The Structure of NNIC
Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre(NNIC) is a non-profit community-based organisation, incorporated under the NSW Incorporated Associations Act.
We are registered as a Public Benevolent Institution and a Charity with Income Tax Exempt and Deductible Gift Recipient status.(Donations over $2 are tax deductible).
We are managed by a volunteer community based management committee that is elected by NNIC members each year at the Annual General Meeting. The committee meets every month and communicates via email on a regular basis. Any interested community member can apply to become a member of the committee. To apply send an Expression of Interest outlining your relevant experience and why you would like to join the committee, to NNIC. If you are a young person (ie under 25 years) and have little or no experience in management committees, WE STILL WANT YOU!! We are willing to mentor and support you in a management committee role.
Underpinning all of our work is a strengths-based approach and the belief that community pride and cohesion is the key to a functioning community and reducing crime, disadvantage, isolation and unemployment (and demand upon our services). We have seen that people working together and sharing resources can lead to significant activity including economic benefits.
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY
NNIC works in partnership with many other organisations in relation to various services and projects. Some of our most significant relationships are shown on this chart.
Our most most significant partnerships are the LCSA Far North Coast Regional Group (which is a member of Sustain Northern Rivers), NIS (Nimbin Integrated Services) Partnership (Nurse Practitioner), the CONC (Consortium of Neighbourhood Centres Far North Coast), the Community Solar Farm project, and the 7 Sibley Street project.
What is the CONC?
The CONC was officially launched on 18 May 2004, having grown out of the Far North Coast Regional LCSA group. Not all the members of the LCSA group have joined the CONC, but LCSA membership is a pre-requisite for joining the CONC.
LCSA is the acronym for the Local Community Services Association. LCSA is the Peak body for Neighbourhood and Community Centres in NSW. Currently Skye Sear from South Grafton New School of Arts Neighbourhood House is the Regional Representative for the Far North Coast region.
The Far North Coast LCSA Regional group has always been very strong, and had been meeting for over 15 years on a regular basis. For many years the LCSA Regional group has been the main support group for coordinators of local Neighbourhood and Community Centres with a focus on identifying and problem-solving regional issues, and bringing our issues to the attention of the Peak for the purpose of driving those issues forward at a State level.
The key aims of the CONC are to raise the profile of Neighbourhood and Community Centres on the Far North Coast so that we are recognised as stakeholders in key consultation and other processes, and also to enable the group to apply for regional funds which each of as individual centres are unable to do. The CONC also aims to consolidate the working relations between the member organisations and enhance collaboration generally.
The CONC is a consortium meaning that the actual members are the MC/Boards of each member Neighbourhood Centre and each MC/Board has delegated formally to their EOs/ /Managers/ Coordinators, responsibility in relation to CONC operations.
The CONC is currently funded by NSW Community Services to deliver Brighter Futures North Coast.
For more info see The CONC website.