2021 – 2025 SNH STRATEGIC PLAN
Our Vision: Sunbury Neighbourhood House will be a valued, trusted, inclusive and respected place for people to gather, engage in life-long learning and make community connections.
Our Mission: Sunbury Neighbourhood House connects people by providing accessible community-focused and facilitated opportunities to gather, interact and learn, in a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment.
Our Values:
We value:
- all our staff, Board members, community members, volunteers and participants in our programs and activities
- respectful, ethical, fair and responsible interaction between all members of our Community;
- transparency, honesty, inclusivity, empathy, compassion and trust;
- the support and advice of the peak body, our funding bodies and all other sources of advice, support and inspiration.
Our Goals:
1) Profile: Be an accessible and trustworthy source of information and support within the Community.
We will achieve this by:
- offering a safe, inclusive and caring space where people feel welcome and want to be;
- establishing and nurturing partnerships and links with other organisations that contribute to the growth and enhancement of the Sunbury Community;
- participating in community events, traditional media and maintaining a strong online presence;
- managing and promoting Sunbury Neighbourhood House’s social media profile and program to ensure it is relevant and up to date.
2) Community: Empower the development of Sunbury Community.
We will achieve this by:
- identifying and engaging with existing and new groups in our community;
- growing grassroots initiatives in our community;
- being responsive to unexpected contingencies within our community.
3) The Team: Be a suitably skilled, community minded, knowledgeable ,empowered and empathetic team.
We will achieve this by:
- providing opportunities for volunteers to bring new skills, activities and ideas into the House;
- ensuring suitable training for staff and volunteers that maximises the benefit and further development of their existing skills;
- providing staff with opportunities to be heard in a supportive and non-judgemental environment, fostering and practising awareness and understanding of community development principles;
- recognising and celebrating the contribution of staff and volunteers and empowering them to be active contributors to the House’s operations;
- being responsive to unexpected contingencies which may impact the House.
4) Programs: Provide quality programs that are inclusive and accessible to all members of the community.
We will achieve this by:
- providing equitable access to relationship-building and life-long learning opportunities;
- providing a range of activities and programs that are inclusive, relevant, interesting and informative;
- identifying and quantifying needs and interests of different groups within Sunbury, to better target programs and increase connections with and between these groups.
5) Governance: Ensure high standards of governance and the on-going viability of the House.
We will achieve this by:
- seeking opportunities to strengthen the viability and longevity of the House;
- ensuring compliance with best practice financial management principles and processes;
- providing access to appropriate training and support for staff, volunteers and the Board, enabling them to engage in best practice governance and financial management processes;
- ensuring a workplace that meets statutory, legal and ethical requirements of the relevant government, council and funding bodies;
- ensuring continuity of governance from one year to the next.
Our Context:
This Plan is the result of months of discussions, deliberations and drafts by the Sunbury Neighbourhood House Board of Management. All members of the 2020-2021 Board have contributed to its development by drawing upon their respective knowledge, skills, experience and resources and by being willing to work collaboratively and cooperatively towards this consensus outcome.
The Board is also aware that circumstances can and do change on a regular basis. It therefore recommends that this Plan be reviewed on at least an annual basis, to ensure it remains relevant; and to enable subsequent Boards to have an influence on the future development of Sunbury Neighbourhood House. The Board believes that this is part and parcel of being a community development focused organisation.
In reaching this version of the Plan, the Board acknowledges the ongoing support of the House’s key sources of ongoing funding:
- the annual grant received through the ‘Neighbourhood House Coordination Program’ which is now provided by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing* (DFFH); and
- the ‘Partnership & Funding Agreement 2021 – 2025’ between Sunbury Neighbourhood House and the Hume City Council which strengthens the relationship, builds on our existing partnership and clarifies and confirms the mutual expectations and obligations of both parties.
The Board also acknowledges:
- the underpinning community development principles of the peak body representing most Neighbourhood Houses in Victoria: “Neighbourhood Houses Victoria” (NHVic):
▪ Community ownership ▪ Inclusion
▪ Community participation ▪ Networking
▪ Empowerment ▪ Advocacy
▪ Access and equity ▪ Self-help
▪ Lifelong learning ▪ Social action
See https://www.nhvic.org.au/principles - the Hume City Council’s Social Justice Charter** which”… seeks to advance a fair and just society and to promote respect for every citizen, encourage community participation, strengthen community wellbeing and reduce the causes of disadvantage. …”.
See https://www.hume.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/Our-City/Council-Plans-Reports-and-Policies/Council-Strategies-and-Plans/Hume-Social-Justice-Charter