Our Story
Maryborough and the Central Goldfields Shire have a strong and resilient Not-For-Profit community that serves its people well. There is a history of long-term residents and newcomers stepping up to volunteer for many events and shared purpose. Community groups do their best to fill the gaps that present across all aspects of living in the shire. Community groups offer unique experiences and opportunities that enrich the lives of those who wish to participate in our community.
An important forum was run by the Central Goldfields Shire Council and the Maryborough Volunteer Resource Group, which examined the changing face of volunteering. This identified gaps in our process along with a widely reported need for a community hub. A hub not identified nor defined as to its purpose. Simply a place where shared problems and concerns of the NFP sector could be addressed in a concentrated way.
After an extensive examination of several townships across Victoria, the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) elected Maryborough, Victoria, as one of three regional communities for a major five-year capacity-building program. FRRR allocated approximately $600,000 in tailored support and grants available to local not-for-profits in these three regional communities.
Workshops conducted with local community groups resulted in a Roadmap for our community that also identified the need for a hub that serviced our NFP sector and other members of our community.
This was something that was deemed missing and needed to build a better Maryborough NFP environment. A place where members could visit to solve problems, receive training, learn how to deal with red tape, make a connection with somebody that cared, face to face. Something central and easily accessible.
So as a first step the Maryborough Volunteer Resource Group applied for and received a grant from FRRR as part of their Investing in Rural Community Futures (ICRF) initiative to conduct a Feasibility Study across all our NFP groups the Shire, and individuals. The purpose is to first understand our community requirements and secondly to identify what a community hub may actually look like.
Very soon, community groups across our Shire will be introduced to Phillip Walker, who has been employed by the Maryborough Volunteer Resource Group (MVRG) to undertake this very important survey.