The Collingwood Neighbourhood Advisory Team (NAT) is a team of local people strongly committed to seeing the local community solve local problems and shape the direction of change affecting the Collingwood Public Housing Estate.

The NAT has members from local and government agencies and organisations, and from the local community. Fifty per cent of members are residents from the Collingwood estate. The functions that will be carried out by the NAT make it important for a diverse range of cultural and language groups, age groups and interest groups to be represented by its members.
 
Neighbourhood Advisory Team roles and responsibilities

The NAT works closely with the four working groups:

• Employment, Learning and Enterprise
• Health & Wellbeing
• Collingwood Housing Estate Arts Committee
• Community Safety

The NAT is responsible for:

1. Developing a Community Action Plan – a plan of what improvements the community would like to see take place at the estate over the next two, five, ten years;
2. Working towards increasing employment, education and training opportunities for residents;
3. Working towards increasing community participation and access to broader services, activities and programs;
4. Cooperating and negotiating with relevant agencies to improve the health of the community;
5. Developing strategies to improve community safety. (Note: Many responsibilities are assigned to working groups.)

Selection criteria for NAT members
It is expected that members of the NAT:

1. Have an interest in the local community.
2. Want to work with local residents and representatives of local agencies.
3. Are able to respect the views of others.
4. Are prepared to participate in training.
5. Are able to be objective.
6. Have a vision of the broader community.

Interpreters can be arranged, so English language skills are not essential.
Support available for NAT members

• Interpreting & translating;
• Training;
• Administration equipment;
• Access to shared office facilities;
• Members have the opportunity to participate in training in areas such as basic computer skills, committee and meeting skills, communications, administration, and other areas as required.

Expectations of a NAT member

1. Members of the Team are required to attend regular meetings every second month;
2. Members are able to commit to be involved in the Team for a twelve-month period (or longer);
3. Members are asked to come along to some training sessions.
4. Members will be asked to join Working Groups from time to time.

2009 Meeting Dates

• 26 February
• 23 April
• 25 June
• 27 August
• 29 October
• 10 December

All meetings are held from 4.30pm to 6.30pm at North Yarra Community Health, 365 Hoddle Street, Collingwood.