Cultivating Community

31/08/2026

Last week, we shared a productive morning at the Happy Harvest Communal Garden with volunteers from .gardeningforgood.

Working alongside resident gardeners and the Cultivating Community team, the volunteers helped with weeding, composting, pruning and other seasonal maintenance across the garden, getting the space ready for the warmer months ahead.

A big thank you to Plantfulness for donating new tools and supplies to the garden, which will support resident gardeners to continue caring for the space. A further thank you to the volunteers for bringing such great energy to the day, to Women’s Housing Limited for supporting the session and to the resident gardeners for welcoming everyone into their garden.

24/08/2026

Did you know Cultivating Community helps bring a 2,500-square-metre urban farm to life above Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre?

The rooftop farm is cared for by our team and supports food growing, learning and community connection.

Each year, more than 776 kilograms of fresh, organic produce leaves the farm as food relief, reaching social housing residents and families in need across Melbourne's north-east.

If you’d like to get involved and spend some time in the garden with the team, join our Saturday Morning Volunteer Club. Find out more through the link in our bio.

13/07/2026

🌱 Want to get your hands dirty for a good cause?
Join us at our rooftop farm for a corporate volunteering program your team won't forget! Whether it's harvesting worm castings to build healthy soil, sorting and packaging culturally significant seeds for our free seed library, or building signage that boosts food literacy across the farm - there's a hands-on experience for every team.

These programs do more than feel good - they make a real difference. Your team will walk away with practical, transferable sustainability skills, while directly supporting food security and self-sufficiency in the communities we serve.

And the best part? It's a great way to reconnect with your colleagues, away from the screens and boardrooms.

One of our past clients, Deloitte told us after their program: "We left feeling energised and genuinely appreciative of the impact this work has had."

New programs now available July through to September 2026. Book your tickets before they're gone!

👉 Book your program today https://cultivatingcommunity.org.au/get-involved/

07/07/2026

Ready to start your your career in horticulture? Join our FREE 10-week horticulture employment pathways program and gain:

✅ Hands-on horticulture experience
✅ Industry-recognised skills
✅ Mentoring and career guidance
✅ Connections with employers
✅ A Certificate of Completion
✅ PLUS the opportunity to participate in 5 paid work sessions

If you're 18–25, studying or recently graduated in horticulture, urban farming, sustainability, landscaping or environmental studies, or from a CALD or LGBTQAI+ community, Cultivating Community can help turn your passion into real career opportunities.

Learn practical skills in:
🌱 Plant propagation
🌿 Garden maintenance
🌸 Landscape design
📋 Workplace safety

Your career starts with one opportunity.

👉 Apply now via the link in bio.

30/06/2026

Our team has been busy picking beautiful cauliflowers, cabbages, broccoli, kale and leafy greens, all grown with care at Burwood Brickworks.

This fresh produce doesn't just look amazing. It helps nourish our community, supports hands-on learning opportunities and demonstrates what's possible when people come together to grow food sustainably.

These beauties will make their way to the tenants of Women's Housing Ltd at Harvest Square and is the result of the dedication of our staff, volunteers and partners who help keep this unique rooftop farm thriving.

15/06/2026

Fresh, local and community-grown.

We're delighted to see produce from our Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm making its way into the community through our partnership with BANH Neighbourhood Houses.

We love being able to support food relief initiatives with fresh, organic produce grown by our team and community. It's a simple but powerful way to improve access to healthy food while creating opportunities for connection, learning and participation.

A big thank you to BAHN for their partnership and commitment to supporting the community.

05/06/2026

Happy World Environment Day!

Did you know that every community and communal garden does more than just grow food?

Across Melbourne, residents in public and social housing communities are growing fresh produce, building friendships and creating beautiful green spaces that benefit everyone.

Our gardens help create greener neighbourhoods, support local wildlife and pollinators, reduce food waste and food miles, and bring people together to learn, share and connect.

So today we're celebrating all the staff, volunteers and community members who help make this possible.

Together, we're growing food, growing community and growing a healthier future.

29/05/2026

What a great way to finish another Culinary Employment Pathways program!

Over the past few months, participants have built kitchen skills, completed work experience placements, grown in confidence, and taken important steps towards employment.

One of our employer partners told us the group was "attentive, hardworking and showed initiative", arriving with a strong understanding of kitchen operations and a genuine enthusiasm for the work.

We're so proud of everything this cohort has achieved and grateful to the employers who opened their doors and supported their journey.

Congratulations to all our participants. We can't wait to see what comes next.

25/05/2026

When Yehansa arrived in Australia, she brought years of experience helping other people.

Back in Sri Lanka, she worked as a psychological counsellor. But starting over in a new country meant trying to find a new pathway into work and rebuilding confidence along the way.

Through Cultivating Community’s Employment Pathways program, she gained training, hands-on experience and support in a commercial kitchen environment.

Today, she’s working in aged care as a Support Worker, bringing compassion, dignity and care to the people she works with every day.

One thing she said really stayed with us: “Cooking for older people is not just about food, it’s about dignity, understanding and care.”

We’re really proud of Yehansa and the many others who’ve come through this program.

We’re also asking our community to help us continue this work, so more people can access meaningful pathways into employment, confidence and connection.

Watch Yehansa’s story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diNCJrhDyB4

If you’d like to support the program, you can donate here:
https://cultivatingcommunity.org.au/donate

When Yehansa arrived in Australia, she brought years of experience with her.She had worked as a psychological counsellor, supporting communities across Sri L...

18/05/2026