The YWCA (Not to be confused with the YMCA) is a fantastic non profit organisation which does a a…read moreheck of a lot of good for young women in Adelaide. The YWCA provide all sorts of support services for Adelaide women under thirty, and they are also responsible for administering the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a hugely successful program whereby volunteers spend one on one time with a child to give them positive mentoring and a good role model. YWCA are also responsible for advocacy campaigns for women against violence and domestic abuse, as well as support for positive body image, women's clubs, professional mentoring for young women... and a lot more. If you want to volunteer you can pick up the phone and a lovely, supportive YWCA staff member will take you through the whole process and become a great friend and mentor to you in the process. If you get involved with this organisation you will meet some very inspirational people in the process. Ahmaazing.

The Australian Refugee Association is one of a few refugee settlement organisations in Adelaide…read more They are located in Underdale in a bright blue building that also houses their bike warehouse - part of the Bikes for Refugees plan. While I have a cursory understanding of ARA's work, Bike for Refugees is the main part of this organisation I am familiar with. In collaboration with the Bicycle Institute of South Australia, ARA collect donated bikes which they repair and give to newly-arrived refugees in Australia. This is an excellent initiative - as a commuter cyclist who doesn't own a car, I'm pretty aware of how much money you can save by riding a bike. $15+ a week for a bus pass isn't as expensive as it could be, but it is worth saving when you have an incredibly small income. And if you have limited English I can imagine catching the bus could be a little intimidating at first too - how to figure out timetables and routes? As well as passing on bikes to new arrivals, a small percentage are sold over Ebay to raise funds for ARA projects. I bought a really smooth little Super Elliott bike through the ARA, and was very happy with their description of the bike. It was a bit rusty and still needs some fixing up, but was reasonably priced and still operational. You can also donate household goods in reasonable condition directly to the ARA. Their other services include settlement assistance, emergency assistance, legal advice, refugee scholarships, job seeking advice, counselling, homework clubs and social activities. Organisations like this are vital to assist refugees to happily settle into Australia, and I'm also glad I got to buy a bike from them!!

This is one of the 3 community centers of the Adelaide City Council…read more It is housed in this purpose built magnificent building. It shared the community space with the library. The building was originally built for the post office, telegraph office(what's that you may ask if you are the 'y' gen and after), and private residence for caretaker. The community Centre runs a lot of programmes like weekly walks, Mah jongs and it even organizes talks on various topics for the public. Costs of these activities range from free to very minimal costs. During 'history festival ' there's a great display of local history and old plans of the building, celebration of the 100 years centinerary photos etc The great hall provided space for activities and with the back room and kitchen can be hired for functions. The hall provides space for art exhibition and also participates as SALA venue. The community garden is at the back of the building. Judging from the produce in the 'tubs', there must be quite an active group of dedicated 'gardeners' involved. There are computers for public use as long as you have a library card and best of all, free wifi!

The South West community centre caters mainly for locals who live in the precinct, but no one is…read moreexcluded even if you live afar. There's always a friendly welcome for anyone who drops by. The community centre is the focal point where a lot of locals drop in and have a cuppa or a chat, a great meeting place. It has a co-ordinator who manages the centre and volunteers assist in other tasks. There are heaps of activities organised during the day or privately run activities for some evenings. There's a ballroom dancing group, yoga, ethnic group gatherings for shared lunch, talks, workshops and many others. There are gardening equipment as well as tools to borrow and the cargo bike! A way of transport if you have heaps of shopping and / or heavy items to transport between A and B. I was told that it's not that easy to ride, practice makes perfect. The centre can be hired out for private functions after hours. There's a cute 'parking lot' out front whereby you can sit and read a book on a sunny day or simply sit and chat with neighbours. The city library has left the books return bin out there too so that local residents don't have to hike all the way up to Rundle Mall, same for picking up library items. There are books for exchange and toys for the little ones to play. Computers can be accessed if you have your library card to log on. Free wifi of course! The wall space normally has art exhibitions and the monthly gathering of locals for a shared evening meal is a great social activity.

A delightful op shop in the heart of Daw Park quite popular within the community. They carry a good…read morestock of fashionable clothing, not a huge collection though as the shop is small. Accessories are aplenty here, you will find scarves, shoes, handbags, jewellery and belts pieces for your mini wardrobe makeover. Everytime I shop here, I find something special to bring home. A painted ceramic duck, a silk scarf, Christmas deco, books and little bric a brac to add charm to my reading corner of kitchen. Prices aren't steep and it's a great place to shop as proceeds are channeled towards their international and local work in supporting children. Save The Children aims to work towards this vision: Every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. I think it's a teriffic cause to support and one I will be supporting for a long time. There are currently 14 op shops branches across South Australia. Check out their website for store locations.

Got alot of good books And clothes, one of the best and cheapest op shops around.nice friendly…read morestaff members and the place is full of bargains and also scored some brand new clothes on more than one occasion, worth the time to have a look

This is a national research body that brings together Aboriginal organisations, academic…read moreinstitutions and government agencies to facilitate evidence-based research in a collaborative way concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. It also advocates the education and furthering of education of Aboriginal students who are studying in the research and medical areas. The Lowitja Institute hosts conferences and facilitates the dissemination of information about Aboriginal health and trends in various community programs and non government organisations and associations. The work being done by the institute is of great importance not only in terms of closing the gap between the white majority and the indigenous minority in Australia, but as well as this ensuring there is a fluid and significant communication flow between educators and essential human elements of the community in order to inform health providers of vital facts. A lot of history between governments, communities and individuals has muddied the water, whiting out a certain amount of historical education and evidence over the years, and these issues are only just being addressed in the last few years, so it is good to see The Lowitja Institute continue its work nationally.

The SA Writers' Centre is a fantastic resource for emerging writers. It functions for members, and…read morea yearly membership is $66 dollars, and less for students and those under 18. Through membership you receive their monthly newsletter which includes a comprehensive list of writing competitions, as well as coming events and articles on writing. You can hire a desk for a week for $30, if you feel the need to find another space to work. This might work for some people, but personally I'd save my money (being a poor writer) and go to the library. Members can also book out the atrium of the centre for book launches, and the centre holds meetings and seminars. It's a great resource for getting published, looking for editors or submitting your manuscript, however you can only really access the full benefits if you become a member. If you're serious about getting published, it's a great idea to get involved here.

The South Australian Writer's Centre is a lifeline for writers in South Australia, I don't know…read morewhat this community would be without it. The monthly newsletter is a Godsend, every competition and opportunity going is in there and delivered to your door. The staff at SAWT are very friendly, especially to unsure newcomers. SAWC is also a great resource for young writers; they run school visits, groups, young writers nights, and a great new incentive working with Carclew and DB magazine to get young writers published, and involved in the Adelaide writing community. If you're a poet I'd highly recommend joining The Friendly Street Poets, a group who have meetings at the SAWC the first Tuesday of every month. Drink some cheap wine, get over your public speaking phobia, drunkenly recite some of your work on a mike in front of a group of random strangers. You'll be so glad you did it, even if the audience is not.

I used to work here many years ago. Have no connections with the place now but love the service it…read moreoffers. It is the only 24 hour child care centre in Adelaide. So unless you want to try find a local private sitter or family day care style arrangement (not even sure if FDC do overnighters) this is the place to go. Great for hospital and shift workers with odd start or finish times. The staff still try as much as possible to keep the children in routine. It's amazing being in a centre with so many kids all making noise at dinner time and then a few hours later you, with any luck, have most of them down for sleep. It's also odd with parents coming to drop off and pick up kids at unusual hours sometimes. But they do offer a fantastic unique service and their pricing is still comparable to other centres for care on a per session basis. Even though it's in the city there is still a reasonable outside play area for them here. If you NEED ongoing care I suggest you get on the waiting list as soon as possible though!!!

City Community Children's Centre is one of the best Childcare facilities in Adelaide and is miles…read moreahead of many others in a number of categories. The Director runs two centres, the one in the city and another in Sturt and the city site is open 24 hrs a day. Its city location also makes is so perfect for parents who work in the city and may not finish until late into the night. This means there is only a little distance to travel to pick up their little ones and take them home. There is also ample parking out the front which is a rare find for a city business. The centre is run by qualified childcare workers and offers a great number of services. Wholesome and nutritious meals are served and the price is included in the overall expense of the Centre. They take on children from birth to school age (around 4 or 5) and have different rooms and areas to cater to different ages and needs. The staff have planned activities for the children everyday and cater to those with learning difficulties or those who may have social or interaction problems.