Canterbury Bankstown Connecting Resource

CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN CONNECTING RESOURCE

LAUNCHED NOV 2018 Project Implementation 2017

Arab Council Australia acknowledges the traditional country of the Dharug people on whose land our office stands. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and ongoing relationship with the land. Arab Council Australia also acknowledges other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language groups in the Canterbury Bankstown Local Government Area. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty never ceded.

Contents

Foreword 3 The Canterbury Bankstown Story 4 About the Project 7 Project Implementation 9 Key Outcomes - One to One Consultations 10 Forums in Detail 12 Forum Outcomes & Highlights 16 Forum Feedback 19 Key Learnings 20 Appendix 1 – Selected Slides from Forums 21 Appendix 2 - Participating Organisations 24 Appendix 3 – Collaboration Tools 25 Appendix 4 – Useful Resources 28

Canterbury Bankstown Connecting P a g e | 2 © Arab Council Australia Slides from Forum 1 resulting from one to one consultations

Foreword

Collaboration, and its benefits, is bandied about in every industry and sector. It is not a new idea, nor a passing fad. We all know what it is and that the community is enriched by it. The question is not “what is collaboration”, but rather “how do we collaborate sustainably?” There are no magical answers or methods to successful and sustainable collaborations, nor one particular way to go about it. It is not a matter of ticking a series of boxes and arriving at an end goal. What is at the heart of any successful collaboration, is a space that facilitates communication, builds trust and deep engagement around a common purpose. In our sector, having the community at the centre of our work is our common purpose. The Canterbury Bankstown Connecting (CBC) Project was established with the aim of engaging diverse community organisations across a newly merged Local Government Area (LGA) to build sustainable collaborations. Collaborations were already underway in the Canterbury and Bankstown areas, so we did not need to go to the basics. Instead, the project capitalised on the strengths of the organisations, reinforced the sustainability of existing collaborations and broadened connections within the newly amalgamated area. Though the nature of funding is competitive, the shared values and interests of the community sector naturally lend themselves to leveraging skills, resources and impact through collaboration. Collective ownership is crucial to sustainable collaborations. Knowing this, we made the conscious decision to practice collaboration from the start and lead by stepping back. We began by engaging and consulting CEOs of some key local organisations. These one-to-one meetings informed the content and focus of the forums, and each forum that followed informed the agenda and direction of the next. CEOs also took turns to chair the forums and we alternated venues between Canterbury and Bankstown. Collective ownership was further reinforced when together we created the Canterbury Bankstown story at the first forum. Developing this story highlighted how inextricably linked the two areas are and reinforced the shared history and contribution of each organisation. While the project came to an end in 2017, a commitment to sustaining community collaborations is evident on all fronts with CEOs of participating organisations committing to meeting four times a year to advance on issues of common concern. It has been a privilege to have worked on this project together and on behalf of Arab Council Australia I would like extend warm thanks to Canterbury Bankstown Council for funding this project; Uncle Harry Allie for delivering the acknowledgement to country; Chester Hill Neighbourhood Centre, Canterbury City Community Centre and Riverwood Community Centre for their support and the CEOs of these organisations for facilitating the forums; Woodville Alliance and Ms Nada Nasser, the then General Manager of Community Initiatives, for facilitating activities in forum 1 and 2; Dr Paul Porteous, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis and Director of the Centre for Social Leadership, for facilitating the last two forums; and Zahia Charida, the project manager for her energy and dedicated work. Thanks also to all the organisations and individuals who took part in this initiative. Thank you for your commitment and openness to collaborate - with purpose - in our corner of the world. We hope you find this resource useful and we look forward to a future of ongoing partnerships and sustainable collaborations across Canterbury Bankstown and beyond.

Randa Kattan CEO Arab Council Australia

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The Canterbury Bankstown Story The Canterbury Bankstown Story, as outlined in these pages, is the collective recollection of the organisations that participated during the forum series. The story began In Forum 1 by asking participants to recall and document on a timeline chart, significant events for their organisation and the local community, dating back to the 1970s. The timeline continued to be displayed throughout the forum series as a reference and so that participants could continue to add to it. Details on how to run this story is available in the relevant appendix of this report The original inhabitants of the City of Canterbury Bankstown were the Bidjigal, Dharug and Gweagal Aboriginal people with the Dharug language group being the largest in the area. Aboriginal societies lived in the area for many of thousands of years before European colonisation and settlement. Reminders of their life, culture and relationship with the land can be found throughout the area particularly along the Georges and Cooks Rivers including rock paintings and camping sites. Among the surviving artworks is one labelled by archaeologists as a rarity in the Sydney region and is located at Undercliffe along the Cooks river. The paintings and etchings in this rock shelter are believed to be around one to five thousand years old. An incident in 1809 of local resistance to white settlement that involved the Aboriginal Elder Tedbury, a son of Pemulwy, has been commemorated on a heritage panel in Punchbowl. At the turn of the 20th Century Bankstown Council and Canterbury Council had both been established. Though separate council areas, cross-boundary unity between Bankstown and Canterbury would often occur, symbolised by the historic birth of the NRL Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in 1935. By the 1970s, Canterbury and Bankstown became the home for an influx of new migrants arriving in Australia predominantly from Vietnam and Lebanon. With the rapidly changing demographics came the need to set up services to support and facilitate their settlement. A succession of organisations and community centres soon followed. At the start of the decade the Chester Hill Neighbourhood centre was established, as well as the founding of the Canterbury City Community Centre and Creating Links in Bankstown. The Imam Ali bin Abi Taleb Mosque in Lakemba was built and the Riverwood Community Centre was established out of the formation of the ‘Voices of Riverwood’ committee. Individual community members also played a significant role in instigating change. In the mid-70s volunteer Ulla Bartels began home tutoring for Indo-Chinese refugees in Fairfield - the humble beginnings of the Woodville Alliance (known then as Woodville Community Services). At the height of Lebanese migration in the late 1970s the first Arab secular organisation was established in 1979 known as the Arab Welfare Workers Interagency, which eventually came to be known as Arab Council Australia. Bankstown achieved city status in 1980 that was announced during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II, and the community along with local services continued to grow. The Muslim Women’s Association (MWA), the Belmore Lakemba Youth Committee and The Multicultural Network (known then as Bankstown Area Multicultural Network or BAMN) came into being and the Area Assistance Scheme (AAS) was expanded across the state, shaping much of the community work in Canterbury and Bankstown. As new migrants continued to settle in the area so too did the establishment of services to assist in their resettlement. The Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), Muslim Women Support Centre for families who are affected by violence (led by MWA) Metro Assist (known then as the Canterbury Bankstown Migrant Resource Centre), Recreation Sports & Aquatics Club and Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service all began working with the local communities. In the 1990s local, national and international events impacted and challenged both the Canterbury and Bankstown communities. The Gulf War of 1991 created division and tension amongst the local community. Services continued to be established with the Belmore Youth Resource Centre opening

Canterbury Bankstown Connecting P a g e | 4 © Arab Council Australia in 1994. The Muslim Foster Care program was also introduced in this decade. Towards the end of the 90s the Bankstown City Council administration building was completely destroyed by an accidental fire and Council offices were relocated to Bankstown Civic Tower. In 1998, Arab Council Australia offered its apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In 1998 young local Edward Lee was fatally stabbed in Punchbowl, closely followed with a drive by shooting of Lakemba Police station. These events resulted in an increased policing of public places - the area was again making headlines across the nation which challenged the community. In 2000, the Vietnamese Australian community celebrated 25 years of settlement in Australia. The HomeBASS Youth Drop-in Centre in Bankstown was opened, a partnership between Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service, Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, Family and Community Services, Bankstown City Council and the PCYC2000 was also the year that Sydney hosted the Olympic Games and Bankstown enjoyed world focus during the track cycling events held in the Dunc Gray Velodrome in Bass Hill. In 2001, the area once again made national headlines. The crime of group aggravated sexual assaults which occurred in Bankstown were reported widely, fuelling a new wave of racial tension and conflict that went beyond council boundaries. The September 11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York also impacted the communities living in Canterbury and Bankstown. The headline 'Act of War' on the front page of the Telegraph the day after the attack was the exact same phrasing used by the newspaper when the 1998 Lakemba police station shooting was reported. 2001 was also the year that the NSW Youth partnership with Arabic Speaking Communities was launched. 2002 ushered in some good news with Canterbury City declaring itself a Refugee Welcome Zone. (Bankstown City followed with a similar declaration in 2003). That year also witnessed people taking to the streets and saying “NO” to family violence for White Ribbon Day. In 2004 the Seniors for Youth Café initiative commenced as part of the HomeBASS Drop-in Centre program. In 2005 a series of race riots and violence broke out at Cronulla Beach in Sydney's south targeting people of ‘Middle Eastern appearance’ with a strong focus on the Bankstown and Canterbury community. As part of the community response a Peace Train made a journey from Bankstown to Cronulla in 2006. 2006 also brought in changes in the Family Law under the Liberal Government which elevated the role of fathers. The “It’s Time to Talk project” with a focus on domestic violence was launched and the Canterbury Men’s Shed was established.

In 2007, a milestone was reached when the hijab wearing Muslim girls joined the ranks of Australia’s iconic Surf Life Savers. 2007 was also the year that the Lakemba Sports Club celebrated its 90th Anniversary. The following year, Bankstown City Council made history as the nation's first council to officially sign the Refugee Council of Australia's Refugee Charter in June 2008. In 2009, the Olivetree Women’s Network was established which led to a partnership with Bankstown City Council for a Girls Mentoring project and then Prime Minister Rudd announced a $3.15 million grant towards the construction of a new Bankstown Arts Centre. It was towards the close of 2010 that a series of protests at the Villawood Detention Centre involving some 100 detainees in rooftop protests joined by refugee rights activists protesting in solidarity again brought a spotlight on the issue. Though the detention centre was in a neighbouring LGA the impact of the protests was felt in the Bankstown and Canterbury area and throughout Sydney. In 2011, the controversial Federal Government initiative of the Income Management Scheme was imposed on Bankstown. An alliance of local Aboriginal groups and diverse community organisations banded together to voice their opposition to the measure. The protests made national headlines with media reporting community opposition to the roll-out “from the Bush to Bankstown”. In 2012, Arab Council Australia and ACON launched the “We’re Family Too” report that document the effects of homophobia in Arabic-speaking communities in New South Wales. The following year,

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Bankstown City Council listed issues concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Intersex people (LGBTI) as a priority in its planning. Also in 2013, Woodville Alliance opened their Earth Centre, a facility designed by and for people with disability; the first White Ribbon Day March from Lakemba police station to Parry Park, and the famous Bankstown Poetry Slam was founded. By the end of 2013, some federal politicians and conservative commentators began to champion the watering down of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. This caused uproar in the community who supported the broad alliance of organisations representing indigenous and other cultural minority groups who launched a campaign that was ultimately successful in blocking the proposed changes. In 2016 Canterbury City Council and Bankstown City Council merged to become the largest council in NSW. At the time of the merger, Canterbury Bankstown Council was home to approximately 367 000 people who spoke over 90 different languages other than English. In 2017, the Canterbury Bankstown Council unveiled the “Where interesting happens” project in a bid to unify the newly merged community as well as promote the rich cultural offerings and diversity of the area to the broader community. The history of Canterbury Bankstown is one of resilience, resistance and ultimately triumph. With a thriving arts and cultural scene representing one of the most diverse communities in Australia, a well-connected network of community organisations, and an engaged and active community, Canterbury Bankstown has embraced its identity and continues to share its unique offerings with the people of Sydney and the world.

Building the Story – the story timeline was displayed throughout the duration of the forum series and continued to be developed

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About the Project Introduction

Canterbury Bankstown Connecting has been running for one year and engaged diverse local not-for- profit (NFP) organisations who came together to connect with each other and explore ways of working together in the new city of Canterbury Bankstown. Canterbury Bankstown Connecting was funded by the Canterbury Bankstown Council under the Canterbury Bankstown Stronger Communities Fund and is an initiative of Arab Council Australia (ACA). This resource was designed to document the activities and the learnings of the Canterbury Bankstown Connecting project. The resource is a practical tool for organisations to use in their community building and collaboration efforts. It is highly recommended that practitioners also refer to the Linked In Bankstown’s Community Collaboration Resource1 to further inform their collaboration strategies.

Background

Following the amalgamation of the Canterbury and Bankstown LGAs in 2016 the need was identified for NFP organisations to connect and collaborate with others within the newly merged area. The Canterbury Bankstown Connecting project was subsequently established to address this need. Canterbury Bankstown Connecting builds on earlier ACA collaboration work including the Linked in Bankstown project.

Objectives

Canterbury Bankstown Connecting brought NFP organisations and networks from the two former LGAs together with the aim of enhancing services for the community in the new Canterbury Bankstown area. The main project objectives are to: • Increase awareness and knowledge of NFP organisations about services and networks across the newly merged Canterbury and Bankstown area • Maximise access to resources and services for the community across previous boundaries by connecting, engaging, and building capacity of organisations in the Canterbury Bankstown LGA. • Create a sustainable process with organisations that allowed for exploring, planning and acting on identified priorities • Promote best practice and evidence based collaborative action that maximised access and equity in services for the community

1 Linked in Bankstown is a collaborative model to assist members of the Bankstown community- An ACA initiative (2015) https://bit.ly/2OYfZMH

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Strategies

This project took on an experiential approach similar to the ACA Linked in Bankstown project, by implementing strategies and facilitating opportunities with NFP organisations to collaborate by: • Mapping services and networks and identifying up to date databases of services across Canterbury Bankstown • Identifying issues and community concerns through consultation and forums • Building organisational capacity by facilitating a series of forums that would support and encourage organisations to connect, engage and learn about each other’s services/activities • Identifying any overlaps, gaps and connecting issues and explore and initiate collaboration or partnership opportunities amongst participating organisations and services • Producing a practical resource in consultation with stakeholders to document experiences and learnings from the project including identified priorities, principles of collaboration, best practice and sustainable processes.

Forum 3

Forum 1

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Project Implementation

The project was implemented through three phases: 1) a scoping and initial consultation phase; 2) a series of forums phase and; 3) the resource development phase. It is important to note that in addition to the focused this was an ongoing process throughout the project and continued to steer and shape its development. The following is a brief overview. More details can be found in the following sections of this resource. PHASE ONE - Scoping and Initial Consultation Scoping A review of local services and networks was carried out that built on the mapping undertaken through the Linked in Bankstown project and expanding to include the additional boundaries of Canterbury. Some of the additional resources which have been identified during this process include: • The Multicultural Network (TMN) links www.tmnlinks.net.au • Chester Hill Neighbourhood Centre’s Volunteer Cloud Resource www.chnc.org.au • Community Services Directory & Interagencies List www.cbcity.nsw.gov.au/community/community-services/community-directory (Canterbury Bankstown Council) Initial Consultation Arab Council Australia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Canterbury Bankstown Connecting Project Manager met with CEOs from services across the Canterbury Bankstown LGA as part of the consultation process. The meetings provided a background to the project and informed the content and focus of the forums. The meetings enabled the project to: • Map current services, initiatives and accessible databases • Identify issues, challenges and opportunities arising from Council’s amalgamation • Identify current collaborative partnerships across the newly merged LGA • Discuss forum content and expectations • Seek commitment from CEOs in the project • Secure speakers and involvement of services in forums PHASE TWO – Forums A series of four forums were held which provided a creative space to build trust, connections and to engage on local and broader issues and to work locally and collaboratively on addressing issues of common concern. The initial consultations in phase one informed the agenda of the first forum. The discussions generated in each of the forums informed the agenda and direction of the forum to follow. In addition, the results from the feedback which was sought at the conclusion of each forum also informed the development for the subsequent forum in the series. The survey results are included in the Forum Feedback section of this resource.

The four forums were: • Forum One – Connecting and Networking • Forum Two – Collaboration Principles and Networking Priorities and Gaps • Forum Three – Collaboration Planning and Success Measures • Forum Four – Confirm Plan for Collaboration and Next Steps beyond the Project

PHASE THREE – Resource Development This phase involved the development and the launch of this resource.

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Key Outcomes - One to One Consultations

The one-to-one meetings sought to seek the views, knowledge and experience around key issues of the CEOs and managers of 11 services from the Canterbury Bankstown LGA. Central to the meetings was the discussion around the challenges and opportunities that have developed as a result of the amalgamation. The discussions gave an insight into the dominant community issues, existing service collaborations and an idea of what organisations were hoping to get out of the forums. These meetings and discussions directly informed the content development for the first forum.

Organisations that participated in initial one-to-one meetings • Bankstown Canterbury Community Transport (Revesby) • Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service • Canterbury Bankstown Council • Canterbury City Community Centre (Lakemba) • Chester Hill Neighbourhood Centre • Greenacre Community Centre • Metro Assist (Campsie) • Riverwood Community Centre • The Multicultural Network Inc (Bankstown) • The Smith Family – Communities for Children Facilitating Partner (Bankstown) • Woodville Alliance (Villawood)

One-to-one meetings questions − What are the physical or geographical boundaries/ or local government areas your organisation provides support or services? − What services do you provide? Are there any services/initiatives that would benefit other services in terms collaborating across the two former LGAs? − What other NGOs across Canterbury and Bankstown do you work with? Have there been any working partnerships/collaborations formed since Council merger? − Since the council merger of Bankstown and Canterbury Councils in 2016, has your organisation experienced: a) More opportunities b) More challenges E.g. The need to broaden their service focus; Changes in client intake; Increase in referrals; changes/increase in work partnerships and collaborations; changes related to funding or financial; − As you know we are holding four forums starting June 2017, with one of the aims being to develop and put into practice sustainable plans for collaborating. What do you feel are the most important topics to discuss and plan around that will harness stronger connections and collaboration (bearing in mind sustainability)?

Summary of responses to key questions − Since the CBC merger what opportunities or challenges have emerged? • The changes imposed triggered questions such as: Who will monitor and review these changes? And who is responsible for what?” • Renegotiating relationships with council staff post-merger was seen as an issue by one service stating that strong and long-established relationships and ties that have been formed with council staff have become strained if not lost

Canterbury Bankstown Connecting P a g e | 10 © Arab Council Australia • The lack of political leadership due to lack of Councillors was noted as an issue • There is a need for the local council to present on what they are planning to do and how the changes will affect the services and the community • Uncertainty around lease agreements and office space was an issue raised by one service • The increased competition for funding amongst services and uncertainty around state and federal funding and the impact on workers were of significant concern for local services • One service expressed that the merger is more like a takeover while another service stated that there has not been any major impact as a result of the council amalgamation • Services that have worked across the merged LGA expressed that they have been working well and closely with other organisations across both areas • One service expressed that they have been discussing broadening the scope of street work to collectively share and provide support to other services in street work. • Doubt about the effectiveness of merging Domestic Violence committees across the Canterbury as the area is too large and the issues might become too broad.

− Key topics for the forums to harness stronger sustainable connections/collaborations? • Opportunity to understand what other services are doing; to network with them, promote and share information about service offering. • Showcase what everyone is doing and what resources they have developed and what they would like to share with other services • Who are our neighbours and what do we have in common? Identify who is doing things like us and how can we build on them. See how current changes may impact our services • Be around others who we can learn from – look at new ways of doing things and working together. Opportunities for managers and middle managers to come together. Exchange existing ideas, information and resources • Look at issues we can't tackle alone • Canterbury Bankstown Council needs to be involved - there was no proper (heightened) consultation/engagement around changes • The forums could help open the door to look at new ways of collaborating • Need to address siloed approach to community issues • Identify gaps and opportunities to collaborate with other services – look at how we can help each other • Create something symbolic that requires input from both former council areas - a project that involves everyone and helps form a new identity for the new LGA • There are different demographics across the new LGA - good to know what the different issues and challenges are – also draw on commonalities

− Community issues that emerged during these meetings • Employment – expanding pathways to employment across new council • Housing (accessibility, homelessness, affordability) • Family Support services and Domestic Violence • Newly arrived migrants and refugees - how do we address this together • Youth - listening and supporting young people. There are no youth services in Lakemba • Transport – Impact of changes to the Bankstown to Sydney transport/train line

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Forums in Detail Service providers were challenged throughout a series of four forums to consider how they define and deal with community issues and changes. A creative space was established that encouraged participants to consider issues that sit in the background yet shape the focus of service delivery. Through community engagement and conversation tools the CBC project provided the means to facilitate detailed discussions and learnings around adaptive leadership and sustainable collaboration.

Refer to Appendix for more information on tools and resources adopted during forums

Forum 1 - Connecting & Networking The first forum was held in Bankstown and focused on networking, strengthening current connections and building new ones amongst services as well as learning about the shared history of Canterbury Bankstown. Common experiences and stories helped create a sense of ‘oneness’ across services from Council areas.

Location: Hackett House, Bankstown Registered Participants: 21 Chair: Randa Kattan, Chief Executive Officer - Arab Council Australia Main Facilitator: Nada Nasser, General Manager of Community Initiatives - Woodville Alliance

Program • Registration • Workshop introduction and housekeeping • Welcome/Acknowledgement of Country • Overview of the Canterbury Bankstown Connecting Project • Participants Introduction • Building the Canterbury Bankstown Story workshop • Update since amalgamation and role of Canterbury Bankstown Council in supporting community service collaboration • Service connections workshop • Wrap up and next steps

Forum 1 Outcomes • Participants built a time line that spanned four decades of significant events that impacted Canterbury Bankstown and the contribution of their organisations. For more information refer to Appendix 3 - Tools: Story With Timeline

• Canterbury Bankstown Council provided an update since amalgamation and its role in supporting community service collaboration. Some of the challenges that have emerged, such as state government boundaries, were also discussed.

• Participants in small groups discussed: What’s valuable about being together as Canterbury and Bankstown? What are we afraid of? What do we need to do to make collaboration work?

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Forum 2 - Collaboration Principles & Networking Priorities & Gaps Forum 2 was held in Belmore and focused on exploring collaborative and networking opportunities around identified priority issues. Participants came together to explore commonalities, principles of collaboration. An ‘Open Space’ session proposed 'wicked' questions and challenged participants to consider and discuss important community issues and challenges.

Location: Belmore Youth Resource Centre, Belmore Registered Participants: 44 Chair: Liz Messih, Chief Executive Officer - Canterbury City Community Centre Main Facilitators: Nada Nasser, General Manager of Community Initiatives - Woodville Alliance and Zahia Charida, Canterbury Bankstown Connecting – Arab Council Australia

Program • Registration • Workshop introduction and housekeeping • Welcome/Acknowledgement of Country • Participants introduction • Recap of Forum 1, including identified issues, challenges, opportunities for collaboration and feedback results from participants • Confirm collaboration principles identified in forum 1 • Open Space workshop to Identify key issues to collaborate around • Dotmocracy (voting) to select the key community issues that organisations could address together • Wrap up and next steps

Forum 2 Outcomes • After a recap of feedback from forum one, participants went through the Canterbury Bankstown story exercise, developing the timeline of the significant events that occurred over the past 40 years. The timeline was displayed for the duration of the remaining forums for participants to view and add key dates or events as they remembered them.

• Following from the main issues in the recap of forum 1 participants decided on the issue they wanted to address. Groups were formed based on a ‘marketplace’ of topic areas that participants were able to shop from, and after discussion each group presented their topic in a 1 min spruiking with the aim of enticing others to join them in tackling/talking about the topic/challenge. For more information refer to Appendix 3 - Tools: Open Space Technology

• The recap of discussions amongst the broader group was followed by a discernment exercise (‘dotmocracy’) to identify the issues participants were willing to get involved in and contribute to. The community priority issues were identified along with potential collaboration opportunities through this exercise. For more information refer to Appendix 3 Tools: Dotmocracy

• After the forum a feedback survey was distributed along with a complete list of participants with contact information (as requested).

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Forum 3 - Collaboration Planning & Success Measures Forum 3 was held in Chester Hill and focussed on the leadership required of community workers in times of great change and challenges. In his presentation, Dr Porteous discussed the necessity of addressing background (adaptive) issues and the ‘wicked’ challenges in order to minimise the effect on service provision.

Location: Chester Hill Community Centre, Chester Hill Registered Participants: 22 Chair: Dale Donadel, Manager - Chester Hill Neighbourhood Centre Main Facilitator: Dr Paul Porteous

Program • Registration • Workshop introduction and housekeeping • Welcome/Acknowledgement of Country • Participants introduction • Recap of forums 1 and 2 including feedback results from participants • Priorities for collaboration • Future collaboration plans and process • Wrap up and next steps

Forum 3 Outcomes • Much of the discussions across previous forums had been dominated by adaptive challenges. Dr Porteous talked about the “foreground” and “background” of the work of participants highlighting that real issues were those in the “background”.

• Bringing it Together to Move Forward. Following on from previous conversations, participants discussed what could be done between and beyond the forums in order to build sustainable and effective collaborations.

• At the conclusion of this forum, participants formed a working group outside the forum they called the Inclusion Working Party and included two local service providers Bankstown Youth Development Service and Breakthrough Media.

Forum 3

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Forum 4 - Confirm Planning & Success Measures Forum 4, the final in the series, was held in Punchbowl. A continuation of forum 3, participants further investigated what successful collaboration looked like and what could hinder that success. The forum also looked at citizens as engaged community members and considered the limitations of a top down approach when creating community centric initiatives.

Location: Punchbowl Community Centre, Punchbowl Registered Participants: 17 Chair: Barry Higgins, Chief Executive Officer - Riverwood Community Centre Main Facilitator: Dr Paul Porteous

Program • Welcome/Acknowledgement of Country • Recap of forums 1, 2 and 3 including feedback results from participants • Collaboration sustainability beyond project • Participants commitments to sustain and harness connections and collaborations • Wrap up and where to from here

Forum 4 Outcomes • Participants discussed the importance of maintaining the interests of communities in the centre, despite any shifts and changes that pose a challenge to initiatives.

• Discussion included a focus on qualities of values/culture as being more important than the implementation of technical solutions and increasing collective problem- solving capacity

• Participants agreed to a determination to implement a more collaborative and cooperative climate in the Canterbury Bankstown community space.

• To harness the connections and relationships that were established through the project, it was recognised that action was needed to bring about genuine change on key community issues identified.

• Broader community issues that affect everyone in the area needed to be approached in a unified way. For example: Increased urban development or targeted drug testing

Next Steps: Where to from here? • Continue with participating in working groups formed as a result of project forums • Continue to work on wicked challenges raised/discussed at forums with other services • Share tools and resources that improve collaboration and service connections • Share resources to better deliver services for citizens in Canterbury Bankstown LGA • Document project consultations & learnings (Resource)

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Forum Outcomes & Highlights

Principles of collaboration developed by participants What are the principles that you think are most important for collaboration across Canterbury Bankstown? Started in Forum 1 and developed in Forum 2

• Transparency, honesty and honest brokering • Consistency • Commitment and commit equally (time/resources/personnel) • Build relationships to surface shared concerns • Active participation • Mutual reciprocity • Inclusion • Diversity in collaboration • Coming out of your comfort zone • Sharing of equal responsibility • Working towards shared outcomes • Shared values • Client focused • Empowerment • Stay focused on community Principles of Collaboration Brainstorm • Flexibility/Responsiveness • Open to change • Urgency of change • Ownership of the problem • Trust between collaborators • SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) • Follow up accountability • Advocate together to government for better outcomes

Wicked questions - Open Space workshop in Forum 2 Four groups were formed and worked through these issues: • Disability Inclusion & Improved Community Engagement of People with a disability • Racial & Cultural Diversity: Representation, Inclusion & Education • Parenting & Involvement of Men in Family & Service Provision • Citizen Empowerment, Advocacy & Community Action

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Technical and Adaptive Issues - Forum 3

• Technical (foreground) - We would have solved it unless there is something else • Adaptive (background) - Something in values/culture is more important than implementing the technical solution

Forum 3 – Foreground/Background Brainstorm

Principles for initiating action workshop - Forum 4

Questions to Consider:

• What is really at stake? What are the implications for Canterbury-Bankstown? • At the individual level: what are you committed to? How far are you willing to go? • At the group level: why should we bother collaborating? What are the advantages/disadvantages? What would happen if we were not here? • At the community level: what is at stake? How serious are these issues? What would happen if we did nothing?

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Discussion Outcome: Initiating Action - Forum 4

What we can do Practices to avoid

. Focus on the work . Misuse information . Raise issues . Missing conversations . Engage respectfully as equals . Not sharing information . Seek shared ownership . Reactive . Be authentic . Seeing engagement as only extra work . Take a stand . Compete on budgets/grants . Unite around fierce conversations . Silos . Ethical principles . Lack trust . Bring our expertise . Talk against each other to create divisions

Moving from: What’s in it for me and my organisation?

To: How does it build our community?

Partnering is natural Beyond individual for networks politics

Real strategic long term thinking Representation Community of community, as focus: not themselves Opportuities

Expanded view of resources beyond funding Agenda beyond Community sets services the agenda

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Forum Feedback A feedback survey was distributed to participants which not only gave an indication of what was or wasn’t working, but also to inform and support the development for the next forum. Following are some of the comments received during the forum series, along with the overall rating from participants.

• Great initiative. Well done • Made a really important new contact • Great to see the diversity of passions and expertise • Well done. Love the interactive component of all forums so far • Role of this group as distinct from other interagency meetings • Strategies for getting real and putting everyone's real agendas out there so we can proceed with honest dialogue • Understanding how we need to collaborate and look for new ways to resolve issues, not just identify them • The Foreground and Background diagnosis diagram and discussion (found very useful/insightful) • Framing challenges in a different way (found very useful/insightful) • Focusing on what services can do for the good of the community- not on what is beneficial for the service • Food was great as always! • It was a worthwhile project. Whilst there is a lot of connecting already happening within Canterbury Bankstown LGA, the Forums still effectively engaged the local representatives and encouraged new ideas and new ways of working, which challenge some people. Well done! • looking forward to seeing the final product, and hoping the collaboration with various services will continue in the coming years.

Overall rating of Forums Participants were asked to give a rating at the end of the survey following each forum. The below results are the average ratings over the four forums

Excellent: 26.5% Very Good: 56.5% Good: 13.7% Fair: 3.3%

Key Learnings

In addition to the information provided throughout this resource, here are some key learnings to keep in mind when looking to collaborate with other organisations: 1. Consult. Develop. Engage. Repeat: this cycle should be ongoing throughout any collaboration project. Communication is key. 2. Collaboration works best when there is shared ownership. Lead by stepping back. 3. Sustainable collaborations require resources. Therefore, the commitment from the management of participating organisations needs to be secured early in the piece. 4. Provide the space for participants to engage early and continuously. 5. So that engagement is effective, it is crucial that all participants are included and have equal engagement in the process. This can be achieved by ensuring that participants hold similar roles in their respective organisation. For example: bring high level management together separately to front line workers and vice versa. 6. Before embarking on large group participations such as forums, consult and engage key partners and stakeholders to inform the content and structure. 7. Share leadership roles such as hosting or chairing forums or meetings. 8. Establish shared values and purpose and focus on successes and assets. We learnt that the developing the story of Canterbury Bankstown focused attention on the shared history, values and purpose. 9. Maintain a process of checks with feedback from participants after each forum and report back on what did and didn’t work. Get used to asking yourself “What is the purpose of this activity?” and at every stage refer back to the project’s core objectives. In general an enquiry mindset will go a long way. 10. One final learning from Canterbury Bankstown Connecting was the importance of having each forum in a different location each time. This was particularly relevant since the project was focused on creating connections between organisations from two former LGAs now merged into one. Rotating the forum location supported a broader sense of inclusion and shared ownership.

Forum 3

Appendix 1 – Selected Slides from Forums

Following are a selection of slides from the PowerPoint presentation used during the forums. For complete sets contact Arab Council Australia [email protected] Forum 1

Forum 2

Forums 3 & 4

Appendix 2 - Participating Organisations

Arab Council Australia Bankstown Canterbury Community Transport Bankstown Community Resource Group Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service Barnados Australia Breakthrough Media Canterbury Bankstown Council Canterbury City Community Centre Canterbury Earlwood Caring Association Ltd. (CECAL) CASS Catholic Care – Bankstown Family Relationship Centre Chester Hill Neighbourhood Centre Creating Links Disability Services Australia Fairfield City Council - Facilitation Project: Fairfield, Liverpool, Bankstown Greenacre Area Community Centre Inner South-West Community Development Organisation Ltd Koorana – Child and Family Services Learning Links Metro Assist Mission Australia Multicultural Youth Affairs Network - MYAN NSW NSW Family and Community Services Ponyara Preschool Recreation Sports & Aquatic Club (RSAC) Riverwood Community Centre Settlement Services International Settlement Services International (SSI) Sing and Grow Songroom STARTTS Sydney Community Forum Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) The Gathering The Multicultural Network The Smith Family - Communities for Children United Muslim Women’s Association Uniting Vietnamese Community in Australia (NSW Chapter) Woodville Alliance

Appendix 3 – Collaboration Tools Following are the tools used in the CBC forums, many of which can be utilised internally in organisations among teams, as well as with members of the broader community.

Story With Timeline The aim of this exercise is to build the story of the shared history of the area and the organisations to discover and construct why we are engaged in a collaboration and work to build an agenda for the common good. Adaptable to other projects, this is how we ran this workshop for the Canterbury Bankstown Connecting Forums.

Step 1: Prior to the workshop, prepare a 3-4 metre timeline – This could be a snake-like shape on several butcher’s paper which are connected side by side. Include a few key dates and events that had been previously researched. Step 2: Introduce the workshop and timeline e.g. • You will see on the wall a timeline. You will note that there are some key events and dates for reference starting in the 70s – to current date. • Facilitator highlights some of the events that are already on the timeline. • We are going to build on this story from your recollection and the perspective of your organisation. Step 3: Workshop (20 – 30 mins) • Individually, take five minutes to think of key moments you are aware of. These may be events and experiences. They may also be both historical and contemporary. E.g. When your organisation was established, or a significant moment for the area, an occasion, challenge for you and for the community. Write them down on your sticky notes. • Five minutes later: Compare your notes with others in your small group, discuss them and their significance. • Each team in turn notes on the timeline the events that have been discussed (You can use sticky notes but secure them as they tend to fall off easily). These were then discussed in the larger group. • Three members of each team told the story as a short 5minute narrative using what had been included on the timeline. This narrative was developed further to become the Canterbury Bankstown story.

Step 4: Write up the story • Three or so participants will meet to write up the story. • Circulate to those who contributed for feedback on contact • The story could then become that told by the group of collaborators

Open Space Technology Open Space Technology is a great tool to explore community priorities. Information on how to find out more is available in the reference section.

Step 1: Processes and key principles are explained .

Step 2: Anyone wanting to initiate a discussion summarises it in a few words or a sentence on a sheet of paper and then stands up and has less than a minute to announce his/her interest topic to the group. They ‘post’ their proposed discussions / workshop on a wall.

We asked participants to: THINK ABOUT A ‘WICKED’ QUESTION A topic, opportunity, challenge, issue or question that you are wanting to explore with other interested minds

Things to consider: • Why do we need to collaborate around this issue? • What do we need to make it happen? • Who do we invite • What will your commitment look like?

Step 3: When everyone who wants to initiate / post a topic is done, it is to go to the ‘Village Marketplace’ – participants decide which group they will join.

Final Step: The first discussion / workshops begin immediately

Dotmocracy – Discernment Exercise Dotmocracy (or voting with dots) is a facilitation method used to describe voting with dot stickers or with a marker pen. In dotmocracy participants vote on their chosen options using a limited number of stickers or marks with pens — dotstickers being the most common. https://dotmocracy.org/what_is/ Dotmocracy goes by many names: • multi-voting • sticker voting • sticky-dot voting • sticking dots • dot voting • dot democracy • discernment It is a simple group activity for recognizing preferences among limited options: 1. Participants are each given a set number of dot stickers. 2. They place dot stickers next to options presented that they like. 3. Options with the most dots “win”.

Dotmocracy carried out in forum 2 is as follows: After topics were discussed, participants walked around and placed an orange dot sticker on what issue they will work on and a green dot sticker what they are willing to support. You will find these at the end of the group brainstorm notes.

ORANGE DOTS What are we willing to work on and commit to?

GREEN DOTS What are we willing to support?

Get Clear In forum 4 participants were provided with a breakdown of the CLEAR model. This model develops out of a framework of understanding public participation, arguing that participation is most successful in situations where citizens: Can do – that is, have the resources and knowledge to participate; Like to – that is, have a sense of attachment that reinforces participation; Enabled to – that is, are provided with the opportunity for participation; Asked to – that is, are mobilised by official bodies or voluntary groups; Responded to – that is, see evidence that their views have been considered. (Lowndes, L. Pratchett, G. Stoker 2006 link to document available in Appendix 4- useful resources)

Appendix 4 – Useful Resources

i. CLEAR: An auditing tool for citizen participation at the local level (V. Lowndes, L. Pratchett, G. Stoker 2006) http://www.governanceinstitute.edu.au/magma/media/upload/media/484_clear_sept061.pdf ii. Collaboration for communities: Giving power to partnership http://locality.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/collaboration-for-communities-giving-power-to-partnership_0.pdf (written by Alison Chambers and Anne Harper. Research by Helen Garforth) iii. Linked in Bankstown – Community Collaboration Resource (Arab Council Australia 2015) www.arabcouncil.org.au (under Our Publications tab) or https://bit.ly/2OYfZMH iv. Open Space Technology: A User’s Guide (Owen H.,1987) www.openspaceworld.org v. Sharing Strengths: How community organisations can work together to access information and support services www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/communitysector

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