It is undeniable that community development always plays an important role in the

development of society of each country and community agencies will be the link to connect
the people in community together and stimulate the model of development.

In Melbourne, there are heaps of community agencies. Among them, Multicultural Hub is the
one which has been contributing to the burgeoning of community in Melbourne during the
last over years.

The City of Melbourne’s Multicultural Hub is a friendly place, where people from
Melbourne’s many different cultures can get together to work, share and learn in a safe and
supportive environment.

The Multicultural Hub is owned by the City of Melbourne and is managed by the Adult
Multicultural Education Services (AMES), Victoria’s largest local provider of multicultural
support services.

The City of Melbourne and AMES share a vision for the Multicultural Hub to be an active,
vibrant, inclusive and diverse space. 

The Multicultural Hub Offers

 A central meeting space - rooms for 10-100

 Commercial grade community kitchen
 Subsidised rates for community groups and not for profits
 Disability access
 Open 7 days
 Activities for individuals and community groups
 Running the training course for immigrated women.
 Running English program for immigrated adults.

2.0 Principles of Community Development underpin day-to-day operation of the

Multicultural Hub

2.1 Community Participation

Multicultural Hub opens the wider door for everyone in the community in enhancing into all
the activities at the hub. Volunteers and community members are integral to the evaluation,
provision and participation of the hub.

2.2 Community Ownership

As mentioned above, Multicultural Hub is established and managed by The Multicultural

Hub is owned by the City of Melbourne and is managed by the Adult Multicultural Education
Services (AMES). They have responsibility in electing members who work or participate in
the local community of Multicultural Hub. The governance model is developmental, working
co-operatively and collaboratively with staff, volunteers, centre participants and the wider
community, thus generating a range of community benefits.

2.3 Empowerment – Capacity Building

Multicultural Hub offer the supporting programs which values and enhances people’s ability
to have control over their lives is put into practice, especially in supporting and strengthening
individuals, families and communities of migrant people or refugees in Melbourne to identify
their needs. These things encourages people to meet their needs and aspirations in a self-
aware and informed way which takes advantage of their skills, experience and potential.

For example, Multicultural Hub has offered lot of skill-training course in order to implement
the essential knowledge for migrant people around Melbourne through the programs like
teaching English for migrant adults, sewing class for migrant women or cooking class. These
classes operated in the aim of helping refugee people who just come into living in Australia
for a short time without any education. From these programs, people can feel self-confident
and have a good skill to enhance in the wide opportunities of working.

2.4 Access and Equity

Multicultural Hub is accessible and welcoming everybody 7 days/week. The Hub also has the
resource available like the kitchen for cooking class, the room and venues which are well –equipped
and ready to meet the demand of people in community. All communities have the right to access the
hub. For instance, every Sunday morning, the Indonesian Church community come to the Purple
Room of the hub for praying and sharing. Every Saturday afternoon, the Sudanese women come to the
hub for sharing their present life or seeking for the help from other members.
2.5 Networking

Linking, forming alliances, collaborating and working with individuals, groups, other agencies,
government and business are crucial, with interaction between formal and informal methods to
achieve connections within the local communities.

3.0 Theoretical Model of community which the Multicultural Hub operates:

3.1 CED- Community Economic Development

CED is a huge aspect of theoretical model of community. In this case, Multicultural Hub
does not apply all the theory of CED in the reality due to the function of the hub.
However,

3.2