Victoria’s neighbourhood houses emerged at the grassroots level in the 1970s (and began to be recognised as a collective in the 1980s) - community organisations created and driven by women, primarily for women, enabling and encouraging 50% of our population that had been largely confined to living private lives, to take-up new opportunities to participate more fully in the economy and public life.

However, nothing’s simple … and when our society finally allowed women to work post-children (this concept in itself is hard to imagine today for anyone like me born after this era), and to divorce without fault (providing a whole other level of autonomy), many women discovered that in reality their ability to seize the opportunities was severely limited by a raft of missing/absent social support structures. In this vacuum they set about creating them for themselves.

The new grassroots place-based neighbourhood house model that emerged consistently included some mix of childcare and occasional care to support women who increasingly wanted or needed to participate in the economy, playgroups and babysitting clubs for women who needed a break and/or needed to build a community family, and adult education for women keen to build their skill sets.

Alongside these services the houses became hubs to share, learn and access creative skills and talents. They also embraced physical health classes, nutrition education programs and mental health support services. As a twin born in the 1970s, I can remember many an hour spent at a neighbourhood house in the Dandenongs - which hosted Australian Multiple Birth Association meetings (my mum was actively involved in this support service at the time).

This week is Women’s Health Week, and it is a great time to reflect on the role that neighbourhood houses historically played, and continue today to play, in every aspect of promoting and underpinning women’s health.

Playgroups, community lunches, line dancing and choir, women in the shed programs, craft club, community markets supporting local makers and micro businesses, counselling … these are just some of the services we offer at ACC, and we’re just one example.

Neighbourhood houses began life, and continue today, to focus on providing, promoting and building social, emotional, physical, mental, community, environmental and economic health and well-being for the marginalised in our communities.

Yes, the remit has broadened - in 2020 neighbourhood houses deliberately include services for the whole community.

On the other hand the fight for equity and access for women that was at their foundation is not forgotten. Women’s health, in the most holistic sense, remains a central tenet, and I would suggest is still part of the core business of most neighbourhood houses across Victoria today.

To find out more about Women’s Health Week click here.

We have so many talented people in our neighbourhood. We see this in abundance at the Alphington Show - from handmade toys, to home grown vegetables, painting, cooking and more.

A few weeks ago the lovely Pat, a long standing book club member, reached out to us to find a local maker who could knit a scarf to give as a present (which is just so nice in itself right!)

So we put her in touch with a member of our craft group. Elaine is an enthusiastic knitter. And a gem who always steps up and helps out - with our community lunches, makers market stalls and more. We love her!

So here is the story from Pat - 100% all about neighbourhoodliness!

During this long, cold isolation time, I go for a walk every afternoon leaving home about 4.15pm and walking for 50 minutes. I often see the same people out walking and we smile (under our masks)! 

There is an elderly gentleman who is very slim and very tall and he always gives me a wave and often we just stop to say "hello" and have a short chat.  About 6 weeks ago, he told me how cold he was feeling and I had a thought that I would like to knit him a scarf, but it has been years since I last took up the knitting needles!  So I e-mailed Alphington Community Centre asking if they had anyone that might be interested in knitting a scarf for me if I paid for the wool, etc. 

Kalimna passed on my request and I had a lovely reply from Elaine from the craft group. We arranged to meet for a chat/coffee on a Saturday morning outside ACC.  Elaine and I had a very nice meeting and she offered to make the scarf for me. She had found 5 balls of wool in the Centre supplies. 

Elaine and I met again last Saturday where she gave me the scarf. She had knitted it in moss stitch so it wouldn't stretch. 

I have since given my neighbourhood friend the scarf and he was so grateful.

And I am so happy that I met Elaine. I suggested to her that her craft group and my book club ladies have a get together and organise an informal BYO lunch at the ACC when we can come together in groups again.  

I remember when my kids were at Alphington Primary School and they would shop for Mothers Day and Fathers Day presents at the gift stalls that the school would host. This was so lovely as the kids could shop and surprise us! Soaps and chocolates in heart shapes. Also the craft projects made in class were a staple I looked forward to.

All families this year are going to have to rethink Fathers Day in lockdown. So I thought I would write a post about making photo cards.

Taking some time to make a photo card is something that your kids (or you) can do at home in lockdown.

You could use a favourite photo of dad. Or take a new photo together! Put the self timer on and jump into the frame.

If you are older and don’t live with your dad anymore then making an online card could be something you could send via email on the day.

Here are some resources for card design ideas and online e-cards using photos:

• Paperless post (online e-card)

• Moonpig (personalised card & print service)

• Zazzle (personalised card & print service):

And finally, here’s some inspiration from Pinterest for chalk art photos, feet photos, body shape photos, shadow photos and inter-generational photos that might also inspire you to make an extra creative photo card this year for Fathers Day.

I made a jigsaw puzzle from my own photos. Something I have always wanted to try.

During the first lockdown I tormented myself with a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle that was gifted to us for Christmas. It was spread over our small kitchen table and took forever! Some days I found no matching pieces and eating dinner around it was a bit of a pain. But upon its completion we felt like we had achieved something; and my husband and I had spent many nights together with a bottle of wine searching for the next piece we needed.

And so I was inspired to make my own. There are many sites where you can upload your own photos and make a puzzle. When I looked it seemed the more pieces (100, 500, 1,000) the more it cost. But some are very affordable and are easy to access. So if you are curious give it a go! Even 12 piece puzzles for young children could be a lovely gift (a great idea for a grandparent who is missing their grandbabies don’t you think!).

The company I tried was called bags of love. There is also Kmart, Officeworks, Harvey Norman and Snapfish that do puzzles, and lots more. Just google “make your own puzzle, australia”. There are loads of options online and of course the final product is delivered to your door.

And, whilst you are there you can look into other things you can put a photo on … there are so many products you can add a custom photo to! Although, to be honest there are some products I would not put a photo on - it can look a little tacky! But a puzzle is a perfect use for photos … and making it personal with photos of family can be lots of fun.

I am sure most people on social media saw the wealth of printed products out there for purchase a week or two ago featuring our CHO, Brett Sutton. Here’s Yarra Councillor Danae Bosler with a printed cushion of both Dan and Brett. Funny! Perhaps some inspiration …

Over the last couple of years I have run some photography related workshops at ACC and I am looking forward to sharing more photography tips in person when we return to face-to-face learning. We had a travel photography workshop planned this year, which seems a bit of a distant idea at the moment … both in terms of meeting up and getting on a plane! But we live in hope. And I am sure we will be able to travel within Australia, if not beyond, soon enough.

In the meantime … maybe you have already been on a holiday with the family, or taken the trip you always dreamed of and want to know what to do with your photos now.

Making the most of your photos is a creative task you can get excited about doing while in lockdown.

To start you off, I recommend that you think about:

1. Sorting your photos. It is a bit boring, but also really the thing you need to do! You could sort them into volumes and categories (eg. holiday locations or your children’s names) or keep it more random and sort by year, like the photo albums of my childhood. The pages from my parents albums were a treasure trove when I was young. Random photos of family, my first bike, a birthday celebration, the family pet. For some reason my parents always took photos of the garden and their cars too! I think it is the details I love looking back on. I remember our kitchen, our front door and our ginger cat. But seeing the photos of them brings things back to me I had forgotten. It is one of the great things about photography.

1. Printing your photos. This is key. Once the photos are stored in our computers I feel they are rarely seen. To help me to get around to printing photos I have a photo wall in my kitchen that I keep adding to. I also regularly make a photo book of all my favourite photos (I’ll write a post about this soon).

But, if this all sounds a bit process-y you could also think about the photos you could take in this time of isolation.

I am starting a portrait series at my house. I don’t know if my models (ie. my family) are going to be that keen. I will try, but if they squirm and lose patience I plan to look through my archives and do something with old photos as well.

Another idea is to document your own isolation experience. A journal of sorts, to remember how you passed the time, and what this experience looked like through your eyes.

If you start a new project, documenting your family, your home or your experience (and the same advice goes for holidays when they resume) my number one tip is to:

1. Look to take photos of the details.

In a room in your home it may be the way the light looks in the afternoon, or your favourite mug on the kitchen bench. If you are photographing people it might be the way your little one has tied their hair that day. From behind you can see it is all messy and sweet. Or just the way they snuggle into cuddling another member of the family.

If you travel it might be taking a photo of your ticket (train or plane), the accommodation you stay in, the taxi you take somewhere! Try to avoid cliches. Don’t photograph your own feet, instead look for the beauty in what is everyday about the place where you are, the unique about where you are.

When you start looking, no doubt you will see many things that are different and interesting, so also remember to get a little closer to photograph the details of them.

Good luck!