Work program success

By Tania Martin
COONARA Community House has been praised for helping five foothills people in their struggle to find employment.
La Trobe MP Jason Wood last week congratulated the Upper Ferntree Gully community house for its wonderful work with the government’s Work for the Dole program.
He said it was also great news that the five participants in the program had now found work.
Mr Wood also presented Coonara Community House with a commendation from the Prime Minister, John Howard, for the project.
“This award recognises outstanding achievements, not only by participants in the program but also their supervisors,” he said.
“I would like to congratulate all involved in such a fantastic program.”
The five participants who took part in the program were involved with the day-to-day running of Coonara Community House and were integral in the organising and promotion of a local festival.
The group planned and organised entertainment for a community festival in Upper Ferntree Gully as well as distributing promotional material and developing a website for the event.
Mr Wood said the Work for the Dole participants had done a wonderful job by organising the event. It was now hoped that it would become an annual event.
Mr Wood said the program was a great initiative that provided participants with work experience, demonstrating the benefits of governments, businesses and communities working together to achieve common goals.
He said he was particularly pleased that all the people who participated in the Coonara Community House project now had jobs.
“That is what it’s all about – having a job means everything to people and the participants should be very proud of what they have achieved.”