News

Ongoing funding for MDAS Robinvale services

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 04:34:00

Security has been provided to key services for families being delivered by Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) in Robinvale.

MDAS stepped in to deliver family services to the Koori community at Robinvale in 2015 with non-recurrent funding from the Department of Health and Human Services.
But MDAS chief executive officer Rudolph Kirby said he was thrilled with confirmation from DHHS that funding for the services would now be ongoing.
“This gives our staff and the community confidence that these important services are secure and here for the long-term,” Mr Kirby said.
“We’ve had a fantastic response from the community in the one and a half years we have been in Robinvale and we have also forged a strong working relationship with Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative in that time,” he said.
“We now know that the services will be ongoing, and we can continue building on the good work we have done so far.”
Ongoing funding has been confirmed for Family Services including program areas - Youth Justice; Indigenous Family Violence/Time Out Services, Integrated Family Services; Kinship care; Supported Accommodation and Assistance program and Men’s Behaviour Change Program.
MDAS Manager of Family Services Andy Charles said the community’s engagement with the Robinvale services had grown strongly in the past year.
“This was a partnership with the Robinvale community to fill the void in terms of services provided under contract from the DHHS and we have seven staff now working from the McLennan Drive site,” Mr Charles said.
“Our client numbers have grown steadily since we set up the service, growing to upwards of 50 clients in the past year,” he said.
“Our intention, by stepping into provide services at Robinvale, was to work with DHHS and the community to find a long-term solution and confirmation of ongoing funding is evidence that DHHS is happy with what we are doing.
“But the number of clients coming through the door every month, including new clients, indicates that, most importantly, the community is happy with the service and support it’s receiving.”