Welcome to our second newsletter for 2020, and our first since COVID-19 changed everything.
Our work and our clients have been impacted as has everyone, but we have been fortunate to continue on most of our existing projects with some new ventures and a pipeline of interesting offers coming to the table.
I would like to take this opportunity to send out a special thanks to our supportive clients that have trusted us with their projects, and also to the Social Scaffolding team - Ange, Shari and James - for their continued commitment to maintaining client relationships and deliverables during these challenging times.
Following, is a brief update on our current projects and new projects that we are likely to see expand in the short term. If any of these case studies resonate with your business needs, do get in touch. And if you prefer comms via LinkedIn, we encourage you to connect with the Social Scaffolding LinkedIn page for continued and regular updates
Regards Andrew Hamilton Director
What has COVID taught your organisation?
Workplaces across all sectors have experienced heightened levels of stress and anxiety. What did your organisation do to manage mental health? Did it work?
We're generating insights through a 3-min survey about mental health & COVID-19 in the workplace. To access the survey, click here.
The survey is anonymous, but if you would like a copy of the results, please contact me directly.
The foundation for this Social Scaffolding survey was drawn from our expertise across not-for-profit, corporate, government and academia, as well as a qualified psychologist. A pre-survey assessment was also conducted with leading members of each sector.
Building Financial Resilience Matters - Workshop Series
Many organisations transformed their service offerings and business systems during COVID-19 to continue supporting clients and meeting their requirements. On-going conversations with stakeholders indicate that this transformation has also come with upheaval for organisational operations and financial systems. Planning for a stronger and stable future is very much needed as we all move into the COVID-19 recovery phase. Addressing this need, Social Scaffolding, in partnership with CSIA, is delivering a Building Financial Resilience series in four bite-sized workshops over the coming weeks.
Shari will draw on a decade of experience in impact investment, financing and social enterprise to explore topics ranging from business models to business growth. Focussed on disability service providers, the workshops will also include discussion with a panel of industry experts. These workshops are suitable for organisations regardless of where they at on their resilience journey.
Numbers Matter
Tuesday 7 July
10am - 11:30am
Understanding the financial drivers of the organisation in a way that creates an appetite for taking new opportunities.
Operational Resilience
Tuesday 21 July 10am - 11:30am Good governance, processes and systems, structure, digitisation and workforce strategy.
Capital for Business Growth and Sustainability
Tuesday 4 August
10am - 11:30am
How to access capital for growth and sustainability.
Register now to secure your seat for these sessions.
These workshops are delivered with the support of the Department of Social Services, NDIS Jobs and Market Fund Round 1.
Social Procurement - Ready to deliver on commitments
The Queensland Government Department of Employment, Small Business and Training recently released capacity building funding for social enterprises. A great initiative by the government, the grant shows a strong commitment towards social enterprise growth and the opportunities these enterprises create especially in inclusive employment. Four social enterprises appointed Social Scaffolding as their preferred consulting team. Ranging from a restaurant, a community transport provider, a homelessness outreach service and a building and maintenance service; each organisation, by way of the grant aims to increase their capacity in areas such as streamlining operations, business development strategy and digital engagement in order to scale their impact. We will provide updates on these projects over the coming months.
Another aspect of these grants is the potential for local strengthening of social procurement opportunities – by both government and corporates. Times are and will be tough for all business – and employing people facing barriers to employment is no easy business to undertake. A pipeline of product and service orders can facilitate continuity and sustainability.
As an experienced social procurement enabler, Social Scaffolding is looking forward to working with the Queensland social enterprise sector to amplify this message through data-driven insights on impact & business growth.
Project Showcase - Boosting the Local Care Worforce Program
Social Scaffolding has been engaged by a successful recipient of the Boosting the Local Care Workforce (BLCW) Program - Transition Funding. Under the Transition Funding, eligible disability service providers were able to apply for funding of up to $20,000 (GST exclusive) to purchase tailored professional services, including business advice.
For the project, Ange has been supporting the organisation to undertake business planning and preparation activities to assist them to improve their awareness of the opportunities and ability to expand and collaborate in the disability sector. This has included developing a comprehensive Theory of Change (ToC). The ToC and resulting social impact metrics, has helped the service provider to clarify the changes they want to achieve as well as how they are going to make those changes happen. In addition, the ToC sets out the outcomes that will be used to measure their progress, along with the activities that will contribute to achieving the long-term goals.
The ToC has been developed using a strong evidence-based approach, including the testing out of assumptions with stakeholders. This ensures that the programs undertaken by the service provider are delivering the right activities for the right outcomes. These social impact metrics will be instrumental in the next steps in working with this service provider to support the development of their strategic plan.
Human Rights Act - Queensland Ready
As of 1 January 2020, the Queensland Human Rights Act (2019) came into force in its entirety and is intended to protect and respect the freedom, equality and dignity of every person in Queensland.
What does this mean? Well, under that Act, non-government entities who are engaged in delivering services to the public, on behalf of the government or another public entity, are considered to be a functional public entity. Public entities have obligations under the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019, to act and make decisions in a way that is compatible with human rights. This means behaving and making decisions that do not limit human rights when delivering services, developing policies and projects, managing risks, making decisions, making complaints.
Our industry conversations indicate all stakeholders recognise the importance of understanding the obligations and responsibilities that the Act has on both Queensland Government agencies as well as organisations that deliver services on behalf of the Queensland Government. A review of existing policies and practices to ensure their alignment with the Act however remains a work in progress for most. Internal change management processes, subsequent training, time, and resources by organisations are just some of the challenges being experienced to building a strong human rights culture and embedding it in everyday practice. Ange is currently supporting a client through this process, with specific customisations to ensure compliance and adoption for their clients. We look forward to sharing the learnings and highlights of this project as we progress.
