Over May and June of 2018 LLCQ undertook a survey of its members to gain a better understanding of who our members are and what expectations they might have as members of LLCQ. The overall aim of LLCQ is to use those survey responses as a guide to what activities will best support our members over the next financial year and beyond. While not all members participated in the survey those that did provided valuable feedback and a number of common issues and ideas were identified. These included but are not limited to:
- Advocacy to government and peak bodies
- Governance training and documentation
- Opportunities for wider service delivery
- Financial constraints and income generation
- Human resources and the reliance on volunteers
- Regional limitations on service delivery
In response, LLCQ will be offering members the following opportunities and will work on providing greater resources and information to members:
- Workshop/training in Advocacy Mon March 4th and Tues March 5th 2019
Training will be provided through the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
Day 1. Advocacy Strategies
Day 2. Advocacy Skills
Application details to be confirmed before Dec 2018
- Provide links to information and resources on the LLCQ webpage regarding Governance for NFP
- Begin engaging with our members on an individual and small group basis to establish better links and communication
- Tentative – Provide training in Governance for NFP organisations
- Further develop the LLCQ website and Facebook pages to engage members and other community groups
- Consider producing a newsletter with content gathered from members and peak services
Click below to see a Brief Synopsis of the Survey Results
Click here to learn more
Our members are predominately Community or Neighbourhood Centres and Community Groups. Adult literacy and community education are key common areas in terms of our member’s program delivery. This is primarily undertaken in Self help, Counselling, Parenting, Multicultural, Health, Computer literacy, Music and programs responding to social issues and concerns in the members region which forms the basis for their extended program delivery.
What do our members see as opportunities for the future?
Overwhelmingly our members felt their greatest opportunity was to expand their organisation and or their programs at local, state and national levels. Members feel there has been a shift in state government recognition in terms of the role of community groups, neighbourhood and community centres and not for profit services. Members feel this provides an opportunity on which to capitalise, especially through increased advocacy and lobbying to government and peak bodies.
What are the challenges our members face in terms of service delivery?
Financial stability, funding and resource availability are primary challenges for members. Having sufficient human resources is also a challenge and volunteers are integral to service and program delivery for almost all respondent organisations. Regional members have difficulty bringing services to their communities such as health providers or training providers and subsequently regional areas are further disadvantaged by their low levels of funding. Developing other forms of income other than government funding is a challenge, as is meeting government expectations particularly in terms of legislation and funding outcomes.
What do members want from LLCQ?
Advocacy, Lobbying and Promotion were highlighted as activities LLCQ could engage with to better support members. Members would like to see LLCQ more involved in advocating and lobbying government and other member organisations to obtain better resources both financial and service based. Members felt the LLCQ website could help to promote their services to other members and organisations and potentially provide more resources. Free professional development, networking opportunities and collaborative training were all identified as ways LLCQ could support members. Key advocacy areas are funding, governance information with relevant resources and the promotion of Adult Learning as having a high community and social value worthy of more government funding and resources.
When given a choice what would be the best support LLCQ could provide? (multiple choice question in the survey)
Members would prefer to have LLCQ support them through networking activities and workshop opportunities and by providing start up resources for special interest groups and resources. Training and workshops around Advocacy, NFP governance issues and a workshop on Learning Circles were specific areas identified.
