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ARNCLIFFE COMMUNITY HUB CREATES A VIBRANT COMMUNITY Evolve Housing’s Arncliffe Community Hub is an
family support service Better Connect Family Services,
innovative community engagement project designed to
and the local police.
support a newly established social housing community. The Resident Engagement Team holds monthly The Arncliffe social housing block is home to more
Community Roadshow events, which involve staff
than 140 social housing residents who were given
holding an informal catch-up with free morning tea,
housing to keep them safe and off the streets during
giving neighbours the chance to chat. We have also
the pandemic. These tenants have complex needs and
held many fun events including a beach outing. These
many of them were previously homeless or at risk of
occasions provide a safe opportunity for residents to
homelessness. Residents come from a diverse range of
participate in social life and feel that they belong
backgrounds and family situations.
to a community, while also building trust with our staff.
The unique circumstances of these residents required
In December 2020, we brightened up the estate by
extra resources on top of our existing Support team.
adding a community garden with the help of residents,
We successfully applied for a two-year grant from the
Vegepod, and Community Greening. A resident
Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation to help fund the
also painted a colourful mural behind the garden.
hub. The grant also helped us create the role of the
A workshop was held at the garden in February 2021,
Arncliffe Community Connections Coordinator, who
and residents set up a worm farm.
works alongside a dedicated Housing Manager on-site to support tenants. The Housing Manager is available
A Street Library has also been established for residents
to provide intensive support to tenants and proactively
to borrow and share books, and the library itself has
deal with any concerns raised.
been hand painted by a resident. Former resident Warren, who lived at Arncliffe social housing estate for
The Coordinator role works with the community to
9 months and is still engaged with the community, said
identify their priorities and then creates wraparound
that the garden and group activities helped him settle
support services. Services available include a weekly
in and make friends. “All the community things were
Homework Hub for students with access to the internet
good so you’re not socially isolating yourself, you’re not
and a printer, an Internet Access Hub, and a newsletter.
in your unit by yourself … we’ve got the community garden out there, we put seats around it so people can
Evolve Housing also partnered with South Eastern
sit around and have a chat to each other.
Sydney Local Health District to provide drop-in
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sessions twice a week where residents can speak with
“There’s a certain amount of people who go to the
qualified health professionals, learn more about health
Community Roadshows so you get to see them all the
and wellbeing, and be referred on to other services if
time, you do build up a friendship and get a bit of trust.
necessary. Other organisations who have offered drop
You build up a friendship with the staff too because
in sessions include employment agency Max Solutions,
they’re not working against you, they’re working for you.”
