Mackay Showcase
Mackay Alcohol and Other Drugs Community Partnership
- Background
- What is different about this case study that shows how Government and communities can better engage with each other?
- What are the key outcomes for Government and community?
- What are the learnings/insights about community engagement?
- What will sustain community engagement into the future in this case study?
The Mackay Alcohol and Other Drugs Community Partnership (MAODCP) is an example of how State Government has increased the community's engagement in decision making and the design and delivery of programs and services.
Background
The MAODCP promotes an holistic approach to the problems associated with drug abuse in the Mackay community based on mutual respect for diverse beliefs and experiences through an alliance of eight community groups, seven State Government agencies and the Mackay City.
Following a breakdown of trust between some Government agencies and some elements of the Mackay community, the idea of a community/agency partnership to address issues was suggested to a meeting of all stakeholders by the State Member for Mackay. The approach was endorsed by the Mackay/Whitsunday Ministerial Community Forum (MWMRCF).
The Partnership is structured around a steering committee which is representative of all groups and supported by a secretariat function by a local government agency. This year the Partnership adopted a work plan with four objectives each overseen by a working party that reports progress to a monthly steering committee meeting. The MAODCP holds an annual community briefing at which Partnership activities and achievements are reported to interested members of the public and publishes a quarterly newsletter.
MAODCP has strengthened the relationship of Government agencies with citizens, allowing government access to new sources of relevant ideas, information and resources in making decisions for the Mackay community.
What is different about this case study that shows how Government and communities can better engage with each other?
The MAODCP has taken a genuine partnership approach in:
- developing an understanding of each partners' underlying position;
- acknowledging and recognising differences between partners;
- promoting respect for each group in the Partnership;
- finding common ground amongst partners; and
- integrating efforts to achieve common goals.
As a result of this approach there is demonstrated evidence of strong, strategic leadership, conflict resolution, resource sharing across all sectors and evidence that agencies and community groups are making the National Drug Strategy work at a local level.
What are the key outcomes for Government and community?
- Police Officers have been trained through the Partnership to give appropriate advice on service options to individuals and families in crisis situations.
- The promotion of best practice in drug education.
- The design and development of poster resources for a community help line which have been adopted state-wide.
- The development of Residential Drug Treatment Service based on the 'Mackay Model'.
- The building of understanding and respect amongst partners giving an outcome of trust.
- Increasing the knowledge, skills and capacity of agencies and community to be proactive rather than reactive.
What are the learnings/insights about community engagement?
Some of the key community engagement learnings for the MAODCP include:
- No one agency can provide adequate responses to multifaceted problems in isolation.
- Importance of including opinion leaders from the drug and alcohol sector.
- Time and effort required to build trusting relationships between members.
- Importance of allowing leadership to be exercised by various.
- Dedicated time needs to be given to the orientation of new members to the partnership processes.
- Inclusive meeting processes are important.
- Capacity building of community members and agency staff are important.
- Collaborative annual work plans gave direction to the pursuit of agreed goals and clarifyed shared roles and responsibilities within the Partnership.
- It is important to reflect on achievements and future goals and to communicate them to a wider audience.
- The commitment of a Government agency to provide secretarial and administrative support to the work of the Partnership allows a supportive framework in which engagement can occur.
What will sustain community engagement into the future in this case study?
The benefits enjoyed by both the community and Government sectors will sustain this Partnership into the future. Acceptance that integration and engagement are not optional extras, but essential to an effective delivery of services, may eventually lead to enshrining participation in the Partnership in key position descriptions.
The future success of the Partnership depends on:
- the extent to which partners continue to feel that they have achieved outcomes commensurate with their expectations and aspirations and
- Government continuing to acknowledge the benefits of increased community engagement in Government decision making regarding service delivery.
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