Australian Catholic University (ACU)

Community Bank Homebush (CBH) and ACU share a vision for providing real outcomes for the communities in which they operate and have been investigating funding for initiatives on campus as well as student internship opportunities.

CBH has recently committed to funding to the ACU Mary Aikenhead Clinic at Strathfield campus, to increase the Clinic's operating days, from three to five days a week, during university semesters.

The Clinic provides affordable psychological assessment services for neurodiverse children and adolescents via the service being offered by Master of Psychology student in a placement at the Clinic. This program is one of only a few metro-based NSW university clinics that offers diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The extended operating days will double the number of patients that can be seen in Semester 2, 2024 and help an estimated 200 patients in 2025, minimising the current waiting times to help diagnose children and adolescent with developmental conditions including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Further, the extended operating days will facilitate the clinical placement of students completing the Masters of Psychology-Clinical program, allowing them to graduate sooner, thus providing graduates who will enter the workforce and provide benefit to the community.

The Community Bank Homebush, a franchisee of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is located on Rochester Street, Homebush and pride themselves as the better bank, that seeks to invest in their community.

Michael Brewer, Chair of Community Bank Homebush notes, "With the cost of living challenge, the extended operating days of affordable psychological assessments for early intervention to children and adolescents will dramatically reduce the current waitlist times and make a long-term difference for more than 200 families a year."

"We are proud to be able to support and collaborate with ACU Psychology staff, students and the Mary Aikenhead Clinic. We grow with our community."

Another initiative Community Bank Homebush is supporting will address student food insecurity on the ACU Strathfield campus. According to Campus Dean, Associate Professor Belinda Von Mengersen, "Contributing factors are the high number of students who undertake long placements in their training, which precludes them from working their regular jobs, while still undertaking study, and is known as Placement Poverty. Additionally, the current Cost of Living Crisis has increased the instances where staff report that students are struggling to purchase food and are coming to campus hungry."

Community Bank Homebush have committed to providing 250 food hampers for students who currently experience food insecurity and further funding to re-stock food pantries throughout the next three semesters to assist students with replenishing their pantry staples.

This collaboration between ACU and Community Bank Homebush provides positive outcomes for the local Strathfield-Homebush community with our MoU extending for future years to provide a sustained positive impact in the local area.