Minister for Social Housing Brad Hazzard visited the centre with Nationals candidate for Orange Scott Barrett on Wednesday to announce $49,060 for a soft fall surface and landscaping for the centre’s playground, a partition inside the centre so more groups can use the facility at once and general maintenance.

The money was provided through the Social Housing Community Improvement Fund.

“This is obviously a community that has a certain degree of disadvantage, so to be able to work particularly with the families and young people to give them a sense of a positive future is a big plus,” Mr Hazzard said.

CareWest president George Blackwell said it would allow the provider to continue developing the social hub.

“We’re even going to enterprise in homework services next – homework’s not just sitting down and doing the work, it’s meeting people, leveraging off their knowledge in a way that advances the community and we trust that it’s going to improve school attendance,” he said.

“The usage is very high and by being able to run two community groups at the same time, it’s leveraging off the facilities we have.”

Mr Barrett said the upgrades would help children reach their full potential.

Construction is set to start later this month on two other projects funded in an earlier round, each with $50,000 grants.

Housing Plus, Orange City Council and the Glenroi Community Alliance have partnered to deliver a basketball court at Edye Park, while Housing Plus will also deliver outdoor exercise equipment at Margaret Stevenson Park in Bowen.

A commercial benefactor has come on board for the Bowen project, which will allow for further upgrades at the park.