Hi Leanne here.
Did you know that Alphington Community Centre began life as a babysitting club? Women helping each other out, connecting, filling the gaps, addressing social isolation.
And then it evolved to include a toy library and an op-shop so that women could fundraise, share resources and/or pass on the things they didn’t need anymore to someone else who did. When money was tight.
And then came playgroups, and lunches … nourishing neighbourhood stomachs and lonely souls. And fitness classes for healthy bodies and minds. And so on and so forth.
After a year of COVID I am pretty sure that even those of you who had previously not lived a daily life in your home neighbourhood, now understand that grassroots local connections, support and resources are super important.
Every day when I come to work I think not just about how lucky I am to have such a fabulous job, but also about how very fortunate we are to have a neighbourhood house in our community.
I first came to ACC when my kids were little. Elspeth was running it then, and I remember how easy, kind, calm and welcoming everything was. I went to yoga at the Alphington Scout Hall and it didn’t matter that my kids cried or got in the way. I came to playgroup here at the centre and it was all very chilled. I took my kids to Susie’s dancing classes at the Fairfield Community Rooms (so much loud crazy fun!) and then to Vikki’s ballet classes at the Fairfield Girl Guides Hall (remember that building). And when I wasn’t doing things associated with ACC I went off to kids music classes, and mums and bubs yoga at Jika Jika, the neighbourhood house in Northcote.
But to tell you the truth, I didn’t really connect up all the dots. That the things I wanted and needed when I was at home by myself for the first time (and juggling children and this whole new lonely non-working world) including the chance to make new friends, keep fit and healthy, keep my kids busy and learning … but not spend lots of money - were all available because someone (just like the future me - the now me) was thinking about women, thinking about young families, quietly behind the scenes assessing and addressing social isolation, loneliness, quantifying community need and identifying what was missing, and then exploring what was possible at the neighbourhood level that could make a difference. And implementing these things.
When I got my first job at ACC Becca was running the centre. And she was equally as inspiring and lovely as Elspeth. She was generous enough to take me under her wing. She was a fabulous organiser and small business operator, and so when I finally took over from her I inherited a wealth of knowledge, great connections and a neighbourhood institution that was financially robust.
Anyway. Today on International Women’s Day I want to thank all the women who came before me (and us).
So many (mostly) women in our neighbourhood pushed determinedly for ACC to exist, for it to have solid funding, and then contributed their time and energy (so many volunteer hours) to make it even more, and ensure Alphington Community Centre is what it is today.
And speaking of today. Today loneliness and social isolation haven’t gone anywhere. In fact our understanding of who is impacted and the social, physical and financial cost is growing, as more and more research in this area is published.
Young mums and dads need neighbourhood connections. And older people (because we all know that retirement is another poky time for loneliness). And then we know that more and more people live alone. Which can be lonely. And families don’t necessarily live close by. Which can be isolating … and it goes on and on.
In Alphington we really are very fortunate that we already have a neighbourhood house in our community - physical and social infrastructure that is flexible and dynamic with a wealth of networks and experience that can expand and grow to address our evolving understanding of social isolation, loneliness and community need.
And today is a great day to acknowledge that this resource would not exist for everyone without strong visionary women. Women who championed it in the first place, and women who subsequently built on the foundations to evolve ACC into the amazing community resource that it is today.
Go women of Alphington past and present! And Happy International Women’s Day.
