Toula's Digital Kulcha Blog

When you are over 40 (or admit to being so) and you’ve worked in the non-profit community sector for more years than you care to remember, you’ve been to more talk fests than you have had hot dinners. Most talk fests evaporate into the hazy ether. Despite all the goodwill and warm fuzzy feelings you may have generated at a well lubricated conference or a well catered for seminar, much of the ‘grande plan’ momentum is soon buried in the daily reality of our centres or offices. At a recent conference I heard something that really summed up the way in which we work in the non-profit community sector. The speaker said that we are so busy handling urgent matters that we have little time to do the important things. Touche!!

Today at the Department of Victorian Communities sponsored ‘In the Community’ seminar in Brimbank, over 100 people and Brimbank organisations gathered to talk with DVC to discuss ways in which this relatively new government department and initiative could best work with Victorian communities. Whilst there was lots to indicate it was a talkfest, the spirit of the day left me somewhat hopeful. Oft times I walk away seething that my time was wasted and that I could have been better off filing my nails rather than absorbing more bureaucratic ‘nothing speak’.

“The suits” (sorry “suits”) for the first time in a long time came to us, walked among us and even shared the same air as we did. But hark, not only that, they sat at small tables and looked like they were genuinely listening. They took copious notes as we (the non-suited ‘community’) spoke and at the end of proceedings made some commitment to continuing this dialogue. In fact what is more impressive is that DVC has committed itself to conducting these community consultations right across our fair but parched state. I commend them. My hardened, cynical brow has softened a tad but shall remain furrowed till we (da people, da mob in common parlance) see some action in our trenches.

This promises to be interesting. Stay tuned!