Jaidyn Kennedy
Truganina South Primary’s Community Hub continues to make a difference in the lives of students and their families.
The Community Hub was started in 2019 as a place for all families to access vital resources.
Some of the program’s resources include a food pantry, cooking courses, a second-hand uniform shop, English conversation classes and a school paediatrician working outreach clinic.
One benefit of the program’s structure is its non-confrontational nature, allowing students and families to access the resources they need with anonymity.
Principal Paul Bombaci has witnessed the positive impact first-hand.
“We had a family who were going through a challenging time with finding housing and very quickly we were able to rustle up a few boxes of food.“ he said.
“I wouldn’t want to see it disappear because of the amount of students that use it.“
Vicki Haynes oversees the Community Hub.
“Community hubs help build social cohesion in Australia, they are welcoming places where families from diverse backgrounds, particularly mothers with preschool children, can come to connect, share and learn. The hub model is proven to generate significant social benefits not only for culturally diverse families but for the broader community.
“The most rewarding part of being in the Community Hub is providing programs to our families and local community and seeing the connections they make.“
Ms Haynes said not having a hub at the school would “create a disconnect and lack of engagement from families, which will mean they won’t be as active within the school and the wider community.“
While some funds are provided by Community Hubs Australia, the school also looks to the local community for grants to expand its projects.
Some programs like the toy library and school paediatric clinic are funded by external organisations and philanthropic partners.
