AT the front desk a man asks for help with an electricity bill, overwhelmed by phone calls from friends and family he feels unable to return.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“Just breathe, take small steps – that’s all you can do,” Armidale Neighbourhood Centre manager Robbie Passmore tells him.
In the lounge area, six others enjoy a cup of hot soup, browse their social media pages and chat with one another.
Whether it’s for a shoulder to cry on, a friendly conversation or access to information, the Armidale Neighbourhood Centre is a home away from home to many.
On Monday, the centre celebrated Neighbourhood Centre Week, with the theme ‘belonging’.
“With more and more technology people have access to such a wealth of information online, but people still miss actually being in a room with other people – in that sense neighbourhood centres are a beacon for a lot of people,” Ms Passmore said.
“They sit and chat with us, each other, use the computers and in that way they are creating their own links to a community they wouldn’t otherwise have.
“It’s about growing that sense of belonging to make people feel that they have a place, they have a space, they have a purpose.”
No interest loans, advocacy and counselling are just some of the programs offered.
But, with funding failing to match the cost of living and incomes – neighbourhood centres across the region are struggling.
“So many organisations that receive funding to provide services or programs, that hasn’t increased, but the demand and cost of living has,” Ms Passmore said.
“With the ongoing pressures in the community we sometimes actually strain at the seams because more and more people are seeking help, connection or assistance.”
On a busy day, more than 35 people will walk through the door, some with mental health issues, financial problems or just to have a chat.
“There's a lot of people who come in for no other reason than they want that social connection to feel welcomed and valued,” Ms Passmore said.