Mob and Country Connections

Who MCC is for

MCC is intended for Aboriginal community organisations involved in Local Decision Making, including recognised regional Alliances and organisations connected to that work. Local Decision Making is a way for Aboriginal communities to help shape government decisions and services affecting them.

The proposal also considers organisations rebuilding towards active participation, where the funding arrangements allow. Support starts with an invitation and a conversation about what would actually help. Each organisation keeps authority over its priorities, decisions and community information.

Practical support, shaped around local needs

IRAAC proposes to share systems it has developed through its own organisational work. Directors and staff would choose the areas they need help with, then work through real tasks with peer coaching and mentoring.

• Running meetings: agendas, minutes, decisions and a clear record of who will follow up.
• Managing money: budgets, financial reporting and records showing how funding has been used.
• Supporting Boards and staff: governance refreshers, director responsibilities and plain-language guidance.
• Organising everyday work: shared documents, sensible filing, digital office tools and reporting routines.
• Listening to community: surveys, conversations, contact options and ways to record service gaps.
• Reporting back: useful updates for community, Boards and government drawn from the same checked information.

How working together would look

The proposed approach starts through trusted relationships and listening on Country. IRAAC and the participating organisation would talk through its circumstances, identify what is working and agree where support is wanted.

Together they would set a starting point and a practical support plan. Templates and tools would be adapted to local culture, governance and priorities. Coaching would help people use those tools in everyday work, rather than simply receiving a folder of documents.

The aim is for local directors and staff to gain confidence and keep using the systems independently. Progress would be checked with the organisation, including what has become easier and what still needs attention.

Community should see what happens next

MCC puts reporting back to community at the centre of the proposal. A useful update should explain what people said, what was learned, what action was requested, who is responsible and what happens next. Community members should also be able to correct something that does not reflect their experience.

The same checked evidence can support different reports: an accessible community update, a Board briefing and information for government or funders. Personal stories and culturally sensitive information need appropriate permission and local rules about access and release. Participating organisations retain control of their own information.

Where MCC is up to

IRAAC has prepared a Special Projects funding proposal for MCC. It sets out a time-limited project with coaching, reusable resources and reporting back as core activities. The source material reviewed does not confirm a funded rollout or an open intake.

If your organisation is interested, ask IRAAC about the current proposal and explain the kind of support you are looking for. An enquiry is a starting conversation, not a commitment to participate.