AIM

On 28 January 2005, representative members of the Slovenian community in Victoria,

held a meeting to establish the Welfare and Information Office.

Our mission is to:

• assist elderly citizens within the Victorian Slovenian Community in their needs,
• assist in the relief of poverty amongst elderly Slovenian in Victoria
• provide information and guidance in relation to health, pension and general welfare
• requirements,
• organize cultural and social activities
• arrange visits and consultation with elderly and sick members of Victorian Slovenian Community
• give advice to Slovenians on their problems:
• Slovenian Pension, Slovenian Shares, Slovenian Citizenship, Slovenian Property problems etc. (Refer to Secretary of Slovenian Embassy.)
• Australian Pension, Medical and accommodation assistance, travelling assistance for handicapped people etc. (Refer to Centrelink printed information in Office.)
• Arrange where possible to assist people in need and ascertain their requirements,
• Organize social activities, outings and Bus trips as per requirements.

To offer assistance and information with regards to general needs within the Slovenian Community.

You can call us on telephone number 0404 713 242, or send a fax to 03 9853 7600,

or send a message to e-mail address:   slovwelfare@bigpond.com

or  spgorup37@gmail.com .

Our office is open every Sunday (except second) after a mass, from 11am to 12pm, at address 19 A’Beckett Street , Kew. Office is also open every first and third Thursday in a month from 10am to 12pm, by appointment only.

HISTORY

The first to take the initiative to establish this constitution was Mrs Helena Leber at a meeting of Slovenian community in the Hall of Cyril and Method in Kew on 26 November 2003. She invited to the meeting all representative members of Slovenian community. At that meeting she indicated a pressing need for welfare and strong needs for health and social help for people who do not know where to get help. Approximately 90 people attended that meeting and majority of Slovenian clubs and media supported the idea. They held a few meetings but things did not move ahead.

In 2005, the matter was taken in hand by Mr Peter Mandelj, President of Council of Slovenian Organizations of Victoria. He consulted with Slovenian Club Presidents and some other important people who supported idea about welfare for Slovenian community. On 28 January 2005 the inaugural meeting was held to establish the Slovenian Welfare Office.

The meeting were attended: Mr P. Mandelj, Fr C. Božič OFM OAM, Mrs S. Čeferin, Mr and Mrs S. Srnec, Mr F. Toplak, Mr and Mrs M. Ogrizek, Mr J. Caf, Mr and Mrs R. Crooks, Mr S. Penca, Mr R. Carmody, Mr L. Lenko and Mrs M. Lenarčič.

Mr P. Mandelj OAM was elected as the Chairman.

Suggested names for the organisation were discussed and it was agreed it should be: Slovenian Welfare & Information Office. They set up a structure:

• Management Committee, Executive Committee with responsibility to run the constitution
  • Management Committee, izvrsni odbor, z odgovornostjo delovanja Urada v celoti
• Management Sub-Committee with responsibility to run the office and contact with people
  • Management Sub-Committee, pod-odbor z odgovornostjo za delovanje pisarne in kontakte s strankami.

The constitution was established. On the following meetings the Management Committee elected functionaries, prepared and accepted rules, started procedure about incorporation, applied for financial help, supplied office equipment, telephone line and determined working hours.

Office was open May 2005 at Slovenian language class room, Baraga house Kew, every Tuesday from 11am until 3pm with supervision by Mrs S. Crooks, Mrs Z. Pertusio, Mrs L. Srnec and later Mrs S. Gorup.

At this social gathering people listened to Slovenian music, played cards, working craft, knitted, crocheted or just chatted.