Media Launch: Brisbane Lions help bring breakfast to school kids in Acacia Ridge
February 27, 2018This week marks the public launch of a business-community collaboration that’s set to bring fuller tummies and a brighter future to children at Watson Road State School. Hosted by the Brisbane Lions, United Way Australia, and Belong (formerly Acacia Ridge Community Services, Inc.), this morning’s media event brings together key stakeholders and supporters of The Breakfast…
DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY SET TO CELEBRATE 100 MILLION BOOKS!
February 27, 2018One of the most successful early literacy initiatives in the world, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will this week dedicate its 100 Millionth Book to the US Library of Congress in a ceremony to be streamed live on both YouTube and Facebook. The renowned musician founded the program in 1995 with the aim of bringing free,…
Lessons from the Trenches: 5 Expert Tips for Building Employee Engagement
January 30, 2018Last month I was fortunate to be part of a robust discussion on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Australia.…
Harrison Craig, The Voice winner, Speaks up for Children’s Literacy
October 10, 2017United Way Australia is thrilled to announce Harrison Craig has joined us as our Ambassador. The singer and author, who won the second series of The Voice Australia, is helping raise awareness of the importance of early learning and literacy across Australian communities of disadvantage. United Way’s early learning programs hold a special place for Harrison,…
From for-profit to for-purpose: A CEO’s Reflections
September 22, 2017It's a question I find myself answering on a regular basis – after so long in the corporate world, why move to the Third Sector? It’s a question I asked myself just six months ago. There were two things that struck me: 1. “Charity” as I knew it had well and truly moved on The traditional…
SOCIAL INNOVATION: HOW ‘WE’ IS KEY FOR SOLVING COMPLEX SOCIAL ISSUES
July 20, 2017Are we in agreement that when we innovate alone, we draw on a limited pool of ideas, clouded by our own biases and assumptions? When it comes to addressing social issues, there’s a strong relationship between innovation and collaboration. Innovating with others generates more ideas, and enables us to build on and improve others’ ideas.…
Australia’s ‘slow burn disasters’: why we need to share learning to respond better, together
July 7, 2017Are we all in agreement that Australia’s most complex social issues require systematic change to ensure no one slips through the cracks, today or in the future? As single organisations, our programs and services affect individual lives, but the systemic change that’s desperately needed can only be achieved by sharing learning and tracking change together.…
Why Neutrality Matters for Collective Impact Backbones
May 10, 2017As using a Collective Impact approach to address complex social issues gains momentum in Australia, and around the globe, there’s been much discussion over the role of the ‘backbone’ and whether neutrality should be a prerequisite. In essence, the role of a backbone organisation is to facilitate collaboration among diverse stakeholders, rather than deliver traditional…
A community-centred approach is not business as usual – are we ready?
April 20, 2017Deeply listening and understanding. Doing with, not for. Enabling communities to create their own change. That’s what ‘good’ community development is meant to be about. Yet when it does happen, there’s no linkage to inform social policy, planning and service delivery – the very systems that can scale social change in Australia are often deeply…
Why impact-led thinking should be part of every NFP’s DNA
March 23, 2017A successful business requires a solid business plan, a watchful eye on the bottom line and radar for opportunities. In the non-profit sector, social change is our currency – but how do we measure up when it comes to tracking performance? To date, many social purpose organisations have measured success on meeting specific project goals…
United Way Australia announces new CEO
March 10, 2017United Way Australia is pleased to welcome a new CEO, Clayton Noble. Clayton has an extensive career in the public and private sectors, beginning as an Air Force Officer before moving to executives roles with companies including Fuji Xerox, Dell, BAX Global and Coles Myer. He brings strong commercial and operational capabilities, having lead diverse…
Innovation in unemployment: Are we setting ourselves up for failure?
February 9, 2017"Someone needs to say it," is what I keep hearing. We in the social purpose sector and government, look to be scrambling for ideas to address unemployment in Australia. But the answers exist already. Are we not learning? There is $96.1 million available through the government’s Try, Test and Learn Fund to ‘trial new or…
