Looking for a repair café, language classes, e-waste recycling and childcare? You could find all these services and more at your local neighbourhood house.
Born in the early 1970s, the Victorian Neighbourhood House movement supports communities by bringing people together to learn, connect and give or receive assistance.
There are now more than 400 houses across Victoria, working to improve both the social and environmental health of the neighbourhoods they service.
Recognising this impact, Sustainability Victoria is proud to have provided support to a number of these houses through the Circular Economy Communities Fund on behalf of the Victorian Government.
Sustainability is at the heart of many of Victoria’s thriving neighbourhood houses, and nowhere is this more evident than at Lalor Neighbourhood House.
Manager Meredith Budge says their facility provides education around both recycling and litter prevention.
“Members of our local community can struggle to know how to recycle correctly,” Meredith says.
“At the recent Summer Series Festival, we hosted a Waste Challenge and invited community members to sort different rubbish into the correct bins.
“Participants were rewarded with a homemade biscuit in the shape of a trophy.”
Over in Carlton, the focus is on recycling food waste with a community compost hub helping to reduce scraps going to landfill.
Tony Milne at the Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre says funding from Sustainability Victoria has enabled them to expand their compost operations.
