The Community Centre houses a range of vital services; including emergency relief, a homeless drop in centre, homeless and community breakfast, a Buddhist food bank, financial counselling, budget counselling, community counselling, legal advice, tax assistance, breast cancer support group, harmony cultural group, and a No Interest Loans Scheme.
The Centre helps people in need by providing food, electricity, telephone, and transport vouchers.
Appointments are Monday and Friday afternoons and applicants need to bring:
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What is NILS?
The Byron Community No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) provides interest free loans for members of the Byron Shire community on low incomes. It is a community based program. NILS is generally loaned for the purchase of essential items like a fridge or washing machine.
You must have lived in the Byron Shire for at least 6 months to be eligible.
The Cottage is open Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm to provide food and hot drinks, daytime shelter and safe storage for belongings. It offers a caring environment where the needy, lonely and disconnected of our community experience a sense of being valued and supported.
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The 2009 edition of the Community Directory has sold out but reference copies are available at the Centre during office hours. Over 1000 local organisations are listed including family, education, sport, spiritual groups, health, environment, arts, Aboriginal groups, emergency accommodation, youth, women, men, government, support groups and many others.
Click Here to download the Community Directory (88 page word doc)
The Liberation Larder project provides hot food and drinks plus food parcels every Monday and Thursday at 12.30pm. Coordinated by Rhonda Kong (0431 523 310), the project ‘liberates’ food from local businesses and re-distributes it to anyone in need. Operating from the Fletcher Street Room, the Liberation Larder also provides a comfortable place to sit and chat. For more information contact Helen Hamiliton (President) 0439 409 655.
www.liberationlarder.org
Every Wednesday between 7.30am and 9am a dedicated crew provides breakfast for Byron’s homeless from the Fletcher Street Room.
This is one of the longest standing community services in Byron Bay.
(There are also free meals provided for anyone in need in Railway Park on Tuesdays at 12.30pm and Fridays at 4pm and St Vincent)
The Centre now has a Community Counsellor. Suzanne Bourchier, B Soc Sci (Counselling), Grad Dip Psych, BA (Hons) (Psychology) will be providing this free service. Suzanne is awaiting approval as a provisional psychologist by the regulatory board of that profession and has an interest in working with anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, feelings of low self-worth, stress, grief, chronic illness, body image issues, or anyone who just feels stuck in their lives. You are welcome to visit Suzanne on Mondays or Tuesdays. Up to five free sessions are available. To make an appointment see reception staff or call on 6685 6807
The AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) is now offering a new counselling service based at Byron Bay community centre on Wednesdays. This service is designed to meet the needs of the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) and their families and those who may have HIV. Counselling sessions are facilitated by qualified practitioners and are free of charge or by donation. For appointments and further information please call Renia Gryc 02 6622 1555 or 1800 063 060
The Centre, in partnership with local lawyer Stephen Hegedus, is now offering free legal advice for people of limited financial means. The service aims to provide basic legal advice, to help people identify strategies for more complex matters and to offer referrals to experienced local practitioners. Please call 66856807 to arrange a consultation.
Financial Counselling is a free service that offers support to anyone who is having money problems, in particular with debts. This service helps you understand your rights, look at your options and offers support when you decide what to do. Financial Counselling can help with:
Housing Support advice is available from a BEAP representative on Tuesdays 10am -1pm to help with:
To make an appointment please call 6685 6807
Budget Counselling is a free and confidential service to help you work out where your money is going, how to save and how to get on top of your bills. Available on the last Friday of the month by appointment through reception on 6685 6807.
Police 6685 9499
Hospital 6685 6200
Accommodation Crisis (Beap) 6685 8477
Byron Youth House 6685 7264
DV Crisis Line 1800 656 463
Mental Health Access Line 1300 369 968
Lifeline 131114
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