“This year is the year of communication,” Riki Price from CentreCare/Communities for Children said.

Representatives from various community groups have tabled ideas and intend to follow them through.

“Having goals and outcomes gives us a reason to meet and make you feel like you have achieved something,” Mrs Price said.

The idea of a ‘Calendar of Events’ was raised at the meeting as the notion of one community calendar will benefit the entire community.

“Last year two events clashed with the Venetian Carnival and having the Calendar of Events will mean we avoid problems like this again,” Mrs Price said.

Interagency is calling on representatives from all community groups to work together on creating the yearly calendar and also a directory of services.

The detailed directory that is on the cards for interagency to accomplish will list the community groups in the shire, their contact numbers and the services that they do. This increased awareness will not only benefit the community groups but also citizens who are not aware of the services they can access.

The library in Narromine will be conducting school visits this year to teach students about the library and what it can offer. One service it provides which is unknown to many in the community is an online tutoring program that is accessible to all students - those at schools, TAFE and university. The library is also intending on creating a movie club for both adults and youth to enjoy this year.

Macquarie Valley Daycare is doing its part for the community in 2010 by opening its doors to all parents.

“Training programs through (Macquarie Valley Daycare) will be opened up to the whole community so they can benefit from the training that we have,” Catherine O’Donnell, co-ordinator at the daycare said.

The training calendar is yet to be finalised, but programs will be aimed at training parents and carers in child and family-related issues, including the ‘Stretch for stress’ management program that has already proven a hit in the shire.

In the end what came out of the meeting was a strong sense of community spirit with the intent of making this year the ‘year of communication’ thanks to the collaboration and co-operation of various groups within the shire.

“If we set a goal for the year and we accomplish it, it will be something that is positive for interagency,” Ms Price said.