Community Capacity

Programme delivery

The Northern Rivers CAP Community Theme aims to build capacity within the community, as well as encourage and support the spiritual, cultural, social, economic and environmental values of the region. Capacity to participate in NRM activities underpins the community's ability to contribute to the Resource Condition Targets it has set for the Northern Rivers region.

The Northern Rivers CMA Community Program overarches all other areas of  Northern Rivers CMA activity and operates at all levels throughout the organisational structure and external delivery processes. The Northern Rivers CMA recurrent budget provides considerable investment in achieving the deliverables of the Community Program through the running costs of the Board and staff.

The strategic direction and engagement strategy is driven via the Board and management team. The Board represents community interests and brings this attribute into strategic planning and development processes to ensure operational aspects of the Northern Rivers CMA are in tune with community views and aspirations. The Board develops, monitors, continually reviews and refines the engagement strategies for regional stakeholder groups as well as key Australian and State stakeholders.

The staff of the Northern Rivers CMA are a key component of Community Program delivery, as they provide an integral point of access for the community through the 6 local Northern Rivers CMA offices, and various mechanisms including field visits, workshops, presentations, networks and partnerships attendance.

The program includes a team of external contractors operating through partnership arrangements to deliver community capacity building projects. The external contractors (Community Support Officers and Aboriginal Extension Officers) operate in various locations across the Northern Rivers region to support and build capacity within the community to engage in NRM activities.

All Northern Rivers CMA contracts and partnerships further enhanced the delivery of the Community Program by providing support for building capacity within the community as part of each project delivered.

Clients, stakeholders and engagement approach

The Community Program encompasses all our key stakeholder, client and partner groups including Local government, Utilities and county councils, State Government and agencies, Adjoining regional NRM bodies, Australian Government and agencies, Aboriginal organisations and groups, Peak industry and environmental organisations, Community interest groups, Industry production groups, Individual Landholders, Education and research institutions and the Tourism industry.

Methods of engagement are varied and range from one-on-one advice and consultation, to field days and workshops, to web-based interactive educational tools. There are established channels of communication which are used regularly and these include extension through our internal staff, Community Support Officers and Aboriginal Extension Officers, media, newsletters and network meetings.