The incredible team at Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN) have received a $200,000 funding boost to help them continue to serve and support the local community.
The Victorian state budget released on Tuesday, May 23, included $200,000 for WERN that will in part go toward installing a new lift at the organisation’s premises.
WERN administration manager Ross Butterworth said the lift will allow the organisation to engage with people with disability whether it be volunteering with WERN or accessing the programs and services available.
“The long term goal is to have the ability to offer training to people with disabilities,” he said,
Mr Butterworth said that this will in turn help to grow the organisation’s volunteer base.
“Since the pandemic there has been a dramatic increase in need in the community,” he said.
“We are a network of 60 agencies and we provide support to the clients of those agencies… getting people to volunteer with us is a significant cog in the program.”
Mr Butterworth said the organisation has been building funds to go toward installing a lift but were a long way away from meeting the building cost.
“Without this funding it would’ve meant a much longer delay in offering people with disabilities the opportunity to volunteer and complete training with WERN to get job-ready for the workforce,” he said.
“The government obviously thinks that what our organisation does is worthwhile and they want to support us.”
Hannah Hammoud
