As part of the Balam Balam Place’s new kind of community centre the ground floor of the historic house will be made available for a range of community and support groups to use for free.

These spaces are set aside for small groups (max 30 people) whose main objective is to advocate for and support their members in a safe and thoughtful setting. The purpose for making these spaces free for qualifying groups is to support initiatives whose membership might broadly be considered disadvantaged within/by mainstream culture.

These spaces are best suited to groups that meet on a regular basis at the same time and day on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.

These spaces are set aside to support groups whose membership is overwhelmingly based within the Merri-Bek City Council boundaries which includes the following suburbs:
Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg, Coburg North, Fawkner, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park, Pascoe Vale, and Pascoe Vale South. 

We understand that people’s circumstances change from time to time and groups that have a small number of members from outside this area are also welcome to apply.

These free bookings can be made for up to 4 hours maximum per session and the rooms can be accessed from 8am-10pm, 7 days a week.

What constitutes a community group?

A community group is a collection of people united by shared interests, goals, or circumstances within a larger society or community. They often engage in activities to benefit their members or the broader community, ranging from informal gatherings to formally incorporated non-profit organisations. 

Key characteristics of community and support groups:

• Shared Identity:
  Members of a community group often share a common characteristic like geographic location, a specific interest, a shared need, or a common goal. 
• Purpose:
  They exist to achieve a specific purpose, whether that is aiming to help members reach a certain goal, or to support members in learning new skills etc.
• Not-for-Profit:
  Community groups are typically not-for-profit, meaning they are not established to generate profit for their members. 
  To qualify for this program your community group is required to be non-revenue making. Groups that generates income/revenue for anything other than directly supporting the membership, groups that pay wages for administrators or managers, pay the salaries of directors or pay for outside consultants etc. would not qualify for this program. We aim to keep costs as low as possible for as many people as possible at Balam Balam Place and if you do not qualify we can work with you to help find a space that suits.
• Grassroots Approach:
  Many community groups are grassroots organisations, meaning they are formed and run by members of the community itself, often with a focus on local issues. 
• Variety of Structures:
  Community groups can range from informal networks of people to formally incorporated organizations, with various levels of structure and governance. 
• Volunteering:
  Many community groups rely heavily on volunteers to carry out their activities. 

Examples of Community and Support Groups that are encouraged to use the free community spaces in the House at Balam Balam Place:

• Welfare organisations: Providing support and services to vulnerable populations.
• Self-support groups: Offering mutual support to individuals facing similar challenges.

Next steps

If you feel you and your group would benefit from the use of the space and can provide a genuine supportive environment for the members please fill out the following form and we will be in touch to arrange a tour of the spaces and then set you up with an account.