Before she was the Community Hub leader at Mooroopna Park, Brooke Bowles was the primary school’s chaplain.
It’s a role she still fills, but for four days of the week, she co-ordinates and leads the hub’s many and varied programs.
Her approach is community development based.
“Whatever hub attendees need, we try to fill the gaps in their lives,” Mrs Bowles said.
“The hub helps fight social isolation.
“Many say they were just sitting at home doing nothing.”
From Tuesday to Friday, the hub operates within the grounds of Mooroopna Park Primary School.
The pillars of support offered include community engagement, early childhood, English and vocational training.
“We provide a soft entry for people into training,” Mrs Bowles said.
“It empowers people to enter courses or apply for jobs.”
Mrs Bowles, who already had an authentic interest in the school community’s wellbeing as the school chaplain before the hub opened at the beginning of last year, said the hub aligned with that focus but now for the wider community, not just the school’s.
A women’s wellness class supports their mental health by engaging them in the therapeutic craft of arts, with Melinda Solomon guiding them.
Aside from that class specifically for women, men are encouraged to join in the other sessions on the program.
A 90-minute English class each week helps people hone their language skills and grow more comfortable using them.
One day a week, the ‘hub café’ opens for participants to enjoy over an hour of socialisation ‘on the deck’, while another day participants can engage in gardening and play while getting their social fix.
Mooroopna Park Community Hub hosts not one but four playgroups on different days and for varying durations each week.
A sensory-based playgroup and a ‘playgroup with Syeda’ welcome everyone, while a couple of others cater to different minority groups.
An It Takes a Village playgroup supports newly arrived families to Australia and includes play-based learning activities, a bilingual support worker, music and story time, parenting support, art and craft and sensory activities.
A Yarkidjiga playgroup delivered by Rumbalara supports Koorie families with children aged four and under in a culturally safe environment, which engages in activities including painting, storytelling, music and play-dough play.
As with the other community hubs in the Goulburn Valley, Mooroopna Park welcomes its participants to drop in for a chat or support any time outside sessions during its hours of operation.
Whether it’s help with referrals, assistance or direction in accessing services or to grab something for free from the food pantry when times are tough, Mrs Bowles says the hub is open to one and all.
∎ To keep updated with programs and events at the Mooroopna Park Community Hub, add Brooke Bowles Hub Leader on Facebook.
∎ This story is part of a series: