There’s always something happening at Olinda Community House. From creative workshops and movement classes to community gatherings and new ideas taking shape, this is where people come together to learn, connect and try something a little different. Whether you’re a regular or just curious, you’re always welcome to join in.
The Community Pitch is a new community-led, Council-funded program that brings people together to identify opportunities that directly benefit the local area and gives them the skills and resources to bring their chosen project to life.
The program is aimed at building community connectedness and resilience and will deliver projects that meet an agreed community need. Participants will take part in a series of workshops, each one focused on building the necessary skills for the group to the take their project from the idea phase all the way to delivery. Council has committed $35,000 to fund the group’s chosen project/s. We’re piloting the program in the Hills first, before it’s rolled out across all regions of Yarra Ranges, (Hills, Upper Yarra, Valley and Urban) over the next two years. The program will kick off in the Hills region from March to June.
This ‘Community Pitch’ round is open to Yarra Ranges locals who have connections to the Hills region– individuals and not for profit community groups.
You don’t need any prior experience in project design or pitching – if you’re interested in contributing to positive local change in the Hills, we’d love to see you there!
No, the Community Pitch is free and funded by Yarra Ranges Council. All workshop resources and materials are provided at no cost.
Attendance at all workshops is encouraged for fairness and shared understanding.
No. You can join the Pitch with a rough idea, a community opportunity you care about, or simply a desire to explore possibilities and contribute to something bigger.
The program helps shape collective thinking into a practical, achievable project/s with a regionwide focus.
You sure can. Our intentional workshop design, including a deeper dive into presenting with impact content, aims to build your confidence and communication skills.
You receive:
Council officers coordinate and facilitate workshops, provide guidance, and walk alongside you during project delivery. Councillors and key community stakeholders support the process in a non‑voting role and help celebrate outcomes.
Project ideas are presented to fellow participants, community leaders and potential supporters. Each pitch is short, structured and focused on region‑wide community benefit. The event is designed to build your confidence, increase visibility and create momentum for ideas.
Presenting a project pitch is completely optional.
Each pilot region (Hills, Urban, Valley & Upper Yarra) has access to $35,000 in seed funding.
You and your fellow participants will collectively decide which ideas are recommended for funding at the Community Pitch event. The group may decide to fund one or multiple initiatives. Council acknowledges the decisions.
Seed funding is distributed, Council provides support, and a simple acquittal process follows to help share highlights, learnings and outcomes.
Evaluation draws on your feedback, equity considerations, project outcomes and shared learnings.