Advocate, EISTEN JOYEUX  p.11 – 22 Nov 2011

THE indigenous community now has its own place within the Latrobe municipality.
Yesterday the new Aboriginal Community Service Centre was opened in Latrobe, giving indigenous people what Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation general manager Alan Radford described as a ”place” and sense of belonging.

”For two years the community has been lost, and there was a need for services to be able to be delivered in culturally appropriate ways,” he said.

The new centre will facilitate the delivery of a community aged care program, drug and alcohol services, and life skills development.

There will also be weekend activities offered to the indigenous and non-indigenous community teaching cultural practices, which can be used as a tourism development that links in with Devonport’s Tiagarra.

The property has a central office with each of the directors rooms, a lounge space for the public and a health consultation room. There is also a large garden and paved outdoor area with utility spaces potentially for an artist in residence.

Mr Radford said the reason the corporation didn’t buy land and build was because it was important the centre felt like a home. The centre was funded through a million pre-election promise grant from David Bartlett.

It is expected around 3500 people will use the services provided from the centre each year.
The Centre is located at 26 Gilbert St, Latrobe, open 8.30am-4.30pm and will also run some weekend activities.