Collective Impact is moving forward in Australia. Over the four days in Logan, participants experienced and exchanged ideas, strategies and challenges. Many of the more than 90 Collective Impact efforts currently operational in Australia shared their outcomes and learnings. Logan Together, Collaboration for Impact, Opportunity Child and Griffith University were the hosts of ChangeFest and each are leading and supporting Collective Impact efforts across Australia.
A major focus of ChangeFest was how Collective Impact can move the systems and policy landscape. The four-day festival of ideas, embraced the Uluru Statement from the Heart as an important path forward for those organizations and collaboratives employing Collective Impact. The Uluru Statement from the Heart recognized the ancient sovereignty of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander peoples. This sovereignty has not been formally recognized by the Government of Australia.
My next stop was New Zealand, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Inspiring Communities. Across New Zealand, Inspiring Communities has worked deeply with citizens and neighbourhoods in the practice of community-led development. Over the years, Tamarack and Inspiring Communities have worked collaboratively to advance the voice of citizens. The Inspiring Communities panel at the anniversary celebration reflected on their experiences attending Tamarack’s Community Change Institute and how this experience along with the connection to Inspiring Communities has informed their work. The Inspiring Communities anniversary celebration was not only a celebration but also an opportunity to look forward.
Back in Australia, I also met with groups including the Northern Territories schools initiative, Child and Youth Area Partnerships across Victoria, Family Life Australia, Beyond the Bell, the Local Community Services Association (NSW) and the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services.
During the conversations, presentations, workshops and gatherings, a number of themes kept recurring:
Collective Impact, community-led development and community change are growing movements. To scale effective and impactful change, we need to focus on people, process and most importantly impact. Change is in the air.
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