The South West Corridor Development Foundation Inc. in partnership with the Cities of Canning, Fremantle, Melville and the Town of East Fremantle, was one of only three organisations in WA to win funding from the Myer Foundation’s Community Capacity Building program in 2018 to build the capacity of environmentally focussed “Friends Groups” in these local governments. Thirty three (33) Friends Groups in the four participating Councils voluntarily protect, restore and enhance the biodiversity values of local reserves, wetlands and waterways. Collectively these 33 groups have over 750 members, some of whom volunteer their time once or twice a year at annual planting days and many others who work tirelessly throughout the year, organising and participating in regular fortnightly or monthly busy bees to remove weeds and rubbish, monitor the condition of flora and fauna, collect seed for propagation, prepare sites for planting, then plant and care for the seedlings, and a raft of other important activities that collectively maintain and enhance the value of the regions environmental assets.
The four participating Councils support their Friends groups by;
- supplying materials such as plants, plant guards and mulch
- assisting with project planning, species identification and other technical information
- providing staff or contractors to undertake weed control and other activities requiring the use of herbicides or potentially dangerous tools.
Many of the 33 Friends groups are small, informal groups and many have aging members. Most groups are keen to have more volunteers join their groups to increase their group’s capacity, to ensure the group continues to operate in the long-term and to strengthen the group’s social network and the benefits this brings to members and the community.
Through a combination of networking and training events, tailored assistance from trained and experienced staff from a regional landcare organisation to work closely with some groups, and a coordinated volunteer recruitment campaign, this collaborative project will assist the 33 existing Friends Groups to build their capacity and recruit additional volunteers. It will also offer those in the community who have been thinking about forming or joining a new group, assistance to do so.
The activities and events offered through this project will take place from February 2019 to April 2020. Participation is free, however attendance is by invitation only to members of the Friends Groups in the Cities of Fremantle, Melville and Canning and the Town of East Fremantle. Please contact your local Friends Group for more information on how to register or sign up to be a volunteer.
Upcoming Events
Event | Date | Duration |
Friends Group Expo | Saturday 9th Feb 2019 | All day event |
Positive Partnerships: Engaging Effectively with Land Managers | Saturday 23rd Mar 2019 | ½ day workshop |
Foundations in Group Governance | Saturday 6th Apr 2019 | ½ day workshop |
In Safe Hands: Ensuring Safe Work Practices | Saturday 4th May 2019 | ½ day workshop |
Succession Planning For Groups | Saturday 3rd Aug 2019 | ½ day workshop |
Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers | Saturday 21st Sept 2019 | ½ day workshop |
Social Media: How Can it Make Your Group More Effective? | Saturday 19th Oct 2019 | ½ day workshop |
Finance Fundamentals for Not-For-Profits | Saturday 16th Nov 2019 | ½ day workshop |
Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers | Saturday 15th Feb 2020 | ½ day workshop |
Social Media: How Can it Make Your Group More Effective? | Saturday 22nd Feb 2020 | ½ day workshop |
Participants at the Friends Group Expo held in February 2019