Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2006/Community engagement - the Cerberus challenge
By LCDR Lachlan Sowden
HMAS Cerberus hosted a BBQ and activities day for the CanTeen (youth group for cancer patients). Escorted by the Victorian Masonic Motorcycle Association, they were treated to rides around Hans Inlet by the Seamanship School. Pic by ABPH Nina Nikolin
For many who join the Navy, HMAS Cerberus is their first experience of Naval life. A great portion of the young men and women who are posted to Cerberus are experiencing life away from home for the first time.
The changes in life style, the freedom and responsibilities that this brings for these first time "out of homers" needs to be balanced against community expectations of Defence personnel. To help Cerberus's ships company better understand this balance, Cerberus has actively embarked on a strategy of community engagement to bring these two groups closer together. This community engagement strategy allows all members of Cerberus's ship's company to interact with, and provide assistance to, local community service groups.
Cerberus's commitment to community activity is divided into three general groups: charity and fundraising, support to military-affiliated social organisations and support to general community organisations.
Over the course of the past 12 months , ship's company have been busy representing the Navy in all three of these activities at some 50 separate events.
Tin-shake events in support of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Alfred Foundation, Mornington Legacy, Legacy annual badge appeal and the RSL 2006 Anzac Day fundraising activities are the high-profile events that involve Cerberus ship's company.
Up to 150 personnel are involved in each of these events across all ranks.
"Public response to uniformed members undertaking this charity collection work indicates it is very well received," said CO Cerberus CAPT David Garnock, "and the collecting organisations are very pleased to have Navy on board.
"This sort of community spirit puts Cerberus in the forefront when members of the public think about Defence. It's good for Cerberus and good for the Navy."
Cerberus personnel raised about $115,000 for these charities over the past 12 months.
Apart from raising funds for charities, Cerberus has been busy engaging with service-based community organisations: Anzac and Remembrance Days are key activities on the Cerberus calendar.
Anzac Day in Melbourne: trainee cook SMN Tahlia Noke serves up scrambled eggs at the gunfire breakfast at the Shrine. Pic by ABPH Nina Nikolin.
Anzac Day saw some 50 individual events being supported by Cerberus staff. The intensity of effort ranged from small detachments being dispatched to regional centres across Victoria to support RSL services, to more intensive ceremonial commitments at the Shrine of Remembrance in St Kilda.
On Remembrance Day Cerberus personnel undertook largely Melbourne-based activities which involved a range of local RSL and community organisations.
ANZAC Day dawn service at Cerberus – CO and staff members and catafalque party. Pic by LSPH Gavin Hainsworth.
There are, of course, many other commemorative events arranged by ship and other ex-Service groups in which Cerberus personnel are involved as catafalque or colour guards, buglers and ceremonial coordinators.
The last area of support that Cerberus provides is to community-based organisations, which include local schools, youth development organisations and pensioner clubs.
Cerberus sailors in a tri-Service guard in Melbourne for Australia Day.
Cerberus's help to these groups is generally based on manpower support for activities and can be as diverse as providing technical assistance to repair playground equipment to escorting tour groups for "windscreen tours" of the base and installing new rope activities in the orangutan sanctuary enclosure at the Melbourne Zoo.
All community engagement activities that Cerberus undertakes are valuable not only to those receiving the assistance, but also to the several thousand new and revisiting officers and sailors who pass through Cerberus's gates every year. It is this activity that draws Navy much closer to the community.
Governor of Victoria, (then) John Landy, inspects the Navy section of Australia Day guard. Pics by ABPH Nina Nikolin.
