I reminded her that those are her value roles in Australia. Her face lit up and she told me how she speaks Dari (the official name of the variety of Persian language spoken in Afghanistan) and she really misses home. I told her, that her role could also include being a co-host and speaking Dari to new members that experience language barriers. It was a light bulb moment for many of the CALD students to see that they too can feel a deep sense of belonging in a community that is culturally different from their own. This has to be the most fulfilling experience I’ve had thus far! Awesome stuff Valerie If you too are looking for a way to feel a sense of belonging in a new community, then you might like to check out the Befriend Social Network! Learn more about it on our Meetup page https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club/events/

21.01.2022 Next up in the Everyday Connectors series, we have our friends over at @Sudbury House. We had a chat with Virginia about some of the triumphs and challenges her team faced in keeping the community connected and supported throughout the last few months. Here’s what she had to say We pretty much had to close overnight. It was so, so hard. We were asking ourselves how can we support the community and how can we reach those who need us most?. One of the things we do really w...ell is work as a collective with other organisations in the local area. We set up a directory where we could connect people with what they needed. Early-on we also sent out updates twice a week to everyone we could in multiple different languages. We tried to say that ‘whilst we can’t be together physically, we are still here for you and to help you connect’. Our social choir group - With One Voice Mirrabooka - went online to keep up the sense of fun and boost morale when it was really needed! The choir exists to be all-inclusive; it’s about strengthening community and inspiring people to find their voice. It was really fun hilarious, in fact! For those members that didn’t have access to technology, we began asking if we could receive donations to pass onto those in isolation. We actually received an iPad which was great. We often connect with homeless people and one of the things that really upsets me is how little contact information we had. That’s been a big lesson for me and advice I’d offer to everyone: if we want to create a world where people can belong, to be, and become, then as a community, we must not let anyone slip through the cracks.

20.01.2022 You know those days when you send someone a Coles/Myers voucher to thank them for sharing their story on social media, and then they turn that gift into lots of little gifts for their neighbours in the form of seeds?! Yeah. We’re having one of those days Here are some of the words Joni wrote to let her neighbours know about the surprise:... Hi Neighbours, we live on your block. Here are some seeds to plant in the spring. If COVID shows up again or just because, we’re all here to look out for each other as best we can. What an awesome way to get to know your neighbours. We might just have to steal those words for our own letters! To read Joni's contribution to our Everyday Connectors series, follow this link https://befriend.org.au//covid-19-sta/everyday-connectors/

20.01.2022 Let's make Christmas a time for connection Sometimes Christmas can feel a little lonely. You might have someone in your life who is worried about spending the day alone or not being able to see their family. Whatever the reason is, let's support each other to feel seen, connected, and part of a bigger community of people **List of ideas and links below** If there's an event or group you're involved in then pop it in the comments for others to get involved! ... Have a community Christmas lunch - https://www.joondalupchristmaslunch.com/ Write a Christmas card - https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club//274405013/ Volunteer - https://govolunteer.com.au/volunteering/in-perth-wa-6000 Video call family and friends -https://www.dementia.org.au//A-Guide-to-Using-Zoom-for-Mee Invite a plus one to your family lunch Give someone a phone call Have a street Christmas with your neighbours Don't celebrate Christmas? Reach out to someone who also doesn't!

19.01.2022 Australia Post now encourages the use of Traditional Place names on postal addresses We want to challenge our online community to find out what’s the Traditional Place name on your postal package? Step 1: Pick a friend or loved one to send a letter to. Step 2: Find out what the Traditional Place name is of that postal address. You can use this map of Indigenous Australia: https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia. ... Step 3: Follow the Australia post guidelines for writing it on your envelope, slap that postage stamp on, and pop it in the mail: https://auspost.com.au//check-sendin/addressing-guidelines Step 4: Comment below the Traditional Place name you’re sending your post to, or tag a mate so they can send you a letter too! Let’s learn about the land we live on and decolonise our language, together, one postal address at a time

18.01.2022 The December period can be difficult, even under normal circumstances. It’s that time of the year when Christmas items keep popping up and you start saying existential things like Is it that time of the year already?!. So, let’s reach out! Whether it’s an old friend, a family member or someone in your community; having someone to talk to is SO good for your mental health and helps deepen your connection with others Here are some tried and tested ways you can reach out (w...ithout having to say how are you): Phone a friend and tell them you miss them Share a funny meme or some good news you have Ask someone to video chat or play an online game together Wish someone a good day and let them know you’re grateful to spend time together Offer to help with an errand or walk the dog together Got any great tips for our Befriend community? Let us know in the comments!

18.01.2022 The deadline for the Systems and Business Analyst position is this weekend, so make sure you get those final i's dotted and t's crossed by 11:59 pm on Sunday 2nd August! And, if you're still not sure if this is the position for you, we'll leave you with a quote from Befriend CEO Nick, which might give you something to reflect on "I believe this role has the potential to make our people and projects stronger, healthier, and more impactful. Our organisation has grown and ma...tured a lot in the past few years - It’s a great time for us to be investing in developing and enhancing our structures and ways of working to be more efficient and effective, giving us all a powerful home-base that enables and energises the work we do with people, organisations and communities". Good luck! https://befriend.org.au//jobs/systems-and-business-analyst/

17.01.2022 The holidays are comin', the holidays are comin' The Befriend Staff Team will be winding down for a little while over the festive holiday period to eat mince pies and sing Christmas carols (probably fairly badly). For the Befriend Social Network, this means that there won't be anyone around to answer the phone or respond to emails from Wednesday 23rd December until Monday 4th January. That being said, if you need more information about a group or gathering you're keen on a...ttending during this time, feel free to reach out to the Host directly via Meetup! We encourage Befriend Hosts to take the time they need over the holiday period too, so there is no requirement for the usual groups and gatherings to continue throughout the Christmas and New Year break - but keep an eye on Meetup because you never know what might be going on near you! https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club/ We hope that you spend time connecting and have a restful festive season! P.S. Check out the cakes, pressies, hand-made decorations and crocheted chrissy crackers laid out at the Crochet and Knitting Group's Befriendly Xmas Party in Kwinana! Santa's little helpers sure are creative...!

17.01.2022 Today marks the first day of NAIDOC Week 2020 The land that Befriend works upon is Whadjuk Boodjar. It always was and always will be Aboriginal land. NAIDOC Week is an awesome time to come together as a community to get to know the history of the land we live upon, the culture, stories, and truths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and their incredible achievements.... Shall we celebrate the 65,500 years-strong culture of First Nations people together? Have a read of these NAIDOC events and find one that you can get involved in https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/naidoc-week-events image sourced from https://www.naidoc.org.au/resources/naidoc-logo-and-banners #NAIDOC2020

15.01.2022 Did you know that the Befriend Social Network reaches all the way down to Mandurah? Check out what the Mandurah Mail has to say about Communi-tea; an event where community groups and service providers in the Mandurah area can drop in and have a chat over a cuppa https://www.mandurahmail.com.au//mandurah-not-for-profit/ Better yet, if you're based in the Mandurah/Peel area, come say hi! The next Communi-tea will be held at 2.30pm on September 3rd at Frasers Landing Com...munity Centre. RSVP on our Meetup page https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social//fnzwvrybcmbfb/

14.01.2022 Fun. Exciting. Strike. That’s the three words Shayne uses to describe the bowling event he hosts at Rosemount Bowl North Perth. Shayne’s been a Befriend host for almost a year now (wohoo!) His bowling event has 3 regulars that attend every week- and their group of bowlers are looking for some new faces to come say hello ... For the last year, Shayne has been hosting bowling every week on Wednesday. It began with a group organized by RUAH- until Shayne took over responsibility . Now, Shayne confidently organizes events and has something he looks forward to every single week. Interested in trying out some bowling? The next bowling event is this Wednesday (26th August) at 1.30. Come check it out! https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social//bnfhwrybclbjc/

13.01.2022 Introducing Rachel: Community Builder in the City of Canning area! Rachel recently joined the Befriend Team to help spark connections and build resilient neighbourhoods in the City of Canning, as part of the Connect in Canning project. Here are some things we know about Rachel: She’s a writer- as in, has written a whole book (wow!)... She gardens heaps and is a total nerd for biodiversity Her presence makes you feel very warm and welcome. If you see Rachel out and about, then feel free to say Hi! She’s always good to have a chat with and is so excited to see how she can help the Canning community feel connected and supported. You can reach out to Rachel by calling the Befriend mobile on 95208574 or emailing [email protected]. Welcome to the team Rachel!

12.01.2022 Check out this beautiful letter writing project helping to maintain social connections between children and elderly residents in Maroondah city, Victoria The joy a person gets from opening a letter will let them know that they are very much an important part of our community and that there are people thinking about them, - Maroondah Mayor Cr Mike Symon. What a thoughtful way to connect. Maybe it's time to bring back some old school letter writing skills... ... Read the article here https://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au//Children%E2%80%99s-lette

12.01.2022 You might remember some posts we put up last year for solo dwellers to take part in a photographic documentary project by Louise Gan. We’re super pleased to hear that a large amount of the Befriend community was interested and got involved, and, as a result drumroll you’re all invited to opening night! Home Alone by Louise Gan opens 6pm Friday 14th August at Ellenbrook Arts HQ. You can expect to see some thoughtful snapshots into the lives of 50 solo dwellers in WA, some ...live music from composer and pianist Ben Matthews, and maybe even a cheeky drink We are so excited to see how the project has developed over time, and hope you are too! https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/official-opening-and-book-l

11.01.2022 FREE community activities, local wildlife, and sustainability workshops? Can we get a "Hell Yeah"? Some Befriendly faces are attending EnviroFEST this Saturday at Whiteman Park, and they'd love to see you there. Simply click the link below, let them know your interest in attending, and get conservating! Befriend Social Network Meetup Event https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club//274466484/... EnviroFest details https://www.weekendnotes.com/envirofest-whiteman-park/

11.01.2022 What A Way To End The Year The City of Kwinana Community Awards was a big night for Befriend. One of our incredible community builders, Inger, was nominated for the Citizen of the Year 2020 award, and, in a double whammy, Befriend won the group/ event category for the Active Citizenship Award! A big shout out to the Befriendly community in Kwinana- this couldn't have happened without you and we are so delighted to see your achievements recognised and celebrated.

10.01.2022 Are you a female resident of Belmont? Do you have things to say about the support groups that exist already or you would like to see? Support groups are a great way to get together with local people to share coping strategies, feel empowered, and connect with your community. And as this very eventful year has proven, a little extra support can go a long way!... This Saturday (tomorrow!) from 1.30-3pm, our friends over at United in Diversity and City of Belmont, WA will present an online community engagement forum for you to have your say on the support groups in Belmont. This is a great opportunity to shape the way you want to engage and connect with your fellow residents following on from COVID-19, so if you're around, give the link a clickity click and share your ideas https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/uid-online-community-engage

09.01.2022 Tomorrow, the How’s Your Haal Project, in collaboration with Befriend, DrawHistory and headspace Armadale is hosting a dynamic conversation circle on the topic of - "How do we stay mentally healthy in times of radical unease?" 2020 has been a really challenging year and people have coped in different ways. This event is aimed at discussing the experiences of young people (ages of 18 and 30) who consider themselves as coming from a "Culturally and Linguistically Diverse" backg...round. If this is you, or this perspective interests you, How's Your Haal? would love to have you! Please be sure to register beforehand! There'll also be some food on the night.

09.01.2022 Would you like to learn how to support mental health and well being? We have limited spaces available in a FREE full-day workshop on Saturday 14th November. It will be presented by @mylocalmind in Fremantle from 9am - 4.30pm. The workshop will look at:... - Mental Health versus Mental Illness - Understanding Emotions - Causes of Mental Health Issues - Common Mental Health Issues - Burnout - Self-Care - Professional Support - Mindfulness Exercise To register your interest, fill out the form in this link https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSfj4BSyCUIEqhOzuC/viewform

08.01.2022 Last up in the Everyday Connectors series, we have a story from Sandra and Michael about their involvement in a Participant Reference Group, run through a local community service organisation. These meetings are a platform for service-users to connect with one another, share feedback to their provider, help inform their practices and shape the way that support is provided; above all, it's a place for ideas and connection! Sandra: Normally we would have these meetings in-pers...on about every two months, but we decided to do it on Zoom due to COVID-19. It was great actually because we had some participants join the online meeting from the Great Southern, which we never expected. We didn’t know that Zoom would be a great way to break down that barrier and make it an approachable situation. Two of the participants actually recognised each other right at the beginning and there was this moment of ‘is that you? It IS you! Nice to see you again, it’s been so long!’, and they had this moment of reconnection after many years. They’ve continued to catch up too and stay connected! One of the participants also did a great job at the Acknowledgement of Country, which was something he was keen to do. He was really proud of that because it’s a key role for a meeting and he felt proud to be the one doing that. Michael: I’ve been a part of the group since 2001. I wanted to be a part of it because I have a heart for people. I’m very compassionate. I wanted to get closer and closer and do more and more not just be a client. I’m a quick learner. I like being a part of the group because it encourages people to do more and how to do it and you gain confidence. You can just take your time and be patient. I’m a bit of a peacekeeper I like to keep the peace and tell people to keep calm when I need to!

07.01.2022 When did you last let your inner book-loving spirit out? For Caroline, starting a book club with Befriend was the first scary step towards inviting fun, friendship, and laughter into her life. Before Befriend I was extremely lonely.I knew I had to do something but when you are that low it’s hard to see a way out.... Anyway, I bit the bullet and started up a book club. It was slow at first but I did connect with one particular lady and we started to meet for a coffee occasionally. She was my shining star. She understood what I had gone through and we shared our stories with one another. Since then my life has gone in leaps and bounds. More groups, more fun, more laughter, and more connections. I feel my life is getting back to normal. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing but I feel you have to persevere and always remain positive and hopeful. Be less judgemental and open. Listening is always a great skill (my mum taught me that). Everyone has a story. Especially by the time you get to my age." Are book clubs your jam? Well, you're in luck! Caroline's next Butler Book Club will be at Dome Cafe from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 7th. What better way to meet new people than with an excellent book and a cup 'o coffee in your hands RSVP using the link below, and check out all the other amazing opportunities to meet new people on our Meetup page! https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club//272979854/

07.01.2022 Introducing Tom: Community Builder in the Caversham area! Tom’s recently joined the team and is excited to e-meet our community! He’s been hard at work meeting Befriend community members and building relationships within the Caversham/ Swan River area. Here are some things we’ve learned about Tom:... He’s lived and worked overseas. He grows giant zucchinis (see excellent selfie). He sometimes brings chocolates into the office- which are very well received. So, If you live around the Caversham area: reach out to Tom! You can do so by commenting down below, calling the Befriend mobile on (08) 9520 8574, or emailing [email protected]. He’s always happy to chat and see how he can help you and your community feel connected. Welcome to the team, Tom!

06.01.2022 Get involved in the Alkimos community We want to wish a big congratulations to the Wombat Crafts group for their Boomerang Bags project becoming a Sprout Hub Alkimos Vista Seedling Fund Finalist. These folks have been crafting with the Befriend community for some time now and it’s been lovely to watch them grow Not only does this incredible group of crafters create shopping bags out of fabric otherwise headed to landfill, but they also craft:... - Clothes for premmie babies - Uthando Dolls - Knitted boobies for mastectomy patients - Pouches for orphaned joeys - Bags to colour for children at the Mental Health Expo and NAIDOC day celebrations. What a whopping community effort! Want to get involved in the Alkimos community too? Here are a couple options: 1) Follow the link to the Sprout Hub Seedling Fund voting page, click the community initiative of your choice, and submit your vote on how $3000 is spent! https://buff.ly/3jF1UUf 2) Come visit the Wombat Crafts group! They’re a fun bunch of inclusive crafters who love having a cuppa and a chat. There are regular events to attend, so check out their Facebook page for more details https://www.facebook.com/Wombat-Crafts-115787903297069

06.01.2022 Befriend is recruiting again! (We know, what a busy, busy month this has been for us! It’s a good job we love meeting new faces and finding Befriendly folk who care about inclusion as much as we do!) We’re looking for a passionate and experienced Community Builder to work alongside local residents and organisations to support social connection in the Caversham area. This person will likely be equal parts creative and analytical, a listener, do-er, thinker and collaborator, a...nd most importantly, they’ll love seeing healthy communities flourish If that sounds like you, you can head over to our website to check out the full position description and application details https://befriend.org.au/abou//community-builder-caversham/ Applications close Sunday 23rd August at 11:59pm. Good luck!

05.01.2022 There’s no escaping the fact that 2020 has been a tough year. So now, more than ever, is an especially important time to check in on your friends, family, neighbours, co-workers and loved ones, to show them that you’re there and that you care. Reaching out to someone to ask one simple question, are you okay?, is a small but mighty gesture of support that could have huge ripple effects R U OK Day is a reminder of the power of human connection. Befriend Community Builder ...Valerie recently had the chance to share some of her experiences and story with the City of Canning for R U OK Day. There was a lot of anxiety with COVID, a lot of fear of the unknown. I felt helpless; how can I help my friends when I can’t help them get a new job or make them feel better immediately? But instead, I focused on what I can do... what is my value in this space? For me, it’s all about creating space for conversation. Check out the full video just below Head to www.ruok.org.au for more information on how to have meaningful conversations with your loved ones around mental well-being. There’s some fantastic resources supporting this years theme of knowing what to say after you ask RUOK?, which we really recommend looking through. https://youtu.be/7Yk3-6gxMNk

05.01.2022 Are you the Community Builder that the City of Canning is looking for? This is a new opportunity to join the Befriend team, offering support to an existing network of local residents and community connectors that has begun to flourish in the Canning area. This experienced and passionate individual will be: ... Supporting an existing network of 20-30 Canning residents with their community- connecting efforts (such as social groups, community volunteering and neighbourhood development projects) Facilitating points of connection between residents and the City of Canning to enable access to the information, resources and support needed to help bring community-led enrichment ideas to life Working in partnership with the City to grow the Community Connector network Developing partnerships and referral pathways with local community service organisations that support people at risk of social isolation Gathering data and stories of connection, lots of relationship-building and connecting people together, facilitating enriching community conversations... and so, so, much more So, if you're a community-minded do-er, listener, thinker, activator, supporter and a learner who lives, works or plays in the Canning area, then send the team your resume and cover letter as soon as you can. Applications will be assessed as they're received until we find the perfect match. The full job description and application details can be found on our website https://befriend.org.au/about-//canning-community-builder/ For any enquiries about the position, please contact the Befriend Community Building team on (08) 9520 8574 or [email protected].

04.01.2022 Next up in the Everyday Connectors series comes from Inger and Steve; co-hosts of The Singing Ukes; a well-established social singing, uke-playing group within The Befriend Social Network. Here’s what they had to say about how they stayed connected over the last few months. Steve: We quickly realised that the first pillar in keeping us together was that we needed to embrace social media and online technology. The thing with a singing group is that you can’t all sing toget...her because of the time-delay, so really, I needed to sing solo as the ‘leader’ and set the scene for the others and I was self-conscious of doing that in front of, not just our original members and familiar faces, but new ones too who were joining the group online! I decided that I couldn’t do this half-heartedly and had to give it a good go I quite enjoyed rising to the challenge! We had new members join us and they kept coming back so they must be enjoying themselves! We chat a lot, about all kinds of things sometimes, we’re so busy chatting and enjoying ourselves, it’s a struggle to get everyone back to playing! I enjoy seeing people get more out of their music and leave with big smiles on their faces. My biggest concern was how we stayed in touch with some who weren’t online. Inger: Although we didn’t have everyone’s contact details, we managed to keep the majority of the group in contact and connected in. Everyone knows somebody else in the group so we were able to share on news and send well-wishes. We sent SMS texts and emails even if we didn’t get a reply all the time, we all did our best to reach out to everyone. Steve did a USB drop-off with all the song music so we could all be playing the same songs each week. We encouraged members to share videos of them practising - that’s been great, actually! People who wouldn’t normally ‘lead’ or step-up had the confidence to go ‘solo’; we had people taping or sharing their progress or doing tutorials on finger picking so we could share it with a wider ukulele community online. The chats have been hilarious! Our tea-break in person would be more split and we’d chat in groups of two or three and mingle. But, the Zoom sessions were amazing and we learnt so much about each other because we’re all chatting together we were all part of the same conversation.

04.01.2022 Dr Jenny Brockis believes that connection is a basic human need "as important to our survival as air, food and water." We couldn't agree more In this article, Dr Brockis defines 7 tips for creating closer connections at work (but we like to be creative and assume they apply to all situations in life!) 1. Promote face-to-face interaction... 2. Take the time to connect 3. Be consistent 4. Show respect 5. Be kind 6. Have compassion 7. Retain empathy Happy connecting! https://news.theceomagazine.com//connections-dr-jenny-bro/

02.01.2022 Board games, cards, and a cheeky Friday night beverage? Don't mind if we do Whether you're keen to meet new people or you're a scattegories genius ready to take down your unsuspecting rivals ... we'd love to see you there! Come on down to Koorliny Arts Centre TONIGHT, from 7-10pm. ... Details on our Meetup page https://www.meetup.com/Befriend-Inc-Social-Club//273312704/

01.01.2022 "How can we help you create a more inclusive and connected world?" Our lovely Community Builder, Valerie, recently spent some time reflecting with the Armadale community on the question above. We thought we would share some of their very thoughtful answers: Support LGBTQ+ leaders in sharing their experiences.... Make sports more inclusive, everyone should have a chance to try. More accessible spaces. There should be more open conversations around what are common lies (myths) and what is the truth. What do you think is needed to create a more inclusive and connected world?