Neighbourhood Houses and Community Learning Centres Policy

1. Purpose and Intent

Council is committed to supporting Casey’s Neighbourhood Houses and Community Learning Centres (NHCLCs). This policy defines Council’s position and provides a consistent approach to the assistance Council gives to the City of Casey NHCLCs.

The City of Casey will be home to over 514,800 residents by 2041. With significant population growth across the municipality, relationships and connections people have with others can be affected. City of Casey values the work the NHCLCs do across the municipality and supports the provision of community development programs and activities that lead to community strengthening outcomes (as identified in the aims of the Neighbourhood Houses Coordination Program Funding Guidelines) highlighted below:

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    • Support diversity and promoting community participation and inclusion

    • Facilitating community development and capacity building in support of individuals and groups within communities

    • Supporting lifelong learning opportunities for people to improve their access to training and employment pathways

    • Undertake community development processes to address locally identified priorities and needs through: - community consultation - development of agreed community responses to identified priorities and needs - identification of partners and funding sources - facilitating and evaluating responses to identified needs and priorities.

Key strategies of the Council Plan (2017 – 2025) aligned to this policy include:

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    • Build and leverage partnerships that enhance service provision, infrastructure delivery and funding opportunities

    • Address key health and wellbeing needs within the community by connecting people to community and services

    • Enhance our services with a focus on innovation and partnerships, to ensure positive outcomes are delivered to the community

    • Build Council’s ability to pursue innovative partnerships for greater community outcomes

This policy is underpinned by the following City of Casey policy documents and external documents:

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     • Council’s Community Service Organisation Guiding Principles of funding, advocacy, facilities, information, partnerships, business support, promotion and referral.

     • Community Development Principles of inclusiveness, collaboration, capacity building, equity and responsiveness.

     • Community Facilities Planning Principles highlighting Council’s commitment to ensuring a transparent, equitable and consistent approach to the planning and development of new and existing multipurpose community facilities.

     • Victorian Child Safe Standards.

2. Scope

The policy extends to NHCLCs in the City of Casey that are funded through the Depart of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Neighbourhood House Coordination Program and adhere to the Neighbourhood Houses Coordination Program Funding Guidelines operating from a community facility.

This policy is relevant to the following NHCLCs operating within the City of Casey:

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    • Balla Balla Community Centre

    • Berwick Neighbourhood Centre

    • Blind Bight Community Centre

    • Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House

    • Cranbourne Community House

    • Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre

    • Endeavour Hills Neighbourhood Centre

    • Hallam Community Learning Centre

    • Foundation Learning Centre

    • Hampton Park Community House

    • Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre

    • Oakgrove Community Centre.

This Policy does not apply to Council owned and managed community facilities.

3. Definitions 

4. Policy

The City of Casey is committed to supporting NHCLCs to provide services to Casey residents. This will be done through the following:

1. 4.1. Funding

   1. 4.1.1. Purpose of Funding

This recurring Council grant is to supplement the normal day-to-day operation such as administration, utilities, and equipment.

This funding subsidises Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) funding up to a total of 35 hours NHCLC coordination hours per week based upon the adopted DFFH funding rate allocated under the Neighbourhood House Coordination Program

4.1.2. City of Casey Funding Requirements

Council facilities and funding are made available only to NHCLCs that comply with the conditions outlined in each City of Casey NHCLC Funding and Service Agreement. Financial support is not provided for the primary purpose of delivering programs subsidised by State and/or Federal Government including:

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    • Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)

    • State and/or nationally recognised pre-accredited and accredited courses (Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma)

    • Courses which are the responsibility of other levels of government and adult education courses subsidised through the VET Fee HELP scheme

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   1. 4.1.3. Casey's Annual NHCLC Funding and Service Agreements

   2. The Funding and Services agreements will;

• Clarify the purpose for which funding is provided by Council to NHCLCs

• Detail the delivery of funds to NHCLCs

• Specify reporting obligations and accountability of the NHCLCs, e.g. copies of strategic plans and annual reports

• Assign the attendance required at Council managed NHCLC Manager/CEO and Committee of Management network meetings.

4.1.4. Additional Grants

NHCLCs can apply for other grants offered by the City of Casey that support likeminded community groups and organisations. NHCLCs are also encouraged to apply for funding from State and Federal Government, philanthropic groups/organisations and trust funds.

4.2. Lease Agreements

All NHCLCs identified in this policy operate from a Council facility on a lease agreement which is an agreement used for exclusive occupancy (the tenant has sole use of the premises).

As a condition of this agreement the NHCLC must:

• Comply with the Child Safe Standards, including any act done, or practice engaged in by its employees and agents; and

• Immediately notify Council where it becomes aware of a breach of sub clause (a) by the Contractor, Committee Member or its volunteers.

Council reserves the right during the term of the agreement to conduct an audit to ensure compliance with the Child Safe Standards in relation to the operation of the agreement. This audit may be carried out by Council or an authorised party. The Committee must respond to all reasonable requests in a timely manner for Council to conduct the audit.

4.3 Advocacy

Council will advocate to government and other entities to enhance the support already provided to the NHCLCs and increase their opportunities to meet the growing needs of Council’s community.

4.4. Facilities

Council provides community facilities to NHCLCs that satisfy the conditions of the lease agreement and makes them available for community use.

4.5. Information

Council will provide information to NHCLCs about the municipality’s changing demographics and needs to support effective service planning.

4.6. Partnerships

Council will work in partnership with NHCLCs to develop and resource local communities. Council will work in partnership with Committees of Management, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), Community House Network Southern Region Inc. and Neighbourhood Houses Victoria to develop and resource local communities and strengthen service delivery.

4.7. Promotion

Council will commit to the creation of opportunities for NHCLCs to promote their services to the Casey community to increase awareness and facilitate access to NHCLCs.

4.8. Referral

The provision of relevant and up to date information to residents about available services across the NHCLCs within the City of Casey will support individual connections with NHCLCs.

4.9. Responsibilities

     4.10 Breaches

NA

5. Relevant Forms

NA

6. Document History