On Tuesday 20 June at the Community Sector Update Forum, we will formally launch the Sector Sustainability Program and officially announce the partner community organisation who will co-lead this work with government.
Together – sector and government – we will identify how we can ensure funding reflects the real costs of services, and better understand the impact of increased demand.
We have a clear view of the sustainability challenges highlighted in the ACTCOSS and Government funded report: Counting the Cost : Sustainable funding for the ACT community services
sector.
Now we need to work through the detail together. This includes where and how we should allocate funds to ensure Canberrans have a resilient and responsive community service sector.
We are seeing increased demand for services as cost-of-living pressures are experienced by more Canberrans – is there a systemic cost here that takes funds away from frontline service provision that sustainability funding could address?
Future projections indicate, that demand for services from the ‘care and support economy’ will grow as our population increases. This will create a demographic shift in community needs. Can we allocate sustainability funds to system projects today that will ensure we are ready to respond to this growing demand tomorrow?
The Sector Sustainability Program is hard-won through sector advocacy, academic evidence, and government consideration. We need to make these funding decisions together.
Systemic sustainability challenges are receiving national attention with the release of the draft National Care and Support Economy Strategy 2023which is looking to address quality care and support; ensure decent jobs and sustain a productive care and support economy.
The importance and momentum to bring about change exists at the global level, as highlighted by the International Labour Organization, at the national level through the work led by the Australian Government and at the State and Territory level as evidenced through our collaborative commissioning activities here in the ACT.
Find out more about the Sector Sustainability Program
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Page updated: 02 May 2025
