Neighbourhood Houses Gippsland
Neighbourhood Houses Gippsland held their sector awards presentation at their AGM in November 2022. The three categories were:

Community Resilience
Climate Action
Community Development

Community Resilience

This award is for Neighbourhood Houses who have demonstrated great examples of community resilience Community resilience is how a community has responds to an adverse situation. These situations could include:

natural disasters such as bush fires, floods, heatwaves
spike in crime
spike in unemployment due to factory closures
any other events that could impact the health and wellbeing of a community

 

Community Resilience Award winner Yarram Neighbourhood House for Let’s feed them project.

During June and October 2021 South Gippsland was hit with storms that caused large scale destruction, flooding and extended power outages, Yarram Neighbourhood House cooked and provided meals  and offered shower facilities to those without power for the duration of the power outage event. As a result of this project funding was secured to purchase 4 generators with lighting and power kits to support communities who are experiencing severe weather.

This award is for projects which embrace the sector’s community development principles of; community ownership, community participation, empowerment, access and equity, lifelong learning, inclusion, networking, advocacy, self-help and social action.

 

Pictured is Justine Meaker, Committee Member of Yarram Neighbourhood House, Caitlin, Committee member of  Gippsland Pride Initiative , Cathy Cook, Manager Yarram Neighbourhood House & Toni Halloran-Lavelle, NHG Network Manager

Climate Action

This award is for projects, programs or initiatives which address the climate emergency on a local level.

This may include projects relating to:

  • Waste management
  • Recycling and repurposing
  • Tree and vegetation regeneration
  • Sustainable living and workplaces
  • Clean water and sanitation
  • Renewable energy
  • Awareness raising on climate change

Climate Action Award Winner Venus Bay Community Centre for Community Energy for Venus Bay

This award winning project saw the installation of solar, battery and back-up generator at the Venus Bay Community Centre to provide resilience for the local community.  The secondary outcome of the project was to be chosen for a large-scale Feasibility Study into Community Resilience and Reliable Energy with funding support from the Federal Government.

 

Pictured is Alyson Skinner, Manager of Venus Bay Community Centre, Rebecca Matthews, Manager of Manna Gum Community House and Toni Halloran-Lavelle, NHG Network Manager

Community Development

This award is for projects which embrace the sector’s community development principles of; community ownership, community participation, empowerment, access and equity, lifelong learning, inclusion, networking, advocacy, self-help and social action.

The winners were Wurruk Community House for Play, Learn Share:

This winning project is an interactive after-school activities program for local primary school-aged children in their community.  The program supports at-risk children through positively engaging recreationally, socially and educationally in a trusted, safe non-threatening environment supporting place-based grass roots methodology.

Pictured is Sarah Bardsley, Wurruk Community House Manager and Toni Halloran-Lavelle, NHG Network Manager

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