“Learning as we go”: Kensington Neighbourhood House thriving at 50

Despite the difficult climate it is operating in, Kensington Neighbourhood House (KNH) has been going from strength to strength and continuing to kick major goals for the community, its recently released annual report shows.

The community organisation, which marked its 50-year anniversary with a big celebration last November, is providing an extraordinary array of services in the Kensington area.

“In 2025 we recorded over 1300 enrolments in dozens of programs ranging from playgroups to adult education, from cooking to choir, and from social groups to code club,” manager Rebecca Smith wrote in the annual report.

“People of all ages from 53 different countries came through our doors to connect, learn and share.”

The organisation had been supported by the work of 99 volunteers contributing to a huge range of programs.

Last year had been another difficult one for the community sector, Treasurer Kimberley Sullivan noted, a fact brought into focus by Neighbourhood House Victoria’s Keep Our Doors Open campaign, which had been calling for additional funding of $11.7 million a year for the state’s 200 houses to ensure their sustainability.

“Rising costs, competitive grant rounds and ongoing cost-of-living pressures on the communities we serve made for a difficult operating environment across the board,” Ms Sullivan wrote.

In these circumstances KNH’s sound financial position at the year’s end was a testament to the skill and careful stewardship of its staff, the treasurer said.

A significant expenditure, and advancement, in 2025 was the renovation of the McCracken St property’s downstairs bathroom and back deck – work designed “with accessibility front of mind,” which “dragged [the] bathroom into the 21^st century,” according to Ms Smith.

The house also switched off the gas and went fully electric.

Among the courses and services delivered were English & Work Skills, Getting Started with Computers and low-cost physical movement classes, stitching sessions, movie and bingo events, study support groups and homework clubs, and weekly meals and wellbeing activities at the Kensington estate.

There was painting and drawing, the “Kensingers” community choir, preschool community playgroups, casework and “form help” programs.

Among many other collaborations, manager Bec Smith had represented KNH at the Melbourne 2050 Summit and other staff were involved in developing cultural safety and social connection toolkits, working with local schools to host a combined Iftar dinner, and working on a quilt-making project celebrating the people of the Kensington Housing Estate.

It hosted a Kensington Association insurance Information Evening for residents impacted by flooding, worked with the City of Melbourne’s Climate Change & City Resilience team to address heat safety and acted as a cool place during extreme heat events.

A true highlight of the year was the November 14 celebration of KNH’s half-century-long history, attended by more than 220 people of all ages, who “gathered to share stories, eat great food, create art, dance, sing and celebrate”.

It was an occasion whose “warmth, friendliness and joy” couldn’t be put into words, according to the report.

Among the attendees was State MP for Melbourne Ellen Sandell, who gave a speech acknowledging the “extraordinary work and persistence” of the women who founded the house in 1975, and Cr Gladys Liu, who spoke about the contribution KNH had made to the City of Melbourne.

“In a world that is increasingly fragmented and divisive; our beautiful, inclusive, welcoming, peaceful house continues to thrive,” Ms Smith said at the event.

“People of every age and every place; all of us just muddling along together and learning as we go.”

That, she said, was something that brought her joy and “deserves to be celebrated”.