Vic Government opens tender process for Community Partnerships initiative

Community Partnerships, a place-based initiative designed to bring together community, government and service providers to address childhood vulnerability and create environments to support children and families, has been opened for tender by the Victorian Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos.

 

The tender process seeks a lead organisation, who will drive the initial rollout of the partnerships, Ms Mikakos announced, with not-for-profits, co-operatives and community organisations all eligible to apply.

 

This new approach seeks to work with local communities to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and their families, building on local knowledge, and tailoring community specific responses.

 

Issues which may be addressed through the partnerships could include building community resilience, boosting social participation, empowering parents, improving access to council or government services and promoting Aboriginal self-determination.

 

Once appointed, the first task will be to work with government and the community to identify the locations of the four Community Partnerships. An expression of interest process will then commence in early 2019 for communities interested in hosting one of the Partnerships. Each partnership will be made up of government and community representatives, including local people, service providers, community groups and businesses.

 

Over four years, the chosen Community Partnerships will benefit from almost $20 million in new investment to make the initiative a success – including up to $10.4 million for the employment of Community Partnership workers within each community.

 

The nature and role of these new workers will be determined by the communities themselves through a process of engagement and consultation led by each partnership.

 

This investment adds to the $858.6 million already provided by the Victorian Government in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 to continue Roadmap for Reform, which seeks to shift the child protection system from crisis response to prevention and early intervention.