Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre

31/10/2026

“Keep our doors open – strong communities start here!”

Neighbourhood Houses have faced rising costs, increasing community need and an erosion of core funding. Around half of all Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria are running at a loss. This cannot continue.

Our core asks are as follows:
✅Increase funding for Neighbourhood Houses by 25%
✅Support 25 Neighbourhood Houses who do not currently receive any ongoing funding.
✅Develop a fund for the establishment of 5 additional Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria’s growth areas annually.

https://youtu.be/9QHU1eJoiE8?si=a8TMhf5wodx4hxFU
Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre at Delacombe
Neighbourhood Houses Victoria

A little recap of what we've seen so far in Neighbourhood Houses Vi...

31/10/2026

Need a Safe Food Handling Certificate for work in hospitality or retail? Need support to complete the training? This course is for you!

Participants will be guided through the online accredited unit SITXFSA005 - Use Hygienic Practices for Food Safety, helping you gain the skills, practical sign-off and certification required to work safely with food and meet national and local food safety requirements.

This supportive course is ideal for people who need assistance with online learning while working towards a recognised qualification.

📅 Dates: Every Wednesday from 11 November - 9 December 2026
🕐 Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
📍 Location: Sebastopol
💲 Cost: $65 (5 sessions)

Enrol now:
https://socialplanet.com.au/activity/view?id=50558

Explore more hospitality courses:
https://www.ballaratnc.org.au/?view=article&id=28:hospitality&catid=15

Gain the confidence and certification you need to start or advance your career in hospitality and food service. 🍽️✅

By Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre. For clients who need assistance completing their accredited Safe Food Handling Certificate.

28/10/2026

Discover AI: Your Digital Future Starts Here

Curious about artificial intelligence and how it can support your work and everyday life?

Join this friendly, hands-on introduction to AI and learn how to confidently engage with one of today's most transformative technologies. Through interactive activities, practical examples, and guided learning, you'll explore how AI can help you work smarter and build valuable digital skills.

No prior experience required - just bring your curiosity and willingness to learn!

📅 Dates: Thursdays, 5 & 12 November 2026
🕠 Time: 5:30pm - 8:00pm
📍 Location: Sebastopol
💲 Cost: $35 (2 sessions)

Enrol now:
https://socialplanet.com.au/activity/view?id=53931

Explore more industry taster and employment courses:
https://www.ballaratnc.org.au/?view=article&id=64:employment-focused&catid=15

Take the first step towards understanding the technology shaping our future. 🚀

By Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre. Are you ready to dive into the digital future?

25/10/2026

Take the kids along to enjoy a mini munchie meal and some fun activies for Children’s Week.
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Celebrating Children’s Week with fun activies and $10 Mini Munchie meals this week. Bring the kids along for fun and play.
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24/10/2026

“Keep our doors open – strong communities start here!” Please help us by asking our local MPs to support our four priorities and advocate within their party for a sustainable future for Victoria’s Neighbourhood Houses.

Neighbourhood Houses are essential social infrastructure. Victoria has 419 neighbourhood houses and community centres, including 398 funded through the Neighbourhood House Coordination Program (NHCP). They build connection, belonging and community resilience—but without urgent and meaningful action, many Neighbourhood Houses may not exist in five years’ time.

Below are facts and figures supporting our election ask, but nothing will have more impact on local MPs or candidates than your own experience of the funding shortfall and its impact on your House and community. Just as impactful is the advocacy of local community members on the difference the House has made in their lives, and what would be lost if it closed or cut programs and hours. The most powerful advocacy is when people with lived experience speak from the heart.

1. Increase the NHCP funding rate by 37%
• Investment: $12M annually is needed to remedy the historical funding shortfall (a 25% increase), rising to $18M per year when the Fair Work Commission SCHADS award changes come into effect in October 2027 (37% increase).
• NHCP funding is worth only 80% of its 2016 value in real terms, while Manager employment costs already exceed total program funding.
• Nearly half of Victoria’s neighbourhood houses have recorded a loss in each of the past three years. A further 12% award increase due in October 2027 will deepen the shortfall.
2. Fund 25 established, currently unfunded Neighbourhood Houses
• Investment: $14.87 million over four years.
• Create a pathway into the NHCP for established community-owned and led Neighbourhood Houses
3. Establish a Growing Communities Fund
• Investment: $7.42 million over four years to fund five new neighbourhood houses each year in high-growth areas.
• Victoria has added 580,000 people since the last new house was funded, with 20% of growth concentrated in seven local government areas.
• Neighbourhood Houses turn underused community facilities into active local hubs that reduce isolation and strengthen belonging.
4. Provide fair funding for Neighbourhood Houses Victoria
• Investment: $800,000 over four years.
• NHVic is the lowest-funded state neighbourhood house peak on a per-member basis, despite representing 419 members.
• Additional capacity would support early identification of houses at risk, stronger HR and industrial-relations compliance, and testing of shared services and sustainable governance models.

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria

22/10/2026

Great news its competition time for our little community members!
The Connecting Sebastopol Project, inspired by this year's Children's Week theme invites Sebastopol children to create an artwork celebrating their language, culture, or religion.

Entries due by 1 November 4pm. Great Community Choice prizes.
Scan and email entries to [email protected] or deliver to Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre 11 Tuppen Drive, Sebastopol

Entries close 1 November for our Connecting Sebastopol Children's Week Art Competition celebrating children's unique culture, religion and language.
Great prizes for community choice awards.
Artwork below by 9 year old Priodorshini Das from Bangladesh depicting the Hindu religious festival Sharodia Durgothsob a festival to pray to Goddess Durga.
Please send in children's artwork to [email protected] or drop off at Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre 11 Tuppen Drive, Sebastopol.

15/10/2026

Looking for a job? Try this new regional job search site from the team at Federation TAFE Skills and Jobs Centre

📣 IT’S HERE! Introducing Local Jobs Ballarat and Wimmera! 📣

Looking for work close to home? Or are you a local business looking for your next great employee?

We’re excited to introduce Local Jobs Ballarat and Wimmera - a FREE online employment platform connecting local job seekers and employers across the Central Highlands and Wimmera Southern Mallee regions!

Brought to you by Federation TAFE’s Skills and Jobs Centre, this new platform is all about making it easier for local people to discover opportunities, helping businesses find the right people, and supporting a stronger regional workforce.

Here's what you can do:

🔎 Looking for work?
- Browse local job opportunities across a range of industries.
- Create your own profile and upload your resume.
- Receive job alerts tailored to your interests.
- Explore apprenticeships, training and career pathways.
- Showcase your skills and connect with local employers.

🏢 Hiring staff?
- Advertise your vacancies for FREE.
- Connect with job seekers across the region.
- Discover candidates whose skills match your business needs.
- Help attract and retain talent in our local communities.

Whether you're starting your career, looking for a fresh start, considering a career change or growing your team, Local Jobs Ballarat and Wimmera is here to help connect you with your next opportunity. 🙌

🌐 Explore the new platform today:
👉 https://www.ballaratwimmerajobs.com.au/

Know someone looking for work or a local business that’s hiring? Share this post and help spread the word!

Local jobs. Local people. Stronger communities.

12/10/2026

Have you always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet? This beginner-friendly Learn Local course is the perfect place to start. Build your skills, boost your confidence, and create something practical and rewarding each session.

In this course you will learn:
✅ Common knitting and crochet terms, including cast on and off
✅ Basic stitches such as knit, purl, moss, woven, chain and slip stitch
✅ How to increase and decrease stitches to shape your work
✅ How to read and follow patterns
✅ The differences between needle types, sizes and tension
✅ How to choose the right yarn for your project
✅ How to read charts and symbols, and explore colourwork techniques

Whether you're completely new or looking to refresh your skills, this course provides a relaxed and supportive environment to learn and create.

Date: Every Wednesday 21st October - 9th December 2026
Time: 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Cost: $35 (8 sessions)
Location: Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre at Delacombe 18 Nandiriog Drive

Enrol Online here:

By Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre. This course is for people who wish to learn how to knit and crochet. No experience is needed as you will learn how to follow a simple pattern and develop your skills and techniques.

12/10/2026

If you were planning to attend tonight, we have just been advised this event has been postponed.

POSTPONED - Unfortunately this event has been postponed

We will let you know when it is rescheduled for you to meet our local councillor and Mayor of the City of Ballarat Tracey Hargreaves.