Neighbourhood houses get more funding

THOUSANDS of Victorians are about to reap the benefits of a record funding boost to be shared by the state’s neighbourhood houses through funding from the Labor government.

A total of 162 neighbourhood houses in Victoria are getting extra co-ordination hours, which will give families improved access to employment, training and volunteering opportunities.

Recently, Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney announced 10 neighbourhood houses in the region would each receive extra funding of $14,760, which will deliver 25 hours of support. Funding recipients include:

• Anglesea and District Community House Inc
• Camperdown and District Community House
• Deans Marsh Community Cottage Inc
• Forrest & District Neighbourhood House Inc
• Gellibrand Community Group Inc
• Grovedale Neighbourhood House
• Lorne Fig Tree Community House
• Marrar Woon Neighbourhood House
• Spring Creek Community House Inc
• Port Fairy Community Group Inc.

All of the 162 neighbourhood houses have been funded to deliver 25 coordination hours per week, part of a record $21.8 million investment to deliver an extra 76,700 hours each year.

The additional co-ordination hours will help staff and volunteers provide the activities and services Victorians need and want closer to home, like language classes, computer tutoring, health and well-being activities, life skills lessons, self-help groups and occasional childcare.

Almost 200,000 people visit a neighbourhood house or use their services every week in Victoria, bringing people together to connect, learn and contribute with fellow community members.

Additional funding through the 2018/19 budget will also allow mobile neighbourhood house networkers to spend 4,800 extra hours with individual houses to improve access to key services and activities.

“Neighbourhood houses are a wonderful part of Victoria, including here in Western Victoria,” Ms Tierney said.

“More hours, more staff and more volunteers – this investment will have a real impact on those connected to neighbourhood houses and is a win for our local communities.”

“From gardening lessons to IT training, there’s always support, advice and a helping hand to be found at our neighbourhood houses – it is wonderful to be able to increase their funding.”