By Matthew Sims
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) is seeking funding submissions for a neighbourhood house provider to deliver services tailored to the community needs of Emerald, after it announced in April it would not renew Emerald Community House’s service agreement contract as part of the Neighbourhood House Co-ordination Program (NHCP).
Tenders are now open for a new neighbourhood house provider, with funding of $96,889 per year (GST exclusive, plus indexation) to be allocated to the successful provider for an initial period of two years via the NHCP.
The tender outlined DFFH is looking for organisations which will support the providision of community development programs and activities which lead to community-strengthening outcomes, implement robust governance and financial oversight arrangements to ensure appropriate organisational management and successful program delivery, have strong and positive community networks and relationships for successful and inclusive service delivery to all community members, and undertake community development and consultation processes to identify and respond to local priorities and needs.
In a statement published on 26 April, Cardinia Council announced it was working with DFFH to transition to a new neighbourhood house service in Emerald, with current arrangements allowing ECH Inc to operate from their current site until Tuesday 31 December
Cardinia Council has since received funding from DFFH to undertake community consultation to gauge an understanding of what the Emerald community wants from a new neighbourhood house.
Established in 1977, ECH was one of the first houses in Victoria to be part of the broader Neighbourhood House movement involved in community development and is the oldest neighbourhood house in Cardinia, and one of the original centres which emerged in the Dandenongs in the 1970s led by women.
With ECH’s contract with DFFH ending on 30 June, its current arrangements allow them to operate at their current site until Tuesday 31 December.
In recent posts on its Facebook page, ECH has announced it would no longer be able to run its free food provision services, with the last of its food supplies available for those in need from its free food cupboard at its current site.
For more information, visit creating.cardinia.vic.gov.au/reimagining-emeralds-neighbourhood-house
