Neighbourhood Centre peak body Queensland Families and Communities Association state that increased resourcing is urgently needed to tackle the state’s increasing social isolation epidemic.

Speaking at the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into Loneliness and Social Isolation, General Manager of Mossman Support Services, Heather Taylor and Manager of Port Douglas Community Services Network, Emma Travers will be speaking about the challenges the sector is experiencing due to ”systemic issues given the level of funding and investment currently available”.

Around 140 local Neighbourhood Centres operate throughout the state with 127 receiving base funding from the Queensland Government to cover just over one worker per locality.

Local Neighbourhood Centres have operated in Queensland since the 1970’s, however in more recent times funding has been directed to large state-wide organisations with individual service delivery models.

“Integral to centres is the goal of fostering connection, belonging, participation and inclusion, and this is the antidote to social isolation and loneliness.

Centres across Queensland are working every day in ways tailored to their local communities to achieve this”, Queensland Families and Communities Association General Manager Em James stated.

53 Neighbourhood Centres in the state lodged written submissions to the Parliamentary Inquiry, arguing that local centres are key social infrastructure and as important as hospitals and schools.

Heather Taylor of Mossman Support Services will be speaking of the further gaps remote neighbourhood centres are required to fill due to many of the city services not being accessible locally.

“Remote Neighbourhood centres assist in individuals knowing about and connecting to these services and helping individuals collect and submit the required data for their support. Neighbourhood centres meet the needs of people who feel disconnected, excluded and experience poor mental health and wellbeing, helping them connect with and receive support to develop effective and sustainable life outcomes. Due to the pandemic and ongoing restrictions, individuals in our community are needing even more assistance in these areas due to the significant financial impact as well as the challenge of extended family being unable to come up to support individuals facing complex issues where they usually would further exasperating isolation and loneliness. Increased government investment in Neighbourhood Centres in strong delivery in turn will save on the need for Governmental spending at crisis point in areas of mental health services, crime and policing, and alcohol and other drugs in the future”.

Submissions from other Industry bodies have also argued for increased investment into Neighbourhood Centres, including Qld Council of Social Service, The Services Union, Community Services Industry Alliance and Volunteering Queensland.

The State’s Community Support and Services Committee are continuing to conduct public briefings in regional areas as part of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Loneliness and Social Isolation and are due to release their report on 6th December 2021.

Heather Taylor and Emma Travers will be speaking from 10:30am Wednesday 20 October at The Salvation Army Church Hall, 72 Hoare Street, Manunda. Click here to see the full schedule.