Celebrating 40 years of service
CORE’s journey began in 1978 when Ulla Bartels, a volunteer with the Fairfield Neighbourhood Centre, started running English classes in Cabramatta for refugees from Indo-China. Soon the needs of the community surpassed her capacity and assistance was received from the Carramar Activity Group. In 1979, a group of volunteers formed a management committee and developed a constitution so they could apply for government funds. The group called itself the South-East Asian Community Assistance Centre (SEACA).
Early days
In 1980, SEACA was awarded its first grant of funds under the Western Sydney Area Assistance Scheme to employ a part time Coordinator. Over the next few years, the organisation grew in size as it became involved in a wide range of services and issues and received funding for a social worker, bilingual welfare workers, a youth development officer and a part-time community worker to continue to work in the Carramar area.
Cabramatta Community Centre
The organisation also changed its name to Cabramatta Community Centre in recognition of the wide variety of cultural backgrounds of the people who accessed the Centre and lived in the area.
Under the name Cabramatta Community Centre, the organisation grew six key service areas: the Neighbourhood Centre, Cabramatta Youth Team, Fairfield Migrant Resource Centre, The Heights Community Services, Multicultural Community Care Services and Fairfield Area Home Modification and Maintenance Outreach Service. These services were still under the Cabramatta Community Centre and this caused some confusion.
CORE Community Services
In 2015 the organisation underwent a major restructure and re-branding and is now known as CORE Community Services. CORE Community Services became a public company limited by guarantee in June 2015, operating under the Corporations Act 2001. CORE Community Service is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), the national regulator of charities.
This transition has enabled us to redirect our services throughout South West Sydney and not just in Cabramatta/Fairfield. The name CORE is derived from Care, Opportunity, Respect and Empowerment. These are the key CORE values that encapsulate the services we provide and the way we work with individuals and communities.
Today
Today, CORE Community Services continues to deliver vital services to the people of South West Sydney, with a particular focus on culturally and linguistically diverse communities, children, young people and their families, people with a disability, the aged, and those facing financial disadvantage or hardship.
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