Friday, 6 September 2024
This year marks half a century of service to the community for the Williamstown Community and Education Centre (WCEC). The Centre focuses on developing, implementing and delivering high quality inclusive programs and training and services from various locations, based on community wants and needs is admirable.
Williamstown MP, Melissa Horne attended the official community celebration on Wednesday. The occasion was a fitting tribute to the work of the centre and what sits at its heart, the community. Complete with a documentary sharing the history of the centre and a birthday cake to mark the occasion, the centre was filled memorabilia and past and present staff and participants.
WCEC found its beginnings in North Williamstown in 1974, before finding it permanent home at Joan Kirner House in Thompson St, thanks to its name’s sake and former Premier and Member for Williamstown, Joan Kirner. The service has now expanded to have locations in Spotswood and Altona North.
The Centre provides, classes in computer skills, English language, art, reading and writing, yoga, and many more, as well as services to fill out forms and documents and information services. The Centre is a home from home for many attendees with some coming for one class and staying anywhere up to 15 years or more.
In the last year alone, the Centre has provided over 25,000 hours of pre accredited training and was estimated to have a community value of $10.4 million (according to the Neighbourhood House VIC 2022 Survey). The past 50 years of the centre have seen much success and growth, and it looks set to continue long into the future.
Quotes attributable to Member for Williamstown Melissa Horne
“The Williamstown Community and Education Centre has been at the heart of our community for 50 years, serving, supporting, and informing. I wish the Centre and its staff another 50 years of success.”
Ends.
Media Contact: melissa.horne@parliament.vic.gov.au
