Media release
From the Minister Assisting the Premier on Community Building
Friday, 17 May 2002
GREATER DANDENONG PROUD TO PARTICIPATE
The Greater Dandenong community today received a major boost with the launch of a community building project designed to increase job opportunities, improve public safety and strengthen the local community.
The Minister Assisting the Premier on Community Building, Bronwyn Pike, joined Greater Dandenong representatives, residents, local traders, clubs, churches and community groups in launching the project.
The Bracks Government has committed $500,000 to establish the project over the next three years. The project will be focused on Noble Park and will run for three years.
“This project is about delivering more job opportunities, increased safety, increased participation in education and training and a better quality of life for people in Noble Park and Greater Dandenong,” Ms Pike said.
“The Bracks Government has established this initiative in partnership with local government, service organisations, business and community groups, to address social and economic disadvantage and knit together a stronger community.
“The active involvement of the Noble Park and Greater Dandenong communities is critical to the project’s success.”
The community building project, called ‘Proud to Participate’, aims to bring the diverse community together – including isolated residents, young people, recent migrants, indigenous people, people on low incomes and people with a disability – to tackle priority issues in the area.
Noble Park is one of the most socially and ethnically diverse areas in Melbourne. Of the 31,000 people who live in the area, almost half were born overseas and have spoken English for less than five years. A combination of age, income and language disadvantage many residents – but many have vital skills to offer the community.
Over the next three years, the Proud to Participate project will:
- Increase community participation
- Strengthen community pride
- Develop new partnerships within the community
- Grow inter-cultural understanding, participation and pride
- Facilitate opportunities for the use of existing community skills and resources
- Develop local leadership
- Provide new opportunities for employment, education and training
- Develop whole-of-government planning and participation
Special events and workshops will be set up to ensure people from diverse groups are involved, provided with opportunities to share and learn new skills and to meet with other members of the community.
The project will be managed by the Proud to Participate Reference Group, with the support of City of Greater Dandenong. State Government Departments will also be actively involved.
The project is part of the Bracks Government’s $7 million Community Building initiative, launched by the Premier last year, involving 11 communities across the State.
“Victoria is already a great State, but it could be even greater - and this program aims to achieve that,” Ms Pike said.
“If the Greater Dandenong community engages with the Government to drive this program, the community will become stronger and Greater Dandenong residents will have a new pride in their suburb and themselves.
“This project is a vehicle to build community spirit, to develop sustainable communities.”
Media contact: Tim Winkler - 96515799 / 0407 688 632