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New Community Positions and the Local Solutions Fund

Local Solutions Fund successful applicants announced. See which projects were funded in each Local Government Area.

As part of the Better Futures, Local Solutions initiative, new community positions have been introduced in ten selected Local Government Areas enabling government to work with local communities to:

ensure service delivery is meeting local needs in areas such as employment, skills and training
identify service gaps
develop and implement solutions that will build employment and training opportunities in the local area.

This is a place based approach that supports community partners to work together to address local participation challenges and disadvantage in their area. Communities are well positioned to identify and resolve many of their own participation needs. This approach helps to achieve that aim and also uses local expertise and information to improve services for the community.

New community positions such as a Government Action Leader, Community Action Leader and a Local Advisory Group in the ten Local Government Areas will identify and develop innovative local initiatives to boost engagement, capability and workforce participation by supporting projects designed for the local community.

A Local Solutions Fund is also available and provides funding for innovative and creative solutions to increase social and economic participation by supporting projects designed for the local community.

What’s Happening Now?

Government Action Leaders and Community Action Leaders have been letting their community know about Better Futures, Local Solutions. They have been working to link community partners and services.

Local Advisory Groups have been working with their community to identify priorities and activities to increase education and job opportunities.

The Local Solutions Fund provides funding for innovative and creative solutions to increase social and economic participation in the ten communities.

Before submitting an expression of interest it is important that you speak with your Community or Government Action Leader and familiarise yourself with your Local Advisory Group strategic plan and priorities.

Contact details, strategic plans and priorities are available on the community webpages.

For further information on the Local Solutions Fund, see the Local Solutions Fund web page and the Local Solutions Fund Guidelines and application information.

Next Steps

Government Action Leaders, Community Action Leaders and Local Advisory Groups continue to work with community partners to explore new and effective ways of improving pathways to education and employment.

They support their local community by:

distributing information to community partners about Better Futures, Local Solutions
leading the place based approach by encouraging community partners’ involvement in addressing local priorities
identifying and promoting partnership opportunities between community partners and government
guiding and supporting the linking of services and development of sustainable solutions that address local priorities
building community capacity, addressing service delivery gaps, and preparing the community for future Local Solutions Fund rounds
assisting successful applicants in developing and delivering Local Solution Fund projects in a linked-up and sustainable way.

Get Involved

If you are from the community and family support sector, business or education sector, government, or a citizen passionate about your community, then you are part of this initiative.

Your Government Action Leader, Community Action Leader and Local Advisory Group want to hear your thoughts, feedback and suggestions for improving, coordinating and integrating initiatives and services across your community.

This is a great opportunity for you to get involved and support your community in addressing local employment and education needs. For more information and Action Leader contact details, visit the community webpages below:

Successful Local Solutions Fund Projects

There are currently 78 Local Solutions Fund projects funded across the 10 Better Futures, Local Solutions communities, and many of these focus on supporting youth to help them transition from school into work and provide education programs and mentoring. Some of the projects look to improve access to community support services, and others aim to help jobless families overcome the barriers that are preventing them from getting work.

Visit the community webpages to see which projects were funded under round one.

National Place Based Advisory Group

A National Place Based Advisory Group provides advice to the Minister for Human Services on initiatives that support the development of effective local solutions to achieve social and economic participation outcomes, with a particular focus on the very long-term unemployed, jobless families and young parents.

Members are drawn from business, academia and the not-for-profit sectors.

Mr Tony Nicholson – Executive Director, The Brotherhood of St Laurence
Ms Catriona Noble – Chief Executive Officer, McDonalds Australia
Professor Mark Considine – Dean of Arts, University of Melbourne
Mr David Thompson – Chief Executive Officer, Jobs Australia
Ms Lin Hatfield Dodds – National Director, Uniting Care Australia
Ms Narelle Clay – Chief Executive Officer, Southern Youth and Family Services
Ms Deborah Nelson – Managing Director, Yarn’n Aboriginal Employment Services
Mr Adrian Beresford-Wylie – Chief Executive, Australian Local Government Association
Ms Gill Callister – Secretary, Victorian Department of Human Services
Mr Barry Sandison – Deputy Secretary, Australian Government Department of Human Services
Mr Phillip Butler – Director, Textor Technologies Pty Ltd

National Place Based Advisory Group Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference - September 2012

National Place Based Advisory Group Communiqué

More Information

Local Solutions Fund
The new community positions and the Local Solutions Fund were announced in the 2012-13 Federal Government Budget as Community Innovation through Collaboration. The initiative forms part of the Australian Government’s Building Australia’s Future Workforce initiative.
Visit the Better Futures, Local Solutions web page to see what other measures are being undertaken.
Action Leader contact details are available on the community webpages.