Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow!

4 September 2024
Group of inCommunity Inc staff gathered together in foyer.

inCommunity Inc held its inaugural Staff Conference on Monday. Bringing our teams together for a day to focus on where our organisation originates, what we’re achieving today as a specialist housing and homelessness service, and highlighting our focus for a bright tomorrow!

A special opportunity for our organisation to come together to deepen our collective knowledge, reflect and discuss our learnings, strengthen our team’s collaboration and wellbeing, and build our future together.

Highlights? There were many! A diverse range of speakers brought nuance and depth to the day including:

  • Our CEO Paul Tommasini and Deputy CEO Nerissa Wade reflected on our organisation’s roots and today’s achievements across the full experience of homelessness via our brands of Tenancy Skills InstituteinCommunity Connect and Beddown. From proactive tenancy education, early intervention with cross-sector collaboration, and support for people of all ages experiencing homelessness.
  • A glimpse of tomorrow with Paul Tommasini showcasing our organisation’s pilot trials of the Refer Connect Assist App and PM Assist App in the communities of Gladstone and Mackay respectively.
  • OneBridge Founder and Director Sonia Martin’s session emphasised the importance of bringing health care services to people sleeping rough, while our Manager – Program Delivery Matthew Mercer delivered a session outlining how Alcohol and Drug Addiction and Recovery can impact the lives of people our organisation seeks to support.
  • Highlighting the importance of understanding colleagues’ roles, team members from all touchpoints of our organisation participated in our ‘A Day in the Life…’ panel, giving informative answers and good-humoured anecdotes of their day-to-day.
  • Journalist, publicist and broadcaster Brett de Hoedt delivered a lively session asking us to reflect on the incredible stories of clients’ success that transpire within our organisation.
  • Our Manager—Practice and Community Mark Davidson delivered a snapshot of a client’s journey through our organisation and how all of our teams engage and intersect in this process.
  • Long-time supporter, friend and experienced Real Estate Industry go-to Laura Valenti opened up the world of a Property Manager and gave insights on how we can work in collaboration to achieve better rental outcomes for all.
  • The day ended with a session dedicated to our team’s self-care and well-being.Firstly, our Reconciliation Action Plan Co-Chair Chris Jones, and proud Kamilaroi, Anaiwan Man; led us through a creative drawing well-being exercise before sharing the First Nations’ model of Emotional Wellbeing via a Healing Circle.Followed by a breathwork session facilitated by Ipswich locals The Wellbeing Studio, owner Sam and practitioner Ellen.

To say it was an inspiring day is an understatement. And our team left connected and energised for our future ahead, together.

Our conference occurred and our video re-cap below were filmed on the Traditional Lands of the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul Peoples.