BUILDING connections and community beyond the bricks and mortar of Berri Community Centre is at the heart of ac.care’s Riverland services hub.
Dozens of people gathered at the Kealley Street centre on June 4 to officially celebrate the site’s status as Berri Community Centre, which was made possible through long-term Department of Human Services funding.
Additional resources have now flowed into combating social isolation and promoting a strong sense of belonging for people at the centre, which is home to ac.care’s Riverland services, including foster care, homelessness, emergency relief, financial counselling, Aboriginal services, family and youth support and more.
ac.care Berri Community Centre coordinator Sue Dayman encouraged people from all walks of life to connect with the centre to support their needs, as well as create connections and strengthen community with others.
“People may come in to access a particular service or support, but we just take you under our wing and we look after you,” Sue said.
“We want the centre to be a place where people feel they belong, where they can just come along and be part of a community,” she said.
“This is also a space that can be shared by our community, such as other groups or organisations who may want to use our outdoor kitchen, our conference room or some of our other facilities.”
A highlight of the opening day celebration was by ac.care client service officer Jeanne Gilgen, who bravely recalled her own struggle with social isolation that eventually led to no regular human interactions.
“It got to the point where I rang up ac.care and I was very, very upset,” Jeanne said.
Jeanne then spoke with Sue, who invited her to join in a weekly craft group, one of several regular free social opportunities provided at Berri Community Centre.
“I came to the craft lessons, and it wasn’t enough for me, and I asked if I could do some volunteering,” Jeanne recalled.
Supporting the emergency relief program and eventually obtaining casual work as a client service officer, Jeanne has since taken on a permanent part-time role.
“This has really changed my life – completely changed it around,” she said.
“Now I see people, I am able to care about people, connecting with people from all walks of life, and that has completed me.
“It has given me everything that I didn’t even realise I needed.”
Community centre a symbol in plight against loneliness
ac.care community services executive manager Kirsty Barnett said Berri Community Centre was more than bricks and mortar and was a symbol against the quietest epidemic facing humanity – loneliness.
“Despite increasing populations of people and all those technological solutions that claim to create community, many, many people feel invisible or isolated,” Kirsty said.
“Beyond the obvious individual health impacts, loneliness can impact our sense of purpose and self-worth in a world which emphasises independence and encourage virtual interactions.
“Many people lack deep, consistent connections. It is not a personal issue, it is a public issue affecting communities.
“That’s why spaces like this centre matter so much.
“We want this place to demonstrate what is possible when care is put into action somewhere, where we genuinely invest in people, where we encourage friendships to form, for stories to be shared, for help to be offered and received, and for people to be truly valued.
“Let this be your place where you find your people and where community is more than a word.”
These sentiments were echoed by ac.care chief executive Shane Maddocks, who said the centre created a safe environment and opportunity for people to come together and connect to each other.
“Make those connections and then go out and keep those connections,” Shane said.
“Use us as much as you can to connect to each other, to find new friends, to find a job,” he said.
“The magic that happens here in this place with some amazing staff and volunteers, that magic can continue to happen out in the community.”
Shane said this would help strengthen the fabric of communities, helping to support children and young people to thrive in regional South Australia.
“We want them to stay here to grow, work, live, contribute, play sport and thrive in these country communities.”
Minister praises role of community centres
Human Services Minister Natalie Cook said Berri Community Centre would be a space for people to connect and support each other.
“Community centres are more than just physical locations; they are important community hubs that nurture the wellbeing of individuals and families,” Minister Cook said.
“They offer services, resources and opportunities to those who need it most, whether it is access to educational programs, a safe space or volunteering opportunities,” she said.
“I appreciate the endeavours of the organizations like ac.care, their ongoing support for rural communities, and I look forward to seeing how the Berri Community Centre grows over time.”
Berri Community Centre is part of the Department of Human Services-funded Community and Neighbourhood Development program.
Drop by the Berri Community Centre at 5 Kealley Street, Berri or call 8580 5300 to learn more about ac.care’s services.
Follow the Berri Community Centre noticeboard – ac.care on Facebook to stay connected to the latest news, events and opportunities at the centre.
