Neighbourhood Renewal in Victoria: Transforming Places, Empowering People

Faulkner P¹*, Klein H¹*

1. Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

While many Australians have enjoyed the benefits of growing prosperity, poverty has continued to concentrate in particular neighbourhoods. In the hardest hit communities, disadvantage manifests in high levels of unemployment, crime and social stigma, poor health status and low educational achievement. The cumulative effect of these factors is the exclusion of many people from mainstream social, economic and political life.

In Victoria, the State government’s Neighbourhood Renewal initiative is reversing the decline of disadvantaged communities and reengaging residents in community, a productive economy and government. Fifteen renewal projects across Victoria are governed by local partnerships consisting of 50% residents and leaders from government, the community sector and local businesses.

Residents are engaged in identifying priority local issues, strategic planning and decision-making about services and social investment. Early evaluation results demonstrate the combination of community governance and joined-up government is giving people a real say in the transformation of disadvantaged neighbourhoods into revitalised communities.

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