Supporting emergency services on Brisbane’s southside

The Kyabra Community Centre, which provides wide-ranging community services on Brisbane’s southside, will receive a $40,000 grant from the Australian Government for capital upgrades to water tanks and outdoor lighting.

Announcing the grant, the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin said the funding recognised the significant contribution made by Kyabra to the local community.

“The services provided by the Kyabra Community Centre in Runcorn reach out to some of the most vulnerable, at-risk people and families in the local community.

“They include the homeless, people escaping violence, those with mental health problems and those who have English as a second language,” she said.

The Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett said the Kyabra Community Centre’s chief role was to provide emergency relief for people who had nowhere else to turn.

“Every year more than 500 families turn to Kyabra for the services the organisation has provided for more than 30 years.

“These services include offering food and medicine vouchers, financial assistance and help with accommodation,” he said.

The Kyabra Community Association also runs the successful Woman’s Lounge intensive course on domestic and family violence and the Friendship Group to connect African women in the area.

In partnership with the Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma, it operates school programs such as Peace Building using sport to develop relationship skills as well as the Cultural Leaders course for students in year 11 who may be at risk of social exclusion.

“This grant of $40,000 from the Australian Government will be used on basic, capital works that underpin the Kyabra Community Centre’s ongoing work. It demonstrates the Government’s commitment to the on-the ground services that meet the special needs of local communities,” Ms Macklin said.