The NSW Government’s Building Stronger Communities (BSC) initiative 2006/07 - 2010/11, is a $66m investment over four years to improve housing, services and opportunities to break the cycle of disadvantage in seven social housing areas. The aim of the BSC initiative is to build stronger communities and achieve sustainable improvements in priority social housing locations.
The Building Stronger Communities initiative aims to:
- improve housing and the local environment
- improve educational opportunities for residents
- coordinate the delivery of appropriate services in the places where they are needed
- increase the number of residents entering employment
- encourage tenants to take responsibility for their communities
- achieve more stable communities.
Principles
- good planning is critical to the development of sustainable initiatives and sufficient resources should be provided to support these processes
- local residents and service providers must be involved in the planning of local initiatives
- consultation structures need to established and be well resourced and supported
- respect and responsibility will be promoted where residents respect the needs of others and take
- responsibility for the physical and social wellbeing of the community
- a coordinated face of government is to be provided through the integration of Housing NSW functions with functions provided by other agencies
Locations
The Building Stronger Communities initiative is taking place in seven priority locations: Bathurst/Orange, Claymore, Dubbo, Killarney Vale/Bateau Bay/Tumbi Umbi, Macquarie Fields, Mt Druitt and Wagga Wagga.
Roles of Building Stronger Communities Teams in the Priority Location
Regeneration Manager
The Regeneration Manager is responsible for implementing all elements of the Building Stronger Communities initiative at the local level and plays a key role in bringing together community and government partners to the strategy to secure joint efforts in improving the physical and social conditions of the priority location.
Learning and Employment Coordinator
The Learning and Employment Coordinator (LEC) will facilitate activities and projects on estates to work with the community, employers, providers of education and training and other stakeholders to set up tenant training and employment initiatives and increase employment outcomes.
Community Development Worker
The Community Development Worker collaborates with a range of service providers and residents to develop projects and initiatives that build skills, encourages participation, and strengthens community capacity.
Other implementation strategies include:
- Partnership approaches – Housing NSW is committed to partnerships between government agencies and NGOs and the private sector. A Schedule to the Human Services Accord has been developed to provide a framework for partnership approaches with government agencies.
- Neighbourhood management structures – where social housing tenants and other stakeholders can get involved in making decisions about how to improve the community.
- Community hubs – a central place in the community where people can meet and organisations can deliver services and training.
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