Board of Hotham Mission

Structure

Hotham Mission, sometimes referred to here as The Mission, is an agency of the Congregation of Mark the Evangelist, North Melbourne. The Mission is governed by a Board of no more than 13 members. The Board meets monthly and reports to the Church Council of Mark the Evangelist Congregation.

Principal Activity

The principal activity of Hotham Mission is to advance social welfare and community development by providing education support, food relief and other broad support to benefit young people and their families in need in the North and West Melbourne, Kensington, Parkville, and Flemington areas.

Strategic Plan and Governance

Hotham Mission’s Three Year Plan guides the operations of the Mission.

The Plan locates Hotham Mission as the social justice outreach arm of the Congregation of Mark the Evangelist, providing support for disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalised people in North and West Melbourne, Parkville, Flemington, and Kensington. It acknowledges the place of our ecumenical partners, Christ Church Kensington, St Mary’s Anglican Church North Melbourne, St George’s Anglican Church Travancore, and The West Melbourne Baptist Church. The Plan expresses the vision and mission of Hotham Mission. It recognises that, the Congregation of Mark the Evangelist and its ecumenical partners seek to promote reconciliation and social inclusion, especially among the most marginalised, through Hotham Mission. Hotham Mission works in partnership with those whom it serves and with other local congregations and community groups.

The Plan articulates Hotham Mission’s intervention framework. In working to be part of God’s mission, Hotham Mission’s programs are directed towards inclusion and partnership. They aim to reduce poverty, marginalisation, and exclusion through providing improved access to education, to fresh and affordable food and through increasing connectedness to the local communities by means of participatory community development. All its programs are governed by this framework. The Board monitors its delivery against the three-year plan at every meeting through reports from staff about programs, thus regularly reviewing each program.

Board members bring a range of expertise and experience to the governance of Hotham Mission. The combined experience and expertise on the Board now includes theology; community services development; social work; law; professional writing and journalism; marketing and fundraising; strategic planning; fiscal management; governance; government policy, public policy, and social analysis; administration; and education. All current members of the Board are active members of their respective congregations.

The Board has one major subcommittee, the Communication and Fundraising Subcommittee. This committee works to raise additional funds and donations and to communicate with all congregations involved in its work. Additionally, the Executive of the Board (comprising Chair, Deputy Chair, Treasurer, and Parish Administrator) meets according to need.

The Board’s continued compliance with the Keeping Children Safe Policy, is in line with Uniting Church policies.

Mission programs.

The Mission’s programs were delivered by a team led by the Community Development Co-ordinator.

The work of the Mission has a number of priorities. Overall, its work is focussed on delivering programs focused on community-based development and direct assistance to empower disadvantaged people to exercise agency in their lives. It has a particular focus on food security, education for disadvantaged children and youth and their families, and refugees and asylum seekers.

During 2022 the following programs continued:

Food for Thought program: This program continues throughout the whole of the year providing on average an average of 90 bags per week. 

Kensington Neighbourhood House – Healthy living and Learning Program – Hotham Mission have supported this community development program since its commencement in 2017.

North Melbourne Alec Wearing Homework Club: This year the Homework Club  is running weekly at the North Melbourne community centre

Renshaw Education Program: through this program, the Mission provides small financial aid packages to students referred from schools. The aid is paid through the school for educational materials to assist students to continue with their education. Students from Mt Alexander College, University High, and St Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre are eligible.

Student Bursary

In 2021 Hotham Mission provided two bursaries to two students leaving secondary school to commence tertiary education. Two bursaries of $2500 were awarded once they had received their course confirmation.

WomEmpower Pilot Project First Year Review

The WomEmpower Program began in February 2021, aiming to provide a safe space for young women in Kensington, North Melbourne, and Flemington to connect, learn and try new activities. The program is consistently attended by a group of young women.

Expressions of interest to join the Hotham Mission Board can be submitted via Ethical Jobs by clicking the link below: