Community Services

The Community Centre houses a range of important services, including emergency relief, a homeless drop-in centre, a homeless and community breakfast, community counselling, legal and financial advice, support groups, and harmony cultural group.

Emergency Relief Appointments (aka E.R.)

The Centre helps people in need by providing food, electricity, telephone, and transport vouchers.
Appointments are Monday and Friday afternoons. Applicants need to bring:

  1. A referral from Centrelink
  2. An ATM printout or a bank statement
  3. Priority given for those with 2481 ID

The Cottage

The Fletcher Street Cottage, or Drop-in Centre, is a welcoming refuge for Byron’s expanding homeless population. The ‘Cottage’ (on the corner of Fletcher and Lawson Street, adjacent the public library) is a joint venture between the Community Centre, the Salvation Army, the St Vincent de Paul Society, and Byron Shire Council. It is presently operated by Jenny and Neville Hall from the Salvation Army, and is regarded as a unique and necessary establishment; made possible by the co-operative efforts of Darren and Leanne Elsley, and Katie Thompson.  It offers an indiscriminate environment where the impoverished, the lonely and disconnected of our community can obtain value and support.

The Cottage is open Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm, and provides food and hot drinks, daytime shelter, and safe storage of personal property.

Community Directory

The 2009 edition of the Community Directory has sold out, but reference copies are available at the Centre during office hours. Over 1000 local organisations are listed including family, education, sport, spiritual groups, health, environment, arts, Aboriginal groups, emergency accommodation, youth, women, men, government, support groups and many others.
Click Here to download the Community Directory (88 page word doc)

Liberation Larder

The Liberation Larder project provides hot food and drinks plus food parcels every Monday and Thursday at 12.30pm. Coordinated by Rhonda Khong (0431 523 310), the project ‘liberates’ food from local businesses and re-distributes it to anyone in need. Operating from the Fletcher Street Room, the Liberation Larder also provides a comfortable place to sit and chat. For more information contact Helen Hamiliton (President) 0439 409 655.
www.liberationlarder.org

Homeless Breakfast

Every Wednesday between 7.30am and 9am a dedicated crew provides breakfast for Byron’s homeless from the Fletcher Street Room.
This is one of the longest standing community services in Byron Bay.
(There are also free meals provided for anyone in need in Railway Park on Tuesdays at 12.30pm and Fridays at 4pm and St Vincent)

Community Counsellor

The Centre now has a Community Counsellor. Suzanne Bourchier, B Soc Sci (Counselling), Grad Dip Psych, BA (Hons) (Psychology) will be providing this free service. Suzanne is awaiting approval as a provisional psychologist by the regulatory board of that profession and has an interest in working with anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, feelings of low self-worth, stress, grief, chronic illness, body image issues, or anyone who just feels stuck in their lives. You are welcome to visit Suzanne on Mondays or Tuesdays. Up to five free sessions are available. To make an appointment see reception staff or call on 6685 6807

ACON

The AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) is offering a new counselling service, based at the Byron Community Centre, every Wednesday. This service is designed to meet the needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community (GLBT), their respective families, and all those who may have HIV. Counselling sessions are facilitated by qualified practitioners and are free of charge or by donation. For appointments and further information please call Renia Gryc 02 6622 1555 or 1800 063 060

Legal Assistance

A solicitor from the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre will be available to give free legal advice and assistance by telephone or face-to-face.

Telephone advice is available every Tuesday morning. Face-to-face appointments are available on the last Tuesday of the month at the Byron Community Centre.

Advice is available in areas of law such as debts, victims compensation, consumer issues, discrimination and some other civil issues. We do not advise in family law, criminal law, personal injury, immigration, neighbor disputes or commercial matters.

Call 6621 1000 for an appointment.

Housing Support

On Track’s Homelessness Service has a number of support programs for individuals, couples and families who are homeless or are at risk of losing their tenancy. Our Homelessness & Tenancy Support Service assists people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to find appropriate and affordable housing solutions.
Our Homelessness Service offers individual support through access to a range of programs.
Supports may include:

  • Budgeting – helping you to get on top of your financial situation and regain independence in your life
  • Tenancy Training Programs – helping you understand your rights and responsibilities as a tenant and assistance with how to complete applications and condition reports.
  • Referrals

Individuals can refer themselves to the On Track Homelessness Service or be referred by another non-government or government agency

Available Thursdays. Call 6681 3622 for an appointments.

The Byron Healthy-Ageing Project

This project promotes healthy ageing and enhances positive community interaction across generations. The project runs a series of creative therapy groups facilitated by trained volunteers. Our aim is to create opportunities for social and recreational activities where new friendships could be formed and improvements to physical and mental health could be achieved.

Volunteers interested in being part of this innovative and exciting venture can contact Cat Seddon at hap@byroncentre.com.au

02 66 856 807.

Emergency Numbers

Police 6685 9499
Hospital 6685 6200
Accommodation Crisis (Beap) 6685 8477
Byron Youth House 6685 7264
DV Crisis Line 1800 656 463
Mental Health Access Line 1300 369 968
Lifeline 131114