It’s been a busy start to 2025 for Imagined Futures, with several priorities being implemented across our working groups. Progress is being made in line with the Regional Homelessness and Housing Plan, including accessing data to inform targeted responses, launching community education initiatives, ongoing efforts to secure funding for the Fremantle Zero Project, and revitalizing the DLG Chairs Group for region-wide initiatives across Binjareb, Kwinana/Rockingham, and South West Metro.
Imagined Futures has formed a Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) subcommittee, which began meeting in 2024 to develop a strategic approach to address the rising incidents of FDV in our region. The group has been analyzing data, providing training, evaluating existing programs, and attracting more resources to the region. Recently, the group has been working closely with the relatively new Department of Communities Family and Domestic Violence Coordinator, who is collaborating on an operational level with frontline workers in the region.
Thank you to the members of the leadership group, working groups, and project teams who recently completed our Outcomes Measurement Survey. This will help us evaluate the impact of the Imagined Futures collaboration. We are currently collating the findings and will share the final insights once they are available.
Leadership Group – chair Michael Piu, St Patrick’s Community Support Centre
Housing and Homelessness – chair Michael Piu, St Patrick’s Community Support Centre
Open Door Community of Practice – chair Sue Nickisson, Communicare
Youth Initiative – chair Annette Boyle, Community Representative
Mental Health – chair Clory Carrello, Cockburn Integrated Health
Davis Park – chair Julie Mitchell SMYL
ChangeFest 2025 Update
Imagined Futures has formed an Elders and Leaders Group to provide cultural oversight of the upcoming ChangeFest gathering in Walyalup in November 2025. We are excited to host this place-based national event which is an incredible opportunity for not just our local community, but for all of Western Australia to engage with the ChangeFest movement and learn about community-led change for a more truthful, equitable country. Western Australia has so much to share from our unique context.
If you are keen to find out more, ChangeFest runs a regular Learning Network, which you can join an online community in discussions around community-led system changes. Subscribe to ChangeFest email to hear about upcoming Learning Network events: click here
Costs of Living Forum
Imagined Futures Community Connector Community of Practice is hosting a Cost of Living Forum on the 26th of May, 2025 to assist frontline workers to understand the supports available for those struggling in our region. The forum will provide a big picture of how our community is being impacted, share regional approaches and provide practical information how to access support, including eligibility and referrals.
For more information and to book: click here
Djeren Cultural Connections 2025
Our latest connecting Aboriginal children in care to family, culture, and community event took an unexpected and exciting turn, with children and carers getting up close and personal with some slithery and scaly friends! These events have been running regularly since October 2022, held together by community, with our partners providing in-kind activities, venues, funding and being part of the cultural connections days.
To read more click here.
Growing the Good Life Project
Over recent years Anglicare has been piloting an action research design project, to explore what supports can enable families to grow their good life, even in the midst of hard times – the Sunshine Project. Our Growing the Good Life project is an evolution of this work. This initiative was led by the Imagined Futures Community Facilitator who worked with a family from the Davis Park community.
Unlike the Sunshine Project, which had a dedicated support team and brokerage fund, the Community Facilitator was able to leverage the resources and knowledge contained within the longstanding Davis Park working group to great effect. A report has been produced to share the project’s learnings and outcomes. Thank you to Anglicare for their ongoing mentoring and stewardship for this project.
To read more about the project outcomes and learnings click here
Where is the door?
If you’re new to the region or would like to connect or refer people to local supports, Where is the door? can help both community members and service providers to navigate to the right support at the right time. Key focus areas include mental health, family and domestic violence and financial supports.
Reach out if you would like to order printed resources or to book a workshop for your team or community.
Burnout and Self Care training for frontline workers
The cost of living and housing crises is taking a toll on frontline workers who are at the forefront of providing support. In recognition of these challenges, the Imagined Futures Community Connector Community of Practice has hosted ‘Exploring Burnout and Activating Self-Care’ workshops across all three local government areas in our region. A total of 54 participants have attended these interactive training sessions, which focused on understanding stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout, as well as exploring prevention strategies such as setting boundaries and practicing self-care. We extend our gratitude to our partners for their support of these workshops. More training dates will be announced in 2025.
To read more click here
ADHD WA Spark Program – available locally
Imagined Futures has partnered with ADHD WA to run their Spark Program in our region again next term. Hosted by Meerilinga, the program is aimed at primary school aged children with or without a diagnosis of ADHD and their parents/ carers to learn skills to support them in their day-to-day life. The program is available at a subsidised rate (usually $750, subsided rate $160 for the 7 weeks) for those who meet one of the criteria below:
- Waiting time for assessment, treatment or support exceeds 5 months.
- Child is homeschooled or at risk of disengagement from formal education.
- Other family members in the household with ADHD (diagnosed or undiagnosed)
- Annual family income below 55K (individual) or 130K (combined family income)
There are a few spaces remaining. For further information: Click here
Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas
Representatives from the Australia Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas, an interactive dataset of health and wellbeing indicators for children and young people aged 0-24, recently presented to our Children and Young People working group. This fantastic resource is a freely accessible and enables government agencies, researchers and community organisations to access data to help them have deeper understanding and improve the development of children and young people.
To access the Database – click here
