The Circular Head Council’s Community Services Team consists of three women – Deb Mainwaring (Recreation & Community Officer), Yvonne Stone (Community Development Officer) and Alysha House (Youth & Community Officer). Circular Head Mayor Daryl Quilliam nominated the team for their work fostering partnerships on youth and road safety.
Circular Head is situated in the far North West tip of Tasmania. The area is rich in agriculture, aquaculture, windfarms, timber and tourism. The area is famous for stunning rural landscapes and wild coastlines. Stanley, a seaside fishing village, is home to the famous ‘Nut’ which is a popular attraction for tourists. The largest town Smithton has 3,500 residents and there are smaller rural townships dotted throughout the municipality. Circular Head enjoys a mild climate with the ideal temperature and rainfall for producing excellent produce.
Deb’s role is to assist the committees that oversee the management of Council-owned recreational facilities, provide support to the Recreation Advisory Committee, Circular Head Road Safety Committee, Circular Head Liquor Accord, Emergency Services and committees that assist Council with organising community events.
Yvonne administers the annual Community Small Grants Scheme and is involved with the Service Providers Access Network group, the Circular Head Education and Consultative Committee, and Emergency Services, and she liaises with the UTAS Rural Clinical School and organises community events.
Alysha’s role focuses on the youth of the municipality. She coordinates the Circular Head Youth Leaders Council, liaises with local high schools, arranges youth activities, represents Circular Head on state youth organisation boards, assists with the coordination of the Youth Centre, leads a youth singing group and assists with community events.
The team’s main focus is the ‘balance your life’ health and wellbeing initiative, the department’s overarching wellness program that encourages the physical, emotional, cultural and economic aspects of the community. The team recognises the importance of a balanced approach to service delivery, and aims to build on the strong foundations already established, ensuring the continued development and promotion of the community and its identity.
Deb said the team works well together because they all have a passion for the community, and want to ensure Circular Head is a great place to live where everyone feels valued and included. Their success comes from providing programs and activities that appeal to residents.
“I believe that our caring natures, openness and willingness to help people make our initiatives successful. Also patience, a sense of humour and honesty are important qualities to have.”
The three women say they are fortunate to have a great working relationship and recognise each other’s strengths and weaknesses. When one of the team members seems a little overwhelmed someone is always there to pick them up and share the workload. Teamwork is vital when working in Community Services and prioritising is essential.
The biggest challenge facing the Community Services team is the increasing workload, not just in their department but in the Council as a whole. Recent years have seen local governments take on responsibilities outside of those with which they are traditionally associated, including the delivery of health, education and public safety initiatives. Greater community expectations have also put additional pressures on their combined roles.
The team is currently working on youth projects such as the Winter Woollies collection and Out in the Cold Sleep Out, and monthly activities for youth during 2013. They are also undertaking a recreation review of the committees that manage Council facilities; they’re involved with an evaluation of the Community Road Safety Partnerships program; also implementing a rural roads awareness campaign; supporting Responsible Service of Alcohol education; and the Lifting Literacy in Circular Head Project.
