Framing the Future - VCOSS Forum

In the Federal election wash-up, the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) will host a special Community Sector Futures event in the lead up to its Framing the Future Forum.

VCOSS says the community services sector is managing constant change in a context of constrained resources.

It says the combined events hope to spark debate that is timed and designed to bring important social issues to the fore in the lead up to the Victorian State election – and as the new Federal Government is formed in Canberra.

The Community Sector Futures event (to be held on the same day as the Framing the Future Forum) will hear perspectives from Government, the private sector and the community sector around initiatives to build stronger services to better support all Victorians.

Speakers will include the Victorian Minister for Community development, Lily D'Ambrosia, the CEO of Foresters Finance, Belinda Drew who will discuss new approaches to attracting private investment as well as VCOSS CEO, Cath Smith.

Following on from this, Michael Williams from the Wheeler Centre will facilitate the Framing the Future Forum – VCOSS' main public policy event for the year – with community leaders using video and photographic presentations to best represent the challenges facing the sector.

VCOSS says it hopes the visual presentations will spark conversations at a different level which will be taken up in the general discussions.

Visual Presenters include:

• Alexandra Gartmann, CEO Birchip Cropping Group
• Sue Hackney, Coordinator ‘Way Out’ at Cobaw Community Health Service
• Jill Gallagher, CEO, Victorian Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisation (VACCHO)
• John Lawrence CEO, Kilmany Uniting Care, Gippsland
• Michael Perusco, CEO, Sacred Heart Mission

Panel participants include:

• Dr Kate Auty, Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability
• John Daley, CEO, The Grattan Institute
• Kristen Hilton, Director, Civil Justice, Access and Equity, Legal Aid Victoria
• Jodie Willmer CEO, Travellers Aid, Chair of the Community Sector Futures Task Group
• Peter Ruzyla, CEO, EACH

Community Sector Futures event and the Framing the Future Forum will take place on Thursday, August 26th at the State Library Conference Centre. Registration is free.

To register and for more information email vcoss@vcoss.org.au