Community Development

Community Building

• A comprehensive community development program is being implemented for the Bonnyrigg community.
• Community development is about improving services and opportunities, building community strengths, skills and capacity, and managing change.
• One of the strengths of Bonnyrigg is the strong community ties that have developed over decades.
• Bonnyrigg is also a vibrant multicultural community. There are significant Indigenous, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and Lao populations. Over half the residents were born overseas and almost 70 per cent speak a language other than English at home.
• Newleaf Communities seeks to build on the strengths which are in the community today, while also focusing on the well-being of residents and removing barriers to greater social inclusion and participation.
• Some of our activities include yoga, a community kitchen, aquarobics, mental health first aid and much more.

Our Approach

Our Community Building approach is based on the elements of good practice in community renewal as espoused by Housing NSW:

Improving services and opportunities, including:

• Fostering a coordinated government and community response to the key social, economic and environmental issues affecting the community;
• Implementing a range of strategic initiatives targeting key issues in the community; Strengthening local partnerships and community networks that can address issues in an integrated way.

Building community strengths, skills and capacity, through:

• Supporting the strengths of the existing community so that they can play a constructive partnership role in the Project.
• Building capacities, skills and leadership in individuals and groups in the community to provide a stronger and more sustainable response to community needs;

Managing change, through:

• Supporting individuals and the community to cope with significant levels of change;
• Developing strategies to maintain and enhance social cohesion as the community changes.

Health and Wellbeing

Newleaf Communities will contribute to the health and wellbeing of Bonnyrigg residents by:

• Providing access to counselling and support services.
• Augmenting existing health services.

Economic Development

We have an employment and training strategy developed with the community including:

• Home-based employment opportunities.
• Opportunities for employment and training for local people on the renewal of Bonnyrigg.
• Working with local businesses and Council on ways to improve Bonnyrigg Town Centre.