International Neighbourhood Centre Conference 2020
The biennial conference for the International Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres is being held in Sydney in August 2020. The theme of the conference is "Social Justice: The Unfinished Journey". Neighbourhood Centres from around the world will gather at this event, creating fantastic opportunities for Australian Neighbourhood Houses to showcase our work on a local level. Calls for presentations and registration details can be found here.
Queensland Community Development Conference
Over 90 people from Neighbourhood and Community Centres attended the Queensland Community Development Conference in October 2019, thanks to generous sponsorship of $40000 from the Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors. Knowledge sharing featured predominately as many Neighbourhood Centres conducted workshops to the 400 delegates across the 3 days. You can find out more on our CD Qld Conference page here.
New QFCA Drought Development Project Worker
We are extremely happy to have Roslyn Wade join us as our new Drought Development Project Worker. Ros has worked for over 25 years at Tara Neighbourhood Centre which has seen its fair share of major floods, fires and drought. She has also been a primary producer for over 40 years and has first hand experience of drought affected rural Queensland. Ros will be working with the QFCA to research and develop a Neighbourhood Centre Drought Response Strategy in Queensland. The project will also be supported by Natural Disaster consultant Natasha Odgers of Natural Connections.
QFCA Refunded for 3 Years by Queensland Government
We have received confirmation by the Hon. Coralee O'Rourke MP, Minister of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors that the QFCA has been refunded for the next 3 years. The department's Thriving Communities plan positions Neighbourhood and Community Centres as vital place-based infrastructure and whilst resourcing remains an issue of concern for the sector, we are excited to continue partnering with Government to develop centres across the state.
Community Development Queensland Conference 2019
Entitled "A Place for Everyone" and based in Toowoomba, early bird tickets are now on sale for the Community Development Queensland Conference in October 2019. CD Qld and the QFCA are aiming to develop a Neighbourhood Centre stream for the conference and are encouraging the sector to submit proposals for presentations. The QFCA AGM will also be held at the conference to allow for more participation from the sector. Download the proposal form for presentations here. Organisations that wish to sponsor the CD Queensland Conference can view a prospectus here.
Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre on 7News Wide Bay
Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre's Open Day was recently featured on 7News Wide Bay, highlighting the awesome work of Neighbourhood and Community Centres in cities around Queensland.
Nundah Neighbourhood Centre releases Sexual Violence Podcast
Nundah Neighbourhood Centre and Community Legal Service have released a podcast series during Domestic and Family Violence Month focusing on Sexual Violence. Entitled "The Injustice of Intimacy", the podcast was released at Queensland's Parliament House with Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer, Attorney General Yvette D'Ath and MP Leanne Linard.
Neighbourhood Centre Week 2019
Neighbourhood Centre Week 2019 is an Australia wide celebration of the work of Neighbourhood Houses and Community Centres from 6th to 12th May 2019. This years' theme is "Bringing People Together - What Neighbourhood Centres Do Best". Despite our society being more digitally connected than ever, social isolation and loneliness are becoming increasing problematic causing poorer quality of life and mental health outcomes. Political and other social divisions are also increasingly causing hostility and lack of civility between groups. The work of Neighbourhood Centres in "Bringing People Together" is vital to bringing social inclusion, cohesion and well being to local communities and a great theme for 2019!
Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre on Win News
Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre has expanded their social enterprise, created a "kindness" garden and held a spectacular art auction. This was all recently featured in this Win News Wide Bay news story.
New Neighbourhood Centre for Toowoomba
Residents living in the Wilsonton community will benefit from a new and larger neighbourhood centre thanks to Palaszczuk Government funding of up to $3.6 million. Minister for Communities Coralee O’Rourke today (15 March) visited the existing neighbourhood centre and announced the Palaszczuk Government had secured additional land in Wilsonton for the construction of a new centre. You can read more here.
Minister O'Rourke at Caloundra Community Centre
Our Thriving Communities Grants program made a big difference to local Neighbourhood and Community Centres in partnership with the Queensland Government. Here's one example of the grants in action:
Neighbourhood Centre to Neighbourhood Centre Disaster Support
When Maleny Neighbourhood Centre recently heard about the floods in North Queensland they wanted to help in any way they could. The QFCA put them in touch with North Townsville Community Hub (NOTCH) and Neighbourhood Centre to Neighbourhood Centre Crisis support was born. To donate click here.
One Million Dollars Worth of No Interest Loans
Congratulations to Megan Blacklow of Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre whose No Interest Loans Scheme has administered $1million worth of loans to the Douglas Shire Community in partnership with Good Shepherd Microfinance. An amazing achievement!
Encircle Pine Rivers and Redcliffe Neighbourhood Centres Awarded
Encircle Ltd, which includes the Pine Rivers and Redcliffe Neighbourhood Centres has taken out top spot in the SRJ Walker Wayland Community Group of the Year Award as part of the Moreton Bay Region Business Excellence and Innovation Awards. You can read more here.
QFCA Repositions for the Future
The QFCA held it's Annual General Meeting this week followed by strategic planning for the year with the board and staff. You can read our Annual Report here. The QFCA's leaders for the next financial year include Tomas Passeggi (President), Christine Buckland (Treasurer), Samantha Way (Secretary), Julie Theakson (Far North), Linda McClelland (North), Cassie Paton (South), Virginia Wacker (Far West), Sally Fischer (South West), Jenny Ryan (North Brisbane), Claudia Cunningham (South Brisbane), Bea Rogan (Sunshine) and Kim Eadie (Central). We're excited about Neighbourhood Centres and excited about the future! Over the next few months we're working closely with the CSIA, CoCB and other sector stakeholders to reposition ourselves to better lead the sector to greater things for their local communities. Stay tuned for exciting new developments....
Mt Gravatt Community Centre introduces Social Isolation Project
Acting Minister for Communities Shannon Fentiman has announced the Palaszczuk Government would provide an extra $100,000 in funding to the Mount Gravatt Community Centre as part of a proposal to address social isolation. You can read more about this innovative project here.
QFCA welcomes Minister O’Rourke’s Thriving Communities Grants
The Queensland Families and Communities Association welcome the announcement by Minister O’Rourke to award Thriving Communities Grants to 73 neighbourhood centres across Queensland. Over $600 000 has been invested into communities, which the peak body of neighbourhood centres says will enhance local communities and provide essential infrastructure to services. You can read QFCA's full media release here.
New Neighbourhood Centre for Murgon
MURGON residents will benefit from better access to services and support with the Palaszczuk Government investing $3.1 million into the construction and establishment of a new neighbourhood centre for Graham House. Murgon's current neighbourhood centre, Graham House Community Centre, has been servicing the community for 30 years. Read more here.
Neighbourhood Centres Responding to Priority Clients
The 2017 QFCA and QCOSS report into Queensland Neighbourhood Centres says:
96.3% are responding to homelessness
88.9% are responding to domestic violence
88.9% are responding to mental health issues
87% are responding to poverty
70% are responding to family homelessness
You can read more here.
Neighbourhood and Community Centres: Reconnecting the disconnected
Promotional video launched by the Australian Neighbourhood Houses and Centres Association.
QFCA Social Media Launched
We're experimenting with new ways to keep Neighbourhood and Community Centres connected through the QFCA. In addition to our regular sector updates via email to centres, we have launched QFCA social media sites on Facebook and Linkedin as another way for members of the sector to keep up to date with news, articles and developments. You can like our Facebook page here and follow our Linkedin company page here. If you have any good news stories, newspaper articles, research or information you'd like to share with the network please email the content to sdo@qfca.org.au.
Neighbourhood Centres: Having a huge impact
Neighbourhood Centres are having a huge impact around Australia. You can see a snapshot of the Australian Neighbourhood Houses and Centres Association's findings here.