BADFS and Bridges as Models

BADFS has been raising awareness of the value of small community organisations, by developing itself as a model, demonstrating its value and increasingly realising its potential.

For a long time, BADFS future has been uncertain owing to inadequate funding and limited concrete support. Some of this experience is described in BADFS Story in LCSA’s publication “Odd Socks: Why the survival of small community organisations is critical” in 2002. In response to the limited understanding of small community organisations in general, BADFS put out a call for small community organisations to articulate their value. In 2002 BADFS produced and distributed the discussion paper “BADFS as a model of a small non-government organisation” , where BADFS articulated its value, future directions and staffing requirements. Nirimba TAFE students and their lecturer, Pat Johnson, also ran a campaign for BADFS.

Due to support from many groups, BADFS has grown from 3 to 12 (8 full-time equivalent) staff. This is more staff than put forward in the discussion paper.

Through coordinating the Bridges Strategy, BADFS demonstrates how a small community organisation can lead a large scale capacity building strategy that involves collaboration with small and large NGOs, government and business.

BADFS and the Bridges network demonstrate or seek to demonstrate the following:

linking clinical and community development strategies to support at-risk groups in relation to drug-related harm using a collaborative approach to address alcohol and other drug issues from a family and social context

developing social capital - cooperative and trusting relationships and networks with the above groups as well as with individuals, families and community groups. These networks include the sharing of resources, skills and energies

developing high level links and share them at the grassroots level

addressing common goals while also addressing goals for specific organisational target groups

developing and implementing resource efficient strategies that strengthen resilience, strengthen families and communities and address alcohol and other drug issues.