Inner West Council

Our local grant makes a splash at KU Crusader Preschool Last week, Jon Stiebel, Urban Sustainability Manager and Asia Blamey, Environment Officer, joined KU Children's Services (KU Crusader Preschool) in Marrickville to celebrate the grand unveiling of their new frog pond and rainwater tank. With the support of an Inner West Council Grant, the preschool has transformed their outdoor space with an ecosystem for frogs to support children's learning. The rainwater tank will conserve water for the garden and wildlife, while the pond provides a safe and thriving habitat for new froggy friends. Families at the service have created frog hotels for extra security. The project aims to support children’s growing ecological awareness and stewardship of the environment.

At the Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards, our Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) community engagement project won the Behaviour Change in Waste Award for division C (>70,000 residents). The award recognises the numerous approaches that were undertaken to consult and engage the community about FOGO through face-to-face, print and digital channels. The internal staff training sessions and extensive efforts to reach our culturally and linguistically diverse residents were two standout components not seen in other council rollouts. The service continues to exceed expectations with high volumes of food being collected and low contamination rates. Congrats team!

Parramatta River Catchment Group (PRCG) and Inner West Council partnered with Ocean Crusaders to clean up hard to reach (underwater) large waste items from near Canal Road/Lilyfield parts of the bay run.    Ocean Crusaders took Alexi Gilchrist and Angela Dunnett from PRCG and officers from Resource Recovery Planning and Urban Ecology team’s Emily M., Zoë Duffin-Pruksapun, Talen Rimene and Whitney-May Lever out on their boat to help dredge up: 🚣 A small dinghy 🛒 2x shopping trolleys 🗑️ An inner west 240L bin 🚯 Many pieces of wood, pipes, plastic and A LOT of litter   Thank you, Erin White and Chris Ryan from the Resource Recovery Operations team for organising a truck and crew to clean up all the bulky waste the morning after, as well as Camila Drieberg, River Keeper from the PRCG for coordinating the event. 

Today we held our Recovery and Healing Panel to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.   It was an honour to hold such a powerful event at Marrickville Pavilion, alongside passionate advocates and organisations working towards a world free from violence 💜 We started the panel with a grounding and healing smoking ceremony led by Aboriginal women Cultural Advisor Deb Lennis and Taruna. Jess Tobin, Aboriginal Artist and Dharag woman, led the audience and services through a weaving practice, sharing cultural ssignficantce of weaving in healing, and grounding.   The panel, facilitated by Karen Bevan (CEO of Full Stop Australia), focused on the healing journey for victim-survivors of gender-based violence.   We heard from incredible speakers, including: Amani Haydar – Keynote Speaker, Author, Artist, Advocate & Lawyer, sharing her personal story of recovery. Rebecca Glenn – Centre for Women's Economic Safety, who highlighted, “we live in an economy, not a society.” Dr. Ses Salmond – Leichhardt Women's Community Health Centre Inc, on the importance of healthcare for survivors. Biljana Milosevic – Jannawi Family Centre, emphasising culturally sensitive support. Louise Hammond – proud Mandandanji and Gunggari woman, CEO of Midjuburi Youth Resource Centre – discussing the impact of colonisation, the continued impacts of gender based violence on Aboriginal women, and the cultural healing and work she is facilitating with young aboriginal women    This panel highlighted the need for continued advocacy, support services, and pathways to healing.   A key takeaway was the importance of financial security, healthcare, legal protection, and emotional well-being in a survivor’s recovery.   It was a morning of sobering, insightful and rich discussion, and deep listening, services and communities standing together to say no to gender based violence. But the work isn’t over. Domestic and family violence remains a critical issue in Australia, with alarming statistics calling for action. We all have a role to play in ending this violence and supporting survivors.   Thanks to all the organisations involved for making this crucial conversation possible. Let’s continue the fight for justice and healing ✊

Last week we held our 2024 Values & Pillars Awards to recognise the exceptional efforts of our people across all areas of Inner West Council. This is an annual event in celebration of our Values and this year we added new categories to reflect our organisation’s Pillars. The event was a huge success – 104 employees filling the Centurions Lounge at Leichhardt Oval reconnecting, celebrating each other’s success and taking pride their achievements. The day was also a special opportunity to acknowledge our staff receiving Service Awards for achieving the milestones of 10, 15, 25, 30, 35 and an astonishing 40 years of service with Council. This shows remarkable commitment to our community and we are grateful to all those recognised for their continued service. Congratulations to our Service Award winners and a special acknowledgement of Craig Barnett, Darrin Condon, Ken Major, Michael Pizzuto and Tanya Barton who marked an incredible 40 years of service at Council!

As part of Council's Inclusion Festival and to celebrate the International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), Council partnered with Disability Sports Australia to deliver the Building Inclusive Sport Clubs workshop for the local sporting community on Monday. The workshop was attended by 17 local sport clubs and organisations and focused on creating sustainable, inclusive practices and programs to ensure people with disabilities can access and participate in sport. Keynote speaker CHRISTIE DAWES, a 7-time Paralympian and three-time medallist, shared her insight, experience, and knowledge as a wheelchair racer. The workshop also included a panel discussion with individuals who have lived experience and expertise in the disability sector, sharing practical advice on how to create more inclusive sporting environments. The event equipped participants with practical knowledge, co-design principles, and strategies for incorporating inclusivity into their sport programs, along with opportunities to network with other clubs and organisations.

The 2024 Inclusion Festival was a powerful celebration of disability pride, featuring a moving flag-raising ceremony, and guests including Nas Campanella, Kitty Farrell and Daniel McDonald. A rich panel discussed this year's theme of "amplifying the leadership of people with disability," followed by vibrant performances from Jamal Abdul, Lara Nahkle, and more 💜 In its eighth year, the festival continues to honour inclusion, community, and leadership 🤝 If you attended let us know what you thought: https://lnkd.in/g5GAmYrp 📷 Shane Rozario

Happy International Day of People with Disability! 🌟   Today we celebrate the leadership and innovation of people with disability. The theme for IDPWD 2024 is “amplifying the leadership of people with disability for an inclusive and sustainable future.”   At Inner West Council, we’re proud to be an Employer of Choice for people with disability, offering initiatives like: 🌻 Traineeship Programs 🌻 Disability Employee Network (DEN) 🌻 Disability Inclusion Action Plan 🌻 Hidden Sunflower Campaign   Join us tonight at Petersham Town Hall for a Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony followed by a night of conversation, entertainment, and delicious food.   Register for free: https://lnkd.in/gX6xRTZT   All are welcome! 🌍✨

We had a fantastic induction day at the Centurion Lounge, where we welcomed all our new staff to Council. A huge thanks to Michelle Carpenter, Charles McCall Mitchell and Julia Phillips for their incredible hard work and effort organising a fantastic induction, where 73 new staff members were treated to a brand-new format for induction into Inner West Council. Our Executive Team introduced the work of their directorates in a newly introduced, interactive Q&A session, where they were able to take questions from the floor and directly respond to the questions of new staff. Our Community History and Heritage Coordinator Amie Zar treated new staff to a history of the Inner West, giving new Inner West Council team members a riveting talk about the history and significant sites of the local area. We also introduced a brand-new Roadshow, where inductees were able to get on their feet and interact with various team members across Council who were holding stalls for new staff, to provide in-depth information and resources about all the important work we do here. Welcome to Inner West Council!

In an Inner West Council first, our Procurement team hosted an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Business Day showcasing 24 Supply Nation-certified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses 🖤💛❤️   From Builders to Garden makers, recruitment agencies to catering services, the trade show provided a fantastic opportunity to connect with diverse suppliers.   Marea Getsios, Procurement and Contracts Manager, shared, "It was a great chance to meet First Nation suppliers that many may not have known about. Over 140 staff had the opportunity to connect."   Nene Brown from Kallico Catering’s feedback was “I really thank Council for holding this event…[the more people that] know about my catering business means more jobs for local First Nations people and so much more…” 🍽️   The event supported our Reconciliation Action Plan and Procurement Strategy, driving positive outcomes for the community, economy, and environment 🤝