Advocacy

Advocating for people who struggle to champion their own needs is important so all members of the community can have a voice. From the 1000 Conversations we heard that parents want the best for their children and young people know what they want, but they don’t necessarily know how to get there.

“We live in a post-industrial country town. There are a lot of people who had been employed in the manufacturing industries or on the farms. Farming has changed immensely in Northern Victoria over the last 20 years. I think a lot of people have fallen behind and now the old employment opportunities are not there. People have fallen into an unemployment trap. It becomes generational and children don’t get to see what work is like. I think the Lighthouse Project has really cottoned onto the problems in our community and are trying to fix it. Or working on fixing it.”   - Volunteer

 Lighthouse takes seriously the role of advocacy to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. We were approached to develop submissions and provide input into the following inquiries listed below.

"Prior to Lighthouse it was all about the disadvantage and the poor outcomes. I think it shifted from problems to solutions. I think this model of community empowerment and inclusion has been the fundamental shift. It’s a community, people a caring model – and that’s what Lighthouse has done” - Peter Quinn Managing Director Goulburn Valley Water.

Lighthouse takes seriously the role of advocacy to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. We were approached to develop submissions and provide input into the following inquiries.

Inquiry submissions

• Submission on the Terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. 
• Submission into Expert review into VET in Australia.
• Visit to Canberra (DSS and Australian Bureau of Statistics) re: data Platform.
• Submission to The Careers and Industry Higher Education and Skills Working Party (Shepparton Education Plan).  
• Presented to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Career Advice Activities in Victorian schools.    
• Input made to the Expert Review of the Vocational Education and Training System within Australia.
• Input into National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Transitions and Employment. Coordinated local business and industry focus groups to provide community input.    
• Attended the Committee4GreaterShepparton Jaclyn Symes dinner.
• Meetings with Deputy Leader of the National Party Stephanie Ryan, Member for Nicholls Damian Drum, Members for Northern Victoria Tania Maxwell and Wendy Lovell.
• Planned meetings with Deputy PM Michael McCormack and Education Minister Dan Tehan.
• Visits from politicians to show their support and advocate for our way of working- Senator Kimberley Kitching; Damian Drum and Tania Maxwell.

Presentations include

• Participated in Interviews for Boston Consulting re showcasing place-based collective impact around Australia.
• Presented three sessions at Logan ChangeFest conference.     
• Presented at State Water Conference on mobilising community support.
• Presented at Swinburne Data Lab forum.
•  Presentation at Beechworth Festival of Change, Building a community movement for place-based change.
• Presentation at National Youth Commission focus group.
• Presentation to the Victorian Children Services Board.
• Presentation to La Trobe Senior Leaders Lunch meeting.    
• Presentation at the Fairley Leadership Vulnerable Children’s Seminar Day.
• Presented to the Skilled workforce for Horticulture Network.
• Presented at the NFP Governance training session coordinated by the Centre for Social Impact at JB Were – How to keep beneficiaries at the centre of our work.

 Participation

• Member of the  GROW steering committee
• Member of the CBA Customer Advocate Community Council
• Lighthouse Featured at Goulburn Regional Assembly
• Interviewed as a case-study for funded place-based initiative by the Goulburn Regional Partnership   
• Attended Shepparton Police Service Area COMMSAFE Forum, invited to contribute with regards to the Haven
• Attended the Koorie Youth Justice Taskforce hosted by the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children 
• Attended and presented at the Philanthropy Australia meets Parliament Summit in Canberra
• Member of Greater Shepparton City Council’s Great Careers Happen Here working party    
• Participated in Careers Day Out
• Member of Shepparton Education First Youth Foyer Advisory Group, GMLLEN and Shepparton Education Plan – Industry Partnerships and Further Education Working Party 
• Member Best Start and Communities for Children committees.