General News
21 February, 2025
New manager brings energy
Rainbow Learning Group and Neighbourhood House has a new leader at the helm, Melissa Powell having officially stepped into the role of manager last week.
With a passion for community work and a strong background in vocational education and training, and social engagement, Melissa said she was eager to strengthen the house’s standing as a hub for connection and support.
Originally from Geelong, Melissa has lived in Natimuk for 25 years and has spent much of her career working with diverse communities.
She has previously been involved with Nhill Learning Centre, where she supported Karen (from Burma) refugees in a three-year project.
Excited about her new role, Melissa said she was eager to engage with the local community, understand its needs and develop programs that fostered social connection.
She is hoping to increase community’s participation in the neighbourhood house by introducing programs and creating new opportunities for residents to come together.
Since taking up the position on February 11 she has already started meeting people at local events such as Rainbow Progress Association’s meeting, and she said she was keen to hear ideas from community members about what they wanted from the space and how the house can involve to provide support to the locals.
Several programs are already planned for the coming months, including the usual Book Club, Scrapbooking and Paper Crafts, Patchworking and Projects, Sustainability Group and Craft Shop.
The house will host a first aid course on March 6, providing both first aid and CPR training.
Additionally, a firearm safety course is also scheduled on March 11 for interested people.
Melissa said she was also looking into offering more training opportunities and programs that are relevant to the community.
Beyond structured programs, Melissa said she was particularly passionate about promoting community preparedness.
She discussed the challenges of emergency evacuations with residents of Dimboola, reflecting on her own experiences during the recent fire.
Melissa said she wanted to learn from other neighborhood houses with similar community structures, ensuring that Rainbow Neighborhood House remained relevant and valuable to local residents.
She said she was committed to fostering connections, encouraging engagement and providing a welcoming space where people could come together.
Her message to the community is simple: she’s here, she’s listening and she wants to hear fresh ideas.
“Any new comers to the town can join the house and get involved in different activities,” she said.
“Come up, have a coffee, have a chat and let’s see where we can go with it together.”
Melissa said she was ready to work alongside the people of Rainbow to create a vibrant and supportive neighborhood house for all.