Heathdale Neighbourhood Association

Heathdale Neighbourhood Renewal
History of Neighbourhood Renewal in Heathdale

The Heathdale Neighbourhood Renewal Project commenced in July 2003.

In the initial phases of the project a small group of residents were engaged through various strategies to develop a Neighbourhood Day event aimed at raising the profile of Neighbourhood Renewal amongst local residents.

Prior to this event, the group of residents undertook a workshop to develop a process to enable others to participate in the development of a vision for the local area. From this workshop, it was agreed to implement a project at the local primary school with a small group of students to make a visioning tree from paper mache. A local community artist was engaged to assist in this project and during lunchtime over a six-week period students worked towards the completion of the tree. In addition, each student in the school drew and decorated from a stencil a picture of a bird, which were used for individuals to write their visions on at the Neighbourhood Day. Birds were used to symbolise the area, which is distinctively known because of the streets being named after birds. These were then mounted to sticks and placed onto the tree structure. This arts project is part of an ongoing activity with local people being encouraged to continue to add their visions during this first phase of the Project.

The Heathdale Action Plan

The Heathdale Action Plan is divided into three sections:

Part A of the Action Plan focusing on the demographics of the area and the identification of key issues and service needs was completed in December 2003. This section was completed following a range of consultative processes with local residents and key stakeholders across the Wyndham municipality.

Part B of the Plan was completed in June 2004 and focused on the development of key priorities in consultation with local residents from Heathdale from the originally identified needs and issues in Part A.

Part C of the plan brings together key strategies to address prioritised issues and service needs. This section focuses on identifying the group or agency that will take the lead role in implementing negotiated strategies together with key partners both from within the Neighbourhood Renewal structure and more broadly across the municipality.

Governance within Heathdale

It has been acknowledged that it is important to make sure that there are clear and well-documented arrangements in place to aid decision-making process that will need to occur as part of the Neighbourhood Renewal project. In determining arrangements for Heathdale, it has been important to look at existing arrangements in Heathdale and the broader Wyndham municipality.

The governance model developed utilises existing structures including the local Wyndham Community Agencies Network (WCAN) as well as establishing new groups for joint work within the neighbourhood.

The Working Groups

The Working Groups have a key role in developing a vision for each area and solutions to the issues that have been identified. The groups have been established following the implementation of formal opportunities for local residents to come together to explore local issues. The groups are chaired by a local resident and have least 50% resident membership and cover the five key areas of Neighbourhood Renewal of:

Safety and Security;
Health and Wellbeing;
Employment and Education;
Housing and the Physical Environment; and
Pride and Participation.

Access to services is a key issue of Neighbourhood Renewal, which will be addressed by each of the working groups.

The Pride and Participation Working Group�s key focuses for 2005/06 are:

Establishment of the Heathdale BBQ Festival;
Ongoing communication with local residents through the �Heathdale Chatter� newsletter and more recently through its website;
The establishment of on-line communication technologies.

The Safety and Security Working Group is continuing to work on:

improved street lighting for the neighbourhood;
developing projects to enhance relationships with local police;
reducing speeding and inappropriate driving.

The Health and Wellbeing Working Group has for its focus identified:

Parenting;
Healthy relationships;
Access to local services.

The Improving Houses, Parks and Street Working Group is working on:

Establishing entranceways to the neighbourhood;
Working with the local Council to redevelop the Heathdale Glen Orden Wetlands;
Developing a cohesive service hub and improved community facilities.

The more recently formed Employment and Learning Working Group is focusing on:

The implementation of a residents skills survey;
Access to computer technology and skills particularly for low income students and their families;
Improving access to employment and training opportunities.

The Heathdale Neighbourhood Renewal Team

The Neighbourhood Renewal Team consists of:

Valerie Benson � Manager North & West Neighbourhood Renewal, employed by the Department of Human Services;
Lesley Murray � Project Manager Heathdale Neighbourhood Renewal, employed by the Department of Human Services;
Monica Parnis � Employment Learning Coordinator, employed through Melbourne City Mission;
Jasmina Stanic � Partnership and Participation Officer, employed through Wyndham City Council.