Cardinia Shire Council has developed a range of tools and resources to support its ongoing advocacy efforts and to empower the community to lead their own advocacy endeavours.
At the Council meeting on 19 May, Council endorsed its first Advocacy Guidelines and Framework to guide advocacy efforts into the future, as well as a Community Advocacy Toolkit to support the community to drive their own advocacy.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Jack Kowarzik said the resources would enable Council and the broader community to amplify their voice and bolster advocacy efforts into the future.
"Cardinia Shire Council is committed to continuing to advocate for what our community needs and deserves, and these resources will help to strengthen our advocacy efforts and support our community to have their needs and priorities heard," Mayor Kowarzik said.
"In the lead-up to the recent Federal election, Council and community joined forces to demonstrate the need for a number of critical projects across the shire that require funding support from other levels of government to become a reality. This important work is far from over, and these new resources will set us in good stead as we continue to call for what our growing community needs.
"Our new Advocacy Guidelines and Framework will enable Council to clearly identify, prioritise and drive advocacy activities to deliver the best outcomes for the community. It will also support us in developing an Advocacy Agenda for 2025 and beyond, which will be informed by priorities identified through the development of Council's new Council Plan 2025–29."
The Community Advocacy Toolkit is a valuable resource to support and empower residents and community groups to advocate for issues that are important to them. The toolkit includes a number of resources, such as checklists and templates, to help the community advocate effectively and ensure their voices are heard.
