Local Answers Project: LA Project

The LA Project is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA).  The project aims to strengthen the capacity of local agencies supporting parental groups with children 0-5 years to identify and commence specific projects that build stronger community linkages for the families.  Strengthen the capacity of parental groups from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and with special needs to enable them appropriate access to family, child and school services.

 > Improving the parents' capacity to expand their parenting skills
 > Enhancing parents' social support networks
 > Enhancing the health and well being and education of chldren aged 0-5 years
 > Increasing partnership building with and between local agencies and groups.

Oscar Aliaga
Local Answers Project
Phone:  3372 1711
Fax:  3278 7238
Email:  oscar@ich.org.au
website: www.swnc.org.au/localanswers

F.A.C.E.T. – Family And Community Enhancement Team

The FACET Project has been an action research and learning project using the community development principles of Inclusion, Collaboration, Participation and Sustainability, aiming to identify the local communities understanding of what is required to strengthen families, services and the local communities.

Through this understanding and working alongside the community, FACET aimed to develop and trial innovative and appropriate local responses that will be sustainable in assisting families and communities into the future.

The FACET Project Team has been a partnership between the Young Women's Program (CAICP Inc), Inala Youth and Family Support Service, Inala Young Mums Program (Anglicare), the Pathways to Prevention Project (Mission Australia and Griffith University), Community & Individual Support Program (ICH), Childcare Access and Equity Resource Support Unit (CAERSU), and Inala Community House. The project operates under the auspices of Inala Community House (ICH).

To address barriers to service delivery, the organisations forming the FACET Project partnership came together to look at supporting interventions to be led through community input and direction, encouraging local participation and solutions meeting the needs of local families and the wider communities that encompass the South West Neighbouring Communities Region. The project aimed to identify and implement strategies with the community to improve the community's response to the needs of families with young children.

To do this, FACET worked in collaboration with individuals, families, community groups, community sector organisations (both government and non-government operating within or into the area), schools and businesses to ensure that the project is inclusive.

The goals were, firstly, to build stronger community networks; secondly, to strengthen integration of services; and thirdly, to establish processes for reflection and collaboration which will assist in strengthening the well-being and self-reliance of families and communities, leading to sustainable outcomes for both into the future. The FACET project used a collaborative, inclusive approach to develop networks, augment the integration of services and to trial local innovative responses to identified needs.

The Final Project Report 2002 – 2005 provides a thorough summation of the activities and achievements that were realised through the operation of this innovative project. Please have a read or download the report for your own files. The report is linked to all the publications and reports produced by the project from 2002 – 2005. If you would prefer, please feel free to select an individual publications or reports from the publications link on this page.

The FACET Project was originally funded under the Australian Governments, Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, (SFCS). If you would like to learn more about the SFCS 2004 - 2009, please follow this link, http://www.facs.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/aboutfacs/programs/sfsc-sfcs.htm

The FACET Project was successful in achieving a further 12 months of funding under Local Answers Round 2 (SFCS), for further information regarding FACET activities for 2006 or if you have any enquiries please contact the Inala Community House.