Innovate for Impact

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Allison Wainwright, the CEO of Family Life.

The discussion explores the innovative, community-centered approaches of Family Life's strategic focus on community listening, designing community-driven solutions, empowering local leaders, and collaborating with other place-based organisations to drive systemic change.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Family Life focusing on supporting families and building community networks and has a deep interest in working with children and helping them thrive.
• Talks about the common anxiety people have about community support for vulnerable individuals and the importance of practical ways to create community models of support.
• Highlights the importance of community abundance and the need to shift from a scarcity mindset to recognising community solutions.
• Discuss the importance of a social contract with the community and embedding community listening in strategic planning.
• Family Life has a formal community listening program, including community listening tours to understand the impacts of events like COVID-19.
• Explains the methodology of gathering data and hosting events to sense-make community challenges and strengths.
• Family Life uses a backbone function to help drive community solution plans and connect people and organisations.
• Creating Capable Leaders program, which helps community members develop the skills and confidence to make a difference and Young Leaders for Change Program, which focuses on upskilling young people in community leadership.
• Family Life uses technology-based tools like Map Your World to help community members map and address local issues.
• Allison highlights the need to move away from competition and work together to support community better.
• Allison introduces Family Life's innovation pillars, which include community activation, addressing loneliness and social isolation, and supporting families.
• Emphasises the importance of a curious lens and asking "I wonder" questions to drive innovation and community-centered work.

Links from the episode:

• Family Life: Click here
• Allison Wainwright LinkedIn: Click here
• Innovate For Impact Workshop: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Matt Barnes, the Owner of Rogue Creatives and Podcast Host of Creating Good.

Matt shares about innovative ways for organisations, especially nonprofits, to effectively tell their story and connect with supporters. Matt shares his strategic storytelling framework and insights on reframing nonprofit storytelling to focus on the organisation's expertise and mission rather than just highlighting problems.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

•  Rogue Creatives' strategic storytelling framework helps clients identify their unique character and story.
• Challenges nonprofits face in storytelling, including the need to spend money on marketing and branding.
• Importance of reframing nonprofits as conduits for change, not just begging for money
• Examples of how changing the tone of storytelling can lead to increased donations and support.
• Collaboration and learning from each other to solve problems more effectively.

Links from the episode:

• Rogue United website: Click here
• Creating Good website: Click here
• Innovate For Impact Workshop: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Alison Covington, the Founder and Managing Director of Good360 Australia. 

The organisation has built an innovative platform to match businesses' brand-new unsold goods with charities and individuals in need across the country. The conversation also covers the challenges and logistics involved in creating this system, the impressive impact Good360 has achieved, and the organisation's ongoing need for support to further scale its operations.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Overview of Good360 Australia's mission to match businesses' brand-new goods to Australians in need.
• Complexity of connecting businesses with charities through Good360's platform.
• The importance of providing dignity and hope to recipients through access to brand-new goods.
• Technology and logistics solutions like e-commerce, options for charities to shop, pick up, or have goods delivered and balancing local distribution and national reach to reduce carbon footprint.
• Challenges and resources involved in building the platform, including initial outreach and philanthropic funding.
• Simplicity and impact of Good360's mission to reduce need and waste.
• Good360's need for financial sustainability and encourages donations and volunteering.

Links from the episode:

• Good360 Australia website: Click here
• Innovate For Impact Workshop: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Kate O'Hara, the CEO of Foodbank WA, a leading food relief organisation in Western Australia. 

The organisation has implemented creative procurement methods, expanded mobile distribution services, and rebranded its nutrition education program to ensure healthy food is available as a basic human right for all Western Australians.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• The organisation's mission to ensure "healthy food for all - it's a basic human right" in Western Australia.
• Foodbank WA has innovated its procurement and distribution processes to reduce food waste and increase the volume of fresh produce available, including: a) introducing new relationships with growers and packing sheds, including providing dedicated collection bins b) minimising handling of fresh produce to preserve quality c) launching a free fruit and vegetable program for cardholders.
• The organisation has also expanded its mobile van service to reach more communities, especially in remote areas.
• Foodbank WA's long-running Nutrition Education Program has been rebranded as "nom" and is now offered on a fee-for-service basis to reach more people.
• Challenges include the large geographic area of Western Australia, rising costs of transportation, and lack of public awareness about food insecurity in the state.

Links from the episode:

• Foodbank website: Click here
• Nom: Click here
• Superhero Foods HQ: Click here
• Innovate For Impact Workshop: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Michelle Greenwood, the Founder and CEO of Invisible Illnesses, a charity that provides support and services for people living with invisible illnesses. 

Michelle shares her personal story of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and how that experience led her to create Invisible Illnesses, which has grown to support over 5,000 members in Western Australia and aims to expand nationally.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Michelle shares her personal story of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and the challenges she faced before getting a diagnosis
• Michelle explains how her personal experience led to the formation of Invisible Illnesses, which now has over 5,000 members in Western Australia
• The organisation provides a range of services and support for people living with invisible illnesses, including food hampers, school packs, tutoring, educational programs, and well-being services
• Michelle discusses the goal of expanding Invisible Illnesses nationally across Australia in the next 5-10 years
• Michelle highlights the community recognition and personal growth she has experienced through her work with the organisation

Links from the episode:

• Invisible Illnesses website: Click here
• Invisible Illnesses Facebook group: Click here
• Petition to change the disability symbol: Click here
• Innovate For Impact Workshop: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Tamara Searant from Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, about how their organisation is working towards creating a more accessible and inclusive world by 2030. The organisation is implementing innovative strategies focused on policy, enforcement, and education to address systemic barriers and empower the low vision and blind community.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Guide dogs' mission to create a more accessible and inclusive world by 2030
• Removing systemic barriers to inclusion for people with low vision or blindness
• Accessibility and inclusivity in an office space
• Accessibility and inclusivity in design, with a focus on advocacy and community mobilisation

Links from the episode:

• Guide Dogs NSW/ACT website: Click here 
• Sign up to become an Access Ally: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here
• Innovate For Impact Workshop: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley discuss the common challenges organisations face in trying to innovate, such as lack of resources, risk aversion, and difficulty measuring impact. Dan and Tracey share a "secret" that successful leaders use to create innovative and impactful organisations - focusing on building a collaborative, innovative culture rather than just individual projects.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Why innovation is elusive for many organisations, despite its importance
• Leaders face challenges such as overload, lack of resources, and pressure for short-term outcomes
• Common challenges to innovation include lack of training, risk aversion, and difficulty measuring impact
• To create innovative and impactful organisations, leaders should:
  • Enable information flow and provide resources to empower employees to innovate
  • Focus on creating a collaborative and innovative culture, rather than just individual projects
  • Establish a big goal or reason for the organisation to innovate
  • Provide creative leadership, client-centred collaboration, and empower people to innovate

Links from the episode:

• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley discuss the difference between innovation and continuous improvement in organisations. The hosts emphasise that the terminology is less important than the focus on making positive changes and improvements that benefit the clients or people being served, whether through solving problems or pursuing new opportunities.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Innovation is defined as making things better than they are, with a focus on positive change for clients/residents.
• Continuous improvement vs innovation terminology doesn't matter, the focus should be on building adaptable, resilient organisations.
• Opportunities for innovation can come from identifying areas where technology or processes can be improved.
• Understanding current processes is important to identify opportunities for innovation.
• Innovation can lead to new things or improvements on existing things, with the goal of amazing clients.
• The focus should be on making a positive impact on people's lives through continuous improvement and innovation.

Links from the episode:

• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley discuss how organisations can share decision-making at different levels, including strategic, program/service, and individual levels, in order to better meet the needs of clients and stakeholders they support through more inclusive and collaborative processes. Practical tips are provided on setting up structures and processes to facilitate shared decision-making.

Here is a taste of what Tracey and Dan cover in the conversation:

• Sharing decision making at all levels of organisation is essential for client centricity and business success. 
• Sharing decision making with clients leads to better services and improved resource allocation.
• Organisations should involve people with lived experience in decision-making to ensure strategy is informed by their needs and perspectives.
•  Boards can reduce pressure by involving stakeholders in decision-making, leading to more sustainable and informed strategies.
• Organisations can use various models, such as advisory boards or rotating groups, to incorporate diverse perspectives.
• Good stakeholder engagement involves utilising existing groups and resources, making it easy for people to participate. 
• Sharing decision-making in organisations to improve services.
• Importance of pre-planning and flexibility in designing services that meet individual needs.
• Co-creating services with clients for better outcomes.

Links from the episode:

• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here

In this episode, Tracey Newman and Dan Bentley speak with Jonathan Clegg and Trevor Harris from Coxswain Alliance, about how they help non-profit organisations automate their email inboxes. This allows staff to spend more time on higher value tasks like customer service and innovation instead of manually sorting through high volumes of emails.

Here is a taste of what Tracey, Dan, Jonathan and Trevor cover in the conversation:

• Automating inboxes to free up time for innovation in not-for-profit organisations.
• How this approach reduces stress and increases productivity.  
• Automating email responses for better customer service and better employee experience.

Links from the episode:

• The Coxswain Alliance website: Click here
• The Impacto Consulting website: Click here
• Impacto Consulting on LinkedIn: Click here