Working with people from our community to better understand the local experience and knowledge, and genuinely shape how we do governance in the future. Our Leadership Group represents a diverse composition of local individuals coming together to collectively define the problems the community is facing. Through a deep listening process, engaging with the community, the LG works to define and create a shared vision. They listen to and act in collaboration with the community, focusing on systems change by using data and context to move the needle towards greater equity. 

Our Leadership Group promotes Capricornia SPSP values and principles, provides strategic guidance, and supports a co-designed community-led strategy. Members enable community voice, support partnerships and collaborations, and address social barriers to improve the effectiveness of interventions and service systems. The Leadership Group also influences policy and funding decisions and supports a collective, strengths-based community development approach while measuring progress and managing expectations for community-led change.

Our team’s backgrounds are a cross-section of:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people  
• Australian South Sea Islander people, recognised as a distinct group by the Commonwealth
• LGBTQIA+ people
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) people as representatives of the Multicultural Community
• People with disability
• Diversity of Age
• Gender diversity

Our principles are underpinned by human rights, recognising the inherent value of every person and supporting individual freedom to make life choices, realise personal potential, and live free from fear, harassment, or discrimination. 

Capricornia SPSP has been on an evolving journey since 2019. Many valued members of the community have contributed their time to our progress and make up the fabric of our organisation. We understand the challenges of this important work and acknowledge the ebb and flow community members gift at various stages. Giving, then resting, sometimes stepping back to nurture themselves and coming back to the work when motivation is high. But ever invested in the outcomes they desire for community wellbeing.

The Backbone Team acts as the central, neutral facilitator within a community. It’s a dedicated team that supports and coordinates community efforts to develop and implement a tailored strategy and action plan. The team works closely with a local leadership group, which are the community connection points, and is accountable to them. Their role includes facilitating local planning, inclusive engagement, data collection, measurement, evaluation, and collaborative decision-making. 

In Stronger Places, Stronger People demonstration communities, each community has a local Backbone Team to support inclusive community engagement, facilitate and/or coordinate regional planning and action, support collaborative decision-making, and lead local understanding, measurement, evaluation, and learning activities. The sector-neutral Backbone Team is accountable to the community’s Local Leadership Group, who enable the community connection.

Backbone Teams then support the community to build a knowledge base, allowing community needs and aspirations to be identified, and solutions that work locally to be designed and communicated in a way that everyone involved can understand and take action.

They can also enlist the support of stakeholders outside of the community to reduce silos, advance change, and play varied roles at a local, regional, state, or national level.