Placating the beast: the market-drive imperative to collaborate

In an increasingly competitive environment, collaboration in the community sector is seen as a way of overcoming some of the challenges involved in market-based approaches. It enables organisations to share risks, gain efficiencies and combine efforts to strengthen the organisations themselves, and improve outcomes for service users.

However, there is a risk of 'mission drift' - that is; in attempts to strengthen our organisations position and secure funding, we drift from the central reasons our organisations exist. This is a real tension that community sector organisations must hold if they are to exist in this new environment. In this post, I reflect on these challenges and pose questions about what these approaches can mean for mission and social justice.

Read More
AdvocacyTanya Corriesocial justice
Social Policy Whisperer: Criticism isn't enough, where do we go from here? Reactions to the response to the budget

We've seen widespread criticism of the budget (some of it on this blog!), particularly around cuts to social policy and the (potential) removal of the safety net. While critique is important, Prof. Paul Smyth from the University of Melbourne draws our attention to the lack of feasible alternatives put forth in post-budget commentary. In particular, Paul urges us to think wider than individual social policies to begin to (re)image what the Australian welfare state should look like for this century.

Read More
Creating using evidence, Policy and governance, Issues, Advocacy, Finance and economics, Social Policy WhispererProfessor Paul Smythoutcome and impacts, policy making, social inequalities, social justice, government budget, professor paul smyth
Doing the Heavy Lifting: Federal budget targets those who can least afford it

Previous blog posts have reflected on the severity of the Federal Budget cuts. One of the groups that will be disproportionately impacted is single mothers and their children, with cuts to payments as well as other supports.

In this post*, Tenar Dwyer from the Council for Single Mothers and their Children responds to the budget from her organisations perspective.

Read More
Policy and governance, Issues, Advocacy, Finance and economicsPower to Persuadegovernment budget, social welfare, social justice, funding models
Men and mens' services working to end mens' violence against women

It is vital that men be involved and work with women's organisations to end violence against women. It is important, however, that in doing so they recognise the importance of not 'colonising' this space.

This blog post, by Rodney Vlais from No To Violence, discusses the importance of working in a truly collaborative way to end violence against women.

Read More
Policy and governance, Issues, AdvocacyPower to Persuadesocial services, violence against women, social justice
On how to win friends and influence government

It's been a long week for many working in the public policy space. But as the dust slowly settles on the Federal budget, it is worthwhile reflecting on the capacity for good policy process. In this policy Q & A, Shorna Moore (Senior Policy Lawyer, Wyndham Legal Service) writes about what it takes to gain traction and create change when advocating to governmen

Read More
Policy and governance, Advocacy, Finance and economicsPower to Persuadepolicy making, communication, economic policy
Budget 2014: the pursuit of small government

The Federal budget has been controversial and divisive.  Sold as a measure to manage a ‘budget crisis’ , Joe Hockey’s first budget will come as a hard blow for many disadvantaged, low income and vulnerable Australians. But beneath the rhetoric and justifications, we can see a familiar political goal. In this comprehensive article below, Professor David Hayward (RMIT University) delves into the underlying story shaping the 2014/15 budget:

Read More
Policy and governance, Issues, Finance and economicsDr Pauline McLoughlinideology, social welfare, government budget
Wrapping up an unbalanced budget

In part two of our budget wrap-up, the CEO of VCOSS and the team at Good Shepherd Social Policy and Research Unit sum up the key societal costs and implications of the Federal budget:

Out of balance: Tanya Corrie, Kathy Landvogt, Susan Maury and Denis Sheehan, Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service

Read More
Creating using evidence, Policy and governance, Issues, Advocacy, Finance and economicsDr Pauline McLoughlinoutcome and impacts, service and social protection reform, health, social justice, government budget
Vulnerable Victorians not the main focus in the state government budget

The 2014 Victorian Budget was announced last week. Like its Commonwealth counterpart, both budgets have been preceded by extensive pre-release of information, and much speculation. In the lead up to Treasurer Joe Hockey's announcement of the national budget, Denis Fitzgerald (Executive Director, Catholic Social Services Victoria) takes stock of what is happening in Victoria:

Read More
Policy and governance, Issues, Finance and economicsDr Pauline McLoughlingovernment budget, social inequalities
Two steps forward, one step back: young people transitioning from out of home care

Young people leaving state care are one of the most vulnerable groups in Australia. We know that care leavers frequently transition from out of home care with few of the financial, emotional and social supports they need. Many face significant challenges in accessing housing and jobs, and pursuing educational opportunities.

Following recent out-of-home care policy reforms, such as the Victorian Government Five Year Plan, it is timely to consider this often overlooked aspect of our care systems. Reflecting on more than 15 years of research, Associate Professor Philip Mendes (Director of the Social Inclusion and Social Policy Research Unit (SISPRU) at Monash University) writes about the challenges and signs of change for leaving care policy in Australia:

Read More
Creating using evidence, Policy and governance, Issues, AdvocacyDr Pauline McLoughlinresearch, social services, housing and homelessness, social justice, young people
Why is everyone so annoying?

Welcome to the Power to Persuade Blog - a new space for open discussion of the policy process. To kick us off, Tim Senior talks about the divides between research, policy and practice in health settings, picking up issues echoed across other areas of social policy. Tim Senior is a GP in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service. He wears his academic and policy hats a little uncomfortably, and at a jaunty angle. He writes regularly for the British Journal of General Practice, and Croakey. He is crowdfunding for a Croakey Column looking at the health effects of government policy, which you can freely donate to here: http://pozi.be/wonkyhealth

Read More
Policy and governance, AdvocacyPower to Persuadecross-sector relationships, communication