A Recipe For Successful Community Development

Broadmeadows, a suburb in the City of Hume (Victoria, Australia), was once described to the chairman of the local Social Justice and Safe City Taskforce as "the biggest failure in a generation of government because of the lack of co-ordination between departments to build the required social infrastructure". Innovative partnerships and funding sources, community determination and a focus on "encouraging a culture of excellence and achievement in education, providing greater employment opportunities and instilling local pride" have underpinned this community's redevelopment. The results include a Global Learning Village with a multi-branch public library, and a maternal and child care centre with an internet cafe so that mums can learn computer skills and help teach their children. Creative partnerships have also developed, for example using a football club to communicate with "young men who would otherwise not go near a library", a bank providing not-for-profit financial advice to residents, and encouragement for local employment of trainees.

Thanks to Charlotte Fitzgerald