Tag: Collective Impact

Why do humans find silos so attractive when they’re so claustrophobic?

She told me there was a meeting about collaboration. Looks like everyone else missed the memo

How many times have we read an article like this? Agriculture needs to break down silos, work with other industries, listen to different perspectives and collaborate to solve problems. I’ve been hearing it for decades.

I have enormous respect for the person behind this work, and I hope their research helps bring about meaningful change. Systems thinking has been around for close to a century, and we have learnt a great deal about the value of collaboration. The challenge is putting that knowledge into practice.

Agriculture has plenty of company. Governments, universities, businesses, charities and community organisations have been having the same conversations for years. We hold conferences, commission research and develop strategies. Then everybody goes home to their own organisation, their own budget and their own priorities.

What is it about human beings that makes us so good at identifying what needs to change and so reluctant to change how we behave?

We have built systems that reward individual and organisational success. We encourage people to become experts, compete for funding, protect their intellectual property and demonstrate why their organisation deserves support. Then we ask them to share knowledge, resources and decision-making with the very people they have been competing against.

After years of working with farming organisations, attending meetings, participating in workshops and watching the same conversations go round and round, I decided to put my energy into working with young people. I wanted to give them the skills, confidence and opportunities to be the change they wanted to see in the world.

I’ve watched students surprise themselves with what they can achieve when they have a problem worth solving, the freedom to ask questions and the opportunity to work with people who see things differently.

Change starts in our schools, where young people learn to listen, question, collaborate and solve problems together, before they inherit the habits that make change so difficult for the rest of us.

Much of our education system still revolves around individual achievement, subject boundaries and getting the right answer. We send those young people into workplaces where their success increasingly depends on their ability to work with people from different backgrounds, disciplines and organisations.

The Australian Farm Institute and AgriFutures are investing in systems thinking. The real test will come after the research is published and the workshops are finished. Who changes the way they work? Who shares a budget? Who invites somebody with a completely different perspective to help define the problem? Who is prepared to hand over responsibility when somebody else has a better idea?

What would happen if funding bodies measured collaboration by what organisations actually achieved together, rather than how many partnerships they listed in their applications?

And what would change if curiosity, communication and collaboration were given the same attention in schools as academic achievement?

I’ve learnt a great deal about changing my own behaviour over the years, including how I communicate and how much explanation people need. Old habits are remarkably persistent.

I hope this research gives people the confidence and encouragement to start doing some of these things differently.

I’ve found one. In Cowra, a neighbourhood centre that started in 1984 with $500 and volunteers in a church rectory now turns over around $5 million a year. Family support, youth work, disability programs, home maintenance, food relief and a volunteer group making burial clothing for stillborn babies all share one roof, one set of accounts and one leadership team. Council donates back the rent. Supermarkets donate food every day. Every program spends more of its money on people. I’ve written it up as a case study here.

I’m now working with a small group of people to see whether we can do the same in Kiama. We have a long way to go. Cowra shows us where to start.

If you’ve got a success story, I’d love to hear it.

 

If you’ve got a success story, I’d love to hear it.

Déjà Vu Is Getting Expensive.

Last night six women from six decades stood up and told stories about the older women who shaped them.

The format was thoughtful. The decades spoke to one another. The diversity on stage reflected the diversity in the room. The stories were strong. Entertaining. Moving. Generous. The audience listened.

We have become very good at this.

Across the country there are TEDx talks, Ignite nights, storytelling salons, leadership breakfasts, panels, keynotes, lightning talks, lived-experience spotlights. Five to ten minutes. A tight narrative arc. A personal story. A moment of recognition. Applause.

We have perfected the short-form epiphany.

 A well-told story shifts something inside a room. It connects strangers. It honours experience. It reminds people they are part of something larger.

Last night did all of that.

YES a well-told story can move a room. The question is whether it moves anything beyond it.

That was the question that followed me out the door – where does this go?

We have become fluent in describing the problem. We gather and name what is broken. We articulate the gaps. We platform lived experience. We elevate voice.

Then everyone disperses.

Across the country there are organisations devoted to women’s leadership, mentoring, storytelling, social change. Capable people run them. They apply to the same limited funding pools. They build parallel programs. They host adjacent conversations.

What I see far less often is a serious mapping of who is already doing what. A decision to strengthen an existing framework rather than create another one alongside it. A willingness to consolidate instead of duplicate.

Do we really think we are the first to recognise this pattern? Do we imagine history disguises its repetitions so completely that each generation encounters them as new?

I spend my time recording the lives of women in their eighties and nineties. They recognise repetition quickly. They have watched enthusiasm surge and fade. They have seen institutions splinter and reassemble. They have lived through periods when cooperation was survival. They spent decades holding families and communities together.

They want to see something built that gives them confidence their lived experience is valued

The operating system is what determines whether insight moves anywhere.

Here is what that operating system looks like.

Governance — who is accountable to whom, and for what.
Coordination — who is already doing this work, and how efforts align.
Funding architecture — whether we are duplicating grant applications instead of pooling bids.
Infrastructure — shared platforms, shared administration, shared databases, shared back-end support.
Decision pathways — how stories influence policy, practice, or program design.
Succession and continuity — what lasts beyond one charismatic founder or one funding cycle.

If intergenerational storytelling is to carry weight beyond an evening, it has to shape how we build, how we fund, how we collaborate.

Otherwise we are collecting wisdom and leaving it where we found it.

The gap is turning insight into action.

What If We Spent Our Coffee Money on the Country We Want?

Most of us don’t think twice about spending $7 on a coffee, or $14 if it’s two a week. It’s a small indulgence in a busy life. But what if we all chipped in that same amount and chose to spend it differently?

What if that coffee money could fund the kind of country we actually want to live in?

Turns out, it could go a long way.

💡 Just $7 a year could change lives

A recent study found that if the federal government boosted mental health spending by just $7.30 per adult per year, around $153 million in total,we could prevent:
– 313 suicides
– 1,954 hospitalisations for self-harm
– Over 28,000 emergency department visits for mental health reasons

That’s the impact of one coffee.

But what if we gave up one coffee a week, or two, and asked the same question across different areas of need?

☕ A coffee or a future? Here’s what that money could do

If every adult in Australia redirected $7 -$14 a week to shared priorities, it could add up to $1.5–$3 billion annually. Here’s where that could take us:

🏘️ Affordable Housing

  • Fund tens of thousands of new social or affordable homes
  • Support rent relief for low-income families
  • Keep people safe, secure, and off the streets

📚 Public Education

  • Hire more school counsellors and learning support staff
  • Lower class sizes for better learning
  • Fund early childhood education in underserved communities

🚑 Rural Health Care

  •  Boost GP, nurse and allied health access in rural areas
  • Fund mobile clinics and regional telehealth services
  • Improve outcomes where help is often hardest to reach

🌿 Climate & Environment

  • Support renewable energy projects in the regions
  • Plant millions of trees and regenerate degraded land
  • Fund water security and sustainable agriculture

👵 Aged Care

  • Increase staffing and pay in aged care homes
  • Improve home care options so older people can age in place
  • Make dignity a baseline, not a luxury

💬 What if we had a say?

Now imagine if we didn’t just guess where to spend it, we got to choose.

Picture a national system of participatory budgeting, where each adult gets a voice in how their share of “coffee money” is spent. The government sets out the priorities, and we vote.

It’s already happening in some communities around the world. Why not here?

We’re used to thinking of change as something big and distant. But sometimes, it starts with a small sacrifice,shared widely.

What could we build if we all gave up just a little?

I’m not a researcher, and these figures are estimates based on publicly available data. But the idea is simple: small individual choices, pooled together, can make a big collective impact.

Shout out to The Conversation for the original research and article that sparked this reflection. Their work continues to inform smart, hopeful conversations across the country.

#CoffeeMoney #SmallChangeBigImpact #MentalHealthMatters #ParticipatoryBudgeting #BetterSpending #InvestInCommunity #AffordableHousing #PublicEducation #ClimateAction #AgedCareReform #HealthEquity #AustraliaBudget #EveryDollarCounts #HopefulFuture #RedirectTheSpend

My Journey from Lone Warrior to Collective Force by Embracing Unity

Imagine transforming individual sparks of ambition into a blazing inferno of collective success. The journey from solitary fighters surpassing expectations to united fronts harnessing our collective might is not just inspiring—it’s transformative. By joining forces, we can amplify our impact, overcome the toughest challenges, and craft a brighter future for us all. Let’s unite our strengths and ignite a movement that propels us towards excellence, inspiring others along the way. Your first step? Join us in this journey of transformation. Together, we’re unstoppable. 💪

In the heart of every dreamer lies a vision so potent, it demands to be brought to life. As someone who has long embarked on the relentless pursuit of making a meaningful impact, I’ve always known that my aspirations were larger than what one person, or a tiny organization, could handle alone. The journey, filled with triumphs and challenges, has taught me invaluable lessons about the power of collective action and the importance of finding others who share your vision.

The Challenges of Going It Alone

My journey started as a solitary endeavour. Like many passionate individuals, I was driven by a desire to make a difference, fuelled by a belief in the potential of my ideas. However, I quickly encountered the limitations of working in isolation. Despite the successes and the satisfaction of punching above my weight, I was acutely aware of the ceiling I hit due to limited resources, expertise, and reach. The more I achieved, the more I realised how much more could be accomplished with a united effort.

The challenges were multifaceted. On a practical level, there were the tangible barriers of limited peoplepower and financial constraints. Creatively, there was the echo chamber effect, where a lack of diverse perspectives hindered innovation. Emotionally, the journey was taxing, marked by moments of doubt and the weight of responsibility resting on my shoulders alone. These challenges underscored a critical truth: unity is not just a strength; it’s a necessity.

The Turning Point: Seeking Collective Action

The turning point came when I acknowledged that my vision was too vast for a solitary journey. The realisation was both humbling and enlightening. It sparked a quest not just for collaborators, but for a community driven by shared purpose. But where does one start such a journey?

Finding My Tribe

The process was neither quick nor easy, but it was immensely rewarding. I started by articulating my vision clearly and passionately through every platform available to me, from social media to networking events. I sought out forums and groups dedicated to similar causes, engaging in discussions, and offering help where I could. It was about giving as much as seeking, building genuine relationships rather than transactional connections.

Gradually, a community began to form. From individuals inspired by the same ideals to tiny organisations grappling with similar challenges, we found strength in our shared purpose. The key was mutual respect and a collective willingness to listen, learn, and adapt.

Embracing Collective Might

Working in a collective brought its own set of challenges, from coordinating efforts to blending different working styles. However, the synergy of combined skills, experiences, and resources far outweighed the hurdles. Together, we were able to undertake initiatives that were once beyond our reach, expanding our impact and driving real change.

The Journey Continues

The journey from a lone warrior to part of a collective force is ongoing. Every day brings new lessons in collaboration, resilience, and the power of shared vision. The path is not always smooth, but it is undeniably richer and more promising.

To those standing at the crossroads of solitary effort and collective action, my advice is simple: start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. The first step is to reach out, to share your vision with the world. You’ll be surprised how many are waiting to walk with you towards a common goal.

In unity, there is strength. Together, we can transcend limitations and transform our shared dreams into reality. Let’s embark on this journey of collaboration, embracing the collective might to create a better future for all.

#CollectiveImpact #UnityInAction #TogetherWeCan #SharedVision

#CollaborationOverCompetition #StrengthInNumbers #SocialChange

#CommunityBuilding #PurposeDriven #ImpactTogether