A recent survey showed that Western Suburbs Neighbourhood Houses receive an average of over 650 visitors in any week and over 30 000 people are expected to visit this week and participate in their local community.
 
Neighbourhood Houses and Community Centres also provide hundreds of hours of activities and learning in any given week, but this week is special.
 
May 10-16 is Neighbourhood House Week and the 45 centres in the western suburbs are hosting a cavalcade of exciting activities to celebrate.
 
From BBQs and morning teas through to bus tours, environmental education sessions and community gardening demonstrations; throughout the western suburbs thousands of people will gather this week and participate in activities in their local Community Centre or Neighbourhood House.
 
 
“This is the time we get together to celebrate the amazing contribution these local centres make everyday; reducing social isolation, improving lifestyles and building new skills” Chairperson for the Western Suburbs Neighbourhood Houses and Community Centres Association known as Network West, Gary Gromb said.
 
“Neighbourhood houses work with the whole spectrum of their local community, including: refugees, migrants, older people, young people, families, children, people with disability and other marginalised communities.
 
“They work together with their participants to build their local area and develop the skills of the community” Gary continued.
Neighbourhood Houses and Community Centres in the Western Suburbs are generally governed by a volunteer committee of management made up of local residents or under the auspice of a community organisation or local government.
 
They run the types of programs their local community wants, including: arts classes, English and other language classes, craft classes, social networks, introduction to employment, literacy and numeracy, computer courses, bingo, drop-in, provide material aid for people in need, dance, wellbeing and body movement classes, bike and car maintenance and information sessions such as environmental education.
 
This week also coincides with National Volunteer Week. “Neighbourhood House volunteers are the backbone of the sector, with most centres lucky enough to have volunteers donating thousands of hours in any year.
 
“In Melbourne’s West the centres are fortunate to receive an average of 42 hours volunteer time every week and want to give thanks for the generosity of these civic minded people.
 
This week, drop in to your local Neighbourhood House or Community Centre and find out how much is happening in your community, there’s something for everyone” Gary said.
 
 
Network West Media release 3 May 2010