Communities of focus
Strengthening communities
We believe postcodes should never limit futures. In our Communities of Focus, we partner to strengthen communities through tailored approaches for long term positive change.
Partnering with communities
Communities of Focus brings together people and groups, services and leaders from across the community with the aim of working together to create long-term change
We believe that if we bring together a community experiencing complex place-based challenges and invest for the long term, we can spark change together with the community by encouraging local collaboration and approaches. Over time this will break down systemic drivers of disadvantage which are not adequately addressed through current programs and service responses.
Our approach involves:
- Partnering with communities through a community led, place-based approach
- Bringing together evidence and experience and continuous learning
- Working across funding and program boundaries to partner with local people, community leaders, services, government, community groups and churches
- Coordinating activity, developing a common vision and agenda, building community capacity and stimulating place-based innovation to drive sustainable change.
What is Communities of Focus?
- We work with a community to uncover key metrics that highlight key areas of advantage/disadvantage
- Board-approved commitment
- 10 year commitment to each community
The backbone of communities
We work alongside all active Communities of Focus, building a consistent yet place-based approach that leverages shared learnings, training, tools, and ongoing support. We are locally resourced and work in unison with community leaders.
Mission Australia takes a distinct role within the community to:
- Guide a co-created vision and direction
- Ensure community voice is central to all aspects of the Community of Focus action
- Coordinate strategic direction
- Drive strong communication
- Coordinate Mentoring, Evaluation and Learning to grow and demonstrate impact
- Oversee share measurement systems
- Foster trusting, transparent, and representative structures and decision making
- Advocacy, policy reform and systems change
- Coordinate and mobilise funding to support collective action
- Research partnerships
Read more about collective impact and strengthening communities here.
Mission Australia’s Communities of Focus:
Cairns South
Maddington
Meekathara
Whyalla
Partner with us
Reach out to our partnerships team to learn more about how you can support our Communities of Focus.
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Latest news, media & blog articles
Read about what we’ve been working on, our stance on important social issues and how you make a difference to vulnerable Australians' lives.
Mission Australia urges Government to embrace recommendations from Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Report
26 April 2024 Read more
