Creative ideas bridging rural-urban divide for NFPs could be a game-changer

With vast distances and increasing costs to deliver essential services to those most in need far from Perth, not-for-profit groups are turning to innovative solutions to keep their clients housed, fed and safe.

Bridging the distance through technology 

Uniting WA recognised the need to embrace digital innovation despite its daily service delivery being mostly in person.

As such, the organisation has moved all its information to the cloud, which gives staff working in regional access to organisation’s systems and resources on their mobile phones and devices. 

“There is no doubt that online meetings and electronic communications allows our staff to collaborate and do their work more effectively,” Uniting WA co-chief executive Jen Park said.

“Uniting WA has a dedicated organisational solutions team of IT professionals who work full time on ensuring our IT infrastructure and IT support is top notch and that our organisation has a road map for digital transformation.

“And we know that technology can have a strong impact on delivery outcomes, especially in regional areas.” 

Because of this vision to make it as easy as possible for remote and rural Uniting WA staff to feel connected to the urban hub, there has been a focus on continuing to expand its services beyond Perth.

“Service delivery does tend to be more concentrated in urban rather than rural areas, but Uniting WA is committed to expanding its rural reach,” Ms Park said. 

“And, ultimately, it’s a conscious focus on our part to make sure all people are (being supported) through complex challenges, irrespective of where they live. 

“We’re proud to walk alongside the people we support and that includes the more vulnerable members of the Western Australian community.” 

Investing in special skills

In the case of AWESOME Arts, which aims to extend the benefits of the arts to all in WA, the organisation hires ‘teaching artists’, who head to remote and rural locations as well as schools closer to Perth.

“This is a specialised skillset and something that needs to be addressed by tertiary teaching institutions as very few education providers include community facilitation and collaboration in their courses,” AWESOME Arts chief executive Jenny Simpson said.

“As it’s an unusual skillset, at times we do struggle to attract them, but the opportunity to travel to these communities is a huge drawcard to artists and, as a result, we undertake some of the training ourselves.

“If money were no object, we’d undoubtedly set up bases in each region as nothing compares to being on the ground when it comes to having first-hand knowledge/lived experience when delivering community programs.

“We’d increase the length of our programs and find a way for communities further improve the depth of reach of our programs and provide more professional development for teachers and artists.”

Like many NFPs, AWESOME Arts is fortunate to be working with great corporate partners, in its case with BHP and Horizon Power.

“Both companies are committed to building social capital in regional and remote WA, particularly in education and setting children up for their workplaces of the future,” Ms Simpson said.

“Of course, this corporate support is tied to communities in which our partners operate which, in BHP’s case, is the Pilbara and Goldfields, and with Horizon Power, we are partnering with the Nullagine and Norseman communities.

“We are also able to deliver programs that don’t sit within corporate communities of interest through Healthway, ensuring that we are able to cover most of WA’s regions through a combination of corporate and government support.”

Where the struggle still exists, however, is in communities, not in the catchment area of corporate partners – as their options for attracting programs are quite limited, so the challenge remains for those who slip through the net.

If you are interested in applying to AWESOME ARTS, artist applications are open at:  https://bit.ly/3PAO6v4?fbclid=IwAR25woOrT3TQaako5-f4B2JKkrCa-sbosddaZ3Huh8cb8E0Z0uDwTgOT-3k