Social capital is an intangible asset that is very difficult to quantify. However, Landcom sought to put in place the building blocks for its creation and measurement some six years ago.
Promoting Aboriginal health and medical research
In February this year, the new Aboriginal Health College, an $8.5-million state-of-the-art learning facility, was unveiled at Landcom’s Prince Henry development at Little Bay in Sydney’s east. Landcom worked collaboratively with the Department of Commerce and the Government Architect’s Office, Merrima Aboriginal Design Unit, the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW and the Institute of Eye Research to create a modern health college that will deliver an enduring social and community benefit.
The college will train around 200 health workers every year, most of whom will come from rural and remote NSW townships. They will develop essential and specialist skills ranging from general health to eye and ear care. Landcom believes the facility will enable health professionals to be at the forefront of medical advancement when working in their local communities.
The college’s opening was another high point for Landcom’s far-sighted Prince Henry project. Where facilities for seven onsite community groups have been thoughtfully integrated with new housing. Other community facilities opened during the year on this prime coastal land were:
- The project’s community centre
- Flowers Ward 3
- Hills Theatre
The heritage-listed Flowers Ward and theatre were handed over to the Coast Centre for Seniors, a recreation and activity centre for people over 55 who are no longer in full-time employment. The community centre is now managed by Randwick City Council, whose General Manager wrote to Landcom praising the centre and crediting us for our role in the project.
Walking School Bus
During the year Landcom provided logistical and financial support to help the local council roll out a series of Walking School Bus initiatives across three schools in Baulkham Hills, with the opportunity to extend the program to a further five. This initiative follows the award-winning and highly popular pilot program introduced at Parklea Public School in 2007. Landcom is applying what we have learned to develop resources and training programs which encourage the development of "green transport plans" for schools across northwest and southwest Sydney. As well as the walking school bus, these will include a range of other sustainable transport alternatives.
YouthBUILD
Landcom has reported previously on our successful collaboration with the Housing Industry of Australia's (HIA) YouthBUILD initiative at One Minto. Under this program, students from the local high school undertake work experience with project builders for three to five hours each week, working at our Minto display village and gaining exposure to a variety of trades. This not only helps them make decisions about future TAFE training but provides valuable on-the-job learning as well. In September we formally launched the display village, marking the conclusion of this valuable initiative. Building on this success, we have begun exploring other opportunities with the HIA, investigating ways to extend the program to include student participation in the construction of new private and public homes elsewhere on the One Minto Estate. We are also looking at options to extend the YouthBUILD initiative to the construction of the proposed Minto Community Centre.