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BREAKOUT PRESENTATIONS

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There are three breakout sessions at the 2024 conference. They will be held at 12pm and 4pm on Thursday 21 March, and 11:30am on Friday 22 March. Each attendee will have the opportunity to select the sessions they'd like to attend. 

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Thursday 21 March 12pm

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• Pathways to Volunteering for Migrant and Refugee Women
  Wellsprings for Women | Hepburn Room
  Many women arrive in Australia with strong workplace and resilience skills but face many barriers in finding ways to apply these skills and contribute to society in the ways they would like to. Volunteering can provide the link to self-respect and new careers whilst providing unique benefits to organisations that engage them.
   

• Community Group Governance Program 
  Ballarat East Neighbourhood House | Creswick Room
  Ballarat’s four Neighbourhood Houses partnered with the City of Ballarat to develop and deliver the first half of a 4-year program that supports community development and community partnerships through building resilience in local community groups. We run free Workshops to improve community groups’ sustainability, ability to access funds and improve governance.
   

• The Inclusion Games
  Kris Rawlinson & Michelle Willoughby (NHVic) | Banksia Room
  Join us for a fun and interactive session to test your knowledge and application of practices that promote inclusion of all community members, regardless of age, ability, background, gender and other personal circumstances. Do you have what it takes to enter this battle and maybe learn a few hot tips from your peers and our NHVic facilitators? Game on!
   

• New Managers Panel
  Meg Stewart, Greg Ferrington, Jo Davey, & Sonya Davis | Ironbark Room
  A welcoming space for new managers to ask questions and gain information from our experienced Locum Managers. 
   

• Food Relief as Community Development
  Morwell Neighbourhood House | Lindsay Room
  Tracie Lund will discuss the rising demand for food relief services, and the successful program and partnerships Morwell Neighbourhood House have built to sustain it. The session will be introduced and faciliated by Can Yasmut, EO, Local Community Services Association (LCSA), the NSW peak body for neighbourhood and community centres.

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Thursday 21 March 4pm

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• Neighbourhood Placemaking: The Art and Craft of Creating an Inspiring Public Space with your Neighbourhood House
  Alphington Community Centre | Banksia Room
  Is your house regularly mistaken for a childcare centre? A local government office? Does your community pass by daily without really understanding who you are or acknowledging your presence? Here are 20 ways to change your physical relationship with your neighbourhood and help your community really see you.
   

• The Art of Persuasion: The Role roles of Neighbourhood Houses as Advocates 
  Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre | Ironbark Room
  Advocacy can be scary, daunting, mystifying, and confusing – yet Neighbourhood Houses can play a powerful role working with local communities to work towards systemic change. This presentation aims to provide practical tips about how to walk alongside community for changing hearts and minds of political decision-makers. Politicians are people too!
   

• Mobile Hub
  Pangerang Community Hub | Acacia Lawn
  Come check out Pangerang Community Hub's Mobile Hub! This session will be informal, and give you the opportunity to see how their new Mobile Hub operates and services their community. 
   

• Pickleball
  Sorrento Community Centre | Tennis Courts 
  Greg Hilton will give a pickleball demonstration and explain a possible long term income stream which can be minimal setting up costs from the fastest growing sport in USA, with Australia quickly catching up. You don't need your own space for courts and doing joint ventures with other entities is a real option.  Join in the fun for a game and see how it could be a great new addition for your Neighbourhood House!

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Friday 22 March 11:30am

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• Managing Mental Health: What are our Obligations to our Workers? 
  Justice Connect | Banksia Room
  Working and volunteering in the not-for-profit sector can be as challenging as it is rewarding. We know our employees and volunteers experience stress and other factors related to work that could compromise their mental health. How can we manage hazards like high job demands, exposure to trauma, harassment and bullying, to meet our health and safety obligations for staff and volunteers? 
   

• Make ACFE Work for You
  Panel | Hepburn Room
  ACFE providers will speak on the models and programs that have been successful for them, and the ways they've navigated making ACFE work for their Neighbourhood Houses.
   

• Social Prescription
  Panel | Lindsay Room
  Dr J.R. Baker (Australian Social Prescribing Institute of Research and Education) and Lexi Marsh (Department of Health) will be joined by a link worker to discuss social prescribing efforts.
   

• Manager Experiences and Insights
  Panel | Ironbark Room
  Chrissy Austin (Creswick Neighbourhood Centre) and Mary-Lynn Grffith (Whittlesea Community House) will talk about some of the programs and processes in their Neighbourhood Houses that have created success, and how those could apply for your Neighbourhood House. 

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