Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA

Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA & Bankwest
- having fun and making a difference in the community WA

In April 2010 Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA was selected as a new Community Partner for Bankwest. The partnership allowed for ERCKWA to undertake a significant capacity building project, to increase services across the community, exploring new avenues to serve the needs of those at risk, and to further enhance the work and development of volunteers. Over the past 12 months Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA has doubled the number of programmes (camps etc) it was conducting, meaning more kids on camps and other activities, more support for families and more volunteers involved in making a difference. The partnership has also seen the launch of new programmes to further support those in need in the community.

The 'Eddie on the Road' and 'Eddie Friends' programmes were launched in early 2011. Eddie on the Road will see camps taken to rural and regional areas of Western Australia to provide respite, relief and recreation to communities that don't have the adequate resources to do so. Eddie Friends is a group mentoring programme that will further enhance and establish the relationships built between kids and volunteers on camp. Eddie Friends involves a group of 5 volunteers and 5 kids meeting a number of times a year to participate in fun and team focused activities.

In addition, the Bankwest partnership has allowed for the development of programmes within the wider Edmund Rice Camps circle across Australia. Bankwest has supported new initiatives and programmes within Edmund Rice Camps in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, as well as sponsoring the recent Oceania Edmund Rice Camps Volunteers Conference in Sydney. Bankwest staff across Australia have also been volunteering through a number of opportunities, including on kids activity days, cleaning sheds, painting camp sites or raising funds.

It is with great excitement that Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA has been adopted again as the Bankwest Community Partner beyond this initial 12 month period. The partnership will continue to provide exciting opportunities for Edmund Rice Camps as well as further support at a more holistic organisational level through assistance with the development of branding, marketing, and business management etc. The exposure received from the recent Bankwest television advert represents an enormous boost for Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA.

A huge thank you to Bankwest and all their staff for the contribution they have made, and for allowing Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA to continue having fun and making a difference in the community."

Ashley Little
Chief Executive Officer
Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA