Community Hubs in Shepparton

Community Hubs serve as gateways that connect families with each other, with their school, and with existing services. Dozens of community hubs operate under the National Community Hubs Program – recognised as a leading model to engage and support migrant women with young children. Shepparton Community Hubs are based at St Georges Road Primary School & Shepparton English Language Centre, Wilmot Road Primary School and Gowrie Street Primary School.

Community hubs focus on reaching women who have pre-school children, and leverage existing facilities in primary schools and community centres.

Why migrant women?

Without a welcoming hub to visit, many migrant women can spend most of their time at home, isolated from the rest of the community. Some migrant women cannot drive, some have limited public transport access, many have young children and cannot access child-minding. Women who miss out on available services can then go without opportunities to meet other people, to learn, or to receive health support, and their children can arrive at school without having English language or social skills. Hubs provide soft entry and engagement programs that help women access support they might otherwise miss.

“In the hub we are not alone. It’s a place that connects people. The hub is like a second home and we get inspired by each other.” – Hub parent of Egyptian background

The key to a community hub’s success is the teamwork between Coordinators, Hub Leaders, and school leadership. Community hubs work across four key areas: Engagement, English, Early Years, Vocational Pathways.

Independent evaluations indicate that:

a place-based approach focused on engagement acts as a gateway for migrant and refugee women, and their children to access services
hubs significantly increase the uptake of services among migrant families
hubs support migrant and refugee children and their families to be better prepared for school, and to better understand Australia’s education system

The Shepparton Community Hubs are currently offering programs such as conversational english classes, playgroups, parenting, sewing, cooking, fitness, gardening, computers, one off programs and more …

To find out more contact the schools at St Georges Road Primary School, Shepparton English Language Centre, Wilmot Road Primary School and Gowrie Street Primary Schools.

NB: St Georges Road Community Hub opening

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	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District acknowledges the Yorta Yorta People of the land which comprises the Goulburn Valley. We pay respect to tribal Elders, past, present and emerging and we celebrate their continuing culture and acknowledge the memory of their ancestors.
	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District is a peak body whose mission is to promote and represent the social, cultural and economic well-being of ethnic communities in the Goulburn Valley Region through the provision of quality and innovative settlement, refugee support, community development, and information and advocacy services.