Monday 19 August 2019

Seven Victorian neighbourhood houses have been successful in receiving grants for round one of our federal peak body ANHCA and Sidney Myer Fund's 'Supporting Stronger Communities' grants program.

A total of $123,465 has been awarded across 13 neighbourhood houses nation-wide to address poverty and disadvantage in metropolitan communities.

Applications for the second round are currently open until 30 August. Find out more on the ANHCA website.

Here are the successful Victorian projects:

Friday Food Club

Cheltenham Community Centre – $10,000

Friday Food Club is a program specifically targeting disadvantaged groups, that is, over 55s who are in social housing and at risk or experiencing social isolation; underemployed with mental health challenges; and people who are homeless. The program will engage people in these cohorts to come and cook a hot meal together and also cook a meal for people that are homeless. It will provide skills in cooking, health and nutrition, socialisation, community participation, connectedness, and thinking about others.

Creative Enterprising Women

Wellsprings for Women – $10,000

Creative Enterprising Women involves migrant and refugee women with low levels of English and educational backgrounds who seek financial security, in workshops where they build confidence and get access to income generating pathways. During the workshops the women get to document their existing skills and talents through a skills audit, explore available possibilities for generating income, develop a goal plan and learn about the pathways to micro-businesses, self employment, social enterprises, and other programs.

Moon Rabbit Mobile Bulk Foods

The Bridge Preston – $10,000

To address food insecurity in Preston, The Bridge will set up a Mobile Bulk Food Co-Op. The Preston 2016 SEIFA index is 994 – high disadvantage. The three key components of food insecurity are inadequate supply, inaccessibility and inappropriate use. This project addresses all three. Vulnerable community members will buy food at a reduced price, without plastic packaging, in appropriate volumes, with cooking demonstrations and recipes. Moon Rabbit Mobile Bulk Foods, the first mobile bulk food Co-Op in Melbourne creates increased social capital and wellbeing. It will provide savings, social connectivity and healthy food for the most disadvantaged in the Darebin community.

Kenley Court Neighbourhood House Client Support

Banksia Gardens Community Services – $10,000           

Banksia Garden Community Services manages the Kenley Court Neighbourhood House located in Meadow Heights, one of the most disadvantaged suburbs in Hume City Council on Melbourne’s northern fringe. Kenley Court delivers programs for the local community including its successful after-school Study Group primarily targeted at refugee and newly arrived migrant children and young people. A dedicated client support service will help refugees, migrants and other disadvantaged residents take the necessary steps to improve their financial and personal circumstances.

SKCC Holiday Clubs

The South Kingsville Community Centre – $5,000

This project will provide a series of holiday programs for children and young adults from disadvantaged cohorts. Thee programs include a combination of life skills, education, arts and social inclusion. An example program involves art using recyclable materials. The participants explore the work of artists like Jane Perkins and Jason Mecier then recreate their own versions of artwork. Other program types include cooking classes and coding computer classes to aid life skills and education. The centre aims to run at least two programs every school holidays.

All Girls are Knockouts

Laverton Community Integrated Services – $10,000

Laverton Community Integrated Services in partnership with the Laverton Youth Foundation and Laverton Boxing Gym will run a female youth program targeting the young CALD women who reside within the Hobsons Bay and Wyndham municipalities. The project will teach Women’s Safety and focus on empowerment, self-defence, fitness, assertiveness, social media/sexting and online safety.

Community Outreach Officer

Park Orchards Community House and Learning Centre – $10,000  

This project will employ a Community Outreach Officer (COO) dedicated to engaging with new clients who would access the centre’s free and low cost community programs. Specifically, the COO would target those who are disadvantaged by social isolation, age, ESL, and those who face financial barriers to participation. The COO would also establish relationships with external services, such as Job Service Agencies (JSAs), to promote and support participants enrolling in our pre-accredited training programs. They would liaise with the JSAs to develop courses that meet the needs of the unemployed, and give them the skills required for meaningful employment.