RESEARCH

UQ and NCQ Research Collaboration
Perceptions of Neighbourhood and Community Centres

In 2022, NCQ supported UQ students Bronte Bratton, Rauha Firaq, Rowena Johns, Zoe Nethery, Emily Rexa and Emily Scott to undertake a qualitative study exploring how sector stakeholders perceive Neighbourhood and Community Centres.

The research team conducted interviews with 25 participants in the Greater Brisbane area across a number of stakeholder groups including: large non-government organisations, government agencies, community-based organisations and peak bodies. 

The research intended to assist in articulating the value of NCCs, clarifying their role to the sector, and enabling them to better serve community needs.

Research findings highlighted that the diverse and whole-of-community approach of NCC’s often led to misaligned expectations of the role of NCCs in the human service sector.  

Recommendations include developing and communicating shared purpose, frameworks, principles and values of NCCs to sector stakeholders.   NCQ have implemented these recommendations into our new strategic plan and are working closely with the DCHDE Sector Repositioning Committee to articulate and communicate a shared purpose and framework for NCC’s in upcoming sector reforms.   

NEWS

Soil Turned on New Yeronga Community Centre Site 

Last week the building site for the new Yeronga Community Centre was officially opened. Community Plus staff and management committee members joined Mark Bailey MP, Graham Perrett MP and Cr Nicole Johnston to turn the dirt on the site, announcing the beginning of construction which is set to be completed by the end of this year.

Yeronga Community Centre was born out of the 2011 floods, originally forming the Yeronga Flood Recovery Centre, and quickly becoming a safe space for locals to regularly connect and find ongoing support, activities and programs.

Community Plus Resilient Communities Coordinator, Melinda McInturff expressed her excitement for the new centre, and how after 11 years of growth and changing location the Yeronga Community Centre finally feels like ‘coming home’.

“It is exciting to be here and to see work happening. Our community has waited a long time for this… We started less than 400m up the street [from this site]… Our Community Centre has moved 7 times since its inception and now, it is coming home.”

NEWS

New Centre Build Announced for Bribie Island Neighbourhood Association

The Bribie Island and District Neighbourhood Association (BIDNA) has been offering their community all the support they can, despite being substantially limited by the size and facilities of the building they operate from.

In early February, the Queensland Government announced a new, purpose-designed centre would be built on the site, replacing the existing building and providing upgraded spaces to allow for the rise in community needs.

BIDNA President, Anne-Louise Williams, expressed her excitement for the new building “The committee, employees and volunteers have received the news we had been waiting for, for years… that our long-desired purpose-built neighbourhood centre was to become a reality.

“The news of the development of a new centre was like music to our ears as we could finally envision that we could have a centre that would meet the needs of our growing community demands.

“Having a purpose-built centre will benefit our community at large in a broader service delivery as we will have the room to deliver more services to those in our community who require our support”.

STORIES OF IMPACT

Hand-knitted bears help 400 children learn to read in Hervey Bay

For the fourth year in a row, the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre is delivering it’s ‘Read Bear’ Program, which has proven effective in increasing children’s reading skills, language skills, self-confidence and well-being.  
 
Each child in the program (aged 6 to 7) receives a hand-made, donated Read Bear with a name tag to personalise. The bears are brought home and the children are encouraged to read to their new ‘friend’ every weeknight. The bears provide children with motivation to read and the opportunity for self-directed learning. The initiative also aims to encourage parents and siblings to be involved in the reading process alongside the child at home. 

One local parent whose child is a part of the program described the difference the bear made to her daughter’s excitement “Alice was excited to read to her bear last night as per our usual routine to read at bedtime. I heard Alice chatting in the lounge room alone this morning and found her reading to her bear. She has never voluntarily picked up a book to read before today. Big thanks to the Neighbourhood Centre for the initiative.” 

LOCAL COMMUNITY HERO

Meet Local Community Hero Maree Anderson
Community Transport Coordinator at Graham House Community Centre

Say Hi to Maree Anderson, the Community Transport Coordinator at Graham House Community Centre and this month’s Local Community Hero!

Maree recently celebrated 15 years working as the Graham House Community Transport Coordinator. Maree began her work at Graham House in 2008 when her family farm experienced severe drought.

Since then, Maree has been overseeing and supporting the 5 staff and 48 volunteers that keep the transport program running. Graham House Community Transport is a Queensland Transport accredited service that provides low-cost door-to-door transport for community members. 

“By providing clients with transport we are improving their health outcomes; transport is often a barrier to people seeking and receiving medical advice and treatments.  Having access to transport also improves people’s social connectedness, it reduces loneliness and isolation and encourages community involvement.” 

NEWS

Meet Taylor Bast - NCQ's Sector Support in Communications and Digital Engagement

Taylor began working with NCQ as part of her social work student placement in January 2022. Since then, she has been supporting the organisation’s Communications to build relationships and connect with Neighbourhood and Community Centres through the Stories of Impact and Local Community Hero Projects alongside social media and NCQ’s monthly Sector and Members Newsletters. 

Taylor primarily works to share the stories of people behind the doors of Neighbourhood and Community Centres through NCQ’s Stories of Impact and Local Community Hero Projects.    

“I love my job. I have had the privilege of hearing and sharing stories about people who have volunteered for decades; people who have created really unique initiatives to build connections in their communities; people who are advocating for systemic change; people who have found solutions to make sure their community members have somewhere safe to sleep; people that have driven hours to just to have a conversation with someone who is socially isolated. All of these people are so genuine in their desire to help, connect and support the people around them.”

EVENTS

Neighbour Day is Sunday 26th March 2023
Relationships Australia

Relationships Australia's annual event 'Neighbour Day' is coming up on Sunday the 26th of March. The day is designed to bring people together, to connect communities and reflect on what it means to belong and to be truly inclusive.

This year's theme is Create Belonging, and is described as "a call to action to everyone (individuals, community groups, businesses and governments) to take everyday actions that create social connection and foster respectful relationships".

Organisations and individuals are encouraged to host events and connect with the people in their communities on Neighbour Day, to foster a sense of belonging and build more inclusive communities.

Neighbour Day events will be happening right across Australia and any organisation can register their event for free online.

RESOURCES

Compassionate Communities: An implementation guide for community approaches to end of life care
NOUS

The Compassionate Communities Implementation Guide has been designed to provide information about how to initiate, grow and sustain compassionate community approaches. The guide draws on literature and best practice on compassionate communities and public health approaches to palliative care, end of life care and bereavement.

RESOURCES

Building Compassionate Communities in Australia: Tools for a community-led approach to end-of-life care
The Groundswell Project

Building Compassionate Communities in Australia provides a comprehensive explanation of what it means to be a compassionate community and how these communities are developed. The guide explores and provides information about creating a compassionate and community-driven approach to end-of-life care including community mobilisation, planning, advice, sustainability and evaluation.

RESOURCES

Neighbour Day Resources
Relationships Australia

There are a huge number of free resources available to help individuals and community organisations create and promote Neighbour Day events within their communities.

The resources range from tips, guidelines and advice for hosting an event to free printable invite templates, social media squares and posters for organisations to use.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Learning and Development - Sector Lead

Neighbourhood Centres Queensland

Job posted on: 8 February 2023
Applications Close: 6 March 2023

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Finance Officer

Neighbourhood Centres Queensland

Job posted on: 23 February 2023
Applications Close: Ongoing

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Community Partnerships Worker

SANDBAG Inc

Job posted on: 01 February 2023
Applications Close: Ongoing

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

SQW Program and Partners Lead

SANDBAG Inc

Job posted on: 06 February 2023
Applications Close: Ongoing

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Neighbourhoods Coordinator

Encircle Ltd

Job posted on: 07 February 2023
Applications Close: ongoing

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Project Officer

Encircle Ltd

Job posted on: 07 February 2023
Applications Close: ongoing

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Treasurer (Voluntary)

Nambour Community Centre

Job posted on: 13 February 2023
Applications Close: 5.00pm, 03 March 2023

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

NDIS Core Supports Team Leader

Communify

Job posted on: 12 February 2023
Applications Close: 05 March 2023

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Housing and Mental Health Worker

Communify

Job posted on: 17 February 2023
Applications Close: 02 March 2023

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Intake and Assessment Worker - Community Finance

Kyabra Community Association

Job posted on: 21 February 2023
Applications Close: 10.00am, 03 March 2023

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

People and Culture Coordinator

Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre

Job posted on: 21 February 2023
Applications Close: ongoing

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Financial Literacy Worker

Kyabra Community Association

Job posted on: 27 February 2023
Applications Close: ongoing

CALENDAR

Upcoming dates of recognition or celebration

01 March Zero Discrimination Day
03 March World Wildlife Day
08 March International Women's Day 
20 March International Day of Happiness
21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21 March World Down Syndrome Day
24 March International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
26 March Neighbour Day