Events
Connecting with our community
Being part of the communities we serve is central to our work at UnitingSA and what better way to get involved than through events. Each year, we host and take part in a diverse range of events to celebrate days of significance, highlight services and connect with our community.
Reconciliation in the West
We were proud to co-host the 10th Reconciliation in the West with Life without Barriers, AnglicareSA and Tauondi Aboriginal College during National Reconciliation Week in June. The incredibly vibrant annual event brings the community together to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and identity.
Harmony Day
We loved celebrating a belated Harmony Day with our community at The Flour Shed in Port Adelaide in May, after it was temporarily postponed due to Covid-19. It was a fantastic celebration of our community’s cultural diversity, with amazing food, activities and entertainment.
NAIDOC Week
We collaborated with local community groups and businesses to celebrate First Nations’ culture, history and achievements at our NAIDOC Week event in Port Adelaide in July. From a free barbecue lunch through to wonderful entertainment from Kalaya Children’s Centre and the Kumangka Karrarendi Poetry Group, it was a true day of celebration.
Community Aged Care Expos
As part of our EnCOMPASS program, we held expos in Mile End and the Riverland in June to help connect older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with Aged Care services. The expos were a wonderful way of educating people about the services available to them to help them stay safe and independent at home.
Festival of Now
The annual Festival of Now event in Wauwi (Light Square) during Mental Health Month in October was a great opportunity to speak with our community about how our services can support them. The theme for this year was ‘Celebrating Our Stories’, which reinforces the importance of sharing and listening to one another to build empathy and understanding.
100 Years, 100 Paintings
We unveiled the incredible 100 Years, 100 Paintings artwork at UnitingSA West Lakes in September. Mental Health Services Coordinator Robert Habel completed the 100 oil paintings, which represent parts of our organisation’s history, as a tribute to our 2019 centenary.
Families Week
It was wonderful to see so many local children and their families enjoying our free Families Week event in Port Adelaide in May. Held at our Child, Youth & Families centre, the event included dance, music, bubble play, face painting and tonnes of other fun activities.
Avalon mural launch
We were delighted to join with Unity Housing in October to unveil three incredible murals created by tenants at Avalon in the southern suburbs. Avalon provides accommodation and support for people with mental health challenges experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Kids Connect
The Kids Connect program was a great way of helping to keep children entertained in the school holidays, with a variety of arts, crafts, sports and games on offer. We get so much enjoyment from partnering with the team at Lefevre Community Stadium to provide this free program for local children and families.
