Well done Victoria! All of our efforts have paid off as we welcome the opportunity to cautiously transition out of stage 4 lockdowns towards a more ‘COVID-normal’ way of life.
Needless to say, I am proud of the resilience, commitment and patience shown by our St Kilda Gatehouse community. Everyone has pulled together with incredible courage and kindness to support each other. However, we are very aware that the world is still experiencing the pandemic and so we remain vigilant ensuring St Kilda Gatehouse provides a COVID-safe environment for all staff, volunteers and the women and girls we support.
Here’s a bit of an update of our operations as we cautiously re-open:
- We have a CovidSafe Plan in place and each of our programs have a site-specific plan to ensure that we work in a COVID-safe way.
- Staff will continue to support vulnerable women and girls and their families in a COVID- safe way using virtual and remote interactions where possible. When in-person support is needed, staff follow all guidelines in line with the Victorian Government and our CovidSafe Plan.
- The Greeves St Op Shop is now operating Monday-Saturday, 12-5pm. The COVID-safe approach means we have fewer volunteers on each shift, monitor the use of face masks, physical distancing, the number of customers in the shop and ensure regular cleaning and disinfecting takes place.
Most of all we are excited that as restrictions ease, we will be able to create more opportunities to support vulnerable women and girls and welcome our wonderful volunteers back.
Thank you everyone for hanging in there during this difficult time. Your continued support has enabled us to keep our Young Women’s Project and the Drop In Centre open and doing what they do best – creating spaces of belonging, connection and dignity in what has been an incredibly challenging times for women and girls already experiencing extreme disadvantage.
There is still a long way to go but I think together we have proven that compassion and grace go a long way in strengthening community and one another.
Stacey Aslangul
CEO – St Kilda Gatehouse
