Greater Shepparton Lighthouse was created in response to community concern about poor outcomes and persistent disadvantage and in 2014 was established to activate the whole community to wrap around and support our young people to realise their full potential and thrive. 

Lighthouse is using an army of volunteers, data, collaboration, innovation and system thinking to support children every step of their trajectory, from conception to career. 

We start by listening deeply, carefully unpacking the issues impacting on young people and their families and co-designing unique local solutions.  Lighthouse taps into and aligns resources within our community and beyond to address issues such as social isolation, disadvantage and poor school engagement with a focus on the most pressing need such as food and safe spaces.  It’s hard to learn if you are hungry. We also play a strong role in advocacy, lobbying, coordinating, partnering and delivering initiatives. 

We are a small backbone organisation lead by a Board of Directors and have created collaborative leadership tables of local community and thought leaders to drive the change, using a collective impact model. We have mobilised hundreds of volunteers and created a movement tackling both immediate need as well as long term solutions. We have people from across the community with capacity, will and social capital leading the work. The business community is a significant contributor.