About Community Hubs Australia
We are a not-for-profit organisation that supports the delivery of community hubs in primary schools across Australia.Working in partnership with schools and local communities, we help create welcoming, supportive spaces where families from diverse backgrounds can connect, learn and thrive.
"At the heart of every community hub is a sense of belonging. Together, we are building stronger, more connected communities — one hub at a time.”
Bec Kotow, CEO
Founded in 2011, Community Hubs Australia has grown into a trusted national organisation supporting a network of 100 community hubs based in primary schools across Australia.
From the beginning, the program has been grounded in a simple idea: that strong relationships – between families, schools and communities – create better outcomes for children and families. The impact of community hubs is felt not only in measurable outcomes, but in the confidence built when parents try something new, the friendships formed through shared experiences, and the smoother transition to school for children who feel welcomed and supported.
Hubs operate through close collaboration between hub and school leaders, local agencies who support them on the ground, and local partners that provide activities in the hub and services and support. Community Hubs Australia is committed to quality, diversity and inclusion, with operations aligned to the Australian Service Excellence Standards.
The hubs program is regularly reviewed and refined using community feedback and impact data, ensuring the model continues to respond to local needs over time.
Our team
Bec Kotow Chief Executive Officer
Bec was appointed to the CEO role in 2024, having joined the Community Hubs Australia team in 2020 as the Head of Operations. Bec has gained this knowledge through organisations including NAB, Telstra, Australia Post, and MYOB. Bec holds a Bachelor of Business in Marketing and Human Resource Management from the University of Southern Queensland and is a Board Director, St Bede’s College.
Julianne Gardiner Head of Program
Jules (as she prefers to be called) joined the CHA team in 2023 as Program Manager, to support the network of community hubs across Australia.
Jules has worked in the not-for-profit sector for more than 18 years, and has a background in teaching English as a second language. Jules holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Linguistics from Macquarie University.
Maurice Syber Operations Manager
His responsibilities include managing contracts with agencies and schools and their related reporting requirements, ensuring high data quality and the performance of our IT-related platforms, and managing CHA’s compliance requirements. Maurice’s background is in consulting, project management, data analytics and business intelligence tools. Maurice holds a Bachelor of General Mathematics and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Monash University.
Linda Perugin Program Manager
Linda joined the Community Hubs Australia team as Program Manager in 2025, supporting the national network of hubs and working closely with our support coordinators. She has worked in the for-purpose sector since 2013, where her most recent experience has been managing neighbourhood houses. Prior to this, Linda worked as a high school teacher. She holds a Master of International Development and a Diploma of Education.
Maia Nelson Program Officer
Maia joined the CHA team in 2022 and is responsible for supporting the delivery of our program, working directly with schools, their hubs and support agencies as part of this. Maia has a background working in medical practice management and administration and holds a Bachelor of Public Health and a Bachelor of Global Studies from the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.
Vincent Ngo Data and Support Analyst
Vincent joins us this year (2025), helping to ensure high data quality, while also supporting the maintenance and enhancement of our data platforms and reporting. Prior to joining our team, Vincent taught mathematics and physics before moving into data science. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Teaching from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Data Science from Monash University.
How the community hubs model works
The community hubs model is designed to support strong local connections, with families, schools and community organisations at the heart of the work. Community Hubs Australia provides the national framework that underpins the model, supporting consistency, shared learning and long-term impact across the network.
We like to think of the model as an inverted pyramid with the most important – the schools and their hubs – at the top.
In turn, schools and their hubs are supported by specialist support agencies. Employed by Community Hubs Australia, these agencies, through their support coordinators, play a pivotal role in helping shape hub offerings, sharing local knowledge, bringing local host schools and hub leaders together to share good practice, and providing hubs with access to services and partnership opportunities. This helps ensure hubs meet the specific needs of their local communities.
At the bottom of the pyramid is Community Hubs Australia who is there to provide guidance to support agencies who, in turn, support hubs and their schools. Community Hubs Australia also provides the national framework, supporting quality, consistency and shared learning and ongoing development across the network.
A proven model at scale
Community hubs operate in around 100 primary schools across four states, supporting families in both urban and regional communities across Australia. The model has been refined over more than a decade, shaped by community feedback, school leadership and national evidence. Hubs build connection, reduce isolation, support early learning and strengthen participation – contributing to stronger, more cohesive communities.
Our support agency partners
Community Hubs Australia works with a network of support agency partners across Australia.
Employed by Community Hubs Australia, specialist support agencies, play a pivotal role in helping shape hub offerings, sharing local knowledge and providing hubs with access to services and partnership opportunities. This helps ensure hubs meet the specific needs of their local communities.
Support coordinators in each local region encourage connection and bring local host schools and their hub leaders together to share knowledge and learn from one another. This ensures good practice which is shared across our national hubs network.
Funding and governance
From the outset, the National Community Hubs Program has been underpinned by a collaborative funding model, jointly supported by federal and state governments, philanthropy and participating schools. This shared approach reflects a long-standing commitment across governments and communities to strengthening connection, participation and belonging for families from culturally diverse backgrounds.
The Scanlon Foundation is a core philanthropic funder of the program, providing ongoing funding to Community Hubs Australia (CHA), which leads and supports the delivery of hubs nationally. Federal Government funding has been provided through both the Department of Social Services and, more recently, the Department of Home Affairs, reflecting sustained Commonwealth support across different policy portfolios. State and local governments also contribute funding and in-kind support, alongside schools, which invest in the ongoing operation of hubs from their third year onwards.
Community Hubs Australia works closely with funders, schools and support agency partners to ensure hubs are inclusive, well-governed and able to operate sustaiernably over time.
Strong governance, shared accountability, and the use of hub insights and data support consistent quality across the network, while allowing hubs the flexibility to respond to local needs.
Our funders
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