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Sharing insights from SVA’s work and across the social sector to prompt learning and discussion about effective practice.

Frameworks for understanding impact at scale

Continuing in our series of articles on impact at scale, we look at six frameworks or models for understanding how to create impact at scale.

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Five questions to consider when scaling for impact

Dr Neela Saldanha explains why successful pilots often don’t achieve the same results ‘at scale’ and outlines what to consider when scaling for impact. +Podcast

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Rebuilding the career ladder

Rebuilding the Career Ladder aims to improve opportunities for young people from less privileged backgrounds by promoting change in employers’ practices. The Employment Innovation Lab program is its cornerstone.

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John Harding: on elders, the Voice and storytelling 

Introducing John Harding, a highly skilled storyteller and communicator, who brings his experience in fundraising and relationship and program management to his role as First Nations Practice Lead at SVA.

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Integrated child and family centres overcome fragmented service delivery

Integrated child and family centres are one example of how to overcome a fragmented service system.

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Paying what it takes to create impact

Research from SVA and CSI has found that not-for-profit organisations across Australia are, in general, not funded for the actual cost of what they do. The result is less effective operations and reduced impact. +Audio

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Explore articles

Rethinking social networks for equity, excellence and flourishing

Researchers in social network theory and educational leadership provide an analysis of how SVA’s The Connection is using networks to improve education outcomes within communities experiencing disadvantage.

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A systems approach to food insecurity

Supply chain mapping, leveraging data and enhancing the collaboration in food relief systems are ways that local government or other key players can support everyone in the community to access the food they need.

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Growing effectiveness – one year on

This month marks a year since SVA launched the SVA Fundamentals for Impact. Over that time we have learnt a lot about how to use and adapt the framework.

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Consumer faced with 3 doors

Competition: it’s all about the consumer

Robert Fitzgerald AM from the Productivity Commission talks about competition, contestability and consumer choice in the social sector. +Podcast

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How to go about a non-profit merger

A how-to guide for non-profit organisations exploring whether a merger is right for them and, if so, how to go about it. +Podcast

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corporate woman taking a leap

Cross-sector partnerships: will corporates step up?

What will motivate corporate Australia to step up to systems change in its cross-sector partnerships? Five questions provide a road map.

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doing philanthropy differently

How ten20 Foundation is doing philanthropy differently

Catalytic funder ten20 Foundation shares its story and what its learnt about achieving systems change by funding collective impact initiatives. +Audio

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SVA Fundamentals for Impact: are you doing good?

The SVA Fundamentals for Impact enable organisations to assess whether they are being effective and how they can do better. Why and how was the framework developed? +Audio

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surfer on wave & swimmer with floats

Sector trends: stories from the frontline part 2

In part 2, leaders reflect on how their organisations are responding to trends in evidence-based practice, innovation capabilities, place-based service design and collaboration. +Audio

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Impact group

Networking for social purpose: what’s needed?

With networking increasingly important for achieving social change, we explore SVA’s successful model in education which points to the core elements needed to grow an effective network. + Podcast

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A collective impact learning lab

Learning on the fly has been at the heart of the Burnie Works collective impact initiative. They’ve found that strategy emerges as you learn from what you do.

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Movember's moustaches

Movember: changing a system collaboratively

Movember’s story shows what can be achieved if you harness the collective wisdom of diverse stakeholders, galvanise disparate players to collaborate and focus on the goal.

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Collaboration: six mistakes to avoid

Learn from others and make your collaboration work.

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Funder curates visionary coalitions

Funders set up in perpetuity can afford to take a long-term approach to investments enabling them to build coalitions where more can be achieved.

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Getting our act together

What are the obstacles to mergers and integration in the non-profit sector and how can we nurture tighter collaboration?

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Macquarie: catalyst for cancer charities

The Macquarie Group Foundation’s funding of a group of cancer charities demonstrates how a funder can support collaboration as well as some of the inherent challenges.

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The extended Smith Family

SVA Director and former CEO of the Benevolent Society, Richard Spencer talks with Dr Lisa O’Brien, CEO of The Smith Family, about how The Smith Family partners.

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QGC resourcing the community

SVA shares insights from facilitating the collaboration of a group of diverse organisations: QGC, a state government department, a local council and a non-profit community organisation.

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A beacon for school-community partnerships

For the Beacon Foundation community engagement at the local level ensures effectiveness and drives sustainability allowing Beacon to move on to new communities and schools.

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Laying the foundations for collective impact in solving unemployment

Insights from the collaborative Queensland Social Enterprise (QSE) project which helped set up or expand over 50 social enterprises to address employment exclusion.

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