MISSION Australia recently held community consultations about the future community hub in Coffs Harbour aimed to reduce homelessness and assist those affected by the housing shortage.

There were six workshops, along with open days, inviting people to come and hear about the Mission Australia plans currently under development at Duke Street, and share their thoughts and ideas about the Mission Australia Centre.

Held across three days, attendees heard from Mission Australia teams and had the opportunity to provide vital feedback on the development of the purpose-built community hub.

Mission Australia Executive of Community Services, Ben Carblis said the charity has prioritised engaging local voices and community input to help ensure the new centre is a safe, welcoming place where people and families can easily access a range of programs and services in one convenient location.

“We’re really pleased that so many local individuals, community services organisations and businesses put their hand up to join in the conversation.

“As part of this project, Mission Australia is prioritising tapping into a range of key local voices and opinions.

“We created this forum so that people and organisations can provide their ideas, contributions and feedback on the Mission Australia Centre.

“Our Mission Australia Centre will be developed in collaboration with community stakeholders including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, clients and local organisations.

Once open, its impact will be continuously evaluated using Mission Australia’s impact measurement framework.

“We’re partnering with local organisations and welcome community input every step of the way, so we can ensure the services provided through the centre are properly tailored to meet the most pressing needs of vulnerable locals,” said Mr Carblis.

“Together with local stakeholders, we will create an inclusive environment with heart that fosters opportunities for social connection with the wider community,” he continued.

“It will be a vibrant space where local service providers, individuals and organisations can come together and collaborate for the benefit of our community.

“We’re looking forward to opening the doors later this year,” Mr Carblis said.

Construction of the Mission Australia Centre has been made possible by donations from Mission Australia supporters who have so far raised $2.1 million for the project.

Over the coming months, the charity will engage in fundraising activities to raise the additional $3 million needed to complete the build.

Local construction company, Lipman, commenced building the Mission Australia Centre in early 2021, which will be built at the same time as the charity’s neighbouring 40 one-bedroom social home apartments.

The projects are designed to meet local needs, with the latest 2016 Census data showing Coffs Harbour has seen a 15% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness since the previous Census – a rate higher than the national average.

Cowper, which takes in Coffs Harbour, is the 10th top electorate in Australia for rental stress with 7,698 households in Cowper experiencing rental stress.

The forum aims to ensure the organisation is providing opportunities for two way engagement for future clients as well.

“We created this forum so that people and organisations can provide their ideas, contributions and feedback on the Mission Australia Centre,” a Mission Australia spokesperson said.

“Together with local stakeholders, we will create an inclusive environment with a heart that fosters opportunities for social connection with the wider community.

“It will be a vibrant space where local service providers, individuals and organisations can come together and collaborate for the benefit of our community.”

Mission Australia will host future virtual workshops in the coming weeks and also meet with clients to provide information and gather further feedback regarding the Mission Australia Centre.

 

By Sandra MOON