Pool Pilot Initiative Wins Award Read More
Hands Up Mallee was established in 2015 in Mildura to address complex social challenges through a collective impact model, bringing together community, services, and government. Between 2016 and 2017, we held more than 1,600 conversations to understand what matters most, shaping a shared vision for a connected, thriving community.
The initiative has since deepened its commitment to local leadership and governance by moving towards a community-led and governed, place-based model that combines lived experience, local knowledge, evidence, and data to focus on local priorities for better outcomes and drive systemic change.
Our unique structure is made up of the Collaborative Governance Group, Yarning Group and Backbone Team. Purpose-built and co-designed with community, our shared governance model brings together people with lived experience, cultural knowledge, service expertise and strategic influence. This collective approach helps us stay grounded, inclusive and accountable as we work towards long-term social change.
Our Backbone Team is a small group of skilled and passionate people who support the work of Hands Up Mallee every day. The team facilitates collaboration, leads strategic planning, supports evaluation, and ensures communication and learning are embedded throughout our work. Most importantly, the team keeps us connected to the voices, priorities and aspirations of our local community.
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Jane has been the Executive Officer of Hands Up Mallee since 2018, supporting the Backbone Team to enable community-led systems change. She works closely with partners across community, government, and services to champion equity, and collaboration. With over 12 years of experience working in place-based change initiatives, Jane specialises in applying systems thinking approaches to […]
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Fiona has been with Hands Up Mallee since its inception in 2015. She brings extensive leadership experience from her career in education, including serving as principal of two schools and as a Principal Consultant for the merger of four schools to form Merbein P-10 College. Fiona is passionate about learning and improvement. She leads the […]
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Catherine plays a key role in fostering collaboration between community members, young people, services and government as part of Hands Up Mallee’s Engagement and Action team. She develops and leads approaches for creating safe spaces that support open dialogue, inclusion, and meaningful participation in systems change.Born and raised in Mildura and now raising her own […]
Our Yarning Group provides local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural oversight, leadership and guidance to our work. Established in response to community feedback, the group ensures our work is culturally safe, strengths-based and grounded in local Aboriginal knowledge and ways of working.
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Wiradjuri Elder/Barkindji
Aunty Jemmes is a proud Wiradjuri Elder born in New South Wales who has worked for over 30 years in the health and justice systems across the Mildura area. She recently retired after 16 years as the Victoria Police Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer. In 2007, she became the first public servant to receive the Excellence […]
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Barkindji Elder
Uncle Warren is a proud and respected Barkindji Elder who has lived in Mildura for the past 30 years. He cares deeply for his community and family and holds a strong cultural connection to his lands and people. He brings over 45 years of experience working across NSW government roles, including leadership positions with NSW […]
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Barkindji
Peter is a proud Barkindji Elder, known for his deep-rooted connection to the land and community. Born in Wentworth, he is a renowned Aboriginal Artist whose work shares the stories of his ancestors and offers a window into the cultural legacy he cherishes. As the Cultural Advisor at Mildura Primary School, he is a respected […]
Our Collaborative Governance Group brings together a diverse mix of community members and Aboriginal leaders, all with an equal voice at the table. Co-chaired by an Aboriginal community leader, the group provides strategic direction, advocates for change, and ensures decisions are led by and with community. It’s a model of shared leadership, built on trust, transparency and mutual accountability.
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Stedman was born in Mildura and raised on a citrus farm in Colignan along the Murray River. After finishing high school in Red Cliffs, he lived in multiple cities, developing his visual arts practice and gaining experience through roles in research ethics at ANU and in the not-for-profit sector. Now back in the region with his […]
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Barkindji / Paakantyi
Patsy was born in Mildura and raised along the Murray and Darling Rivers, living in makeshift shelters and humpies. A proud mother of five, grandmother to 13, and great-grandmother, Patsy’s life has been deeply rooted in this region. Having worked across many roles supporting impacted communities, Patsy is committed to helping others in any way she […]
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Sara’s roots in Mildura run deep—her parents migrated from Italy as children, settling in the region and helping to build the warm, connected community she was raised in. After time spent living in Melbourne, Sara returned home to raise her own children, drawn back by Mildura’s strong sense of belonging and community spirit. Her diverse […]
Our 2025–29 Strategic Plan sets out our shared priorities for the years ahead. Built from what we’ve heard from community and informed by local evidence and learning, the plan provides a clear direction for how we’ll keep creating change—together.
A connected community, where children and young people thrive, and families matter.
In 2016–17, more than 1,600 community members across our region shared their aspirations, concerns and ideas. From these conversations, a shared vision emerged—one that continues to guide everything we do today.
Community Creating Change
At the heart of everything we do at Hands Up Mallee is a belief: lasting change happens when it’s led by community.
Our 2025–29 Strategic Plan sets out our shared priorities for the years ahead. Built from what we’ve heard from community and informed by local evidence and learning, the plan provides a clear direction for how we’ll keep creating change—together.
We earn respect by valuing dignity, diverse voices, trust, and self-determination. We build relationships and create inclusive environments where every person’s worth is recognised.
We value and are guided by the leadership, knowledge, wisdom, and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, embracing their holistic care for land and community for the benefit of all.
We focus on fairness, access and opportunity. We share power to ensure those who are most impacted can influence and lead change.
We hold ourselves, each other, and systems of power accountable. We are committed to reshaping these systems, so they are more responsive to community priorities.
Stay connected with what’s happening at Hands Up Mallee. From newsletters and community stories to blogs and media coverage, this is where we share the journey.
