The Commonwealth Government’s $240 million Stronger Families and Communities Strategy is about encouraging local community organisations, businesses, individuals and different levels of government to work in partnership to develop practical and new projects from the ground up. Across Australia, Local Government professionals are providing vital support to communities, building community spirit and economic, social and environmental development through self help projects and activities. The Stronger Families and Communities Strategy aims to draw on the unique skills and capacities of these groups so that each can make a contribution to the communities in which they work and live and provide local solutions to local problems. It clearly shows what can be achieved when governments and communities work together. Since January 2001, almost 300 projects throughout Australia have been approved for development.
Case studies
Australia’s Community of the Year
The community of Moora, north of Perth, has that typical Australian trait of rebounding after adversity and coming back stronger. Devastated by three floods, Australia’s 2001 Community of the Year established a flood recovery committee to negotiate financial assistance packages for flood affected people and businesses.
Moora Shire Council provided outstanding leadership during and since the floods, moving quickly to instigate model flood plain management strategies. It put in graded banks on farms in the catchment and prepared subdivisions on higher grounds so that people had more choice when building.
The Council has also re-established a strategic direction for the community, placing a key emphasis on economic development through job creation while improving quality of life. Council involvement is important because it sends the signal that it believes in what the community is doing.
The main strength of Moora is that it is a very much a ‘can do’ community, with excellent leadership. Underlying that is the high level of participation in the various volunteer organisations, like Rotary, Lions, Apex and the 46 different sporting groups.
When you look around now there is little evidence of the floods. In fact, the town and the businesses look better than they did before.
Community links to improve mental health in Prospect
Mental health is a growing issue in our society with one in five Australians suffering from a major mental health disorder. In addition, there are many in the community who suffer from less severe mental health problems which often go unrecognised. While we do not fully understand the reasons for the increase in mental illness, we do know that by participating in community life and gaining a feeling of belonging, an individual sense of wellbeing is created.
Having identified the need to work in the area of mental health, Adelaide’s City of Prospect Community Services Team secured funding to employ a project officer to run a program to:
- provide educational, recreational and social programs for residents;
- cover all the costs of participating in the programs, including food, educational materials, activities and transport;
- conduct programs at local venues that provided a link to the community;
- work in collaboration with existing mental health and other services to build community connections; and,
- attempt to reduce community stigma related to mental illness by providing information and discussion in non-clinical settings.
Since the start of the Mental Health Project July 2000, the response has been excellent with more than 400 participants attending a variety of programs in the first 12 months. Programs have included information sessions and workshops on panic and anxiety disorders, depression and mental health education sessions, as well as Mental Health Week displays, social group/games nights and a volunteer program.
The City of Prospect’s Mental Health Project was named joint winner in the Health Services and Aged Care category, 2001 National Award for Local Government Innovation.
Top End communities’ alliance reaps rewards
In remote Top End communities, the acquisition of skilled human resources has always been difficult, but one community has overcome the shortage by utilising existing resources more effectively . In June 1999, the Kunbarrlanjnjna Community Government Council at Oenpelli, 300km south east of Darwin, combined Council administration resources with Jabiru Town Council, joining two remote communities of 1500 and 1200 people, located 60km apart, under one system of management.
The two Councils then approached Djabulukgu Association to help manage the Arrguluk CDEP (Community Development Employment Program). Djabulukgu Association’s previous experience managing the successful Jabiru CDEP – which was named ‘Best CDEP’ in the Northern Territory for two years – proved helpful in steering the progress of Arrguluk’s employment program.
The 122 Jabiru CDEP participants gained 300 accredited certificates over three years and 24 moved to full-time, non-subsidised employment. Under the arrangement made by the two Councils, Djabulukgu Association now manages a total of 247 Jabiru and Arrguluk CDEP participants. The benefit of the partnership is the combined use of scarce management resources in such a remote area. Each organisation has gained significantly from the partnership and improvements have been made for the betterment of the community.
Shires join drive for transport solutions
The lack of available public transport in the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland resulted in the formation of the Tableland Transport Action Group (TTAG). The Group aimed to develop permanent and sustainable solutions to key transport problems within the region, particularly targeting the elderly, young people and those disadvantaged by poverty and/or social isolation.
The group conducted a passenger transport needs analysis within the four shires of Atherton, Eacham, Herberton and Mareeba. The Transport Needs Data Bank was collated from several sources including surveys, public consultations, consultations with community service groups and ongoing community feedback. Community seed funding paid for a two year lease on a small bus and when funding ended, TTAG formed a partnership with Atherton Shire Council to auspice the Minibus Community Transport Project.
Council took over the administration of the remaining funds and now handles all monetary, insurance and registration matters, houses and maintains the bus, provides a mobile phone for the driver and does photocopying and mail outs as required. Atherton, together with Herberton and Mareeba Shire Councils, makes an annual financial donation to the project.
Atherton Neighbourhood Centre recruits and supervises a team of volunteer drivers to keep the bus on the road for an average of 20 hours per week. A Community Development Officer oversees coordination of the project, communication, trouble shooting, needs analysis, monitoring, evaluation and statistics compilation.
TTAG is responsible for fundraising and continues to meet periodically to discuss community feedback and make decisions with regard to future directions and ongoing transport needs within the region.
