Childers Neighbourhood Centre

About us

The Childers Neighbourhood Centre is jointly funded by Bundaberg Regional Council and the Queensland Government. The Centre is open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.00pm.

The Childers Neighbourhood Centre integrates knowledge, investment, and action to build community inclusion and cohesion, and advocate for locally led responses to community issues.

As a trusted public space, the Neighbourhood Centre provides an inclusive and respectful place for people to connect, belong, participate and be supported. Visiting service providers also use the Centre as a place to deliver their services.

Objectives

  • Support communities to identify important concerns and issues impacting on the social wellbeing of their local community, and to plan and implement strategies to mitigate their concerns and solve their issues.
  • Respond to the identified and emergent needs of the local community with a priority on vulnerable individuals and families within the community.
  • Be flexible and culturally inclusive, providing a range of community activities.
  • Provide universal access for the community with a focus on vulnerable individuals, families, and populations.
  • Support access to more targeted services.
  • Provide integrated and coordinated responses as part of the local social service system.
  • Provide a mixed balance of programs, services, and activities.
  • Promote community engagement and connectedness.

Key Activity Dimensions

The Childers Neighbourhood Centre is unique to the community it works within, tailoring activities to the needs and priorities of our community.

Three Key Activity Dimensions underpin the core operating activities of the Childers Neighbourhood Centre.

As a funded Centre we are required to deliver these as part of our service agreements with the Queensland Government:

  1. Childers Neighbourhood Centre “Links people with formal and informal support”.
    • We provide a safe and trusted local place for people to seek support and assistance.
    • We are a point of expertise on pathways to formal and informal support.
    • We respond to individuals and families presenting with needs, ranging from information provision through to service navigation and interventions.
  2. Childers Neighbourhood Centre “Creates social connections and inclusion”.
    • We provide a safe place and activities for people to connect, participate, belong, contribute and volunteer.
    • We mentor and support local groups and organisations.
    • We foster inclusion, recognition and respect for First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities.
  3. Childers Neighbourhood Centre “Integrates local community action”.
    • We lead place-based responses by identifying local strengths and priorities, and designing, coordinating, and implementing local level solutions.
    • We integrate investment and action for local issues.
    • We foster volunteering and community involvement.
    • We empower community members to organise and build local capacity.
    • We act as a conduit to and from government, harnessing opportunities, and whole-of-government action for local benefit.
    • We provide local leadership for disaster preparedness, resilience, and response.

Our services

The Neighbourhood Centre provides a venue for support groups and visiting agencies.

Visiting agencies

  • Probation & Parole Services
  • MAX Solutions - Employment, Health & Learning
  • Yourtown
  • Wide Bay Burnett Community Legal Service

And others as community need arises.

Services we provide

  • Letter writing
  • Resumes
  • Photocopy service
  • Filling out forms etc
  • Administration support for job seekers
  • Medical aids hire
  • Meals on Wheels
  • Emergency relief
  • Aged care information
  • General information
  • Referral to external agencies

Medical aid hire service for our rural community

  • Wheelie walkers
  • Over-toilet chair
  • Walking frame
  • Shower chair
  • Walking stick
  • Commode
  • Crutches

Childers Meals on Wheels

Childers Meals on Wheels is operated by the Childers Neighbourhood Centre and is jointly funded by Bundaberg Regional Council and the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy and the Commonwealth Home Support Program.

The aim of this program is to provide a nutritious meal to members of the community irrespective of class, colour or creed, without means testing, thus enabling those in genuine need to receive the service.

  • Nutritious midday meal delivered by cheerful volunteers to those unable to cook or shop for themselves.
  • Meals are delivered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
  • Meals for other days can be arranged (frozen meals)
  • Clients receive a nutritious and tasty meal, delivered by volunteers who have time for a friendly chat.
  • We work to meet clients' individual needs, across differences in culture, dietary need, religion, medical condition, language, physical ability and personal taste.

For further information on Meals on Wheels Service please contact the Childers Neighbourhood Centre.

Emergency relief

From time to time people find themselves in a crisis. The Childers Neighbourhood Centre offers Emergency Relief Funds through Department of Social Services.

This programme can provide assistance with:

  • Food
  • Accommodation
  • Travel
  • Prescriptions
  • Bill payment
  • Other as assessed

To assist in the assessment process please provide:

  • Centrelink statement of income (current)
  • Any other statement of income (wages)
  • Evidence and receipts of any expenses such as:
    • Rates
    • Electricity
    • Rent
    • Gas
    • Car registration
    • Water
    • Receipts for other expenses