Groundbreaking social impact report released

Published on 19 February 2025

The City of Launceston has implemented six ABCDE Learning sites in suburbs across our municipality over the past seven years.

Hundreds of community members have participated in the inclusive grassroots program which asks people what they care about then empowers them to bring their ideas to life. The Council is one of the first local government authorities in Australia to adopt the ABCDE Learning Site model, setting a precedent for sustainable, community-led development.

Last year the City of Launceston commissioned a report by prominent researcher and anthropologist Leanne Mitchell to evaluate how this approach has influenced and contributed to community wellbeing.

The resulting ABCDE Learning Site Social Impact Report was released today with Ms Mitchell presenting at the launch event at Town Hall.

Mayor Matthew Garwood said the Learning Site program had resulted in a variety of communityled projects over the past few years.

"The program consistently unearths passionate people in different suburbs who care about their communities and are willing to put in the time and effort to make a positive impact," Mayr Garwood said.

"The City of Launceston knows community connection is important because it provides a sense of belonging and purpose, which can significantly improve wellbeing. "People want to feel valued and encouraged to participate in community life.

"This important grassroots community development work is a priority for our Council and we understand it needs to be adaptable to current community priorities and build community capacity."

The Social Impact Report's core objective was to explore whether the ABCDE Learning Sites were making a difference by examining social change at five program Learning Sites - Ravenswood, Mowbray, Youngtown, Kings Meadows and Invermay.

The review focused on: • In what ways does asset-based community development praxis impact or influence individuals and groups

• How are we adding value to people’s lives and enhancing their wellbeing

• What are the benefits of connecting with other people and organisations

• Do participants believe their skills have improved, helping with future personal and professional aspirations

• Do people feel they have the capacity to play a role in helping others Key findings include:

• The bottom-up, community-led strengths-based approach with council involvement is highly valued and is seeing results

• The workshops are collaborative, positive and impactful and community members would like to see these continue

• The Council's Learning Site facilitator Sarah McCormack contributes to the program's success by being locally based, accessible, active and well-connected.

Mayor Garwood said the report was the first of its kind for the Council.

"This review will guide our organisation in supporting the continued growth of stronger communities," he said.

"The findings will help inform key decisions, drawing on social purpose, lessons learned, and future opportunities so we can ensure the program continues to deliver great outcomes for our municipality."

The City of Launceston's Learning Site Social Impact Report is available online at www.launceston.tas.gov.au/ABCDE-Social-Impact-Report