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Quality Relationships Alliance Inc Mandurah WA

Stronger Families Learning Exchange Bulletin No.5 Autumn 2004 p.41-42

A Second Look - the project provides an update on progress

The last six months for QRA have been a fever of activity. The beginnings of the journey for QRA presented a number of frustrations in getting themselves operational (see before and after pictures), which to some degree could have hindered the development from its embryonic stage to that of a fledgling community NFP organisation. Despite these initial frustrations however, the support, determination, commitment and enthusiasm of its members, Board of Management, staff and Volunteers, have enabled QRA to strive towards its goals and Shared Vision. QRA have built on existing quality relationships and formed many new ones within its local community towards fostering the building and strengthening of the local Mandurah Community.

What have you been doing in the last six months?

In the last 6 months QRA have:

Offered a number of network opportunities which has seen membership increase. QRA also thanked its many volunteers (which are steadily growing in numbers) in December with a celebration prior to the holiday period.

Developed and initiated a number of partnerships premised on the principles of cooperation and collaboration. In particular QRA played a key part in facilitating the coming together of local agencies to work together to form an on-line community directory. This directory is a valuable resource for the Peel community, providing up-to-date information on agencies and types of services, as well as the facility to register new agencies and update information on line. This website can be viewed at http://www.peeldirect.com.au/

Worked in partnership with other Stronger Families Stronger Communities Projects namely the Community Builders. This was achieved through joint participation in:

• Family Support Days - QRA worked closely with the City of Mandurah Community Builders and participated in the Falcon Family Centre 'Community Day'. This involved setting up an information stall providing information to community members on the organisation of QRA, the value of quality relationships and a calendar of events/ educational and training opportunities happening locally.
• Small focus groups - QRA participated in co-facilitating an initial small focus group meeting in partnership with the Community Builder at Coodanup. This opportunity enabled a number of young people of Coodanup to begin to identify and express some of their ideas towards fostering the building and strengthening of their particular local community.
• Childrens Art Festival Exhibition - QRA also participated in the local Children's Art Day coordinated by the Central Mandurah Community Builder. A big thank you goes out to our Administration Assistant Theresa, who put her many talents to use in setting up and running an information stall. This again provided a wonderful opportunity to raise public awareness about the value of quality relationships and the role modelling of the community development principles of collaboration and cooperation. QRA are also delighted to be able to work in partnership with the City of Mandurah, Coodanup Community Builder, during Harmony Week, through providing the resources for a drumming workshop and hire of equipment to raise awarenss and celebrate the diversity that exists within our particular communtiy and to promote harmony.

QRA also worked in partnerhsip with a number of other government and non government organsiations during Child Protection week These included a feature in the QRA newsletter on 'Strenthening Relationships with Children' provided by the local Mandurah Parents Place, a display at the QRA office of information on parenting and other related articles and brochures.

Professional Development and Training: QRA have run a successful professional development and training opportunity for human service providers, on group facilitation; for which they received a favourable response from the participants with 90% indicating they were highly satisfied with the workshop and 100% indicating they would be interested in attending future professional development/ training opportuniites.

Strategic Planning - QRA have recently undergone a period of strategic planning and consolidation and have many more professional development and relationship educational opportunities planned from now until the end of June 04.