For the past six months, the People Place in Busselton has faced an uncertain future as the community-based centre waits to find out if they will continue to be funded.
Earlier this year, the Department of Communities informed neighbourhood family centres across WA they had five weeks to apply for the new Empowering Communities Program.
The centre was previously funded by the Community and Neighbourhood Development Services program.
The centres are still waiting for the department to resolve funding agreements which should have expired in June this year, the agreements have since been extended twice.
The People Place chief executive officer Rilla Beresford said if their funding was in question then the future of community groups which used the centre would also be in question.
More than 3000 people use the People Place through a number of different community groups, some of which offer support to some of the most isolated members of the community.
“We are able to meet community needs, if a need comes up we want to be able to react to that and give the community what they need,” she said.
“We are the only neighbourhood centre in town, it is the only facility which is community-based and owned, it is a vital facility within the community.”
Department of Communities acting assistant director Brad Jolly said the total funding amount of $6.7 million remained the same however, it would inevitably result in a reduction in budget allocation in some areas.
“The purpose of the program is to: help improve the wellbeing of communities across WA; support social connections between local people, and; encourage people to become active in their local community,” he said.
“The new program adopted a funding model that considered regional differences, including population, social disadvantage, regional cost pressures and a baseline of funding to deliver a sustainable service.”
It is expected a decision will be made this month.
The People Place chairman Tony Robinson said without a decision they could not plan for the future because they did not know if they would be there.
“We constantly look for needs in the community and if we identify a need we cannot actually act upon that need until such time we have planned it through,” he said.
“We cannot plan because there is no surety, it is a difficult situation and it is time someone made a decision so we know exactly where we are.
“When our staff go home to their families at Christmas time they do not have a clue if they will have a job or not, we have given them certain sureties because we cannot leave them in the lurch.”
Vasse MLA Libby Mettam wrote to the community services minister Simon McGurk about the delayed funding announcement.
Ms Mettam said community support provided by the centre would not be possible without effective business planning and sound financial management.
“The management and staff have identified needs of support and successfully deliver a range of vital programs at a time when preventive measures are needed to stem emerging wider social and emotional issues,” she said.
“Examples include Radiance which is a support group for mother’s suffering from post natal depression and attended by parents of the fly-in-fly-out community which is significantly represented in the region.
“Another excellent example is the recent new residents wine and cheese event which provided an opportunity to welcome and engage new residents through introductions to community groups and activities.”
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