Advocacy Submissions

This submission sets out four costed measures to ensure the sustainability and ongoing effectiveness of neighbourhood houses and community centres under the $43M Neighbourhood House Coordination Program (NHCP). NHVic is seeking a State Government investment of $ 51.4 million over 4 years to address these priorities.

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria (NHVic) is seeking a one-off $5 million rescue package to stabilise Neighbourhood House Occasional Childcare provision leading up to the implementation of new arrangements by the Federal Government. Additionally, NHVic is asking the State Government to advocate to the Federal Government for a mechanism consistent with the intent of the Productivity Commission’s Draft Recommendation 7.5 to ensure a more targeted approach to funding and supporting occasional: An ECEC Commission (draft recommendation 9.2) should be responsible for advising on the need for additional investments in occasional care and the communities in which these services are needed. Where additional investments are required, funding should be available through a more flexible Community Child Care Fund.

This submission sets out three costed measures to ensure the sustainability and ongoing effectiveness of neighbourhood houses and community centres under the Neighbourhood House Coordination Program (NHCP), a $40M state government program: 1. Restore core NHCP funding to allow for program funding above and beyond award wages for a single part-time coordinator; 2. Provide funding for frontline distribution of food relief, a rapidly escalating burden on Neighbourhood Houses. 3. Ringfence additional budget within the NHCP to fund new neighbourhood houses in rapidly developing growth corridors, before the opportunity is lost.

Extensive sector wide consultation by the two Victorian peak bodies; Neighbourhood Houses Victoria (NHVic) and Adult and Community Education Victoria (ACEVic) has identified systemic underfunding of pre-accredited training in Learn Local providers. Inadequate funding is adversely affecting the provision of sustainable, quality pre-accredited education opportunities for vulnerable learners throughout the state. In response to these findings NHVic and ACEVic are seeking a State Government commitment to a new and sustainable quality-based funding model as well as an increase in the student contact hour funding rate.

Various reforms of the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system have benefited and will benefit children and working families through: Better education outcomes, leading to improved opportunity particularly for children with other barriers to education, through the introduction of three year old kinder and higher professional standards in the ECEC sector. Improved economic access by removing barriers to workforce participation. Improved pay and career outcomes for early learning professionals. Better and safer early education and care through improved Child Safety Standards. Neighbourhood Houses emerged as safe spaces for women’s safety, education and economic empowerment through the first wave feminist movement and the Whitlam government’s commitment to women’s greater economic participation. As such, our sector strongly supports the various state and federal attempts to reform ECEC. However, these reforms have had unintended consequences that impact the most vulnerable women in our society, creating barriers to core skills acquisition, economic participation, social connection and, in some cases, compromising women’s safety.

Whilst NHVic supports the concept of portable long service, it is opposed to the forced introduction of the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme. Our members have expressed great concern about the increased operational and administrative costs, lack of coverage clarity, incompatibility with existing EBA arrangements and the complexity and duration of record keeping that the scheme places on small community-based organisations like Neighbourhood Houses. All in all, the cumulative impact of the PLSBS actually has the potential to jeopardise the ongoing employment of the very people that the scheme is purporting to help.

During the 2022 flood event, neighbourhood houses (NHs) in regional Victoria led the flood efforts in many communities, including Rochester, Charlton, Echuca, Numurkah and Mooroopna. This is not a new role for neighbourhood houses: it was also the case in the 2019 bushfires (notably in Kinglake) and many other fire events as well as the 2011 Victorian floods. This submission addresses inquiry scope item (3) resourcing of the State Emergency Service, the adequacy of its response to the Flood Event and the adequacy of its resourcing to deal with increasing floods and natural disasters in the future specifically in relation to recognising and supporting the role of neighbourhood houses in disaster response. This submission focuses on recommended measures to strengthen the natural role already played by neighbourhood houses in disaster response and recovery.

As the Peak Membership Body for more than 400 Incorporated Associations in Victoria NHVic are very interested in participating in the consultation and, following the format of the ‘Issues Paper’ provided, have provided a response to each question posed.

NHVic partnered with ACEVic for this submission which provides recommendations on: how the education and training system can better support communities and how industries can meet current and future workforce needs how to support individuals in understanding the skills they need and accessing the required education

NHVic contributed to this submission led by ACEVic. Adult and community education (ACE) plays a pivotal role in the pathway to success for many learners with disability. ACE prepares learners with disability to transition into TAFE – and further, to succeed in accredited training and gain employment. This submission seeks appropriate recognition of ACE and the necessary resources to strengthen partnerships and pathways between the public and community providers of adult education to support learners with a disability to thrive in education, work and life.

Our submission puts forward several recommendations including: Advocate federally for a shift to a new VET system adopting and adapting key features of successful European economies, including the expansion of apprenticeships or traineeships. Develop an integrated VET structure that articulates the role of Learn Local providers as a complementary provider of accredited and pre-accredited training. Reform the funding mechanism to ensure the actual cost of high-quality delivery is covered with consideration of learner need, market size and provider scale. Incentivise and resource collaboration between Learn Local providers and TAFEs

In partnership with our state counterparts, we submitted our calls for: an immediate $75 per week income to the single rate of allowances including Newstart an immediate 30% increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance the establishment of an independent expert panel to set future rates for pensions and allowances the inclusion of a wage-based component in determining future indexation the regular review of rates by the independent expert panel replacing Family Tax Benefit part B for single parents with a supplement that increases as children grow

As places where people with mental health issues participate equally alongside other community members in a range of activities and capacities over time, Neighbourhood Houses undoubtedly contribute to improved attitudes to people with mental illness.

While the plan’s priorities are targeted at a limited number of contributors to the Sate’s burden of disease; other factors, including social isolation, often contribute to adoption and maintenance of unhealthy lifestyle choices. Improving people’s self reported social connection, and sense of health and wellbeing are documented outcomes of the Neighbourhood House program. The mobilisation of local community resources in response to local needs and contexts is a key strength of the neighbourhood house sector. Where local activity supports the broader plan goals, the activity should be actively supported.

The Neighbourhood House sector in Victoria has a track record of achieving strong social inclusion outcomes but operates with significant capacity constraints. With 90 per cent of Victoria’s Neighbourhood Houses funded at less than full time with the majority funded for just 25 hours per week of coordination, there is significant potential to increase activities that strengthen mental health and wellbeing with relatively modest investment.

Investing in outreach and engagement in the ACE sector is possibly the single most effective strategy that can lead to increased participation by learners with high needs and low language, literacy and numeracy.