Increasing community pride and participation

Establishment of resident and tenant groups
The Residents' group and the Public Tenants' group have both been successfully established.

Events group
The group, which is made up of local residents, meets monthly to plan local events like the 2006 Spring Fling Musical Festival at St Mary Magdalene's.

The Edge Community Fund
At June 2006 $12,000 had already been raised and the Fund continues to attract donations to support local priorities.

Regular festivals and celebrations
The community is coming together for events like community festivals, cabarets and Christmas parties.

Improving employment, learning and local economic activity

Employment programs
Neighbourhood Renewal's Employment Support Initiative and the Workforce Participation Program are linking residents with jobs, particularly in areas of skill shortage. The Public Tenant Employment Program is helping residents find work with contractors who have tendered to deliver housing maintenance and upgrade works.

Since Neighbourhood Renewal began in Ashburton Ashwood Chadstone, these schemes have helped 13 residents find jobs. In 2006/07 they will help a further eight residents into employment.

Community Jobs Program
The Community Jobs Program, which operated until 2004-05, found jobs for over 3,775 participants, including 851 Neighbourhood Renewal residents. In Ashburton Ashwood Chadstone, a total of 15 residents found work through the program.

Work-for-the-dole projects
To date ten projects each lasting six months, have been based in Ashburton Ashwood and Chadstone. Local residents have completed a number of creative projects including a film about Neighbourhood Renewal and a perma-culture garden at a local primary school.

Training opportunities
Neighbourhood Renewal is currently exploring opportunities for the creation of a new local community employment and training enterprise in partnership with Gateway LLEN.

Initiatives to support young people at risk
The Primary School Transition Project is helping young people with their move from primary to secondary school. The New Directions Project is encouraging 25 young people aged 15 to 18 years to re-engage with education.

Enhancing housing and the environment

Housing upgrades and improvements
To date Neighbourhood Renewal has spent more than $5 million on delivering housing upgrades and immediate improvements to more than 340 properties. In 2006/07 an additional $1.6 million will fund works on a further 99 homes.

Improving facilities at local reserves
Neighbourhood Renewal and the Monash City Council are working together to install a shade structure and seating at Batesford Reserve and a BBQ at Ashwood Reserve.

Sustainable garden project
The gardens of a number of older Neighbourhood Renewal residents have been redesigned by Ashburton Support Services. The service has provided drought tolerant plants, mulch and design layout.

Maintenance upgrades for Markham Avenue Estate
A $500,000 maintenance and upgrade program is underway at the Markham Avenue Estate.

Improving personal safety and reducing crime

Community Safety Survey
Local residents have responded to the Community Safety Survey. Key issues, including traffic speed, hooning, safety concerns about the train line corridor and Warrigal Road have been referred to Councils and to the Police.

Safety House Support Project underway
Neighbourhood Renewal is working with the Crime and Safety Working Group, Safety House Victoria, Power Neighbourhood House, St Mary Magdalene's and a local student on the Safety House Support Project. The Project aims to increase the number of safety houses in Ashwood and Chadstone.

Signs for new safety houses
Signs will soon be erected for new safety houses which include: Amaroo Neighbourhood House, Power Neighbourhood House, Waverley Basketball Association and some residents' homes.

Promoting health and wellbeing

Health Time project
The project is responding to the health and well-being needs of public tenants in the Ashburton walk-up estates, particularly the Markham and Alamein estates.

Parkhill Community Garden
The garden is now a thriving and vital part of the school.

Everybody Healthy Body project
The project is promoting physical activity and healthy eating in Ashburton primary schools.

The Healthy Kids in Monash project
This project is developing and implementing policies on nutrition in Ashwood and Oakleigh primary schools.

Increasing access to services and improving government responsiveness

New Sunday bus services
Sunday public transport has been improved with the introduction of the B-Link Bus Service. The Neighbourhood Renewal team is looking at the employment of a transport expert to work with residents to improve further public transport access.

Forum for AAC Public Tenants' Group
The AAC Public Tenants' group in partnership with Neighbourhood Renewal and Power Neighbourhood House ran a public forum with staff from the Office of Housing. The forum provided an opportunity for residents to ask questions in relation to housing issues.