The National Australia Bank has funded a programme that gives government housing residents, mainly children, the opportunity to spend time on organised excursions.

Kirsty Baird, Jesuit Social Services (JSS) Community Development worker organised the first excursion to Werribee zoo in early October.  It was specifically for two communities, Sudanese and Liberian.

“National Australia Bank provides everything for the excursion. The buses, food and the cost of entry to the Zoo, and they provide 25 volunteers who came on that day.” said Baird to yarraReporter.

She said that it is about corporate responsibility, which is an idea that corporate companies give back to the community.

Jesuit Social Services works by advocating for social change and helping disadvantaged youth, families and communities with well being and health.

“JSS have a very strong relationship with the National Australia Bank with their philanthropy sector” she says.

On the day of the excursion 28 people from the Liberian community and 30 Sudanese attended.  Of the 30 Sudanese, three were mothers and the rest were children. Five mothers attended and the rest were children from the Liberian community.

The Liberian and Sudanese communities were chosen because they were the ones who were available at the time.  

“At that stage there was school holiday program for Muslim and African kids, so we thought to use the opportunities.” She says. 

When asked about whether there would be more excursions organised, Baird said that in the past more excursions were expected to happen but that has changed as the neighbourhood renewal work plan stipulates they want us to work more on governance structure of the Estate than providing excursions.

As Jesuit Social Services have an ongoing relationship with the NAB, they will most probably be able to provide and fund other excursions of a similar kind. This will be great as it is an opportunity for people in the Estate to see interesting places that they may otherwise not see.