New Vinnies Community Hub Opens In Boland Street, Launceston

The St. Vincent de Paul Society has opened the doors of its new Vinnies Community Hub in Boland Street, Launceston. Situated next to Centrelink, the Hub will offer support and advice to disadvantaged individuals and families with specific needs, such as assistance with emergency relief, homelessness, financial literacy, No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) applications, support information, and advocacy. The Community Hub will also provide a welcoming space for other service organisations that require a space to engage with the community.

The idea to open the Community Hub stems from a forum of invited charities, hosted by the St. Vincent de Paul Society in October 2019.

Speaking about the initiative, St. Vincent de Paul Society CEO, Lara Alexander, said that Vinnies hosted a gathering of charities that deliver Emergency Relief services to those in need. The purpose of the forum was to encourage collaboration, exchange ideas, and to identify ways charities could work together to maximize the benefits to the community, especially targeted towards people in need of Emergency Relief programmes.

“St. Vincent de Paul Society in Tasmania does not provide direct financial counselling or parental and youth counselling programs; but we do assist with food, household items, clothing, payment of utility bills, medical prescription costs, urgent travel costs and help with basic budgeting via our Fresh Start program, which is linked with NILS,” Mrs Alexander said.

“However, the Society has great advantages. Vinnies is a state-wide organisation. In addition to our offices in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie, we have street-frontage sites, like the new Launceston Community Hub at 10 Boland Street, from where our members, staff, and volunteers can deliver direct services and make on-the-spot referrals to government agencies or more appropriate charities. Vinnies Community Hubs are safe spaces, where anyone in need can visit and seek assistance without fear of judgement.

“It is well understood that families and individuals in need require more than a hand-out, they need to build resilience, and to be encouraged, supported, and empowered to take charge of their future.

“Over the next few months, Vinnies will be contacting other charities to spread the word about the Community Hub. Our aim is to bring together a number of organisations through co-location, or by utilising the common space at Vinnies Community Hubs on a needs basis, or as and when they are delivering programmes.

“The Society welcomes collaboration with other service organisations interested in utilising the Vinnies Community Hub in Launceston and our other Community Hubs in Somerset and Smithton. By encouraging the Emergency Relief charities to work together, Vinnies hopes to offer a holistic approach to empowering and building capacity within our communities,” Mrs Alexander said.

Some of the services that will be delivered at the new Vinnies Community Hub at 10 Boland Street include Emergency Relief Assistance, Complex Case Management, Fresh Start’ financial literacy and budgeting support, assistance with accessing online applications, identifying training opportunities, and accessing ‘My GOV’ and Centrelink. Vinnies Community Hub will be open Monday to Friday from 9am – 4pm.