What we do Awards program 2019 NHVic Awards Community Development Winner: Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre - Carlton Community Garden Compost The Community Garden Compost is a place for members of the community to connect and develop business skills, create employment opportunities and expand their knowledge of gardening, composting, harvesting, planning and healthy cooking. People of all ages and different walks of life come together and learn from each other in an outdoor setting, walking away with an increased sense of mental and physical wellbeing. Finalists: Morwell Neighbourhood House - Repair Café Latrobe Valley Morwell’s repair café is all about repairing things in a social, fun and friendly environment. Besides reducing waste to landfills, repair cafes provide a space for community members to gather and help one another out, with a shared passion for the environment, community connections and the opportunity to learn new skills. Kensington Neighbourhood House – Healthy Living and Learning Healthy Living and Learning is a weekly program working with seniors living in the Kensington public housing estate to target food insecurity, increase social connections and encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyle habits. Participants from various backgrounds gather over cooking, gardening, wholesome activities and lifelong learning, and walk out with an increased sense of confidence and awareness of how to live a healthy life. Community Resilience Winner: Pyalong Neighbourhood House – Relief for our Farmers Relief for our Farmers is a program donating goods to struggling farmers affected by drought. Loads of goods and food items have been donated to farming families in need. Because of the donations made by the community to local farmers, these farmers and their families were empowered, despite their hardships, because they became aware of the support offered by the community in times of crisis. Finalists: Dallas Neighbourhood House – Food Parcel Program Volunteers at Dallas Neighbourhood House organise and provide food parcels to asylum seekers in need of support. In 2018 alone, Dallas Neighbourhood House gave out more than 3000 food parcels to the most vulnerable and marginalised members of the community and by doing this helped asylum seekers increase their quality of life. The receiving of food parcels means one less stress and enables members of the community to focus on other areas of their life such as paying rent or finding employment. Waminda Community House – HOCUS (Hang Out and Catch Up Sometime) HOCUS is an informal, social networking group for teens aged 13-19 who are either disengaged or ‘at risk’ of disengaging from both school and/or community. HOCUS’ aim is to assist vulnerable young people in seeing their value in and to the community, as well as helping them understand and make use of their own potential. The project has opened up doors to young members of the community by providing a space where new friendships can develop, and young people learn how to break the cycle in which they seem to be trapped. Fiona Richardson Award for Gender Equity Winner: Banksia Gardens Community Services – Good People Act Now Good People Act Now is a youth led prevention of violence against women project based in Broadmeadows, empowering young people to take action on the issue of gender inequality in their local communities. Good People Act Now recruits young people to undergo training and become leaders amongst their peers on the issue of gendered violence. The program addresses gender inequality in the local community by changing community attitudes that perpetuate the gendered drivers of violence against women. Finalists: Watsonia Neighbourhood House – Action on Family Violence Action on Family Violence addresses family violence in the local community by providing services and a safe space to women and families who have experienced or are experiencing domestic violence and by raising awareness around issues and drivers of gendered violence. Action on Family Violence provides women and families with the knowledge, support and courage they need to take a step in the direction of a better life. Wellsprings for Women – Women’s Health and Safety Program Women’s Health and Safety program educates participants on gender equity, respectful relationships and prevention of violence against women. Participants show an increased awareness of gender equity, services offering help to women experiencing family violence, and their right to self-determination as women. Participants gain confidence and feel empowered as they learn about the issue and how they can fight against it.