The East Creek Community Centre of Toowoomba is one of three finalists for the Prime Super Community of the Year Award, whilst Sharon Boyce of Toowoomba is one of three finalists in the Clark Rubber Regional Service Award in this year’s Queensland Regional Achievement and Community Awards.
The Awards Program is presented by WIN Television and recognises groups, business, individuals and communities who play a vital role in enhancing the social, environmental and economic prosperity of regional and rural Queensland.
East Creek Community Centre
Since its inception in 1988, the East Creek Community Centre has been staffed by volunteers who have a passion to provide leadership and support by providing their community with a vital resource. The centre initiated a program -“Back to work- Wages subsidy Scheme” as well as the “Skills for Life” Program which offers basic numeracy and literacy skills to those over 18 to assist them in gaining employment within the local community. The Centre also actively supports the local youth of their area including assisting migrants and refugees by providing programs which allow them to easily assimilate into the community.
With the support from the local community, East Creek Community Centre hopes to continue their strong relationships with volunteers and those who use the centre on a regular basis; with the hope to further develop programs and initiatives that will benefit the disadvantaged in their local community.
Sharon Boyce
Sharon Boyce of Toowoomba is one of three finalists in the Clark Rubber Regional Service Award.
With a strong passion to work with children with learning difficulties, Sharon works part time in early childhood education at the University of Southern Queensland and with students across the Toowoomba and Darling Downs Regions. Suffering herself with a physical disability, confined to a wheel chair, Sharon has worked in conjunction with Dr Michael Furtardo to run an educational consultancy program “Discovering DisAbility and Diversity”, a program which has a major focus on the promotion of inclusive practices within an educational setting. With the success of the program Sharon hopes that with the support of the Regional Disability Council in Toowoomba (she is currently the Chair) the program will continue int0 the future.
Through the program, Sharon promotes the need to encourage, motivate and the help people celebrate diversity and practice equality in all things and in all ways of life. Sharon has also developed a disability and diversity awareness program which travels the Toowoomba Region to ensure adults understand how to teach their children about difference. Sharon hopes to continue to promote the message of disability and ability and continue to network her program with other programs in the community for years to come.
The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner on Saturday 12th November at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Surfers Paradise. Tickets are on sale now, to book please phone 1300 735 445.