News and events News It's time to get chatty Wednesday 2 March 2022 As Victoria opens up and people seek opportunities to re-connect with their community, around 50 Neighbourhood Houses have adopted the 'Chatty Cafe' concept. Originating in the UK in 2017, Chatty Cafes provide an open invitation for community members from all walks of life to congregate at a local venue and have a chat over a cup of tea. Neighbourhood Houses Victoria CEO Nicole Battle recently attended an official launch event in Bayside, with the Minister for Local Government, Suburban Development and Veterans, Shaun Leane, and Member for Northern Metropolitan Region, Fiona Patten (pictured above with Nicole and Managing Director Glenys Reid), among others. "The concept is so simple, yet so effective,” Nicole said. "Loneliness and social isolation are major issues in today's society, and this has only been exacerbated by the long periods of lockdown Victoria has experienced over the last two years. Not only could we not catch up with family and friends, we also missed out on a lot of those daily incidental interactions we experience, but don’t realise are also so important. "Now that things are returning to as close to normal as they can in a post-COVID world, it's definitely the optimal time for Neighbourhood Houses to embrace this initiative.” Nicole welcomes community members to Rosanna Fire Station Community House's very first Chatty Cafe. Chatty Cafe Scheme Australia Manager Director Glenys Reid said Chatty Cafes were a simple way to encourage community connections and improve mental health outcomes in local communities. "We are so happy to see so many Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria jump on board," Glenys said. "This is going to have such a positive impact on the mental health and enjoyment of life for so many community members. "Through chatty cafes, special connections are made. Strangers become friends. It gives people a social outlet; something they can look forward to." "I hope we see even more Neighbourhood Houses join us in the future." Highett and Hampton Community Centres were early adopters of the Chatty Cafe concept, which has been a successful way of drawing people to their centres and sparking connections: Neighbourhood Houses Victoria hosted an information session for the sector in August 2021. You can watch this here. To sign up your organisation as a Chatty Cafe, register here. List of Neighbourhood Houses running a Chatty Cafe Click on the organisation name to find out more about when their Chatty Cafe meets. Neighbourhood House Address Alexandra Community Hub 38A Downey St, Alexandra Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre 11 Tuppen Dr, Sebastopol Ballarat East Neighbourhood House 39 Barkly St, Ballarat East Castlefield Community Centre 505 Bluff Rd, Hampton Caulfield South Community House 450 Kooyong Rd, Caulfield South Central Ringwood Community Centre Bedford Park, Rosewarne Lane, Ringwood Chelsea Heights Community Centre 160 Thames Promenade, Chelsea Heights Cheltenham Community Centre 8 Chesterville Rd, Cheltenham Cobram Community House 43-45 Punt Rd, Cobram Community Learning Centre 40 Fulham Rd, Rowville Craigieburn Education & Community Centre 20 Selwyn Ave, Craigieburn Darley Neighbourhood House and Learning Centre 35 Jonathan Dr, Darley Dingley Village Neighbourhood Centre 31B Marcus Rd, Dingley Village Dromana Community House 15 Gibson St, Dromana Elwood St Kilda Neighbourhood Learning Centre 85-87 Tennyson St, Elwood Foundation Learning Centre 1 Malcolm Ct, Narre Warren Hamilton Community House 19 Sedgewick St, Hamilton Hampton Community Centre 14 Willis St, Hampton Highett Neighbourhood Community House 2 Livingston St, Highett Karingal PLACE Neighbourhood Centre 103 Ashleigh Ave, Frankston Kerrie Rd Neighbourhood House 36 Kincumber Dr, Glen Waverley Leopold Community & Learning Centre 31-39 Kensington Rd, Leopold Living & Learning Nillumbik - Diamond Creek 119 Cowin St, Diamond Creek Living and Learning @ Ajani u2/284 Thompsons Rd, Templestowe Longbeach PLACE 15 Chelsea Rd, Chelsea Long Gully Neighbourhood Centre 52-54 Derwent Dr, Long Gully Louis Joel Arts & Community Centre Mackie Rd Neighbourhood House 36-42 Mackie Rd, Mulgrave Mordialloc Community Centre 115A Warren Rd, Parkdale Mornington Community House 3/91 Wilsons Rd, Mornington Mount Eliza Neighbourhood House 90 Canadian Bay Rd, Mount Eliza North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House 20 Solly Ave, Princes Hill Patterson Lakes Community Centre 54-70 Thompson Rd, Patterson Lakes Paynesville Neighbourhood Centre 55 Esplanade, Paynesville Phoenix Park Neighbourhood House 22 Rob Roy Rd, Malvern East Port Fairy Community House 5 Railway Place, Port Fairy Red Cliffs Community Resource Centre 23 Indi Ave, Red Cliffs Rosanna Fire Station Community House 232 Lower Plenty Rd, Rosanna Seawinds Community Hub 11A Allambi Ave, Capel Sound Simpson & District Community Centre 11 Jayarra St, Simpson Sundowner Community Centre Community Hall, 24 Sundowner Ave, Clarinda The Grange Community Centre 260-280 Hogans Rd, Hoppers Crossing Warragul Community House 138 Normanby St, Warragul West Footscray Neighbourhood House Level 1/539 Barkly St, West Footscray Wonthaggi Neighbourhood Centre at Mitchell House 6 Murray St, Wonthaggi Woodend Neighbourhood house 47 Forest St, Woodend Yarrunga Community Centre 76-86 Croydon Hills Dr, Croydon Hills Yarraville Community Centre 59 Francis St, Yarraville