About Encircle – Encircle

Encircle Ltd. is a community-owned and operated organisation offering a range of North Brisbane support services and activities to people living in the area.

We work in active partnership across other areas of the Moreton Bay region.

Encircle has been in operation providing North Brisbane support services since 1987.

We are committed to developing programs and services that support the wellbeing of community members, to encourage and enable community participation, and respond to identified community issues and needs.

Encircle operates across 6 sites – Caboolture, Kallangur, Kedron, Lawnton, Redcliffe, and Strathpine.

We have 60 staff and approximately 300 volunteers. Our programs and activities demonstrate a wide variety of integrated options for the people in our region.

Our Vision

Connected, vibrant, resilient communities.

Our Purpose

Enriching Community.

Our Mission

Enabling and encouraging individuals and families to take informed control of their own lives and together enriching our community.

Our History

On 30th March 1987, a public meeting was called to address the lack of government agencies in Pine Rivers. The turnout was impressive, with eighty-eight citizens attending.

The meeting agreed a centre was urgently needed. Most of the welfare, church and government agencies in the area were represented at that meeting.

Temporary steering committees of eleven people set out to explore what was required and establish a formal organisation. They served for several months. In June of 1987, the steering committee was dissolved, and the first Management Committee of the Pine Rivers Welfare Association was elected.

The mission of the Centre, at this time, was to contribute to the relief of poverty, sickness and other misfortune, and to the promotion of the wellbeing of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

The Management Committee employed its first social worker as Coordinator to establish the Information and Referral Service and to provide some limited counselling services.

In 2003, the Committee decided to change the name of the Association to “The Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Association”, which reflected more accurately its vision and avoided the negative and outdated implications of the term “welfare”.

Encircle moved to the new Neighbourhood Centre at Redcliffe which was officially opened on the 3rd September 2013. The Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Centre was asked by the State Government to support its programs which had been operating out of Redcliffe Neighbourhood Centre.

This became permanent in 2015 after Encircle won the tender for the Redcliffe Neighbourhood Centre, including its Family Support, Counselling and Older Persons Action Program (OPAP).

The year following in 2014, Encircle became a Company Limited by Guarantee and the Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Association Inc changed its name and status to Encircle Ltd to reflect that the organisation now had programs operating across the greater north Brisbane area.

Today, Encircle is working with other community agencies in the Consortium, growing Partnerships with government departments, business and educational and other institutions.

We are seeking opportunities for further development and expansion while continuing to be a vital part of our local communities which Encircle has served for the past 30 years.

The staff and volunteers continue to endeavour to look for ways to improve the service to the community, check whether community needs are matched by the services offered, and struggle with the ongoing challenges of obtaining sufficient funding, space and time to provide those services.

Our Supporters

Encircle would like to sincerely thank our sponsors:

Act for Kids

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services

Brisbane City Council

Brisbaneremovalists.com.au

Complete Property Service Australia

Good Shepherd Microfinance

Legal Aid Queensland

Moreton Bay Regional Council

Queensland Government

Encircle Executive Team

Read about our board members here. Click each person to find out more about their role, their approach and their experience.

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Our Board

Read about our board members here. Click each person to find out more about their role, their approach and their experience.

Team not found

Community Development

The key purpose of community development work is collectively to bring about social change and justice.

We do this by working with communities to:

identify their needs, opportunities, rights, responsibilities https://www.cyda.org.au/the-community/rights-laws-for-the-community
plan, organise and take action
evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the action
‘Communities’ can be defined geographically and/or by interest.
Community development starts from the premise that within any community there is a wealth of knowledge and experience and this can be channeled into collective action to achieve the communities’ desired goals.

Community development work seeks to engage communities actively in making sense of the issues which affect their lives, setting goals for improvement and taking action through participative processes.

A good deal of the work is project-based, which means that community development workers usually have a specific geographical community or social issue they focus on.

Tasks typically involve:

identifying community issues, needs and assets;
developing community-based program and providing leadership and coordination;
advocating or enlisting the cooperation of government bodies, and community organisations;
helping to raise public awareness on issues relevant to the community;
acting as facilitator to promote self-help in the community;
networking to build contacts;
liaising with interested groups and individuals to set up new services;
planning, attending and coordinating meetings and events;
encouraging participation in activities;
collecting, coordinating and disseminating information

Your Rights and Responsibilities

Your Rights

As a client of Encircle you have the right to:

Be treated with respect and dignity;
Access services in a safe environment;
Be assessed to receive services without discrimination;
Actively participate in decisions affecting you;
Have a support person present when you access our services;
Have your personal and sensitive information kept confidential, except where these rights may be overridden by legal or safety reasons;
Express your views and ideas, make suggestions and give feedback;
Access your own records.

Your Responsibilities

As a client of Encircle you have a responsibility to:

Act in a way that respects the safety of our staff, volunteers and other visitors to the centre;
Help us to understand the needs of you/your family by providing all relevant information so that we can provide the best service possible;
Actively participate in the service or program you are accessing;
Keep appointments and tell us beforehand if you are unable to do so.

Client Code of Behaviour

The following will help to ensure the safety of everyone connected with Encircle.

Whether you are accessing services at a centre or during a home visit we ask that you abide by the following code of behaviour:

Respect the right of everyone to be safe and feel safe by not using violence, threats of violence, swearing or using obscene language;
Do not smoke, drink alcohol or use any non-prescribed drugs or illegal substances. Persons that are affected by substances will be asked to leave, and if evident during a home visit, the visit will be rescheduled;
Wear appropriate clothing e.g. footwear, shorts, pants, t-shirts at all times;
Respect other people’s right to privacy and confidentiality;
Act respectfully towards all people regardless of their gender, sexuality, race, culture, language and/or religion;
Let a staff member or volunteer know if you notice something that could effect the safety of others.

Our Rights and Responsibilities

Our Rights

In providing service to you, we have the right to:

Expect you to act in a safe manner when you access our service;
Expect you to provide us with the information necessary for us to assist you;
Expect you to take responsibility for the consequences of any decisions you make;
Expect your participation and contribution to the service or program you have accessed;
Expect you to let us know when you cannot attend a pre-arranged appointment.

Our Responsibilities

In providing service to you, we have a responsibility to:

Honour you as a person, and treat you with courtesy and consideration;
Provide a safe environment for you when you access our services;
Ensure that all our workers are well trained and work in accordance with our mission, vision and values;
Provide you with accurate information about our services and programs;
Offer the services we are funded to deliver without discrimination;
Respect the choices you make about services;
Respect the decisions you make, including your decision not to refuse some services;
Respect your philosophy and values, even when these differ from those of the Centre;
Work cooperatively with you and your support person in the provision of services;
Ensure that you are aware of our complaints procedure, and have access to relevant forms and assistance if you want to lodge a complaint or provide feedback on the service you receive;
Follow strict procedures to ensure your confidentiality and privacy, except where these rights may be overridden by legal or safety considerations;
Provide you with information about how to access your records, and the circumstances in which access may be refused.

Our Duty of Care

If we believe that you and/or your children are being harmed, or at risk of harm, we have a duty of care to ensure you and your children’s safety.

This means that Encircle may disclose your personal and sensitive information if we reasonably believe that the disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent risk of harm to yourself or others.

This duty of care relates particularly to the safety and wellbeing of children as outlined in the Child Protection Act 1999. The Solicitors of our Pine Rivers Community Legal Service adhere to the Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules.

Interpreting Service

Where it is identified that there may be difficulty communicating with a client in English or who is deaf, or has a hearing or speech impairment, staff can arrange to access telephone interpreting services from the Commonwealth Government or the Auslan Interpreting Services.

Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy

How does Encircle look after the safety and wellbeing of children and youth accessing Encircle services and programs?

All staff, volunteers and students at Encircle sign and adhere to a Code of Conduct for working with Children, Young People and Adults. The Code of Conduct provides clear guidelines on how staff, volunteers and students are to interact with children and young people and the consequences of not meeting these standards.
All staff, volunteers and students working with children hold a valid Blue Card or exemption card.
Encircle has procedures to ensure that its staff are committed to providing safe and supportive environments for children and young people.
All staff, volunteers and students are provided with clear guidelines to follow if they have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of a child or young person.
Staff, volunteers and students implement risk management strategies for all activities that involve children and young people that are run by Encircle.

If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback on Encircle’s Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy, please let us know.

We Welcome Your Feedback

Encircle welcomes information and feedback which will help us improve the quality of our services.

You have the right to give feedback or make a complaint about the service you are receiving without fear of retribution and can expect your feedback to be dealt with fairly, promptly and confidentially.

You can provide feedback verbally, in writing, via a feedback form or you can use an advocate.

As far as possible, the fact you have lodged a complaint, and the details of that complaint, will be kept confidential among the staff / volunteers directly concerned with its resolution. Your permission will be obtained before any information is given to other parties that may need to be involved in order to satisfactorily resolve the complaint.

Where a complaint relates to matters of an unlawful nature, this complaint will be passed on to the relevant authorities.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Encircle has policies and procedures in place to ensure that your personal and sensitive information is kept private and confidential in accordance with the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles.

All Board member, staff, volunteers, contractors and students are bound by a Declaration of Confidentiality.

When might Encircle breach confidentiality?

Only if Encircle reasonably believes that the disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent risk of harm to yourself or others, or if it is legally obligated to provide information (e.g. subpoena).

The Solicitors of our Pine Rivers Community Legal Service adhere to the Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules, in particular Rule 9 regarding confidentially.

What information will be collected?

Only personal information that is necessary and directly related to the service being provided by Encircle will be collected from you. Encircle will collect sensitive information such as, health information, racial or ethnic origin only with your consent and if it is needed for the purpose of providing services to you.

How is my information stored?

All personal and sensitive information is securely stored in locked cabinets and/or password protected databases. Access to these records is restricted to those who require access to work with you and carry out the services of Encircle. Encircle will never disclose your personal or sensitive information to overseas recipients.

Can I access my own information?

Individuals have a general right of access to their own personal information after their identity is confirmed, and have the right to have that information corrected if it is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. The request to access your personal and sensitive information is to be put in writing using the Client Request to Access Information Form.

The request will be considered by the Manager and, if there are no legitimate barriers to accessing the information, the information will be made available to you. If retrieval from archived material is required a cost may be incurred. If the request is denied, Encircle will provide a written reason for the refusal and advise of available complaint mechanisms.

What if I think my Privacy has been breached?

If you believe your privacy or confidentiality has been breached, please ask to speak to a manager. You can also complete a Complaints Form.

I would like to know more about Privacy and Confidentiality

Please ask if you would like a copy of our full Privacy Policy. Or read the Privacy Act and Australian Privacy Principles here.

For more information, contact us.

Testimonials

Blessed to be linked in with Encircle

Five years ago when crisis struck my family we were blessed to be linked in with Encircle for support, that to this day they are still there for us.

Danielle

Incredible positive changes

I have had incredible positive changes working through personal growth with outstanding support & guidance from my counsellor. I can’t thank her or this service enough for their selfless service they provide which truly comes from their heart.

Tania

Non-judgmental, compassionate, caring and highly skillful

My counseling / family therapist has been particularly helpful over a number of months.. Non-judgmental, compassionate, caring and highly skillful. It’s difficult to express in words but I am extremely grateful.

A much needed and appreciated service

Invaluable service with ripple effect to the next generation. A much needed and appreciated service to our community.

Steph

Volunteering at Encircle has helped me to learn new skills

After being a stay at home mum for the last 20 years it was scary getting back into the workforce. For the last 18 months Encircle helped me to learn new skills and gain the confidence I needed.

Pieta

Supported me in life-changing decisions

Family Support Redcliffe supported me in life-changing decisions ..she was a priceless gem in my chaotic, depressing, mess of a life. The staff was absolutely the best thing that happened to our family.

Bronwyn

Invaluable service

Invaluable service with ripple effect to the next generation. A much needed and appreciated service to our community..