Hubs serve as gateways that connect families with each other, with their school and with existing services that can provide health, education and settlement support.
Community hubs:
- engage and connect families in culturally diverse communities
- connect preschool children into playgroups and prepare them for school
- provide opportunities to learn and practice English, and
- build pathways to volunteering and employment.
For an overview of the National Community Hubs Program, click here. Please continue reading for more information about what to consider offering at your hub.
Engagement
The hub is a place where communities connect and engage with one another. It can start simply by sharing a conversation over coffee, learning a new craft like sewing or even joining a gardening group. The diversity of each community makes each hub unique in the way it creates those connections. For new hubs, engagement programs are the best place to start.
Programs include:
- Coffee and chat
- Cooking
- Sewing
- Gardening
Early childhood
Children’s activities enable schools to build relationships with families. Playgroups are a fantastic soft entry point for families to connect in the hub, and often this is one of the first programs a family will engage in.
Programs include:
- Playgroup
- Mother and child programs e.g. Sing&Grow
- Transition to school programs
Drop into the hub at Dandenong West Primary School in Victoria!
This video is a glimpse into the life of the hub at Dandenong West Primary School. Hear from both hub leaders, the principal, hub participants and more.
English
We know from previous research that over a third of hub participants become involved in hubs to improve their English. For many the hub is the first place they may come to learn English, and is a gateway to other community-based English language providers.
Programs include:
- Conversational English
- English as part of another program (e.g. cooking, sewing or computer class)
- English for employment
Vocational pathways
Hub leaders are at the heart of the community and often their connections, or those of their support agency, provide participants with a range of opportunities for volunteering and potential employment. Hubs could not operate without the help and support of volunteers.
Programs include:
- Skills training classes
- Volunteering opportunities
- Pre-accredited training
- Accredited training
Program outcomes
The National Community Hubs Program aims to strengthen social cohesion and inclusion in targeted Australian communities by achieving four core outcomes:
Child outcomes
Family outcomes
School outcomes
Community outcomes
Know your school and network