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'Our Future' project house declared officially completedAn innovative project involving long-term unemployed in housing reached its first major milestone on Monday, with the completion of the first project house, in Well Street, Morwell East. By Latrobe City Council - 7th March 2006 - Back to News The Well Street ‘Our Future Our Place’ project house was declared officially completed by the Hon Peter McGauran Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; the State Member for Morwell Brendan Jenkins MP; and Latrobe City mayor, Cr Lisa Price.
Some forty long-term unemployed have received training during the course of the project, providing them with the opportunity to gain certificate 2 and 3 in Building and Construction, or of proceeding on to formal apprenticeships. However, a large number of the participants have either found jobs during the term of the project, or entered apprenticeships.
Latrobe City mayor, Cr Lisa Price, said the house developed on the Well Street site has been designed to meet a six-star energy rating. "It incorporates numerous features aimed at achieving its environmental objectives. It has also been used as a demonstration site for the building industry during its construction phase. Local builders viewed a number of examples of the latest products and materials being used to minimise the impact of their building activities on the surrounding environment, objectives that will be required to meet new local government requirements now being enacted."
"Another key objective of ‘Our Future Our Place’ is the development of private housing on vacant land in a public housing area. By doing so, we are able to broaden the social mix through private housing and enhance the overall neighbourhood perception," Cr Price said.
Latrobe City Councillor, Graeme Middlemiss, said that a number of vacant blocks had been created in public housing areas when public housing stock had been assessed as being beyond economical repair and subsequently demolished.
"Vacant blocks scattered amongst housing stock create social fragmentation in neighbourhoods where this has happened. In some locations the existing houses are separated by up to three vacant blocks," Cr Middlemiss said.
"However, these vacant blocks provide the opportunity to redress neighbourhoods. The development of innovative housing on these vacant blocks offers a winning combination. The participants are winners because they have a much greater chance of entering an apprenticeship or finding employment; the community wins because the neighbourhood is enhanced; and of course a family is going to win by being able to move into their dream home," Cr Middlemiss said.
The Well Street house will go to auction in a few weeks. Construction has already commenced on the second project house located in Churchill, with the concrete slab about to be poured.
The project has been developed by Latrobe City and Try Youth and Community Services, with funding from the Commonwealth Government’s Regional Partnership Program, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the State Government’s Department of Victorian Communities, the Department of Human Services, and Workways.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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