‘House’ boost

Wimmera ‘neighbourhood house’ services at Halls Gap, Rainbow and Kaniva are set for a boost as part of the 201819 state budget.

Labor Member for Western Victoria Jaala Pulford said Halls Gap Neighbourhood House, Rainbow Learning Group and Neighbourhood House and Kaniva’s LINK Neighbourhood House were all eligible for a funding increase.

She said the increase would take their total number of funded hours from 20 to 25 a week.

Ms Pulford said the government, in providing $21.8-million of funding to Victoria’s neighbourhood house network to support staff, volunteers and communities, would help more families access activities and services.

“We back neighbourhood houses because they’re the heart of any community, including the Wimmera,” she said.

“This is a boost that will have a real impact on all those connected to neighbourhood houses, whether it be their staff, their volunteers or the people who visit them.”

The extra funding takes the Labor Government’s contribution to Halls Gap Neighbourhood House, Rainbow Learning Group and Neighbourhood House and LINK Neighbourhood House to $73,801 each year.