ABOUT US
Glenavon Hub serves a small, ethnically diverse community of approximately 6,500 people or 500 households located in between Blockhouse Bay and Avondale.
The Hub and Glenavon School, with attached Early Childhood and Te Ara Hou Unit, are at the heart of Glenavon Community. Glenavon school is thriving, with a climbing roll and glowing Ero Report that describes the School as a ‘high performing school’. Catering for children from years 1 – 8 it has children of many ethnicities with those of pacific heritage forming the largest group (Samoan 32%, Maori 18%, Tongan 18%, Niue 5%, Pakeha 4%, Cook Island Maori 4%, Indian 4%, African 3% Chinese 2%, other 10%).
Glenavon is a pocket of high need with over 230 Housing NZ households, a figure that will rise to around 274 when current HNZ developments are completed (13 of Glenavon’s HNZ households are being replaced by 57 Households spread over several sites) and a decile 2 school rating. The Hub, in partnership with the School, will play an important roll welcoming these new families to the Community.
'The Whau Local Board are absolutely delighted and pleased to support the Glenavon community ...
We are very impressed by the work the committee and supporters have achieved. I am very proud of the Glenavon committees dedication to excellence in our community.'
-Tracy Mulholland, Chairperson Whau Local Board
OUR STORY
The Glenavon Hub is a focus for the surrounding community, welcoming all and connecting local people together through events and activities that foster community spirit, friendship, fun, laughter, learning and growth.
A part-time Hub Coordinator, Eva Wongchiu, enlists and supports leaders and volunteers in ‘doing good stuff’ in Glenavon, like organizing community events and services, and providing a vibrant hub facility for community use.
The Glenavon Hub grew out of a Neighborhood Support group who banded together in 2008 to address social problems. In 2009 this group, with the support of the School’s former principal, Elaine Herbert, established a Charitable Trust and renovated the school dental clinic that had been scheduled for demolition, transforming it into a community hub with funding from the ASB Community Trust, Trusts Charitable Foundation, and the Auckland Council.
Over the past decade this small dedicated group of Trustees, supported by local residents, the school, and the Blockhouse Bay Baptist Church, has had a substantial impact on the sense of safety and community in Glenavon. Crime, vandalism and graffiti are no longer visible and in addition to the hub facility available for community and service provider use, the Trust has an annual programme of events and services.
GLENAVON HUB 2017-2019 & BEYOND
In 2017 the Trust’s tremendous commitment and achievement over the past decade was recognised by the Whau Local Board and they funded Community Waitakere to come alongside and support the Trust. A Hub Work Programme was developed and with operational funding from the Board the Hub rebranded, held an inaugural Island Night, and secured funding for a part-time Hub Coordinator, in addition to delivering of the Trust’s usual events, activities and services.
2018 was an exciting time for Glenavon with the appointment of a part-time Hub Coordinator, Eva Wongchiu. The Hub Coordinator enables positive momentum in Glenavon to continue, volunteer workloads to become sustainable, and Glenavon to be ready to welcome and support new families moving into the area when Housing NZ developments are complete. Early 2019 Foundation North came on board to join the Whau Local Board in funding the Hub Coordinator Role.
