📣 Our new evaluation confirms when community is at the centre, systems can change and outcomes improve. But where to begin? We started by asking our community what they wanted for their future. This led to our Community Aspiration – improving outcomes for children and families

What if decision-making structures were built BY the people they're meant to serve? Our governance model didn’t reflect our community. So we asked the community to help us design something new. Now we have local and Aboriginal voices front and centre – in our Collaborative

When COVID hit Mildura, the last thing we needed was more organisations competing for resources. In our active outreach response, 20 organisations tore down silos to deliver 1,300 vaccinations to community members facing significant barriers. Now local health services have

Does authentic community engagement actually change anything? In Red Cliffs, it secured $6M for a new Early Years hub. But the real transformation has been service providers now saying ‘the community takes the lead’, instead of leading themselves. Genuine change isn’t about

Is evidence-based work really evidence-based if it lacks community expertise? Some place-based approaches use data OR community voice OR research. We combine them like a three-legged stool – community expertise, local data and research. Community voice is equal to data and

Is your ‘high-leverage’ work actually creating systems change or just treating symptoms? HomeBase Hoops in Mildura turned Friday nights with nothing for young people to do into: -Young people developing leadership skills & having fun -17 partners collaborating -Service

How many reports sit unread while communities face the same challenges over and over? When we share our findings, both good and bad, we aim to multiply our impact far beyond Mildura. Our approach is now in the Victorian government toolkit, influencing how place-based work

What needs to be in place for communities to drive real change? Our evaluation showed that trust, flexible funding and community accountability drive systems change. But competing for resources and rigid policy frameworks (and mindsets) actively prevent the changes we all want.

Why do some place-based initiatives create lasting change while others stall? When everyone actually puts community first, everything shifts. We saw this when our COVID response brought 20 partners together for pop-up clinics. Services now engage with community differently – new

Some of the most powerful catalysts for change never show up in reports. Strong relationships are the invisible foundation that holds everything else up. They create trust → problems get solved faster → connections mobilise resources quickly → there are safe spaces for

Every organisation has people who drive positive change. But what happens when your champions leave? In Mildura, we’ve learnt that mindset shifts that only reach individuals are fragile. For transformation to last, it has to live in the culture, not just in people. Individual

What happens when flexible multi-year funding meets community-centered accountability? Real relationships can develop, there's space to innovate as work evolves, and community priorities truly drive decisions. The barriers: short funding cycles, rigid reporting on outputs not

What makes community-led change actually work? 🎯 It's not just about having the right strategy or people (though they help!). It's about creating the right conditions to make deep, lasting change possible. Over the past few months, we've shared what we've learned from the last

In the lead-up to the Ministerial Roundtable on Place (12 Aug, hosted by Hon Tanya Plibersek MP & Sen. Hon Dr Jess Walsh), PLACE’s Voices of Place-Based Reform asked: ✨ What do communities want gov to understand? ✨ What happens when locals lead? ✨ Why is this our moment?

Your voice matters. Your ideas matter. 💜 Hands Up Mallee is calling for Expressions of Interest to join our Collaborative Governance Group (CGG). The CGG is where local people — young people, parents, carers, Elders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, and community

🌟Come along to Hands Up Mallee Collaborative Governance Group New Members Information Session — a chance to connect, ask questions, and learn how you can be part of shaping change in the Mildura region. 📅 Tuesday 9 September 2025 ⏰ 6:15 PM – 7:30 PM 📍 HUM Office, 93 Pine

📬 Our September Newsletter is out now! This edition is full of stories of connection, culture, and community-led change — from NAIDOC Week highlights and Learning on Country, to opportunities to join our governance groups and insights from our Mid-Term Evaluation. 👉 Read the

🎙️ Hands Up Mallee Calls for Local Community Members on ABC Radio Jane McCracken, Executive Officer at Hands Up Mallee, joined Ben Murphy on Breakfast with Ben Murphy on ABC Mildura Swan Hill to share how the Hands Up Mallee Collaborative Governance structure is driving real

On 12 Sept, Elders, community, services & govt joined Hands Up Mallee to walk & learn on Country 🌿 The day began with Uncle Warren Clark’s welcome & smoking ceremony before exploring cultural history at Thampaka, artefacts & bush medicines with Corey Payne, and Aboriginal art