Community Centres SA Inc.

The Tumby Bay Community Centre is entirely community owned and operated, driven by active citizens who love where they live. Their passion for their community is evident, their hard work and consistency is proven, and their dreams for what could happen next are endless!

Their priority is to see the whole community of Tumby Bay thrive and feel valued, including that their young people feel seen and have a safe space to go, parents feel supported, farmers are connected, and their whole community feels a sense of purpose and belonging.

They are incredibly resourceful, with a GIANT community garden, a full composting system, chickens who live in a palace, and an olive press available to the community during olive season.

Out the back of the community shed, where the waste from the olive press is deposited, is the most unique feature of any community centre we’ve seen - a gated pit of slush - with purpose! From the olive waste, they dry, compress, and create fire bricks which are then made available to the community - along with their home-made fire starters - talk about ingenuity!

Alongside the shed and the outdoor space, the centre has a large community warehouse space, with a full commercial kitchen - used for events, pop-up groups and markets, sewing days, and anything else the community dreams up!

We are excited to be on the journey with you Tumby Bay Community Centre!

Community House Port Lincoln's community are enterprising, creative, passionate, and responsive to their neighbourhood.

Joining the Thursday team of volunteers for their “smoko”, we met people who have been part of the House for decades and others who are new - but the consensus was that, for them, the house felt like “home”.

The kitchen was buzzing with activity with people making food to share together, and some to freeze for purchase later.

We could hear people on machinery working away in the shed, cutting down pallet timber for kindling to sell as part of their annual fundraiser.

The chickens in the impressive back garden were making themselves known, from within the most luxurious coop ever - these ladies provide fresh eggs for $6 per dozen!

Everything has been built at an accessible height and decorated with stunning mosaic art from the hands of craft group members.

A few houses down, the centre also operate a community house where people experiencing homelessness can live for however long they need.

The community centre is also somewhere for people to come for food and hygiene essentials through their co-op, where they partner with locals and local businesses alike to offer a wide variety to their community.

If you get the chance to visit, don’t forget the op shop where almost everything is $2 (this is also a place where neighbours bump into each other and stop for a chat and catch up).

Thank you for having us Community House Port Lincoln Inc!

P.S. The ABC did a beautiful story on some of the work of the centre a few years ago, you can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Htdq-lQBM

The team and Board from Community Centres SA met at Fullarton Park Community Centre recently to workshop the organisation's next strategic plan.

The day was rich with content thanks to our sector letting us know what is important to them and where we need to be focussing our efforts.

We're excited to share the document with you once it's finished!

Each year, from 27 May to 3 June, Australians come together to reflect, learn, listen and take action during National Reconciliation Week, NRW.

Read more: https://hubs.li/Q04hQJNj0

Our visit to Holden Hill Community Centre started with an exciting walk from the carpark, taking in all the gorgeous art work adorning the walls, the bustling noise coming from the open door of the men's shed, and the amazing facilities right at its doorstep - including playground, tennis/basketball courts, picnic benches, skate park and dog park! All these facilities are only made more amazing by the creative and fun ways they are used across the year by the centre and its community - Muddy Hands Festival anyone!?

Inside was packed with movement and conversation, we were given plates of food in a show of beautiful hospitality from the community. The list of programs, fitness classes, creative outlets, practical supports (learning to swim, driving test preparation, legal services etc) were plentiful for and by the community.

What a gem sitting in the neighbourhood of Holden Hill!

City of Tea Tree Gully

Community Centres SA is offering free online governance training for community centres!

Session 2 is ASES Accreditation - Preparing for Success and is recommended for Board/Committee Members, Managers and Coordinators, staff and volunteers involved in ASES accreditation and will be held on Wednesday, 3 June from 12.00pm to 2.30pm.

Make sure to register so you don't miss out.

Scan the QR code or register here: https://events.humanitix.com/ases-accreditation-preparing-for-success

Community Centres SA warmly invites community centres and friends across South Australia to a learning conversation with and about 18 to 30 year olds - who they are, what they value, how they gather and hear ideas for how centres can be shaped by and show up alongside them.

18 to 30 year olds are already leading, creating, and shaping communities, with distinctive ways of gathering and seeing the world. Together we explore what it looks like to invite them to truly make themselves at home in community centres - and how we might shape a future together.

Joining us are four people bringing experience, creativity and expertise across inclusion, research, volunteering, peer-led gathering, and community building with this age in mind:
- Clarissa Baker - Environmental Groups Volunteer
- Lilly & Willow - Rewind Members, Rewind (DIY community space and commons)
- Natalie Matulick - CEO of Youth Affairs Council South Australia
- Georgy Rochow - Manager Creative Industries, Northern Sound System (youth and music community centre)

In this one-hour session, we encourage active listening and curious minds.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/make-yourself-at-home-18-30s-in-our-community-centres

This session is hosted by CCSA as Capacity Building Partner for DHS Community and Neighbourhood Development funding.

🎉A massive congratulations to Camden Community Centre for winning ‘The Andamooka’ Community Project Award for their Food and Wellbeing Outreach Program 🎉

This is such a well-deserved award and a beautiful example of the incredible impact that volunteers have across our sector and in the community.

This program operates with the support of 17 volunteers who pack and distribute clothing, furniture, food and offer a friendly face to people who are socially isolated or having a tough time across four Council areas.

More info: https://dhs.sa.gov.au/how-we-help/volunteering/volunteer-recognition/volunteer-awards

Volunteering SA&NT Human Services SA

MarionLIFE is so much more than their Marion Road street frontage would have you believe. Come around the back of the building and the offering opens up like a community centre oasis, with so much to look at and explore.

Providing emergency relief (including for the doggos!) is a fundamental part of this centre, and the bustle of people and the friendly banter all through the building says it’s also a place of care, respect and connection. Focussing on values-driven and community-led work, it’s no wonder there are so many volunteers, each bringing their own skills and energy to the Centre's programs and activities. It’s all hands on deck here to make sure everyone who comes in feels seen and supported.

The community tool library provides a handy support to those who need a tool for just a short amount of time, and the community garden provides a place to realise the potential of changing seasons.

With MarionLIFE month coming up in June, there are plenty of opportunities to participate and get to know more about this welcoming and warm Centre.

MarionLIFE Community Services Inc