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Neighbourhood & Community Centres

Since the 1960s, community organisations have grown from local people seeing social needs not being met. They have called themselves many things: Community Aid, Community Information, Community, or Neighbourhood Centres.

They are managed by local people, and ultimately accountable to those residents and service users. Their services have been more responsive to local needs, and more likely to have a high acceptance rate from local people.

The 300 Neighbourhood and Community Centres in NSW now provide a wide range of services. These services depend on local community needs and the resources available. The services include the full range from crisis and support services, through to group activities, needs analysis, advocacy, policy or resource development and community education. Centres offer these services within a long term, developmental framework.

Each Centre varies. They may be small or very large. They may have one part time paid worker, or more than 30. They may have many volunteers or a few.

Keeping the big picture
Neighbourhood and Community Centres have a wider social research, planning and development role. Centres identify new and unmet social needs. They advocate for services or resources to inform, support and empower disadvantaged people. They play a vital role in community education about issues affecting their local community, and disadvantaged groups in particular.