Why Neighbourhood Houses need fair funding to keep their doors open

On Thursday, December 11, more than 125 community members gathered at Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre for a simple but powerful act: handing over the voices of our community to their local representatives.

Eight Yarra Neighbourhood Houses presented more than 1250 postcards, signed by local residents, to State MPs Tim Read (Brunswick) and Gabrielle de Vietri (Richmond). The request was clear. Please pass these postcards on to Minister Ros Spence and represent us in Parliament by calling for increased funding for Neighbourhood Houses in the upcoming State Budget.

Neighbourhood Houses are often described as “small organisations,” but their impact is anything but small. Across the Melbourne, Brunswick and Richmond state electorates alone, 14 Neighbourhood Houses created $32 million in community value in 2024. They welcomed 72,624 visits, contributed 8533 volunteer hours, and distributed 25,000 kilograms of food relief. This is education, connection and practical support delivered locally, every day.

Despite this impact, Neighbourhood House funding has not kept pace with rising costs. Rent, wages, utilities and insurance have all increased, while base grants have not kept pace. The result is that more than 200 Neighbourhood Houses across Victoria are now at risk of reducing opening hours, cutting programs or losing experienced staff, at exactly the time demand for services is growing.

At the handover event, managers from each participating house spoke briefly about what this funding means on the ground. It means English classes for newly arrived migrants. It means food relief and community meals. It means safe, welcoming spaces where people can learn, connect and belong.

Our ask is modest and practical. We are calling on the state government to increase Neighbourhood House funding by $11.7 million per year, a 25 per cent increase statewide to the Neighbourhood House Coordination Funding. This investment would help stabilise the sector, retain skilled staff and ensure Neighbourhood Houses can continue serving their communities.

The postcards represent more than signatures. They represent a shared belief that strong, connected communities don’t happen by accident. They are built locally, and they need to be funded to last. •