Above, from left: Springvale Community Centre coordinator Elena Sheldon, Jeff, SCCTHE local Sudanese community had the chance to share their ideas at an open day at the Springvale Community Centre (SCC) on Tuesday.
The Sudanese Open Day, sponsored by the SCC, Recon Community House and Taskforce Community Agency, included music, basketball, dancing demonstrations, and a barbecue lunch.
SCC coordinator Elena Sheldon said the centre hoped to find out more about the Sudanese community’s needs and thoughts, and discuss what else could be done at the centre.
“Our objective is to get (the Sudanese community) together in a relaxed and nonthreatening atmosphere, show what is happening here and how more youths can get involved,” Ms Sheldon said.
The SCC currently offers basketball and dancing programs for Sudanese youths and hopes to offer more programs.
“We want them to come, feel at home and not feel intimidated,” Ms Sheldon said.
“This is an initiative of having this as theirs.”
She said in her experience the youths involved in the programs wanted to do things they enjoyed and work together with the local community.
Ms Sheldon said Recon Community House, which was also instrumental in setting up the open day, did a lot of charity and welfare work with Sudanese people, especially the young.
