Thursday, 9 March 2023

Wurruk Community House

Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (09:54): ‘Community’ is not just an abstract word; it is a fundamental building block of what it means to be human, and Wurruk Community House is embedded in its community. Just last week I visited a transformational project in Wurruk on the outskirts of Sale, where I met with locals working hard to build a positive future. The Wurruk Community House has teamed up with the Wurruk Primary School and local volunteers to provide an after-school program for local children. Make no mistake, it is doing far more than what after-school care may conjure in your mind from the past. The after-school kids program provides a nurturing space for emotional and life skill growth.

The community of Wurruk has a traditional housing commission, and the families that I met there have a wide range of backgrounds and powerful stories. Sarah, who manages the community house, has done a power of work to bring the community together. Along with volunteers and the support of the school they are providing consistent after-school support to dozens of children, who are loving it and keep coming back for more. The house has a community garden, and the veggie boxes are nothing short of impressive, managed by self-made gardening gurus Neil and Kirraley. There is a great harvest for locals to share and enjoy. Deborah, Neil, Sarah, Heather and Kirraley ensure the food bank is stocked and families have regular opportunities to get what they need. This work being done on the ground is the fabric of what makes community and what changes lives for the better. It is a small team enabling big change and big plans for their future, which I look forward to supporting.