IF YOU want to know more about the community services that are available in the Griffith region, many of them will be all in one spot this week when they take part in the annual Community Services Expo at Griffith Central.
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To be held on Thursday, June 27, the event is a one-stop shop to find out more about the community services and, with so many providers in one spot, most bases will be covered.
The Community Services Expo is organised by Griffith Community Centre co-ordinator Barbara Penninga, who said it started from participants at a regular inter-agency meeting of service providers wanting to spend more time discussing issues.
"Now it has turned into this," Ms Penninga said.
"This" being the fifth annual expo, which will be one of the biggest yet with the number of stallholders capped at 50.
In fact, there will be so many stalls this year that they will be spread over two sites at the shopping centre - with one grouping in front of Ritchies IGA and another group in front of Target.
The expo is an excellent starting ground for information.
- Organiser Barbara Penninga
"We started spread out over the whole centre, but the feedback was it doesn't work because the service providers didn't feel connected," Ms Penninga said of the expo's evolution. "We also tried over two days and one day.
"Then we came to the decision that it would always be on a Thursday between 10am and 2pm, and it works well.
"This year it will not just be the Ritchies side. Because it is growing we will have to also use the Target side (of the centre)."
All of the services each has one table and they bring brochures, information and promotional paraphernalia.
"It is a good opportunity to find out what you want to learn," Ms Penninga said.
It is not just service providers that benefit from taking part, with the general community reaping the benefits of having so much information available in one place.
Ms Penninga said service providers are keen to talk to the public, as well as amongst themselves.
"People don't always know everything about services that are available," she said. "It can be hard to get around and find them all and services also change over time.
"The expo is an excellent starting ground for information."
There is no pressure on people to stop for a chat.
"You can just take a business card, for example, and contact a provider later in your own time.
"There's a few services coming from Sydney, including Justice NSW and NSW Police will be there to talk about scammers.
"Centrelink will be there and Headspace.
"They're all different and all as important as each other."
Griffith Central has always thrown its support behind the event, not just hosting it but also promoting it in the lead up the Thursday.
"I think it is fantastic that (centre manager) Cheryl Wood is letting us go there and setting up for free," Ms Penninga said.
"She does a lot of work for us."
2019 stallholders
WITH a shade under 50 participants at this year's event, the stalls for the 2019 Community Services Expo will be spread over two areas at Griffith Central, with stalls at each end of the centre.
Ritchies IGA end
- Griffith Community Centre/Griffith Carevan
- Forrest Community Services
- LiveBetter Community Services
- Guide dogs NSW/ACT
- Griffith Community Health Centre
- Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association
- Argyle Housing
- Griffith City Library
- FACS Housing
- The Personnel Group
- Salvation Army - Murrumbidgee Accommodation & Housing Service
- Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service
- Western Riverina Community College
- Wellways
- Ningana Enterprises Inc
- Kurrajong
- Griffith Post School Options
- RAMHP - MLHD
- Pathways
- The Yambil Hub
- Intereach
- DHS Centrelink
- Community Mental Health
- Mission Australia
- Griffith Suicide & Prevention Support Group
- TAFE NSW
- NSW Justice
- MHPN
- Rural Financial Counselling Service
- Griffith Prostate Cancer Support Group
- Headspace Griffith
- CVGT
- Centacare
- Many Rivers and Business Enterprise Centre (BEC)
- Anglicare
- Flourish Australia
- Linking Communities Network
- Australian Hearing
Target end
- Griffith Shed for Men
- Soroptimist Griffith
- Community Drug & Alcohol Team
- Murrumbidgee - Community Care Home and Community Care Services
- GROW NSW
- NSW Police
- OCTEC
- Regional Disability Advocacy Service
- Service NSW
- Western Riverina Family Daycare