Business, Government and Community Partnerships

by Alan Woodward

We are always interested in projects where business, government and community agencies work in partnership to achieve better outcomes. We think we are seeing increasing numbers of such partnership projects around, and hearing more discussion about their benefits.

Three recent examples of where such partnerships have provided quality outcomes are a Service Improvement Plan in Lithgow, the SUPPORTLink Referral System in Tuggeranong, ACT and IMB Community Foundation.

Lithgow Service Improvement Project

Human services such as health, housing, community services and education can benefit from government and community organisations working in partnership.

In Lithgow, state government agencies and local community services organisations considered how they could better collaborate with each other in meeting the needs of their community. The local council also played an important role.

Stronger partnerships in human services can be encouraged through collaboratively identifying shared goals in a community and then recognising the roles and contributions each organisation can make towards achieving those goals. Better integration of local social planning and community development strategies with human services provision is also important.

SUPPORTLink Referral System from Tuggeranong Community Services, ACT

The SUPPORTLink Referral System is an innovative way of linking individuals and families to community support services.
Since 1998, referrals to family support, aged care, counselling and other community services in Tuggeranong, ACT, have been possible through ‘intermediary’ organisations like Police, GPs, schools, accountants and Centrelink offices. A standard referral form has been used to make these referrals quickly and simply.

A feature of the SUPPORTLink Referral System is the way it develops partnerships across business, government and community services. The safety net of community support for people in need is strengthened considerably by the formation of these partnerships.

IMB Community Foundation

The IMB, a banking and financial services organisation, formed its Community Foundation in recognition of the important relationship between stronger communities and sustainable business activity. The IMB wanted to return value to the communities in which it operates by providing funding for projects that would “make a difference” in those communities.

The IMB has provided $1 million in funding so far. Very useful partnerships have been formed with 30 community or non-profit organisations and also, in some cases, with government. The partnership projects have generated employment, addressed social issues and helped strengthen communities through new learning and new skills.

The IMB Community Foundation is supporting the role of social entrepreneurs in finding local solutions to issues and harnessing community resources.

Twyford Consulting Newsletter December 2001