Services
 

SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES PROVIDED BY THE LAO COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED
 

1. WELFARE SERVICES
   
   A CSSS worker offers advocacy, assistance, support, counselling, information and referral services to individuals on matters such as:-
   
   Settlement, Housing, Employment, Relationship, Financial, Health, Accessing mainstream services and Domestic Violence.
   
   These services are provided with strict confidentiality. The CSSS worker also does case work and community development work within the Lao Community in New South Wales. These services are available at the Lao Community Centre Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm.
   
   The worker conducts research, implements their work plan, organise programs for dissemination of information on recent changes of government department policies to community groups, and attends meetings or seminars.
   
   Outreach work of the CSSS: Apart from working from

   1. The Lao Community Centre at 24 Lovoni Street Cabramatta,
      outreach services are offered at different locations as follows:
       

   2. Fairfield Migrant Resource Centre:
      Every Tuesday from 9.00 am to 12.30 pm and
       

   3. Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre
      Every Wednesday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. For your conveniences, please ring before you see a Lao worker.
      
       

2. VATTANA CHILDCARE CENTRE
   
   The centre provides services for 25 children aged between 0-5 years. It is staffed by 5 full-time workers and two part-time workers. It operates five days a week, Monday to Friday, from 7:30am to 5:30pm. (For more information ring 02 9754 1941).
   
    

3. HOUSING
   
   Apart from the childcare centre and welfare office, the Lao Community Co-Operative also manages 18 housing units with the assitance of sub-committee, which composed of tenants, a Director from the Board, plus one or more members from the community. The 18 units have been provided to the Lao Community members under three different programs. Eight units in Bonnyrigg were given to Lao Elderly people in 1990 under Ferderal, State and Local government programs and in 1996, six units in Smithfield Road, Edensor Park (opposite Wat Phrayortkeo, Lao Buddhist Temple) were given under the community housing program and four units in Edensor Park and Bonnyrigg South were given under the support housing initiative program. The last ten units were given to Lao people with low income who had housing needs.
   
    

4. INDO-CHINESE ELDERLY HOSTEL PROJECT
   
   The Lao Community Co-Operative also support the Indo-Chinese Elderly Hostel Project which will provide culturally appropriate housing needs for frail aged people from the Chinese, Khmer, Lao and Vietnamese communities.
   
    

5. LAO LANE XANG ETHNIC SCHOOL
   
   The Lao Lane Xang Ethnic School provides classes in Lao language and culture to Lao primary and secondary school children and also to other interested persons from the wider community. It has been in operation at several public schools since 1980. Currently, The Lao Lane Xang Ethnic School is operating at Cabramatta Public School on Saturdays from 9am - 12pm. Between 200 and 250 Lao children attend the school each year.
   
   The school receives funds from the Federfal Government and some fees from parents. However, these funds are not sufficient to pay for the teachers wages, teaching materials, insurance and cultural activities. Therefore, each year the Lao Co-Operative has to provide additional financial support to the school.
   
   Because of it's commitment to maintain the Lao language and culture for it's children in Australia, the Lao Lane Xang Ethnic School teaches the children Lao moral values, language and culture. It hopes to instruct the children to be virtuous and to have self-discipline too. The Lao Lane Xang Ethnic School is managed by a principal who is a director from the Lao Co-Operative and assisted by several teachers.
   
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