Best Start Conference – Partnership in Practice

Positive Leadership in Best Start

• Presentation by• Phil Conrick CEO Broadmeadows UnitingCare• March 2007

About Broadmeadows UnitingCare (North West Children’s Services)

Universal Early Childhood Services

• Cluster Manager: 18 Kindergartens• 5 Long Day Childcare Centres, 1 Occasional

Childcare Centre• North-West Region: 202 Children with a Disability in

Kindergarten Inclusion Support Program• Pre-School Field Officers

About Broadmeadows UnitingCare (2)

Family and Community Services

• Emergency Relief and Material Aid • Financial Counselling• Asylum Seeker Welcome Centre• Family Support Services/Innovations• Broadmeadows Best Start Project• Broadmeadows Communities for Children Project

Broadmeadows Best Start Project

• Broadmeadows Best Start Demonstration Project 2003-2005• Consortia Partners – Dianella Community Health (Lead Agency

Fundholder), Broadmeadows UnitingCare (Facilitating Partner) and the City of Hume.

• Only one of 2 Best Start sites where NGO’s have taken a leadership role.

• 28 Partners from 17 Organisations

Some Ideas about Leadership• Leadership Theories, Approaches and Styles.

• “A leader is only as effective as the ability to bring out the effectiveness of a group. In other words, leadership is less about an individual than group process, so the boss’ ability to change an organisation depends more on the nature of the organisation than the boss’ personality”.

Partnership Formation

• Partnership Formation

• Participation and Inclusion

• The Challenge of developing Cross Sectoral Relationships

• Clear Processes and Timelines

The Partnership

A Shared Early Years Vision

• Linking the Early Years Vision to the core business of each partner

• Service System Silo’s and Fragmentation

• Opportunities and Risks

Partnership ConsolidationUnderstand complexity of multiple agendas of service

providers:• some for more funding; some to build on previous

work; some worry they will be left out; and some want to watch only

• Allow time for partners to develop ownership of objectives

• Recognise that progress, at times, may be very slow.

Leadership – Partnership Structures

• Leadership – Executive Group

• The Best Start Partnership – Community Leadership

• Strategy Working Groups

• Project Partnerships

Community Leadership• New Projects and Service Improvements• Refocusing Existing Services• Reduced Fragmentation – Improved Co-

ordination – better outcomes• Evaluation and Local Research• New Funding Opportunities

Parents as Leaders• 8 Parents employed as bilingual storytellers• 8 Parents trained in Parent Leadership Program• Parent-led playgroups• Parents experiences of early years services and

activities to be described in a DVD’s “Learning Starts at Birth” for the Arabic and Turkish speaking communities

A Culture of Leadership

• Transparency• Trust• Taking into account each other’s needs and

aspirations• Sharing the Glory• Celebration

Concluding Comments• Leadership is only as effective as the ability to bring

out the effectiveness of the Best Start Partnership

• The purpose of all of this is that there is lasting benefits for our children; and

• Creation of longer term sustainability of supports to families who care and nurture their children