Did you know there are more than 500 neighbourhood houses around Victoria? And in response to the pandemic they are all doing different things, their own special mix of community engagement and support, responding directly to the needs of their local neighbourhood … utilising the skills within their staff and community, and the historical strengths of their own houses. Some are building up food relief efforts, some are keeping in touch through phone calls, some are building online communications, some are focussing on place-based neighbourhood activities and projects and some are running online activities.

And … the great thing about activities online is that anyone can join in from anywhere …

So today here’s just a few ideas of some online activities running from other houses across Victoria for the next week or two that might tickle your fancy:

Arrabri Community House

2-30 September

Find out more and book in here

Chelsea Heights Community Centre

Friday 3 September at 10am

A FREE teaser 30 min session with our ever popular fitness instructor Shelley. Who says working out needs to be boring? Step away from the treadmill! Get fit with these fun ways to exercise with Shelley our personal trainer. Equipment no worries, use something from home. Cans for dumbbells! Book here.

Belvedere Community Centre

Monday 6 September, 3-4pm

Come and join us online with the whole family for a fun afternoon of art and craft.

A challenge will be set and you will be emailed with what things you will need to have collected prior to the event (think things from around the house, nature, etc)

We can't wait for a fun afternoon with other families as we craft and laugh together.

Book here

Iramoo Community Centre

Tuesday 7 September, 10am

Learn about creating an Edible Garden with Craig Castree (from Edible Gardens)! Join Craig who is a qualified horticulturist with over 45 years experience, as he shares his passion in edible gardening. Also learn how to use your existing garden to grow your own food. This is a FREE Workshop.

Please email admin@iramoocc.com.au to book in and receive your ZOOM link.

Wednesday 8 September, 10am

Join Madhubani for an online art class where she demonstrates how to create your own watercoloured flowers. This is a FREE Workshop.

To book in and get your ZOOM LINK please email admin@iramoocc.com.au.

belvedere community centre

Saturday 18 September, 6-7pm
Why should kids have all the fun?? Calling all adults...... Come and join us for a fun social catchup on Zoom and enjoy some Trivia Questions. There will be prizes to be won! Book here.

In the face of big issues we all naturally feel a little lost and helpless. But here are some practical things you can do to change the filter and/or make a difference:

• Sign up and petition for regular arts industry stories on the news! How great would it be to see one story a night about creative people doing their amazing things. This is a movement to make the arts more visible and to tell more good news stories.

Image from local Northcote artist @taisnaith.

• Speaking of which, choose to read Good News on the ABC news app. For example this week you can read about Zarna Carter, a non-Indigenous landholder, who freely gave the Nukunu Wapma Thura (NWT) Aboriginal Corporation her 12.1-hectare (30-acre) property in the Flinders Ranges here. Or check out some hilarious videos from a prep teacher called Mr Jackson in NSW (they call it kinder there) who is well and truly keeping his class and the parents entertained during lockdown here.

• Contribute to Australian artist Ben Quilty’s fund to raise money for the UNHCR efforts in Afghanistan. He leveraged some big donors to match small donations, and $1 million donated became $4 million. His campaign is still going.

• Donate food like rice and pasta, tinned tomatoes, lentils and honey along with essential everyday items like toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and support refugee families here in Australia. We’re a collection point. Andy is here on Thursday mornings from 10am to 12pm to receive your donations, before driving them over to Footscray. Note you can leave your donations in the dark grey roller shed just inside the side gate anytime if no one is here!

Our Darebin Parklands posters have been flying out the door over the last week. Every time I go to ACC I print some more and refill the collection bin - but I can’t keep up!

So keep checking back if it was empty last time you looked.

And in addition … this week we’ve added an activity pack into the mix. We’re recycling some little plastic pencil cases and pencil packs that were donated to us. Our Darebin Parklands pack includes the map along with a find a word puzzle, an origami project (a tadpole) and the start of a bookmark (you might like to add some pizzazz and use it as a gift for Fathers Day).

Hi Kalimna here. How lovely are the APS lizards? I will be keeping a look out for them while I go for walks with our dog.

And to add to our collective community toolkit, I thought I could share a post from a dear friend who has a daily list for isolation wellbeing!

Imagine the following handwritten with little boxes beside them to tick off as you go :-)

• shower

• meditate

• drink water

• clean one thing / space

• tend to something growing / living

• be mindfully present to: a sound or song; a sensory feeling; something you see; a spiritual practice

• reach out to a human outside your home

• do one thing to get your heart rate up

• do one thing you will be glad you did later

• do one thing just because you want to

• get in at least one good laugh

This list reminded me of the happiness poster, gifs and video that Lee created last year when lockdowns were new to us all and we needed some good advice on how to care for ourselves and others with the new landscape of being at home all the time.

While not attempting to do everything on the list everyday (showering excluded) … I feel that this list is quite helpful … especially as we face this latest extension of our current lockdown.

Good luck everyone. Stay fit, stay happy, get laughing, get growing in your garden and talk to friends and neighbours when you can.

Make your own adventure in Darebin Parklands!

Lee has made a beautiful black and white map of the Parklands with all the walking trails and main features on it …and on the back of the map there is a place to write 12 things.

Take your kids on a trek through the wilds of our amazing collective backyard and make your own Parklands trail. Mark all the nesting boxes, find all the old fruit trees, highlight your favourite places to play - make some notes and share the adventure with another local family …

Or perhaps you could write a 12 part story … Or devise a treasure hunt … With a little creative thinking the world is your oyster!

Collect your copy from the bin outside our front door, grab a pen, some textas or pencils from home, and head off on your next family walk to make your own adventure in our lovely neighbourhood.