What is a Strategic Conversation?
A strategic conversation event is an opportunity to gather with like minded people to explore the social issues that matter most to you. Its an opportunity learn about and directly experience participatory and engagement practices and social innovation methods. Come and experience for yourself.
The story so far.... March 2017
Marsden Families Program, in partnership with the Anti-Discrimination Commission, hosted a 3-Day Strategic Community Conversation in March 2017. It was attended by close to 80 people, all seeking to bring government and community together to engage in creative and collaborative problem-solving , and to draw together perspectives to tackle challenging issues emerging in the community. The calling question of the conversation was;
What will it take to share risk and responsibility for the social issues that matter to communities?
The event was held on our site in Kallangur to strengthen the sense of connection and relationship to place to the community and region the attendees live and work in, and to the land upon which the community resides.
The 3-Day conversation was hosted by an internationally specialised facilitator and a team of individuals from the community. We used storytelling, World Cafe and other methods to create the space for connection and collaboration, sharing of experiences and ideas, development of strategic responses, and new insight into the calling question.
By developing positive relationships between different groups, creating a sense of belonging through empowering individuals to have a voice, the community was able to experience new understanding, build relationships and reduce marginalisation, and function with a new level of cohesion and resilience.
Attendees were from a diverse range of places including parents and young people living in the region, non-government organisations, Transport and Main Roads, Anti-Discrimination Commission QLD, local Councils, Community Centres, Multicultural Affairs QLD, Education QLD, Department of Health, Queensland Police Service, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Office of the Public Guardian, Department of Communities Child Safety and Disability Services, Queensland Treasury, grass roots organisations and universities.
Watch our short (4 minutes) video below to find out about the March event - who went, what people said and the key themes that came out of the day.
