North East Community House (NECH) is located in the north-eastern suburb of Hillcrest, Adelaide, South Australia 5086 and is approximately 20 minutes from the Adelaide CBD.
Initially, NECH was established in 1986 and commenced providing services to the community from a small shopfront on Flinders Road at Hillcrest. At this time, it was known as North East Neighbourhood House Inc.
When changes where undertaken by a re-development within the suburb of Hillcrest, the South Australian Housing Trust (as it was known then) provided the neighbourhood house with a semi-detached house in Sussex Street. When this house was demolished as part of an urban renewal project the Housing Trust then provided a double house on Oxford Street where we remained until 1997. At this time, we changed our name to North East Community House Inc. and moved into the Hillcrest Community Centre.
Over the past 30 years we have been part of, and witnessed the many changes of our local community and have always remained true to our vision and values by offering a range of social, educational, recreational, and health and wellbeing programs and activities.
In 2017, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council approached North East Community House (NECH) with an exciting opportunity. Following the redevelopment of Lightsview and the construction of the new Lights Community and Sports facility, Council sought NECH’s expertise to manage the facility on their behalf.
In mid-2018, Hillcrest Community Centre transitioned fully to North East Community House. This significant step allowed NECH to expand its reach and better serve the community by assuming responsibility for the hiring of meeting spaces within the centre. We were delighted to inherit over 30 user groups, many of whom continue to actively utilize the centre today.
It’s important to note that NECH is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, not directly owned or operated by the Council. We are not a government office. Our primary funding source is a Community and Neighbourhood Development grant from the Department of Human Services, which currently provides $99,000 per year to support centre operations, including staffing, programs, and activities.
A dedicated team of volunteers plays a crucial role in driving our programs and activities. Additionally, our staff receive valuable administrative support from a committed group of volunteers. In total, NECH relies on the support of over 30 volunteers to ensure the smooth daily operation of the centre.
Previous programs included a community garden, ceramics class and youth and after school recreational activities. Today we offer an even larger array of programs including monthly bus trips, an annual free community event and social activities for people with disabilities.
The North East Community House is still a hub for the community. Managed by a Board of Management (BOM) and staffed by the Community Development Officer (CDO) and a Project Officer (PO). The House continues to work to its strengths of openness, sustainability, and flexibility, aiming to meet the expected needs of the community in the hopes of enriching and developing the lives of people within the community.