Two neighbourhood houses in St Albans and another in Braybrook will share more than $38,000 in state government funding to boost staffed hours.
The Westvale Community Centre in St Albans will get $12706 to have five extra staffed hours a week, and the Good Shepherd Community House in St Albans will receive $25412 for an additional 10 hours.
Braybrook and Maidstone Neighbour- hood House Incorporated gets $25412 for an extra 10 staffed hours.
Braybrook co-ordinator Vivienne Coon said the funding doubled the staffed hours at the Melon Street house, allowing her to work 20 hours a week.
“We work with some of the most disadvantaged people in Victoria here, and with the extra hours we can develop more services and programs,” she said.
Ms Coon said the funding was a “really big thing” for the house, which is open 26 hours a week.
About 35 people a day attend programs that include free legal and financial counselling, playgroups, cooking lessons, maths tutoring, tai chi, English classes, computer lessons, and arts.
Last year, the state government provided $25 million to support more than 370 Neighbourhood Houses and the Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres.
