About Us
Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre (PBNC) is a multi-purpose, community-based facility which provides services in response to the social, cultural and educational and welfare needs of the Southern Gold Coast in order to improve the quality of life of the community as a whole and in particular, it’s more vulnerable members.
A Brief History
In 1991, Gold Coast Women’s Centre submitted a proposal to the State Government Department of Family Services and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs for the setting up of services under the Family and Individual Support and the Child Abuse Prevention Programs.
In July in 1992 funding was also received from the Department of Employment, Education and Training for the setting up of Palm Beach Job Club that provided full time training in job search, communication skills and confidence building.
Later in 1992 the newly formed Women’s Community Support Service Inc. took over sponsorship of the organisation from the Gold Coast Women’s Centre Inc.
Women’s Community Support Service Inc. was the sponsoring body of Palm Beach Family Support Service, until 12th October 1998 when the service became incorporated in its own right. The service then incorporated the Community and Individual Support Program, Child Abuse Prevention Program the Youth Information and Referral Service, and the Professional Resume and Application Service.
By 2009, the Queensland Department of Communities was funding a Community Support Service and Family Support Service. In 2009 the PBNC won a grant for an additional full time Financial Counsellor through Commonwealth Department of Families and Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. This contract was lost in June 2015 to a larger
national charity. PBNC also endured an efficiency cut of 10% in January 2013.
Over the years PBNC continues to service the community with over 4000 people accessing the centre each year. In 2018, we are still here, endeavouring to offer a local personalised service to vulnerable members of the southern Gold Coast community, stretching our resources as far as we can.
The history of the PBNC is complex, but the service is what it is today, largely due to the years of effort and contributions of staff and volunteers alike.
Client Service Charter
This Charter sets out the standard of service you can expect from the Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre. With your assistance and feedback, we seek to continuously improve our service.
Client Rights
- To be involved in deciding, and choosing, the type of services most appropriate to meet their needs.
- To be given enough information to make an informed choice about the services offered.
- To access services that takes into consideration their lifestyle, cultural linguistic and religious preferences.
- To take part in any social activities offered by the organisation.
- To be treated with dignity, with their privacy respected.
- To be able to lodge a complaint about the service they are receiving without fear of retribution.
- To expect any complaints to be dealt with fairly and promptly, without fear of losing the service they currently receive or being disadvantaged in any other way.
- To choose a person to speak or negotiate on their behalf for any purpose. This may be a family member or friend, or another community services agency.
- For PBNC personnel to act in the best interests of the child.
Client Responsibilities
- To treat agency staff with courtesy.
- To attend scheduled appointments punctually.
- To respond to requests for information by the agency accurately, thoroughly and in a timely manner.
- To abide by any legal requirements and other obligations that clients are to meet in order to be eligible for services sought
Belonging
Confidence
Resilience
PBNC offers:
- Programs for individuals & families
- Community education
- Volunteering opportunities
- Community development
Privacy and Confidentiality
All practitioners at the Palm Beach Neighbourhood centre adhere to proper guidelines for the protection privacy of your information, under privacy legislation. It is understood that in the course of your assessment and the referral process you will share information with your worker. This exchange of information is, of course, for the explicit purpose of assisting you. Where there may be further uses/action involving your private information (e.g. referrals, legal proceedings). This will be discussed at the time with you.