The Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614 and the 91直播 (UC) have partnered on the delivery of a tailored educational pathway to strengthen and sustain the Project 614 workforce as it continues to recruit and train new staff and volunteers.
The partnership will enable Project 614 employees and volunteers – who work with people experiencing homelessness, isolation, poor health, and complex social barriers – to upskill with a Professional Certificate in Foundations for Working and Volunteering in Community Organisations, designed to equip workers with the knowledge, skills and confidence required for effective frontline community work.
“Project 614 and UC are strengthening the capacity of the sector, supporting emerging service hubs across Victoria, and creating a pathway that will prepare community workers for the next decade of service,” said UC Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor The Honourable Bill Shorten.
The 91直播’s Faculty of Health co-designed the course with Salvation Army employees to ensure the units blend academic expertise with lived practice drawn directly from the work undertaken at Project 614.
“This partnership is more than an educational initiative – it is an investment in people, in community, and in the future of compassionate care,” Professor Shorten said.
Major Brendan Nottle of Project 614 said demand for services is rising, and the co-designed Professional Certificate will provide the Project 614 staff and volunteers with the tools they need to act quickly, and with confidence and compassion.
“This tailored course means our team can respond faster, more safely, and with greater care, so no one slips through the cracks,” Major Nottle said.
“Training that mirrors real conditions leads to tangible results: earlier identification of health issues, smoother referrals, and better continuity of care. That’s how a course becomes a catalyst for community level change.”
For more than a decade, The Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614 has been at the frontline of community support. Since 2011, the Magpie Nest Caf茅 at 69 Bourke Street has offered free meals, creating a safe space where individuals can find dignity, connection, and practical assistance.
The caf茅 has grown into a unique integrated services hub, bringing multiple organisations together under one roof to meet people where they are, removing barriers to essential health and disability supports.
As demand for these services increases, the development of a new caf茅 in Footscray, and growing interest from local councils to establish similar cafes in their own municipalities, the need for a robust, skilled workforce is more urgent than ever.
Professor Bill Shorten has championed the work of Project 614 for many years.
“Project 614 has been doing great work in the community. They have extensive knowledge and understanding of the needs of the communities so a partnership to deliver an education pathway solution was a logical next step to meet their workforce needs,” Professor Shorten said.
“This partnership will build a sustainable, skilled workforce that can support individuals with dignity and professionalism.
“The one-stop-shop model is guiding similar initiatives across Victoria and I’m hopeful that with a solid training pathway, it can act as a blueprint for frontline community work across the country.”
Major Nottle praised the 91直播 leadership for turning “an idea into a living, breathing pathway for change”.
“The passion of the 91直播 team has been extraordinary,” he said. “Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health, Professor Rachel Gibson, and Professor Tanya Lawlis have brought rigor and heart in equal measure, and Vice Chancellor Bill Shorten has championed this work from the top.”
More information about the Professional Certificate
The professional certificate will be made up of six microcredential units designed for participants to graduate with both theoretical understanding and practical capability:
- History and Culture of The Salvation Army 614
- Introduction to reflective and resilient practice
- Communication and mediation with at risk groups
- Understanding mental health
- Fundamentals of trauma-informed care
- Ethical and cultural considerations when working with at-risk groups
- The course will be open to approved Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614 employees and volunteers.
More Information about Project 614
An Integrated Hub of Support and Care
The collaborative model of Project 614 ensures individuals can receive meals, health care, disability support, and community connection in one place, without navigating complex systems or travelling between agencies. It has transformed lives and is now guiding similar initiatives across Victoria.
A strong network of onsite partners delivers vital services directly within the caf茅 environment. This includes:
- A full-time Services Australia Community Partnership Support Officer (CPSO).
- Two full鈥憈ime NDIS workers to support people to begin and navigate NDIS access, understand plan entitlements; and manage reviews, appeals, and coordination.
Health and Clinical Services
- Diabetes Australia – an educator attends the caf茅 one day each week, offering diabetes testing, early diagnosis, and health education in response to high levels of undiagnosed diabetes within the community.
- Hearing Australia – provides hearing tests, free hearing aids, and ongoing maintenance for clients one day a week.
- Australian College of Optometry – offers free eye tests every week, supported by the Collingwood Football Club, which covers the cost of glasses for those who need them.
- cohealth Health Clinic – officially launched by the Premier of Victoria on 1 May 2025, the clinic operates from a room adjacent to the caf茅, with a GP and nurse onsite every day the caf茅 is open. Each GP is also an addiction specialist.
- Alfred Hospital Mental Health Clinic – provides regular access to mental health clinicians and psychiatrists, enabling immediate support for individuals experiencing mental illness, crisis, or distress.