The creation of Regional Development Australia has led to the establish of a streamlined structure replacing the former ACCs and regional development boards. Across the country, these new committees are now coming to grips with a reconfigured geographic area, diverse and newly acquainted committee members, and uncertainty about professional staff to support this transition. Besides, getting on their feet, there are high expectations to deliver results in the form of a business plan and a strategy for a regional plan.
The Make Stuff Happen team is already working with one of these boards to make sure they come up shining by helping with the business planning process for this year including elements of the design of the regional planning process.
One of the key requirements of the new RDAs is to come to grips with all the overlapping plans in existence that affect their region. This is not an academic exercise, although there is certainly a research and analysis component, but an activity that must also embrace and manage the needs and expectations of stakeholders. One intention of this requirement is to improve coordination across three tiers of government and maximize resources to address the complex challenges and opportunities facing regional Australia. These include issues such as: regional growth, housing, transport, climate change, changing demographics, opportunities for youth, health, agriculture, broadband, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
Make Stuff Happen is at home operating in complex and dynamic environments dealing with and fostering change. At a time when the new RDAs may need “legs” to hit the deck running in terms of planning and consultation, we offer a service that is both sophisticated in thinking and practical in application. We can make things happen while helping you to manage expectations and move through the business planning process to create a strategy for doing your regional plan. We can also effectively manage your regional planning process.
What we can offer you is:
A consistent, independent process for planning
Integrated team building and planning for the board/committee
Management of significant change
An extensive range of tools and processes
Expertise in getting and sorting a wide range of inputs
Critical analysis
Help managing the expectations of different stakeholders
Consultations that build on what has already been developed: reap the value from past consultations – not duplicate them
Meetings that achieve things for time-poor people
A planning process that gathers and sorts information effectively and results in action
Strategies for involving a wide range of stakeholders effectively