Impact of community centre felt throughout suburb
23 February 2021
More than two years after the Redbank Plains Community Centre opened the local community has identified diversity as a major strength.
A recent social impact survey found that participating residents believed it is a good thing for the community to be made up of people from different cultures.
Overall social cohesion has continued to strengthen and improve when compared to previous surveys.
Ipswich City Council and the State Government opened the $1.9 million Redbank Plains Community Centre in May 2018 after two years of community consultation.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said Redbank Plains is experiencing rapid population growth and council is committed to facilitating access to services for Ipswich’s growing population.
“The Redbank Plains community centre is a wonderful meeting point for all to come together and make greater connections across a variety of cultural groups and communities, especially for those new to the area.”
“I would like to thank the State Government and Multicultural Australia for their collaboration, and I look forward to future partnerships to provide for our growing population.”
Council, in partnership with Multicultural Australia, has been conducting a multi-year social impact assessment, to track the impact of the community centre over time.
A baseline study was conducted in June 2018, followed by an interim study after six months, in December 2018, that was repeated at 12 months, in July 2019 and 24 months in July 2020.
The purpose is to not only track the impact of the community centre, but to feed into centre planning and programming, and to provide an evidence base for the establishment of future community centres.
Multicultural Australia’s Redbank Plains Community Centre development manager Jeril Thomas said we all benefit when everyone feels welcome.
“We are really thrilled to have this feedback from the community,” Mr Thomas said.
“We have volunteers and community members from diverse backgrounds and I observe a beautiful way people getting to know and learn about each other’s cultures organically.
“This is a centre for everyone no matter what their background is.
“This shared learning and understanding of each other and who lives in our community is how members of this community come to feel that sense of community.
“We are in a great space to stimulate that connection that people are really looking for in their community.”
Like the previous survey results, safety, public transport and services for youth were identified as areas where the community would like to see greater focus.
The 24 month study report is available to read at Shape Your Ipswich: https://shapeyouripswich.com.au/redbank-plains-community-centre