About us

Management and Structure
The Intercultural Community Development Centre is an incorporated association,
managed by a Management Committee, elected at our annual AGM.
The committee has an appointed Director employed to manage the day to
day activities of the committee, oversee and implement cooperative
educational activities and teachingwith local schools and manage
the Cultural Resource Centre. The Resource Centre also has a staff
of three to assist schools and members.

EXECUTIVE OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT: John Bomben: Business man with a longstanding association
with The Intercultural Community Development Centre both locally and in North Queensland.

VICE PRESIDENT: Lyn Winch: Local School Principal.

TREASURER: Sara Garritano : Air Hostess/Dip. Languages

SECRETARY: Daniel Blore: Maths and ESL Teacher/Graphic Designer

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Stephanie Langlois: USC Student - BA (International Studies) with Italian

Maurizio Fenu: Businessman

Kate De Iuliis: USC Student - BEd Secondary/BA (Italian/SOSE)

Rebecca De Iuliis: USC Student - BEd Secondary/BA (Italian/English)

Enrico Fiore: Strategy Consultant

Lino De Zen: Businessman

Alex Lovaglio: Carer/Volunteer

Gabriella Matacchioni: ISC Director

The Intercultural Community Development Centre was established on the Sunshine Coast in 1985 with an aim to foster community awareness and appreciation of the Italian Language and Culture through social and educational programs and events.

Strategic Aims:

• to develop , promote and preserve an awareness of the Italian language and culture and grow our membership base
• to assist and support people of Italian heritage
• establish & support Italian language (LOTE) classes within schools
• provide opportunity for cultural and business exchange between Italy and Australia
• to participate and contribute to the culturally and social fabric of the Sunshine Coast
• establishment and maintenance of Cultural Resource Centre
• development of resources through pursuing variety of fund raising and funding avenues
• development of mutually beneficial relationship with local schools, State & Private,
  and the University to realize educational opportunities and further our aims
• development of mutually beneficial relationship with Education Queensland District
  personnel on the Sunshine Coast to realize educational opportunities and further our aims
• development of positive supportive relationship with the Italian Government through the Director of Education to further our aims.

EDUCATION
The Intercultural Community Development Centre has worked in partnership with Education Queensland on the Sunshine Coast since 1985 to achieve these aims. This positive and close knit partnership has allowed the committee to establish and maintain a high quality Italian Language classes within schools throughout the Sunshine Coast. The continued support of Education Queensland has allowed the growth and development of the Italian language to such an extent that the Committee now proudly employs, in a joint project, a number of teachers of Italian throughout Sunshine Coast schools. Our work is made possible by a financial contribution from the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the kind cooperation and support of the Italian Consulate in Brisbane.

Our latest Relazioni figures (data on classes and student numbers) show that there are over 7,000 students studying Italian in local schools. This is a wonderful achievement not only for our committee, but local schools, teachers and the wider community who have embraced Italian culture and language so generously.

RESOURCE CENTRE
Our Resource Centre allows the committee to provide night classes, support for teachers and students through extension courses and quality curriculum materials. Our centre can now host workshops, seminars and teacher meetings, which further support the Italian language in schools. We house approximately 4,000 items relating to Italian culture, language and history, with borrowing being open to all our members and local schools. Membership is open to all members of the public. We also write, publish and market throughout Australia, our own range of Language Learning Materials for use in the teaching of Italian in Primary school.

UNIVERSITY STUDIES
In 1999 the University of the Sunshine Coast opened an Italian language course within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, as a result of immense regional interest shown in the Italian language and culture. The Intercultural Community Development Centre through the many years of dedication and commitment, takes great pride in the inclusion of the Italian language within the local university as it now provides students with an opportunity to continue their Italian studies from Primary through to Tertiary level.

SCHOLARSHIP & STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
for details on all scholarships , please visit our scholarship page>>

THE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTRE - INAS BRISBANE
To assist seniors of Italian heritage we have developed a working partnership with INAS Brisbane to provide Italian pension assistance and information.
Il patronato INAS sará presente sulla Sunshine Coast presso gli uffici dell’Italian School Committee a Minyama ogni ultimo venerdi del mese a partire da venerdi 30 luglio
È necessario fare appuntamento ph: 5444 3122

An INAS representative will be visiting The Intercultural Community Development Centre office at Minyama every last Friday of the month starting from Friday the 30th July. The representative will assist with Italian pension matters.
It is necessary to make an appointment by phoning: 5444 3122