Succession Planning training participants
14 December 2023
Over the past 12 months, Bega Valley Shire Council and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) have partnered to support the shire’s not-for-profit and volunteer-based community through the Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) program.
Council’s Community and Cultural Services Manager, Anne Cleverley said the collaboration between Council’s community development team and local facilitators had resulted in many valuable connections.
“We’ve all worked closely together to identify needs, provide access to training and networking opportunities, and develop a roadmap for the future,” Ms Cleverley said.
“Funding under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program has supported the delivery of 24 projects, engaging 114 organisations and attracting around 300 participants at events.”
Carina Severs from the Eden Community Access Centre has been an active participant in the IRCF program.
“Collaboration in the community is easier when I have personal relationships with people, which I have been able to develop more through attending program events,” Ms Severs said.
“It’s also given me opportunities for professional development I wouldn’t otherwise have had because the program has been free and our little organisation has limited resources. Attending the training sessions not only provides learning but speeds up the process of collaboration.”
Ms Cleverley said building the capacity of the community sector has been the core focus of the program.
“FRRR delivers the IRCF program in eight communities across NSW, through a model that includes the support of local facilitators, codesign of a sector roadmap and a collaborative approach to finding solutions that improve the viability of community organisations, so they can fulfil their missions with greater impact,” Ms Cleverley said.
“The Many Hands Volunteer Expo held at the Bega Valley Commemorative Civic Centre in September allowed NFPs to showcase their activities and engage new volunteers.
“Fifty organisations participated in the expo, including Bega River and Wetlands Landcare, coordinated by Erin Moon.”
“We participated to increase our exposure and recruit new volunteers. There was such diversity in the groups involved and it was a great testimony to the breadth of interests, passion and capacity of our community,” Ms Moon said.
Through the partnership, 19 community members completed leadership training across two four-day residencies with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, fostering significant connections and sparking fresh inspiration for community-led initiatives.
In addition, 11 professional development and training sessions requested by NFPs were hosted, with topics such as strategic and succession planning, grant writing and acquittals, managing conflict, building trust in teams, cultural considerations and asset-based community development.
Five further sessions are scheduled to run in February 2024, prior to the IRCF program coming to a close. NFP and volunteer-based community members can register online: https://fill-the-gap-s4.paperform.co/
This program is funded by the Australian Government through the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program.
