George Town Neighbourhood House

George Town Neighbourhood House Core Services

Centrelink Support

– Form filling in specialising in but not limited to Disability Support Pension, Health Care Card, Newstart, Parenting Payment (Single & Partnered), Medicare card transfer form, Unreasonable to live at Home, Youth Allowance, Income and Assets, Aged Care Pack etc
– Provide Income Statements to customers that don’t have online services
– Register People for online services
– Create MyGov accounts – link to child Support & tax office
– Tax returns via MyGov
– Confirmation of Payment Suspension
– Advocacy on behalf of Clients directly to Launceston support staff

Launceston Legal Literacy Advocates – Trained by The Launceston Community Legal Centre

– Providing information about legislation on topics such as but not limited to
Wills, Power of Attorney, Guardianship & Advanced Care Directive, Neighbourhood Disputes, Restraint Orders, Family Violence Orders and Police Family Violence Orders, Before Death and After Death, Residential Tenancy, Employment Law, Residential Aged Care: Costs, Assets and Income Test, Family Law, Disability Discrimination, General Civil Law, Centrelink the Basics, Welfare Rights, Scams
– We refer to the Launceston Community Legal Centre When the Client needs Professional advice and book them in the next available appointment at the George Town Outreach Service

Accommodation Services and Support

Private Rental Assistance provided by us on days when Housing Connect is not in George Town

– Bond & Rent in Advance Applications
– Rent Arrears
– Removalist Assistance
– Referral to Housing Connect support workers

Advocate for tenant rights and appropriate referrals to tenancy support services.

Manage Wednesday Calendar for Housing Connect Outreach Service for George Town – Emergency and Crisis accommodation access point

Supports yard clean ups to ensure tenants do not breach lease and be issued notice to vacates.

Nils Loans

The No Interest Loans Scheme of Tasmania provides No Interest Loans to people on low incomes. We complete the Loan Applications at Neighbourhood House and then send them to Hobart for Processing.
Examples of Loans

– Essential household items (fridge, washing machine, beds, lounge suites & TV’s)
– Car Registration & Repairs (mechanical repairs, tyres)
– Medical and Dental (medical equipment, treatment costs, braces and extractions)
– Education Costs (text books, computers, school trips)
– Micro Business (start-up costs, registrations costs, equipment purchases)

Emergency Relief

The aim of ER is to assist people experiencing financial crisis in a way that maintains dignity and encourages self-reliance. Assistance usually comprises:

– Financial or material aid to meet an immediate need – Food vouchers, prescriptions, petrol for unexpected medical appointments, clothing or household goods; and
– Information and referrals that may help resolve the underlying problems experienced by the client.

Frozen Food Box

Weekly Frozen food box funded by Neighbourhood House and Loaves and Fishes. 20 families can register each week to access frozen food Hampers. Families can register each week if they have a need.

– Weekly Registrations
– Box collection on Monday at 11am

Vegetable Bags ( Currently fortnightly due to petrol price increases )

Weekly Vegetable bags donated by Loaves and Fishes. 20 families can register each week to access fresh fruit and vegetable bags. Families can register each week if they have a need.

– If enough food arrives we can do additional bags
– Any food not allocated goes into the community pantry

Learner License Assistance Program

This program has been developed by the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, and aims to assist Tasmanian community members who have trouble in acquiring a Learner Driver Licence because of low literacy levels or learning difficulties.
– Available Daily on request from qualified mentors

GT Wheels – Driver mentor program

For some learner drivers, accessing a suitable car and/or supervisory driver to gain the required minimum 50 on-road hours is extremely challenging.

Under the Learner Driver Mentor Program (LDMP), community based not-for-profit organisations coordinate the matching of disadvantaged learner drivers with volunteers (and vehicles) to gain the minimum supervised driving hours to progress to the provisional stage of the driver licensing system.

– Currently available Tuesdays and Wednesdays
– Initial registration of interest can be completed any day.

Outdoor Street Gym

We have an outdoor street gym that is available 8.30-4pm daily (pending weather)
– Exercise ideas and instructions available on a tablet.
– Exercises ideas and instructions are on posters around the equipment.

Community Support & Advocacy- (When people have difficulty communicating with service providers to access services and supports) The Neighbourhood House have direct contact numbers and working relationships with the following services.
– Tasmania Police – Carers Kiosk
– Job Agencies – Community Corrections
– Housing Tasmania – MPES
– Centrelink – Service Tasmania
– Aurora – Credit Checks
– Telstra – Real Estates
– Anglicare Financial Counsellors – Solicitors
– Strong Families Safe Kids – Service Providers

Regular Programs –
– Aqua Fitness – Indoor Bowls – Tech Support
– Cooking with Friends – Youth Zone – Water Therapy
– Friday Free Sausage Sizzle – Play Group ( Small Talk) – Chain Gang
– Social adult bingo – Play Connect ( Autism support) – Social Darts
– Family Bingo – Social Sheilas – Tech Support
– After school Sports – Yoga – Footy Fest
– Seniors Support – Community Garden The Great Giveaway
– Daily Continental Breakfast – Community Pantry Get Active Program
– Drop in centre access to :
8ball, gaming console, TV,
newspaper, kids toys and
free computer and internet access

Community Education Session

– Money Minded – financial literacy – Rights and Responsibilities as a tenant
– Wills, Power of attorney and Guardianship – Consumer Rights
– Neighbourhood Disputes/ Pet Ownership – Age Care Navigation
– Young People – Rights and Responsibilities

Visiting Services-

– Salvation Army Drug and Alcohol Counselling – Orange Gecko
– HR Plus – RFDS Youth Mental Health ( Joe)
– Wellways – RFDS Youth Mental Health ( Robyn)
– Ross Hart Lawyer – RFDS Adult Mental Health
– Anglicare Financial Counselling – Baptcare
– Women’s Legal Centre – Windsor Psychology
– Legal Aid – Taxmania
– Laurel House (on demand) – Life Without Barriers
– Maxima Job Agency – My Pathway
– Advocacy Tas – Interagency Network Group

For more information, please contact simone.lowe@gtnh.org.au.
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We are funny bunch of characters that enjoy having a laugh with others, most of the time we laugh at ourselves and crack up at our own jokes. We strive to provide a happy, enjoyable environment where absolutely everyone is able to come and enjoy themselves.

We provide a range of support services to help individuals and families get back on their feet.

We hold lots of community events where families can get together to do community projects, let the kiddies have a play and best of all finish the day with a bbq and a yarn.

We provide social, recreation and education programs to the whole of the community as everyone enjoys having a program to look forward to.

We pride ourselves on being an organisation that loves to learn and pass that knowledge on, we like to know a little bit about everything that relates to supporting our community members therefore no matter where you are starting out, if you have questions of any aspect, feel free to contact us for support or advice.