Families and Communities Program in Australia

Deadline: 18-Aug-22

The Australian Government is inviting applications via a restricted process to apply to deliver services under the Families and Communities Program – Families and Children Activity – Family Law Services Sub-Activity – for 1.5 years from 2022–23 to 2023-24.

Services delivered under this program must be child-focused and should have an emphasis on early intervention and prevention. Services must aim to provide alternatives to formal legal processes for families who are separated, separating or in dispute to improve their relationships and make arrangements that are in the best interest of their children.

Objectives

The objectives are to:

support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families in a culturally safe setting to negotiate outcomes in the best interest of children, resolve separation and divorce issues, and improve their post-separation relationships
align with Priority Area 2 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap by building formal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sectors to deliver services to support Closing the Gap.

Expected Outcomes

The intended outcomes are to:

establish new culturally safe and appropriate family dispute resolution service models
facilitate sustained capacity development and continue building on the strengths of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) through investment, workforce development and fostering partnerships between ACCOs, mainstream services and government.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible you must be one of the following entity types:
- Company
- Cooperative
- Corporate State or Territory Entity
- Indigenous Corporation
- Incorporated Association
- Local Government Entity
- Statutory Entity
Additional eligibility requirements:
- To be eligible you must be an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation as defined in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation delivers services, including land and resource management, which build the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people and is:
  - incorporated under relevant legislation and not-for-profit
  - controlled and operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
  - connected to the community, or communities, in which they deliver the services
  - governed by a majority Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander governing body.