Better Chances Forum (BCF) facilitates monthly connection sessions for the early intervention sector in 2022/2023   

The Better Chances Forum (BCF) brings together people from organisations and groups across the Northern Rivers region of NSW to:

• connect, reflect and build our practice
• share information and build relationships
• act to work more supportively alongside children, young people, their families and communities
• create space for storytelling to explore what’s working and not working in our service systems — to understand challenges, gaps and opportunities— and communicate these stories to decision-makers.

There are more than 400 Better Chances Forum (BCF) members from over 120 community, government, and private-sector organisations. BCF Membership includes Social Futures Early Intervention Connect clients and workers in the early intervention sector.

2022/2023 BCF monthly connection meetings

Better Chances Forum (BCF) connection meetings offer a consistent opportunity for early intervention practitioners and related stakeholders to connect, reflect and build their practice. Sessions are scheduled at the same time every month (third Wednesday of the month) and are facilitated online or face to face. Participates are guided by a working together agreement which sets up supportive spaces for challenging conversations.

In 2022/23 a reflective practice process was embedded into monthly connection sessions – providing a consistent opportunity for EIC clients to reflect on how they deliver their work.

BCF sessions have a reflective theme, some of the 2022/23 themes included:

• understanding our own bias.
• children and Young Peoples influence in decisions.
• setting the space for safer engagement
• exploring what we want and need to understand from children and young people.
• preparing for engagement
• sharing our engagement practice stories
• designing services around need

Each session includes a check in and check out process, as we aim to leave the sessions better off then we arrived, and a standard evaluation.

2022/23 BCF connection session evaluation results  

• 97% have made or strengthened connections through this session
• 95% have new learning from this session that will enhance my practice
• 99% would recommend this activity to my colleagues

To find out more about BCF connection sessions contact [email protected]