Local Community Services Association

31/08/2026

The countdown is on - the Connecting Communities Conference is just one week away!

If you haven't already, now's the time to lock in your spot: ticket sales must close 9am tomorrow, Tuesday 1st September.

Register now: https://connectingcommunities.org.au/LCSAConference/Purchase-Tickets.aspx?hkey=74311567-caff-42dc-aa51-811deaa105b6&WebsiteKey=f7d66040-f727-4acc-9829-322b0fb2b7a7

20/08/2026

Nominations are now open for the 2026 NCOSS Awards. These awards recognise and honour the excellence, positive impact, dedication and advocacy of individuals and organisations in the NSW social service sector.

Across the seven categories, we recognise the often-unseen contributions that transform lives. These organisations and individuals are setting the standard for excellence in our community sector.

Every nomination you make shines a light on the work that we do for our communities.

Nominate a person or organisation today! Go to www.ncoss.org.au/ncoss-awards

13/08/2026

What a wonderful way to spend a Tuesday! 🇹🇼🥢

This week we joined our friends at Yirranma Place for their monthly Two Good Tuesday community lunch.

LCSA was honoured to host this month's lunch and welcome our student placements from National Chengchi University in Taiwan to share more about their culture.

Over a beautiful Taiwanese-inspired menu prepared by the team at Two Good Co., the students shared a short presentation on Taiwan and their experiences with Taiwanese NGOs.

Thank you to everyone who came along and made our guests feel so welcome.

📸 Students from NCCU presenting to attendees over lunch.

12/08/2026

Panel Discussion: Connecting Communities Conference 2026

We're bringing together some of the most influential voices in the community sector for a panel discussion you won't want to miss.

Facilitated by Brent Wallace, Community Development Manager at Beyond Bank, this session will explore what Action, Innovation and Impact really look like in practice - with candid stories and hard-won perspectives from leaders shaping community services in Australia and beyond.

It's a rare chance to hear from people at the helm of some of our sector's most respected organisations, all on the same stage.

📅 7 & 8 September 2026
📍 Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, Wollongong

🎟️ Secure your seat: https://events.humanitix.com/lcsa-conference-2026

11/08/2026

This National Youth Volunteer Week, our Member Census is telling us something worth sitting with.

64% of neighbourhood and community centres run a volunteer program. Not a nice-to-have - it's how the sector stretches limited funding into real impact and stays connected to the communities it serves.

At Newtown Neighbourhood Centre's Generations Connect program, Year 9 students volunteer alongside local seniors. At a recent drama workshop, one senior was asked what young people could teach older people. His answer: "nothing."

By the end of the session, he'd changed his mind: "I take back the nothing. I have learnt so much from you."

That's youth volunteering in one exchange.

But programs like this take real coordination - recruiting, training, rostering - often unseen. As we dig into our full Census results, we're looking at the gap between how much centres rely on volunteers and how much support they get to sustain that work.

Read the full article here: https://www.lcsansw.org.au/Public/News/News-Articles/National_Youth_Volunteer_Week_2026.aspx

07/08/2026

The Connecting Communities Conference is now just one month away 🎉

It's shaping up to be a great one - we've got community sector leaders from across NSW coming together to talk action, innovation and impact in the sector.

Two days. One room. A lot of good conversations.

📅 7–8 September 2026
📍 Wollongong

Don't miss your chance to be in the room - book your tickets now: https://connectingcommunities.org.au/conference/LCSAConference/Purchase-Tickets.aspx?hkey=74311567-caff-42dc-aa51-811deaa105b6

05/08/2026

It's Loneliness Awareness Week 🧡

Across NSW, our member neighbourhood and community centres are places where people find connection every day - through a cuppa, a class, a chat, or just a friendly face. This week is a reminder of why that work matters.

More than 150 events and activities are happening across Australia as part of Loneliness Awareness Week.

Check out the Connection Map to find something near you: lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/connection-map

Connection doesn't happen by accident - it's made room for. That's exactly what our members do, every single day.

Want to inspire your children or students to make room for others?

Print our August connection calendar and stick it on your fridge or classroom wall during Loneliness Awareness Week. Download now 👉 https://bit.ly/connection-calendar

05/08/2026

Our Supporting Stronger Communities (SSC) Grant information session has been rescheduled to Wednesday 12 August at 1:00 PM AEST.

If you’re considering applying for the next round, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the grant, eligibility and application process, and ask any questions.

📅 Wednesday 12 August
⏰ 1:00 PM AEST

If you registered for the original session, your registration will carry across to the new date.

⭐ If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time! Register here: https://sscgrantinfo.eventbrite.com

We apologise for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you next Wednesday!

04/08/2026

Residents previously came together at Poet’s Corner Community Garden for a Redfern Clean Up, collecting 15 bags of rubbish in under an hour. It was a great example of how a simple local activity can bring neighbours together while making a visible difference.

Read about the Redfern Clean Up:
https://innersydneyvoice.org.au/articles/redfern-clean-up/

Inspired to get involved? The next community clean-up is happening tomorrow in Waterloo.

📍 Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre
📅 Thursday 30 July
⏰ 10am–11am

Gloves, bags and refreshments will be provided, and participants will have the chance to win one of ten $25 Coles vouchers. Everyone is welcome.

Clean Up Australia