Alexandra Community Hub needs your support

NEIGHBOURHOOD Houses around Victoria are currently engaged in a campaign, seeking additional financial support from the Victorian Government. They are seeking an extra $11.7 million and say that unless this funding is received, 200 neighbourhood houses around Victoria are at risk of closure.

Sue Sedelies, manager/coordinator at Alexandra Community Hub, explained that these 200 neighbourhood houses have been running at a loss for the past two years.

She said, “We’re fairly fortunate at the moment, but that doesn’t put us not on the firing line. If we were to use our funding purely and be really regimented about it, we’d be in the same boat. It’s just that we supplement it from other areas where we can.”

They’re able to supplement their funding through room hire, for example.

Neighbourhood houses are funded solely via the state government.

Locally, the neighbourhood houses have formed the Dindi Collective. The collective is about working together, sharing the ideas and sharing resources.

Sue explained, “Even within Murrindindi and our houses, and statewide, every house is so different in what they do… There are very few houses that are like what we have in Alexandra, that are a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), an Aduct Community and Further Education (ACFE) provider, run an L2P driving program, are a Services Australia agent, as…