North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre

“Life is much better when shared”, smiles Ariel Valent, the Director of the North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre.

“Having a feeling of belonging, and a sense of being part of a community, makes people understand that they're part of something bigger, and they don't have to struggle alone.”

For more than forty years, North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre has been a place of support and community for the people of North and West Melbourne.

While the organisation had different names over the years, as a neighbourhood house, it has always provided a place of connection and opportunity, led by a team of volunteers and staff. Ariel has overseen its operations since 2021 after working at the City of Melbourne in the areas of arts, diversity and social impact.

He explains that the programs at North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre are about community empowerment and social cohesion.

“Our purpose is to provide varying opportunities for people to come together,” he explains.

“We offer activities for the whole age range. Next week, we're going to have a seniors bus trip to the movies. Last night we had fourteen kids here doing art, and this coming Saturday, we are hosting the Queensberry Cup - A billycart race and street festival. The underlying idea is to just get people together and get people talking.”

Ariel explains that it is important to provide a place of belonging for members of the community, now more than ever, in the aftermath of Melbourne’s lockdowns.

“Individuals need to come together for positive mental wellbeing. Maybe someone's lived their whole life in a family, and then suddenly, they're alone. Or struggling through identity issues in adolescence. If anyone's ever had a period of being alone or feeling loneliness, it can be quite debilitating,” he explains.

North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre also helps with providing a hand up the ladder, no matter what stage of life you are at. From Seniors who are adapting to the rapid change in the modern world of technology to others who need support because they’ve just arrived in Australia, had a new baby, or their family life is challenging.

“We give people opportunities to progress. For instance, our homework club is where kids can get their homework done, but it’s also a safe space where they also get to hang out with friends and family and to eat a healthy snack.”

Classes also run for physical well-being to keep people active. They even offer a community choir and are the driving force behind the volunteer-run, award-winning North & West Melbourne News, which now has its own podcast.

For those who need more of a helping hand, there is a fortnightly wholefoods unwrapped food relief program, financial literacy course and advice and referrals for anyone.

“Broad based community development and fostering connections and social cohesion is something that I'm really passionate about. I love my job. I love coming in here and not knowing who's going to walk through the door. And being surprised by the community and its generosity of spirit.”

With a new name and a new website just around the corner, the future is bright for the North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre, and its community after a needs analysis identified areas to focus their future programs within North and West Melbourne.

“North Melbourne is unique for its combination of old and new. Both suburbs have a rich history, and while gentrification is part of the changes here, there are a lot of new people and cultural diversity as well. We want to work with underrepresented communities and form partnerships” says Ariel.

“Recently, we have started to employ bicultural workers who have expertise in their community. We hope to form more genuine connections and really understand and support those elements of the community to fulfil their aspirations. ”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna Encio