Five ways your community can encourage people to #makethemove
As part of the #Makethemove campaign we put the call out to communities to share their examples of locally led initiatives enticing people to live, and stay, in regional Australia. In just a few short weeks we have uncovered a number of great examples.
From tapping into the ageing population to harnessing the talent of young professionals, here is a taste of some of the successful initiatives underway, proving that innovation is flourishing in regional Australia.
An ageing population has often been viewed as a challenge for small towns. But Orbost in regional Victoria is proving that an older population can actually reinvigorate a community.
Orbost is learning from the experiences of others by actively engaging with case studies of similar approaches. For example, since the 1990s, rural towns in America actively pursued the ‘retiree market’ to stimulate their local economy and attract new people to the area. Orbost is looking at what contributed to this success and what they can incorporate into their own strategies.
Orbost has identified a number of priority areas to enhance their community attributes. These are; lifestyle and recreation activities, housing, transport and mobility, and marketing. The Council are actively looking for opportunities where different groups can work together and support each other.
Love the Life We Live is a resource for businesses to help attract new employees from outside the Orana region in Western NSW.
The website promotes the relaxed lifestyle, job opportunities, friendly communities and affordable housing available across the region to help people relocate from metropolitan areas.
Targeting local businesses and potential new employees is a unique approach. By focusing on people who are already looking at moving, Love the Life We Live is better able to cater to their audience and is more likely to impact people’s decision making.
In early 2015, social enterprise yRepublic was established by a group of passionate millennials to address the dwindling population of young adults in Cairns, QLD.
yRepublic’s vision is to lead innovative, creative and effective projects that empower millennials to connect, collaborate and actively participate in society, in order to build vibrancy in their communities.
To kick start the initiative yRepublic ran the Bright Ideas Think Tank to invite the local community to have their say about how Cairns can attract millennials to the region. Having identified some great new ideas the challenge is now to make these ideas a reality.
The We Love KB (Kalgoorlie Boulder) initiative showcases the successful, independently run businesses and community organisations that contribute to the vibrant and culturally diverse Kalgoorlie Boulder community.
It encourages a love of place by encouraging people to get amongst the many things that are happening in the local community from participating in local events, discovering a new coffee shop and connecting with other people in the local area.
The website and social media profile encourages conversation about what everybody loves about Kalgoorlie Boulder and creates a platform for local and visiting writers and artists to share their portfolios and experiences.
Women in Business (WiB) Wagga Wagga has partnered with Wagga TV to develop a series of twelve videos promoting successful business women in the region.
WiB is hoping that by promoting the local talent and professionalism of its women they can quash the fears of others looking to make the move to regional Australia. There is a perception that leaving a capital city can be career limiting, but the video series highlights the diverse career opportunities and serves to inspire women about the economic success and capabilities of those living and working in regional Australia.
WiB Regional Excellence videos.
