The City of Newcastle is committed to developing the capacity of individuals, local groups and organisations to participate in planning, decision making and community action in order to:

• Improve the lifestyle for the whole community
• Provide communities with greater control over the conditions that affect their lives

 Community Development Policy (123Kb)

The City of Newcastle is committed to ensuring these values are inherent in all its community development processes:

• Respect for individuals and groups
• Equity of access for all citizens
• Looking to the future Celebration of diversity
• Respecting where we came from Democracy
• Expression of identity Ethical decision making
• Self determination Benefiting Newcastle as a whole

Council can play a number of roles including:

Planner – Council uses its professional expertise to undertake research, needs assessment, and in consultation with the community devise and evaluate ways to resolve identified issues. Council undertakes this work from a whole of community perspective.

Capacity builder – Council works collaboratively with community groups and agencies to meet local needs. To do this sometimes Council takes on a mentoring role, and/or can assist them to obtain the necessary resources through partnerships with other agencies.

Provider of facilities or programs – Council provides a range of community services and facilities that meet social, cultural and recreational needs of the community.

Leader – Council is in a good position to identify key community issues and to mobilise both local and external entities to respond where appropriate. This could be in the form of an advocate, facilitator or as a negotiator.

PARTNER – Council does not compete with other community organisations for funding.

However it can act as a joint venture partner with community organisations and other levels of government for projects which deliver tangible benefits to the community.