Brimbank Neighbourhood Houses Strategic Partnership

Action Plan

January 2022 – January 2025

Cairnlea Community Hub

CommUnity Plus

Delahey Community Centre

Duke Street Community House

Hunt Club Community and Arts Centre

Kororoit Creek Neighbourhood House Association

St Albans Community Youth Club (the Tin Shed)

Sydenham Neighbourhood House

West Sunshine Community Centre

Westvale Community Centre

(Brimbank City Council)

Introduction

The Brimbank Neighbourhood Houses and Community Centres Strategic Partnership Action Plan, 2022 – 2025, continues on from the 2018 –

2021 Action Plan and is aligned with the Brimbank Neighbourhood Houses Strategic Partnership Agreement 2022 - 2025. This Action Plan

provides direction for collaborative activities between the 10 Neighbourhood Houses/ Community Centres in Brimbank.

Vision

A collaborative partnership aimed at building resilient, healthy and connected communities.

We will achieve this by being:



Collaborative



Committed



Respectful and



Accountable

Glossary of Abbreviations

Brimbank City Council

CoM

Committee of Management

DFH

Department Families, Fairness and Housing

NH/C

Neighbourhood Houses/Community Centres

NHVic

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria

Partnership Goals

1. Research, Planning and Development

To use research and shared knowledge to inform practice

2. Professional Development

To build professional capacity within the Brimbank Neighbourhood House sector

3. Marketing and Promotion

To increase the awareness and usage of Neighbourhood Houses in the Brimbank municipality

4. Evaluation

To annually evaluate the effectiveness of the Action Plan and the Partnership which will inform future direction.

5. Advocacy

To be a strong and effective advocate for the community and the sector

Goal 1: Research, Planning and Programming:

To use research and shared knowledge to inform practice.

Actions

Time

Frame

Lead role &

Responsibility

Performance Measures

Performance Outcomes

Budget

Implication

Co-ordinate and collaborate in programming (online and face

to face. Area of common interest include but are not limited

to:



School holiday programming



NAIDOC Week and/or Reconciliation Week



Neighbourhood House Week



Youth Week

Annually All Partners Number of shared /collaborative

programs.

2 x program planning meetings per year

Reduction in

duplication of

programs

Expanded quality

programming for all

life stages

Existing

resources

Quarterly partnership meetings



Meetings designed to support understanding of

each Centre’s value propositions



Meetings to include presentations from content

specialists as identified by partners

Quarterly Convener (BCC)

to call for

Agenda Items

and

Partners to

contribute.

Agenda reflects partners

contributions/suggestions

Minutes of meetings are completed and

distributed to partners

Increase in knowledge and

application of best

practice models in

contemporary community

development

Existing

resources

Regularly invite DFFS and Network West to Partnership

meetings to share information; research; trends and policy

developments.

Quarterly

Convener to call

for Agenda

Items and

Partners to

contribute

Item on each quarterly agenda

Partners are informed of

sector developments in a

timely manner

Existing

Resources

Partners to access Council information and statistics and

use current research for innovation and program planning

Ongoing BCC convener BCC supports members provides access

to current research information (as it

comes available) to inform program

planning

Partners informed and

connected with current

thinking and trends for

Brimbank municipality

Existing

resources

Goal 2: Professional Development:

To build professional capacity within the Brimbank Neighbourhood House sector

Actions

Time

Frame

Lead role &

Responsibility

Performance Measures

Performance Outcomes

Budget

Implication

Identify and plan for shared training and professional

development opportunities including but not limited to:



Digital literacy



Social media



Diversity and Inclusion



First Nations Knowledge and Practice

Ongoing

All Partners

Two opportunities for shared

professional development offered per

year

Increased skill

base of

Partnership

Opportunities

to include

partners in

training for the

BCC NH Unit

Network West

(offers 4 professional

development

opportunities

per year at

reduced or no

cost to

members)

Community of Practice model utilised in quarterly meetings,

partners lead topic for discussion / peer to peer learning

Quarterly All Partners Quarterly meeting standing agenda item All Partners are well

informed of current

trends and practice

Existing

resources

Goal 3: Marketing and Promotion:

To increase the awareness and usage of Neighbourhood Houses in the Brimbank municipality

Actions

Time

Frame

Lead role &

Responsibility

Performance Measures

Performance Outcomes

Budget

Implication

Develop an online calendar of key events for joint promotion

Annually All Partners Calendar is developed and available on

Council’s and partners websites

Increased awareness of

Neighbourhood Houses and

Community Centres in

Brimbank

Existing

resources

Work with Council’s Communications team to create

updated ‘fold out’ map and generic brochure of all NH/CC

sites

Shared Media releases for joint activities for

Neighbourhood House Week, NAIDOC Week and other

shared programming.

quarter

Year 1

Convener,

BCC

Communications

Team

All Partners

Joint info and map produced in print and as

digital content.

Increased awareness of

Neighbourhood Houses and

Community Centres in

Brimbank.

Existing

resources

Invite Councillors and State Members to joint

Neighbourhood House/ Community Activity event/activities

Ongoing Convener and All

Partners

Record of Councillor/ State Members who

attend events/shared activities for

evaluation reporting

Increased awareness and

advocacy opportunities for

the Brimbank NH/CCs and

the sector more broadly.

Existing

resources

Shared NH/CC info outreach sessions in high traffic areas

Shared video produced for profile building on website and

social media channels

Twice

annually

All Partners

2x shared info outreach sessions in high

traffic areas per annum.

Increased awareness of

Neighbourhood Houses and

Community Centres in

Brimbank (with a focus on

underrepresented

communities).

Existing

Resources

required for

video

production

Goal 4: Evaluation:

To annually evaluate the effectiveness of the Action Plan and the Partnership which will inform future

directions

Actions

Time

Frame

Lead role &

Responsibility

Performance Measures

Performance Outcomes

Budget

Implication

Yearly evaluation of Action Plan and Partnership undertaken

by working group of partners

Annually Partner working

group

Annual Evaluation report

Ensure relevance and

sustainability of the

Partnership

Existing

Resources

Third year evaluation of Action Plan and Agreement

undertaken by external organisation

Year 3 Convener

Parties to the Agreement and external

stakeholders engaged in evaluation

External evaluators engaged.

Application of an industry evaluation

framework.

Evaluation completed before refresh of

Agreement.

Agreement and Plan that

is supported by data.

Required

Case studies for evaluation reporting

Ongoing All partners

A minimum 2x case studies per

collaborative initiative

Narrative data to

contribute to reporting

on the efficacy of the

Partnership

Existing

resources

Goal 5: Advocacy:

To be a strong and effective advocate for the community and the sector

Actions

Time

Frame

Lead role &

Responsibility

Performance Measures

Performance Outcomes

Budget

Implication

Develop joint advocacy statements informed by our impact

data in response to funding and structural challenges

Annually Convener

All Partners

Advocacy as a standing quarterly meeting

agenda item.

Collective voice within

the sector to create

positive change

Existing

resources

Support sector wide campaigns that affect our communities Annually All Partners Documented engagement with relevant

campaigns as a collective voice.

Increased awareness

of Brimbank

communities needs

Existing

resources

Advocacy focused on sector development including NHVic

conference and increased diversity and inclusion in the

sector.

Annually All Partners Documented engagement with sector

leaders and peak bodies

Sector development that

represents contemporary

community development

Existing

resources