Ready Macleay
Introduction
In 2024 the Ready Communities team has delivered a pilot program, Ready Macleay in the Macleay Valley with a focus on the Kempsey community in New South Wales. The local community identified over 77 initiatives they would like to activate.
Thus Far...
Since January 2024
We’ve had 550 engagements over 1000 engagement hours across a series of one to one meetings and eleven public engagements engaging 244 community members across our five focus themes: Agricultural communities; youth futures; CBD Activation; Creative industries and housing and community infrastructure.
We are also mapping a growing list of 38 policies, strategies, and funds applicable in the region. The engagements have identified a growing list of 77 initiatives across the five focus areas and several outside these areas.
The Kempsey community also hosted the very successful Social Impact in the Regions conference in September 2024.
Social Impact in the Regions 2024
Social Impact in the Regions was held on the 4th - 6th September, 2024 generating over $340k in the Macleay.
Ready Communities Annual Paper
Ready Communities annual paper will be released in November 2024
Ready Communities Program for 2025
We are now on the lookout for our 2025 Social Impact in the Regions - and Ready Communities program. Get in touch if you'd like it to be your community.
Contribute to Ready Mcleay
Networking and learning opportunities
The next phase of Ready Macleay will be capability development. We are working alongside several social impact projects within the Macleay to further develop these. We are also open to continue supporting the community by linking our national network. Our 2024 report will be released in November.
More information on the identified initiatives can be found via the theme links below. If you’d like to provide further information, please contact us.
Simply click on the theme icons below and find out more about what has been happening through 2024 thus far.
The Conference
Social Impact in the Regions 2024
Social Impact in the Regions 2024 (#SIITR2024) was a resounding success. The conference, which was hosted by the Kempsey Community, focused on 3 main themes of Social Impact:
- Day 1: Investing in impact in regional Australia
- Day 2: Empowering regional voices
- Day 3: Understanding regional challenges
With over 50 speakers, numerous workshops and masterclasses, 4 conference streams, a successful pitchfest and numerous social events including the main carnival-themed dinner – it’s safe to say that SIITR2024 was a resounding success. The community of Kempsey did an exceptional job of hosting the event by opening up every nook and cranny of their town to their guests who streamed in from all over Australia.
The event very importantly also served as the kickstart of the 12-month support phase of the Ready Mcleay project.