An Aboriginal community worker will
join them after the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) establishes an
independent recruitment process with key Aboriginal stakeholders.
While funding comes from LAHC to
agencies, Counterpoint Community Services (The Factory) employs Kira and Inner
Sydney Voice (ISV) employs Thomas. Their work is guided by the Groundswell
agencies, which pushed for the independent positions. Groundswell includes South
Sydney Community Aid, Counterpoint, ISV, Redfern Legal Centre, Tenants’ Union
of NSW and Shelter NSW.
Kira, who has a degree in
psychological science and previously worked with high-risk youth and their
families, fills a position similar to Laura Kelly’s community development role,
but with a specific focus on the redevelopment. She will be secretary to the
Waterloo Redevelopment Group (WRG) established by the elected tenant
representative body – the Waterloo Neighbourhood Advisory Board (NAB).
The WRG is open to community
groups, agencies and interested tenants as well as NAB representatives and
exists to advise FACS on communication and engagement activities. Dare
Kavanagh, who knows the area and process well from her earlier involvement in
LAHC’s 2011 Waterloo masterplan, was elected as its independent chair. She has
subsequently left LAHC and is back working in the non-government sector
managing Reverse Garbage in Marrickville.
Kira told the SSH: “I believe that everyone impacted by the redevelopment
should be respected, consulted and heard in an active and genuine way.” She has
quickly identified “the incredibly diverse and connected community that exists
within Waterloo”, saying, “I hope my role can capture and highlight these
strengths, ensuring the rich culture of Waterloo is maintained”.
Thomas Chailloux fills a
capacity-building role, the purpose of which he sees is to “work with people to
overcome barriers to their effective participation in the master planning
process”. He will create the tools that tenants, surrounding residents and
relevant community organisations need to have their voices heard and respected
in the Waterloo redevelopment. Thomas worked for the City of Paris and has a
background in Urban Public Policy. He told the SSH the job will give him scope to
work with “his passion for participatory democracy processes, his strong
commitment to social justice and involvement of people in developing public
policies”.
Source: South Sydney Herald April 2017.
The SSH has covered groups and
activities in Waterloo previously. You can see a more comprehensive who’s who
with this article online. A more recent Who’s Who can be seen in Inner Sydney Voices Who’s Who in Waterloo?
Also see Inner Sydney Voice’s article of September 2017 – Redevelopment Support Projects