The Andrews Labor Government is delivering record new funding to neighbourhood houses across Victoria to support their staff, their volunteers and the local communities they serve.

As part of the Victorian Budget 2018/2019, the Labor Government will invest $21.8 million across the neighbourhood house network so that more families can access the activities and services they need and want, closer to home.

Werribee Community Centre is eligible for an increase, which would take their total of funded hours from 20 hours to 25 per week.

The Budget investment includes the biggest ever boost to coordination hours, with an extra 76,700 hours to be delivered each year to more houses across the state. Many existing houses will get additional hours.

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos made the announcement on Monday, 30 April, to mark the start of Neighbourhood House Week, which runs until 6 May.

The funding boost will also allow mobile neighbourhood house networkers to spend more time with individual houses to improve access to key services and activities across the system.

As a result, they’ll get an additional 4,500 hours working with individual houses.

An estimated 188,000 people visit a neighbourhood house or use their services every week.

The Labor Government’s record investment in extra coordination hours is almost eight times more than what was delivered under the previous Liberal Government.

It will ensure neighbourhood houses can continue to provide the vital childcare, employment, training and volunteering services people need.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos

“We said we’d deliver for neighbourhood houses and this Budget provides the biggest increase to coordination hours ever.”

“In one Budget we’re investing almost eight times what the former Liberal Government spent during their entire term.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“We back neighbourhood houses – they’re the heart of any community, including here in the Werribee electorate.”

“This is a boost that will have a real impact on all those connected to neighbourhood houses, whether it be their staff, their volunteers or the people that visit them.”