Melba Support Services empower people supported to lead full lives with dignity. Our support workers work tirelessly to empower the people we support and meeting their needs. And sometimes, that support is making sure they have fun.
Community Connections is a program that connects people with people. Our service sites are based in Lilydale and Mt Evelyn, offering programs and activities based around our clients, their interests and needs. Community Connections assists people supported to develop skills, take control over decision-making, and form connections within their community.
And also, to make bags.
This year, the Community Connections group spent the day with volunteers making Boomerang Bags at Mount Evelyn Library.
Like many of us, members of the group have been concerned about the impact of plastic bags on the environment, such as how it is overflowing in landfills, floating in the oceans and harming marine life.
What they didn’t know about was about 10.46 million tonnes of fabric waste, from clothing and home furnishings, is created each year.
Boomerang Bags is a global initiative operating in more than 1100 communities worldwide. The project takes fabrics destined for landfill and turns them into reusable shopping bags, effectively combatting both environmental problems.
The bags are created by volunteers and distributed throughout the community.
For Melba’s people supported who created the Boomerang Bags, it wasn’t just a day spent doing their bit for the planet, it was a day when they learned new skills, connected with new friends, and above all, had fun.