Sustainable Organizations

In Australia, too, community sector organisations have had an enormous impact on the social fabric – the evidence is here, in the organisations where each of you works and was apparent in the earliest community organisations such as the Benevolent Society – the first established in this country. Such organisations may be large or small; religion based or non-sectarian; local or state-wide or national; but it is widely acknowledged that a diverse range of organisations in the community sector is needed to ensure healthy democratic, vibrant, inclusive communities. While larger organisations are likely to survive, small or locally based community organisations may struggle to be sustainable. Voice for Song is a strong advocate for small organisations – but small is not necessarily good so we need to tease out the features of sustainable organisations that make a difference and are capable of making a significant impact on the social good.

Since those early days in South Africa, I have worked with countless community organizations as a manager, consultant, social work student educator and as part of my role with the NCOSS Management Support Unit. From this I have gleaned what I consider to be the essential features of those organizations that survive and thrive; that are sustainable not only in an economic sense but sustainable in terms of their contribution to the social fabric; in their recruitment, development and retention of staff and the environment – a topic that will be addressed separately in this session.

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Related posts:

1. Fairness in NSW: Organisational Sustainability
2. Organisational Sustainability – Values
3. What principles drive community based social service organizations in Australia?