Regional Work
The Mountains Community Resource Network represents the Mountains on regional working parties and assists in the develeopment of innovations across NSW.
One example is our work with the SONG stategy Voice for small organisations non-government.
MCRN, in partnership with other Western Sydney small organisations, formed the Voice for SONG collaboration five years ago.
Our objective is the promoting our value to healthy democratic communities and increasing the visibility of our work, as well as highlighting the impact of increasing accountability, decreasing core funding and pressures on our survival.
In 2004 to 2005 we began working statewide to get peak bodies and academics to take up our cause.
In June 2005, together with NCOSS we also organised the first SONG Roundtable, from which an action plan was developed to promote the sustainability and recognition of small organisations using research, promotion and networks.
In preparation for this, MCRN played a key role in the development of the discussion paper "SONG Issues Paper"
Small community-based, human service, non government, not-for-profit sector organisations .
The Issues Paper notes in particular:
- Small community based organisations are generally guided by social justice, environmental sustainability, peace, not-for-profit and democratic values and promote the need for independent voices that represent the diversity of groups in our society
- We work with innovation, flexibility and responsiveness to addressing social capital and social justice issues, often with limited resources.
- We promote not-for-profit values at a time when our society is increasingly dominated by the profit motive.
- We have limited bureaucracy and more responsive decision making processes.
- We further grassroots democracy and independent bodies at the local level.
- We encourage cooperation above competition and build social capital, trust, cooperation and mutually supportive activities in and between our organisations and communities.
- We employ many skilled, innovative and highly motivated paid workers with commitment and experience.
- We often have staff that choose to remain in the sector, despite poor conditions, as they see social change is best implemented at the grass roots level. Their social entrepreneur skills can be used to advantage in small structures.
- Small organisations often provide the entry point for new workers to the sector. They gain experience that can inform their practice throughout their career.
- We support many skilled and innovative volunteers who make major contributions to our society through their work in small NGOs.
- We empower communities by facilitating flexible, responsive, independent projects and have the flexibility to nurture small ideas that may grow into large projects.
- We develop and support local networks and link people.
- Diverse and marginalized communities are usually represented.
- We value small in our society at a time when structures and organisations are becoming larger.