Call from care network

By Tania Martin
MONBULK Care Network (MCN) is calling for more volunteers and trying to raise awareness of the service it provides to the local community.
The network has just employed Carol Davis as director and she is now busy trying to rally more volunteers to help out at the care shop.
The shop sells clothes, furniture, tea, coffee, and home-made jams and preserves, and Ms Davis said all the proceeds made from the shop are put directly back into the community.
Ms Davis said the care network currently has 25 volunteers, but that she would ideally like to see it increase to 30.
Increasing the number of volunteers, Ms Davis said, would help to maintain the network’s current level of service which sees two volunteers working in the morning and two in the afternoon.
The MCN was formed in February 1995 to respond to issues of community service within the Monbulk area.
The network aims to seek cooperation and partnership with other agencies, social club, schools and churches.
Ms Davis said MCN has numerous services including counselling, tutoring and community information.
She said there are several qualified counsellors and a psychologist working at the network.
Some of the counselling services include therapy for children, young adults, and couples.
Ms Davis said the counselling service is low cost and provides a service that fills the gaps for people in the community who can’t otherwise afford counselling.
The MCN is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4.30pm and on Saturday from 10am to 1pm.
People interested in becoming a volunteer should contact Ms Davis on 9756 7800.