Introduction
The design, development and delivery of community hubs, such as The Meeting Place on the NSW Central Coast and the 123 Hub in Broken Hill, has been grounded in a place-based methodology that aligns with Home in Place’s P5 ethical framework: People, Place, Planet, Partnership, and Performance.
This approach is iterative, inclusive and responsive to the social and economic realities of the communities we serve in low-income, regional areas of New South Wales. Collaboration, lived experience, sustainability and adaptability are central principles at every stage.
The first community hub
Home in Place’s first step into community hubs, back when we were known as Compass Housing, was The Meeting Place. As part of a transaction with Housing NSW, Compass took over management of the KBT Hub in Tumbi Umbi in June 2010.
Located in an area with a high concentration of social housing and several longstanding social issues, the hub had been established by government as a community centre and service access point. Under Compass’s control, activities expanded and included partnerships with tenant and community volunteers.
The Meeting Place model
Renamed The Meeting Place in 2013, it enabled Home in Place to trial and develop a community hub model providing services vital to community wellbeing. The Meeting Place serves the whole community, not only Home in Place tenants. Supported by active community volunteers, it now offers a clothing op shop, the Shack Shop discounted food store, morning teas and free lunches, as well as food distribution through OzHarvest and SecondBite.
The hub is also used for training activities in partnership with external agencies, providing opportunities that support employability and skills development. The Meeting Place delivers a community-led model that integrates food security, wellbeing, education and collaboration through an inclusive, trauma-informed framework. Delivery is shaped by continuous engagement and grounded in collaboration, with programs and referrals designed to respond to local needs and empower participants socially, emotionally and practically.
Expansion to Broken Hill and beyond
The success of The Meeting Place led to the opening of the 123 Community Hub in Broken Hill in 2016. The experience gained at Tumbi Umbi informed the design, development and delivery of this new space, which continues to thrive. In 2024, a Shack Shop was added, modelled after the popular service at The Meeting Place. Home in Place aims to establish hubs in all areas of operation, with plans currently underway for a third location in Taree.
Community needs assessment
Designing, developing and delivering a community hub begins with identifying community need through formal and informal mechanisms. This includes ongoing conversations with tenants, participation in local interagency networks, observation of community dynamics and direct engagement with individuals who have lived experience of social and economic hardship.
Staff listen to personal stories shared during chats over coffee, during Shack Shop visits, or through program participation, allowing issues to be addressed proactively. These insights are supported by data and feedback trends from internal reporting, surveys and Home in Place’s strategic priorities. The focus is on addressing structural disadvantages including financial insecurity, social isolation, food scarcity, mental health challenges, housing stress and limited access to services.
Design and layout of hubs
The location and layout of hubs are chosen with accessibility, inclusion and community connection in mind. The Meeting Place, while inherited in its current location, remains appropriate as it is within walking distance of social housing clusters and public transport.
The hub is multi-purpose, with a commercial kitchen, a refurbished training room, community meeting spaces, a Shack Shop grocery outlet and an Indigenous Garden co-developed with Brendan Moore from the Botanic Gardens Sydney to support cultural education. The space supports both formal programming and informal social connection, positioning the hub as a place of belonging as well as a service access point.
Co-location is also central to the model, with services such as Hearing Australia, Seniors Rights Service and Wesley Mission delivering outreach from the site in a familiar and safe setting.
Co-design and community involvement
Co-design and co-delivery are ongoing methods of working rather than one-off phases. Tenants, community members and volunteers shape both the content and the delivery of services.
The Handyman Series provides one example. Born from a tenant’s request, it was developed with the support of Jenene and in collaboration with Zeal Futures. The program became a success story, helping tenants, particularly women and older community members, build confidence and practical skills while reconnecting with others.
Partnerships and collaboration
Partnerships are developed early and nurtured through trust and reciprocity. The Meeting Place works closely with NGOs, education providers and health and wellbeing organisations such as the Cancer Council, Share the Dignity, Rapid Relief Team and Coles SecondBite.
The hub also partners with First Nations educators and leaders, including Brendan Moore, to ensure culturally respectful engagement. Joint delivery of initiatives like R U OK? Day and Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea extend service reach and build social cohesion.
Programs and service delivery
Program delivery at the hubs centres on food and financial security, health and wellbeing, education and employment, volunteerism and empowerment, and inclusive community engagement. At The Meeting Place, food support is provided through partnerships with OzHarvest, Woolworths, Foodbank, Bakers Delight, MasterFoods and Coles.
Programs such as What’s Cooking at the Hub teach participants to prepare low-cost meals while developing budgeting skills and kitchen confidence. The Work Development Order program allows fines to be cleared through participation, with more than $5,200 in debt resolved. Additional supports include energy bill assistance through the EAPA program, free quarterly haircuts from Community Hair Project and regular hearing checks by Hearing Australia.
Operations and governance
Daily operations are supported by simple but effective systems. Scheduling is managed through both manual and digital tools, with services, events and volunteer rosters coordinated via shared calendars. Reporting protocols track food relief, WDOs, volunteer hours and attendance.
Staff and volunteers are inducted in privacy, child protection and visitor safety. At The Meeting Place, the hub coordinator provides daily oversight, supported by volunteers who contribute across all areas, from operating the Shack Shop to helping with events and programs.
Measuring impact
Impact is assessed through a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures. Attendance figures, volunteer hours, food parcels distributed and services delivered provide an indication of reach, while personal stories of reconnection, skill development and resilience highlight meaningful outcomes.
Feedback from partners and stakeholders ensures services remain aligned and responsive, especially in the face of cost-of-living pressures and service gaps affecting vulnerable households.
Challenges and lessons learned
The hub model has proved highly effective, though challenges remain. Funding limitations, high demand, volunteer recruitment and retention, and the need to step in where co-located services are absent continue to test capacity.
These challenges have reinforced the importance of trust, listening and collaboration. They show that hubs succeed when shaped by the communities they serve, supported by strong systems and anchored in empathy and consistency.
Conclusion
This methodology, refined through practice and reflection, shows that successful community hub development involves far more than physical infrastructure. It requires leadership, trust, adaptability and long-term commitment. By embedding these principles, Home in Place builds resilience, participation and wellbeing at both individual and community levels.
