This initiative recognises that while over $48 billion is spent on social services each year there has been no significant improvement in population level indicators for many communities that experience entrenched disadvantage.
While no single policy, government department, organisation or program can solve complex and interconnected problems there are communities that are demonstrating a better way. These communities are taking the lead and creating opportunities for the current systems to work better, cooperate with each other and address the changes they need to make to better support children and families.
With a $35m investment from the Australian Government, Stronger Places, Stronger People is partnering with 10 communities using the Collective Impact approach which recognises that communities need to have a say in the issues they face. The Collective Impact process brings everyone together to develop a common agenda, shared measurement, continuous communication, and mutually reinforcing activities among all participants.
For the past five years Dusseldorp Forum has been partnering with Maranguka and Logan Together (two of the ten Stronger Places, Stronger People communities). Alongside these partners, as part of the Stronger Places, Stronger People National Leadership Group, we aim to strengthen their quality efforts on the ground by working together to shift the system to better support community-led agendas for change and create long-term, long-lasting outcomes for these communities.
