Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Community Services and Development
Tasmania’s Neighbourhood Houses are at the heart of our local communities and are part of the vital fabric that keeps people connected, engaged, and supported.
Delivering on our 2021 election commitment, I was pleased to welcome our new Neighbourhood Houses Network Community Care Advisers at a state-wide orientation earlier this week.
These new positions have been created through our $2.8 million election commitment over two years, with a pilot to deliver practical support to meet the increased individual and community needs our Neighbourhood Houses are witnessing.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we know that more people are accessing Houses with concerns around mental health, accommodation pressures, food security, digital literacy, financial stress, family violence and relationship breakdowns.
These new positions are the epitome of what Neighbourhood Houses represent – community-designed solutions that meet the often multifaceted and sometimes complex needs of individuals and local communities.
Developed by the Network and led by the peak body, Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania (NHT), the Community Care Adviser model allows Neighbourhood Houses to maintain a place-based approach and allows for the sharing of resources to respond to changing demand within local areas of Tasmania.
The Tasmanian Government values the Neighbourhood House Network, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Houses, their dedicated staff and volunteers for their commitment and contribution to the Neighbourhood House legacy.
As we transition to living with COVID, we will continue working with our vital community service sector to ensure support and services are available to those who need them.
