Our approach
Our approach focuses on understanding the often complex influencing factors of vulnerability using co-design and other community-led solutions, aiming to reduce the barriers to access and embed sustainable and effective change in practice.
We believe the best results for individuals, organisations and the community occur when we have a movement of organisations working collaboratively within and across sectors to provide holistic support. The challenge is not to ‘fix’ people, rather to unite and shape a system around what works better for people. We aim to create a fair and connected system, so that everyone in Australia can achieve an adequate standard of living, and live free from discrimination.
The Thriving Communities Australia secretariat thanks our Partners for their ongoing support - without you all, this work would not be possible.
Why we’re here
TCA understands that anyone can experience vulnerability at any time in their lives and we focus on understanding vulnerability and developing united systems that work better for all people.
TCA’s 2019 Understanding Vulnerability report deep dives into understanding the impacts and influencing factors of vulnerability and how they can be mitigated and prevented through proactive, holistic approaches.
In recent years, the compounding effects of unexpected life events like natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic can have a dramatic impact on people’s financial and mental wellbeing and we, as a collective ecosystem of organisations, have a responsibility to respond. Despite 35.5% (1) of people in Australia experiencing significant to extreme financial stress, we know that many people are still not accessing support they are entitled to.
(1) ANZ Roy Morgan Financial Wellbeing Indicator Quarterly Report - September 2021
What we do
Thriving Communities Australia aims to build deeper connections, networks for collaboration and platforms for collective learning and action to unite and shape a system that wraps around the community; made with people, not for people. We look at problems through an individual, organisational and ecosystemic lens to understand all factors that influence experiences of vulnerability within our community.
To guide us on our mission, TCA works under the following Strategic Pillars:
- Connect - Build deeper connections and networks for collaboration and platforms for collective learning and action
- Capability - Build our collective understanding of vulnerability and increasing our collective capability to better support people across Australia
- Change - Establish platforms and initiatives for place-based and national collaboration for impact
All TCA-led and facilitated initiatives build upon these Strategic Pillars, encouraging innovative thinking, cross-sector collaboration and human-centered, community-led design in all the work that we do.
Our Strategic Focus Areas are based around four key risk factors of vulnerability:
- Family Violence, Economic Abuse and Institutional Abuse
- Health and Accessibility
- Unexpected life events
- Cost of living
Tackling vulnerability and hardship in the community is not an easy job, and it is not the responsibility of a single organisation to do so. Collaboration on research and projects are vital to inform the way we support people experiencing vulnerability, align our ecosystem and achieve our shared vision.
Current ongoing and completed TCA projects include but are not limited to:
- The One Stop One Story (OSOS) Hub
- Disaster Planning and Recovery Collaborative Research Project
- Fostering Financial Stability for People in Prison Project
- TCA Connect Webinar Series
For the full list of projects and initiatives, follow the navigation shortcut on this page. If you would like to participate or initiate a project, please contact us at contact@thriving.org.au
Learn more about our Projects:
Download the following documents to learn more about us and our the projects we're involved in.
Become a Partner
For more information on becoming a partner please contact the team at contact@thriving.org.au
