The Ian Potter Foundation

Are you a leader in a place-based initiative? Do you want to help shape the future of community-led change in Australia? We’re launching an open Expression of Interest (EOI) for the inaugural Community Council at Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE). The inaugural Council will co-design the enduring model of how PLACE engages with communities, ensuring we stay responsive to the needs and aspirations of place-based initiatives across the country. What’s involved?  ✅ A 12-month term helping shape PLACE’s work and impact  ✅ Providing strategic advice to guide our direction  ✅ Co-designing the long-term structure of the Council If you're passionate about community empowerment and ready to make an impact, we encourage you to apply! 📅 EOI Deadline: 4 April 📩 More info? Contact info@placeaustralia.org  🔗 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gMvwUx33

Early bird prices end today! This event offers a great opportunity to meet, learn from and share with others in the social enterprise sector.

Please spread the word: AFCM Pathways International Masterclasses 2025 Held in Townsville-Gurambilbarra in North Queensland from 18 July - 1 August, before and during the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, the AFCM Pathways International Masterclasses program is an immersive experience for emerging chamber musicians, offering direct mentorship from world-class artists, chamber music training, and professional development opportunities through lessons, masterclasses, and performances, while also providing industry insights from leading musicians and arts professionals. Applications close: 5pm AEDT March 31st 2025. https://lnkd.in/eQAshXB8 The AFCM Pathways International Masterclasses is supported by the The Ian Potter Foundation Sydney Conservatorium of Music Griffith University The University of Western Australia Australian National Academy of Music West Australian Symphony Orchestra Canberra Symphony Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra Symphony Services Limited Darwin Symphony Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO) Australian Youth Orchestra Tasmanian Youth Orchestras Queensland Youth Orchestras Sydney Youth Orchestras Western Australian Youth Orchestras (WAYO) Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Arts Tasmania Lloyd Van't Hoff Jack Liebeck Nick Duff

Over the past few months, the IDAC team has been privileged to be invited into a diverse range of communities to listen and learn. So humbling, so impressive and so thought provoking. I can’t get enough of the stories. The clever, patient and intentional work that is changing the lives of little ones from before birth through to every successive year of child development. The rebuilding of family strength, economic opportunity and the progressive reshaping of early learning, health and social service systems. Thank you to the many impressive community leaders who met with us and shared their tireless journeys of change from Benalla, Shepperton, Mount Druitt and Taree, to Broome, Derby, Katanning, Armadale and Logan. These conversations and the ongoing dialogue across the IDAC partnership are helping to shape our collective approach to our place portfolio. They are ensuring we are building off the many learnings of the past and opportunities of the present. We look forward to sharing more news soon about delivering on our 50 place commitment. PS. If you want to share the story of how your community is changing the lives of little ones and families, don’t hesitate to get in touch with myself or Christina Rosato. Ongoing listening and learning is a normal part of how we work. Tomorrow Today Foundation Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project Logan Together SSI Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership The Possibility Partnership First Steps Count Child and Community Centre Minderoo Foundation Paul Ramsay Foundation The Ian Potter Foundation Tim Fairfax Family Foundation Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) Collaboration for Impact ARACY

As The Connection settles into its new home at The Smith Family, passionate changemaker Suzanne Cridge shares its 10 year journey innovating for good. A collaborative networking initiative, it builds leadership capacity in education to overcome education inequity in Australia. Find out how it has improved educational outcomes for some 80,000 students in over 80 schools and sites. https://lnkd.in/g2iMeNvH

🚗💡 I've been on the road this week visiting place-based initiatives in Benalla, Beechworth, and Shepparton—a powerful reminder of both the purpose and possibility of Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE). PLACE exists to strengthen place-based approaches across Australia—building a stronger workforce, enabling the effective use of data and evidence, and improving the policy, funding, and service systems that help communities thrive. 🌟 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴! I’m looking for 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 to work with Sarah, myself, and the PLACE Board to build our core programs of work from the ground up: 📌 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 – Leading PLACE’s efforts to develop and implement a national workforce strategy, strengthening the capability and capacity of those working in place-based initiatives. https://shorturl.at/aYwG1 📌 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 & 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 – Driving PLACE’s efforts to gather, translate, and share knowledge into practical tools and resources for place-based practitioners and stakeholders. https://shorturl.at/bQIva 📌 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – Tackling issues of national significance that shape the success of place-based initiatives, ensuring they have the conditions to thrive. https://shorturl.at/pXTuz 📌 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 – Leading PLACE’s efforts to build data governance and capability, supporting local initiatives to make better use of evidence and insights. https://shorturl.at/8h7Z1 These are four unique opportunities to shape PLACE from day one and help define the future of the place-based ecosystem in Australia. Know someone who’d be a great fit? 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 or tag them below or reach out to the team at SHE HR Consulting to learn more! 

We're excited to announce that our team will be presenting at the upcoming Country Counts - Central Qld Data Workshop on Thursday, February 6th! Hosted by The Smith Family Capricorn CfCFP and Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership, this workshop is a chance for service and systems leaders, planners and researchers across Central Queensland to learn more about the use and interpretation of child and youth data. 📅 Event Details: Date: Thursday, February 6th Session 1: Hybrid event (join online or in person) https://lnkd.in/gGrxVk_Y Session 2: In-person networking session https://lnkd.in/ge7HEbx3 We welcome all our Queensland-based stakeholders to attend and encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks. Please feel free to register for either or both sessions, depending on your capacity to attend either online or in person. Looking forward to a great day of development and connections! #ChildWellbeing #DataWorkshop

Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from existing place-based initiatives across Australia that are interested in being stops or locations on their Community Roadshow & Listening Tour, taking place over six weeks from 24 March 2025 to 4 May 2025. This Tour will help PLACE learn about your challenges, successes, and aspirations—and provide opportunities for you to connect directly with PLACE Board Members and staff. Find out how to submit an EOI below.

The prize for the most read article on Philanthropy Australia’s website in 2024 goes to… a story on PLACE – or the Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment, launched on 30 October in Melbourne. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gdM36yGA   PLACE is a national, independent, NFP dedicated to supporting the needs of communities and addressing disadvantage. The Minderoo Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation, the Bryan Foundation and the Dusseldorp Forum matched the government’s investment of $19.3m over five years to support the initiative. PLACE is about to begin a Community Roadshow and Listening Tour from 24 March to 4 May to listen and engage with place-based initiatives. Learn more and register for the EOI process by 17 February 2025 here: https://lnkd.in/gv-wz6dd

Today, the Federal Government opens grants for social enterprises and for-purpose businesses to fund wrap around support costs for long-term unemployed job seekers who have not been engaged in employment for the past 12 months. The grants also target job seekers who have experienced a range of barriers such as lived experience of mental illness, learning barriers, or drug and alcohol misuse.    If you’re interested, please check out:    https://lnkd.in/gTm-yPNc While the numbers seem big, with $10m out of a budgeted $20m being put on the table to trial new ways for social enterprises and for-purpose businesses to work alongside the employment system, it’s a gentle toe in the water. If successful, it could shape something a lot bigger. Imagine a future where Australia’s unemployment rate is just 2.5%. A future where thousands of people, once long-term unemployed, are now thriving in meaningful jobs. A future where we tackle the challenges of economic inclusion and labour shortages head-on, without triggering inflation. Sounds ambitious? Sure. But with courage and leadership, it’s entirely possible—and we have the tools to make it happen. If you’re interested, I’ve written a short article on what we feel might be possible if programs like this continue to be built on.