NHVic Conference 2025
Wednesday 19 March
(PRE-CONFERENCE DAY)
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TBC
2pm
6pm
Masterclass (optional)
Hosted at the Royal Society of Victoria building around the corner, with a presentation from Volunteering Victoria on volunteer recruitment.​
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Accommodation check-in opens
Neighbourhood House Networking and Drinks
Structured networking to help you connect and share ideas with others in the sector.​
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thursday 20 March
From 7am
8:30am
9am
9.40am
10.30am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
3.30pm
4pm
From 7pm
Breakfast opens
For guests with accommodation
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Registration opens
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​Opening Statements
CEO Opening
Welcome to Country
President’s Address
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Keynote: Grace Jennings-Edquist
Grace Jennings-Edquist is an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Grace’s book, The Yes Woman (2021), explores mental health and people-pleasing tendencies in women, and how to reclaim your power by finally saying no.
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Morning tea
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Keynote: Stan Grant
Stan Grant is a renowned journalist, author, moral philosopher, thinker, film maker and communicator. He has had a groundbreaking four-decade career asone of Australia’s most awarded journalists.
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Breakout Workshops
Details coming soon! ​
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Lunch
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Keynote: Rebecca Scott OAM
CEO and Founder of STREAT, an innovative and thoughtful leader in social enterprise. ​
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NHVic Award Presentations
Celebrating our finalists and winners!​
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Afternoon tea
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Breakout Workshops
Details coming soon!​
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GALA DINNER
Theme: RAINBOW!​​
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friday 21 march
From 7am
9am
9.10am
10:10am
11am
11:30am
12:15pm
1.15pm
1.30pm
Breakfast opens
For guests with accommodation
Day 3 opens
A short welcome from the CEO
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Keynote: Advocacy and Campaigning to Make Change
Danae Bosler (Secretary for Victorian Trades Hall Council)
Denis Napthine AO (Former Premier of Victoria)
Fiona Patten (Former MP and Author)
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Juanita Pope
CEO of Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS).
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Morning tea
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Research Update: David Perry (NHVic) and Ellen Van Holstein (RMIT)
This session presents an NHVic – RMIT partnered project that analyses neighbourhood houses’ work in the context of the widespread challenge of loneliness and social isolation, referencing results from the 2024 Participant Survey.
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Advocacy Planning and Workshop
Led by our CEO, Keir Paterson​
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Closing Statements
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Lunch
Lunch will be available to go for attendees who prefer to get right on the road. Otherwise, you can remain for and continue workshopping and planning in a casual setting.
what to bring
We want our conference to be environmentally sustainable so we will no longer be providing printed programs, showbags, pens, and notepads.
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Please bring with you:
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a smartphone, tablet, or laptop to view the conference program online. For easy access, add this page to your home screen
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pens and notepad
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water bottle and keep-cup
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a tote or reusable bag to store things you may receive from the marketplace
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your most colourful outfit for the Gala Night
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If you have accommodation:
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Aside from the usual items (clothes, toiletries), you may want to bring:
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bathers for the swimming pool (outdoor)
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workout clothes for the gym
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BREAKOUT PRESENTATIONS
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There are two breakout sessions at the 2025 conference. They will be held at 12pm and 4pm on Thursday 20 March. Each attendee will have the opportunity to select the sessions they'd like to attend.
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Breakouts 1 (Thursday 20 March, 12pm)​
​Empowering Communities to Complain
Andrew Adason, Deputy Ombudsman (Victorian Ombudsman)
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What is the Future of Community Committees?  
​Trish Curtis (Upper Murray Regional Neighbourhood House Network) & Janet Reid (City of Casey)
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Doing Something When You don’t Know What to Do! - Participatory Action Planning for Climate Resilience in Neighbourhood Houses
​Tania Phillips, Maggie Mildenhall (Network West)
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Everyone Needs Community Connection 
Leanne Fitzgerald and team (CHAOS & Living Our Best Life Project)
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Playgroups for Neighbourhood Houses
Dr Jo Tarasuik (Playgroup Victoria)
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Breakouts 2 (Thursday 20 March, 4pm)
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De-Fence Against Loneliness – the role of placemaking in increasing social connection ​
Dr Susan Rennie (​Jika Jika Community Centre) 
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Bringing Law to Communities Workshop 
Kate Sedgwick (Victorian Law Foundation)
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Identifying Red Flags
Antonia Halloran-Lavelle (Community Houses Network Southern Region and Neighbourhood Houses Gippsland)
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Alternate Funding Sources  
Mary-Lynn Griffith and Ursula Jenkins (Whittlesea Community House)
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Collaboration and Partnerships
Angela Savage (Public Libraries Victoria)









