Social Inclusion and the Third Sector

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• Social Inclusion and the Third Sector
• Jill Farrelly
• Department of Families, Housing, Community
  Services and Indigenous Affairs

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FaHCSIAs broad contribution

• Support cross government agenda
• Contribute to social inclusion priority areas
• targeted support to children and families
• Focussing on locational disadvantage
• addressing the incidence of homelessness
• target support for people living with a
  disability or mental illness
• closing the gap for Indigenous Australians
• National Compact

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A new era in relationship between the non-profit
sector and Government

• Striving to work with communities and the
  non-profit sector in building strong and
  sustainable communities and addressing
  disadvantage
• Global Financial Crisis is compounding
  disadvantage and placing extra pressure on the
  sector
• Strengthening the relationship between government
  and the non-profit sector has become even more
  important
• Development of a National Compact is one way to
  strengthen relationship

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Why a National Compact?

• Framework to articulate shared values and provide
  an avenue for advocacy
• Will reflect the diversity of the sector and
  realties of their operating environment
• Will acknowledge the crucial social and economic
  value and contribution of the sector
• Will recognise issues facing the sector
• Will work to strengthen the capacity of the sector

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Compact success depends upon

• Australian State/Territory and international
  experiences tell us success depends on
• Better understanding the sector
• Champions within government and the sector
• Recognition and willingness by all to reform
  governance, capacity and accountability
• Recognition and willingness by all to engage in a
  continuous process of refinement of the Compact
• Willingness of the sector to form a united voice
  and meet with Government in addressing key issues

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Consultations

• Initial consultation finalised in October 2008
• Aimed to raise awareness and to canvass views on
  the value of a compact
• ACOSS completed 16 consultation forums with the
  non-profit sector across Australia from July
  through October 2008 in all capital cities,
  Townsville and Alice Springs.
• Final report on the consultations released on 11
  December 2008.

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Parallel Reform

• Opportunities to build social inclusion through
  the National Reform Agenda which will restructure
  service delivery at Commonwealth and State levels
• Review of tax system, report to Treasury due at
  end of 2009
• National Reform Agenda through Council of
  Australian Governments (COAG)
• Senate Inquiry into the disclosure regimes and
  regulation of the
• non-Profit sector
• Productivity Commission study to develop better
  tools to measure the social and economic impact
  of the sector

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Volunteers

• While disadvantage divides communities,
  volunteering unites us
• Volunteers the backbone of many community and
  non-profit organisations
• More than 2.4 million people volunteering in the
  non-profit sector in 2006-2007
• Value of work contributed to sector more than
  8.9 billion
• (Not-for-profit organisations Australia 2006-07
  Catalogue No. 8106.0)

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The role of philanthropy and business

• Corporate and business sectors provide time and
  energy to support communities
• Community foundations act as a source of
  sustained funding and can increase levels of
  social inclusion
• Compact consultations will canvass views of
  philanthropic and business sectors

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Useful Websites

• www.socialinclusion.gov.au
• www.socialinclusion.gov.au/A_National_Compact.htm
• www.fahcsia.gov.au
• http//www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/economics_c
  tte/completed_inquiries/index.htm