The Australian Multicultural Community Services (AMCS) program coordinator, Linzee says that, her organization has received 1.8 million dollars from the Sport Australia to help Australian senior to stay active across Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. And any senior group who age over 60 can apply until the end of next year (2020). 'But better be quick before the funds are used up', says Linzee.
'AMCS provides many different services to Australian seniors especially physical activities called 'Moving for life the way I like it, the aim is to improve their physical and mental health', says Linzee.
It also helps Australian seniors get services in their homes such as domestic services, transport, personal care, having volunteer group to be seniors friends, organized social support groups for communities, and will have teams to go to communities and lets them know what services out there that they can access.
Anyone who is struggling financially can also get help to pay their bills or get a voucher. Besides, it is also including some of the field trips to farms to pick fruits or outing for seniors as well.
Linzee also says that 'ACMS provides fund for information sessions to train the trainers in different languages to go out to Australian multicultural communities and talk about the benefit of active aging'.
"We also got funding for the information session, so we will go out to the community in their own languages, so we are training what is called train the trainers, so we are training people from all different backgrounds in their own languages to go out and just to give information about the benefits of active aging, because many seniors out there don't realize that there is health deterioration because of not doing any activities," says Linzee, ACMS program coordinator.
AMCS has already collaborated with local authorities to disseminate some of its programs such as line dancing, rock and roll dancing, and community gardening, yoga, pilates, barre, and Taichi, etc.
However, AMCS programs cover many different scopes. 'It could be funding for cultural costumes for physical activity, It could be a certain group comes up with ideas to go about their physical activities, setting up venues and the ACMS can organize people to go to that particular group to make their activities a reality,' says Linzee.
ACMS also provides support for a disabled person and or someone who can't afford physical activity or transport.
What is more important is that its programs are not just for groups only but also for the individuals aged over 60 who don't have the means to participate or can't join physical activities due to financial difficulties can just drop in to join different programs at the Hillside Community Centre for free.
if you are interested to apply for funds or grants from the Australian Multicultural Community Services you can through betteraging@amcservices.org.au or check out the AMCS website or call (03) 9133 8698.
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