The Connect Victoria Park Village Hub is celebrating a year of success, offering a unique and coordinated range of services to help senior Australians remain connected and active in their community.
“I congratulate Village Hub members, who have now grown to more than 200, on this first birthday celebration,” said Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt AM.
“Every one of you is helping redefine what active ageing means in the local community, sharing the village atmosphere, sharing common interests and supporting each other to combat social isolation and loneliness.
“I am excited that in the coming year, the local Village Hub will focus on further growing community connections, including the Neighbour-to-Neighbour program, which allows members to provide and receive home and garden help.
“Our senior years are about living, not just existing, and the Victoria Park Village Hub is a shining example of success.”
The local Village Hub offers a wide range of activities including walking, photography, craft and gardening groups, dancing classes, ukulele lessons and chair yoga.
Seniors can also join the community choir or participate in the community kitchen where people can cook together and share a meal in company.
“Modelled on a successful American project, the Connect Victoria Park Village Hub is the first of its kind in WA and only the second in Australia, after the Waverton Hub in Sydney,” the Minister said.
“I am proud that the Liberal National Government provided $42,000 to the Waverton Hub to help share information and replicate the Village Hub concept across the nation.”
The Minister said the Village Hub concept complemented the Government’s comprehensive More Choices For A Longer Life measures, to help senior Australians life better, longer lives.
“On average, Australians are living almost 10 years longer than we were in the 1960s,” Minister Wyatt said.
“Ensuring senior Australians have more choice, more certainty and more community connections is top of our Government’s extensive senior Australians and aged care reform agenda.”
