President’s update: Past achievements and the year ahead

Welcome to 2019.

As we look ahead to what the New Year offers, I thought it useful to reflect on our achievements over the past 18 months.

Work progressed in late 2017 and the early part of 2018 to formalise governance structures, develop and refine business processes and strengthen the operational capacity of Every Child CQ. This work is ongoing but the attainment of Incorporated status in August 2017 was a milestone as it provided the capacity for Every Child CQ to stand alone as an entity, independently transact business, administer finances, and position for future growth. Every Child CQ Inc as a fully-fledged, independently operating entity has also obtained an ABN, sorted taxation, finance and insurance requirements and is continuing to seek charitable status to further enhance investment opportunities.

Whilst it was important to focus on those internal operating matters, a lot of external engagement and activity was also underway.

Our partnership with Queensland Council for Social Services (QCOSS) was further advanced through the Strengthening Our Place series of workshops, supporting the delivery of Changing Community- Changing Lives initiative, the co-hosting of a community leaders breakfast event and a very successful masterclass presented by internationally renowned social impact expert, Paul Schmitz.

Our friends at Collaboration for Impact (CFI), who brought Paul to Australia, also supported us by providing training and ongoing guidance to our Director. We very much value the ongoing partnerships with both these agencies.

We had the opportunity to engage with Bush Kids and explore potential opportunities for collaboration, forged a strong relationship with the Hear and Say Foundation which is about to deliver some new and exciting services in Rockhampton, opened conversations with Global Sky Education, Multi-Cultural Development Association, Communities for Children, OneGovCQ, and Bidgerdii Health Service that will undoubtedly develop further over time.

Every Child CQ has also facilitated community development engagement in Zilzie with Livingstone Shire Council, assisted to progress the work of the Community Policing Board in Rockhampton, worked closely with OneGovCQ to develop strategy and project planning to support the Giving Kids a Great Start government priority, and is well placed to support innovation further this year.

Our capacity is being enhanced as we develop our volunteering program which will be rolling out this year, and the work of our Community Engagement Advisory Group has set the platform for more purposeful engagement throughout 2019. Our newly appointed Coordinator, Susie Cameron will lead this work and harness all the exciting opportunities ahead.

I must, on behalf of the Management Committee, thank Rosemary Brown for her tireless efforts and commitment as our first Director Operations. Her knowledge, drive and business acumen has laid a wonderful platform for us going forward. We wish her well in her new career opportunity. Although sad to see Rosemary go, it is very exciting to have Susie join us. She brings to the position tremendous experience and expertise in engaging, partnering, and facilitating, so the next chapter in ECCQ’s development looks very bright indeed.

Whilst 2018 was a year of establishing sound business arrangements, formation and consolidation, the year ahead will require a focus on turning that solid foundation into actions and a desire to grow as an organisation, to grow as an influencer, and to grow as a community-driven movement that delivers on our desire to shape a prosperous future where every child has every chance to reach their potential.

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ENDS.

It is a privilege and pleasure to be elected as th President of Every Child Central Queensland Inc. This opportunity is both exciting and challenging and offers me a great sense of purpose in my retirement. I have a great team and am excited to be moving forward at a time when ECCQ is in a huge growth phase in local communities. The communities that take ownership of the matters that concern them and collectively work at solutions are more resilient and are more likely to thrive. The ‘it’s government’s problem’, ‘the school’s problem’, or ‘someone else’s problem’ attitude achieves little and usually results in short-term fixes and long-term pain for communities.

I believe it is the collective strength of communities that have the best chance to positively shift the dial on complex social issues and make a sustainable long-term change. I see the Collective Impact model being used by ECCQ as a breath of fresh air in building community resilience and wellbeing. It moves away from the ‘do it to the community’ approach to a ‘do it with the community’ approach and that is the real difference. This chance to make a lasting and systemic change in the way complex social problems are dealt with in our communities is what attracted me to become involved with ECCQ. It won’t be easy and it won’t be achieved tomorrow, but the start must be made or CQ’s ‘at risk’ and ‘vulnerable’ children upward trajectory will continue. We must grasp this opportunity now and create a movement for change!

I am particularly keen for our communities to partner with our ’Empowering community to empower community’ initiative. Communities that can move forward with a shared vision and clear purpose – essential elements to build collective ways of working – will have a stronger sense of relationship, connection, responsibility and achievement. Focusing on hearing community voices will provide opportunities to hear real stories and gain awareness of the hopes, concerns and ideas from those communities to inform the way forward. I look forward to witnessing and celebrating the emergence of empowered community leaders throughout this process.

As ECCQ President I invite you to become involved in whatever way works for you. As we develop more on our journey, opportunities for involvement will be wide and varied. We would love to hear from people with a passion for making a difference in a socially innovative way. Click on the ‘Get Involved’ button and our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you.

Our recent review of governance arrangements has brought fresh energy as we focus on the next phase of this important work. These changes will ensure ECCQ Inc. continues to thrive and provide a solid platform for the future to ensure every child has every chance to reach their full potential.

Maxine Brushe

ECCQ is excited to support an exciting project for Rockhampton and Livingstone

The Parent Link trial (formerly known as Building Capacity in Australian Parents) is now LIVE and accepting voluntary participants!

Parenting is a learned skill that requires practice.

The Parent Link trial is funded by the Commonwealth Government in partnership with the Department of Social Services (DSS). Through the trial, parents and carers of children in the first 1000 days of life (from pregnancy to age two), who live in Rockhampton or Livingstone, can volunteer to receive text messages providing information about parenting, child development and support services.

In order to participate in the Parent Link trial you must:

• Be aged 18 years or older
• Have a mobile phone
• Be a resident in Rockhampton or Livingstone (Capricornia region)
• Provide regular care (at least 5 hours in a typical week) to a child aged less than 21 months, or
• Be expecting a child (at 20 weeks gestation or later).

How to sign up?

• Participants can access the sign-up page and complete the 15-minute survey here: issr.uq.edu.au/parent-link

What can your organisation do?

• Talk to eligible parents and carers about the trial and ask them to get involved!

Further information contact:

Gemma Hinchliff
Parent Link Trial Local Coordinator | Capricornia Region
Livingstone Shire Council | Community Centre (John Street)
Ph: (07) 4913 3618 | Mob: 0409 108 125
Email: ParentLink@livingstone.qld.gov.au

ECCQ Inc. – Reshaping our Governance

Now that EECQ has become incorporated and we are progressing to the next stage of our organisational development, it is timely for us to reconsider our governance arrangements so we are best positioned moving forward.

To meet the requirements of an incorporated association we must have office bearer positions including President, Treasurer and Secretary, who are elected by the ECCQ Inc. membership. This forms the Management Committee that will oversee all operations, finances and day to day decision making to support our Director Operations.

At our last meeting it was confirmed that the title of Coordinator be changed to Director Operations to better reflect the breadth and diversity of the work being undertaken by this role.

The other important change is the redefining of the Community Leadership Board’s role given that the Management Committee is now in place. The Board, which is the full membership of ECCO Inc., will be renamed the Community Leadership Group. This group will shift from overseeing all of the establishment of the ECCQ initiative to supporting the Management Committee – by focusing on the overall aspirations of ECCQ, providing strategic guidance, setting high level performance benchmarks, leading broader engagement and sourcing opportunities for improved partnering, investment and influence.

This change will establish a clear distinction between strategic and operational roles and should ensure that the Management Committee, through the Director Operations, can get on with the daily business of achieving delivery objectives while the CLG keeps the whole initiative on track for the longer term.

As such my role will change, but my commitment to ECCQ will not. I will remain as Chair of the Community Leadership Group and will continue to play a key role in taking this initiative forward. Given my senior role in Government I cannot hold a directorship or office bearer position in an entity that is (or may be) funded by my Department, so I will be resigning as the current President of the Management Committee. The Board has agreed to a transition period whereby my resignation and the election of a new President can occur in a planned and orderly way over the next 2 months. The changed focus of the Community Leadership Group will transpire over this period also.

The review of governance arrangements has brought a fresh energy to achieve our aim as we focus on the next phase of ECCQ. These changes will ensure ECCQ Inc. can continue to thrive and I believe, provide a solid platform upon which the important work can continue that will see every child have every chance to reach their full potential.

Mick Shearer
Chair, Community Leadership Group