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Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership brings over $7m forward to help Queensland children
Freya Lucas
May 11, 2022
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Leading philanthropic agencies, community groups, research organisations, universities and the Queensland Government are taking forward a bold initiative targeting the improvement of the wellbeing of children and families in Queensland backed by over $7 million in funding.
A number of organisations and leaders, including the Paul Ramsay Foundation and the Hand Heart Pocket Foundation have come together to translate experience and science into policy and practice, while supporting capacity building across the community and workforces, to improve wellbeing.ARACY is facilitating the initiative with the leadership being drawn from community, government and university leaders working with children and their families across Queensland.
The Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership (TQKP) recognises that some Queensland children and young people are failing to thrive due to adverse life experiences and lack of access to the resources they need. Current systems are not sufficiently geared or connected to provide the right opportunities or supports, at the right time in the right way, which contributes to enduring inequality and poor outcomes, for too many people across their life course.
TQKP has spent the last 18 months developing relationships, gathering insights and identifying pathways to shift this system, and now has the resources to take action.
Hand Heart Pocket Foundation and the Paul Ramsay Foundation have joined with The Bryan Foundation and The John Villiers Trust to provide a combined funding package of $7.7 million over three years, to leverage existing community and government investment and effort, ensuring this work can spread across Queensland.
“We start from the idea that we do better together, that we can take programs and people that are making in-roads, and connect them, learn from them, boost them,” explained TQKP Convenor Michael Hogan.
“We are not about creating a new organisation or service, it is about using what and who we already have, and what we know and learn.”
TQKP recognises that children in regional areas experience greater levels of vulnerability compared with those in major centres, something which is exacerbated by Queensland’s vast geography and decentralised population.
As such, a dedicated Country Queensland Engagement and Partnerships role has been included in the program to connect regionally based organisations and communities with all that the TQKP has to offer, John Villiers Trust CEO Lea-Anne Bradley explained.
The partnership seeks to amplify the value and impact of a number of sectors working on behalf of children, including the not-for-profit, the tertiary, the philanthropic, and the government sectors – to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts, Glyn Davis AC – CEO, Paul Ramsay Foundation added.
Queensland’s Minister for Children, Leanne Linard welcomed the initiative, saying it was great to see so many different organisations coming together to share their expertise and prioritise the wellbeing of children and young people.
“We know that many families and communities have been doing it tough as they grappled with the impacts of COVID and natural disasters which has seen a surge in demand for child and family services. Keeping children safe is everyone’s business and all Queenslanders play an important role,” Ms Linard said.
TQKP continues to seek partners which will support the initiative to grow its knowledge and impact. For more information please see here.
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