- The Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres (ANHLC) is the peak body for the Neighbourhood House and Learning Centre sector in Victoria.
- Neighbourhood Houses bring people together to “connect, learn and contribute in their local community” through social, educational, recreational and community development activities.
- The focus is on community development and enabling communities to identify and address their own needs.
- This fits well with the emergency management sector’s shared vision to build safer and more resilient communities.
- There are around 400 Neighbourhood Houses across the state with approximately 50% in metropolitan area, and the other 50% in remote rural and regional Victoria.
- Neighbourhood Houses across all locations reflect the various communities they are in. This diversity is also reflected in their names which include:
– Neighbourhood House
– Community House
– Learning Centre
– Living and Learning Centre
– Neighbourhood Centre
– Community Centre
- According to a recent survey conducted in 2014 168,000 people visit a Neighbourhood House in a week. That’s 24,000 people a day.
- Some of the reasons people visit a Neighbourhood House include:
– Improve their health and well being
– Affordable childcare
– Accredited training and education
– Opportunity to participate, learn and volunteer
– Social engagement and getting to know their neighbours and communities.
– Volunteering opportunities
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.