Uniting

Community Role

Uniting delivers a broad range of services including family support, early childhood education, aged care, disability services, mental health programs, and community wellbeing initiatives. As part of the Uniting Church in Australia, it has a long history of advocating for social justice and providing compassionate, evidence‑based support to people experiencing vulnerability. Its programs are designed to strengthen resilience, improve access to services, and empower individuals and families to thrive.

Connection to Big Yellow Umbrella

Big Yellow Umbrella works closely with families, young people, and community members across the Macarthur region—areas where Uniting also provides significant family and community services. Both organisations share a commitment to early intervention, inclusive support, and strengthening community connection. This alignment creates opportunities for collaboration through referrals, complementary programs, shared community initiatives, and coordinated support pathways for families who need additional assistance.

Shared Impact

The relationship between Uniting and Big Yellow Umbrella enhances the network of support available to local residents. Uniting brings specialist services, advocacy, and long‑standing expertise, while BYU offers trusted, community‑based programs that engage families directly. Together, they help ensure people across the region have access to the right support at the right time, fostering a more connected, resilient, and empowered community.

Working in Partnership With Uniting

Big Yellow Umbrella worked in partnership with Uniting to support a project focused on strengthening wellbeing outcomes for young people in the middle years. This collaboration brought together shared values around community connection, early intervention, and evidence‑informed practice.

As part of the project, BYU staff contributed local insights, community engagement experience, and practical knowledge of working with children, young people, and families across the Camden, Campbelltown and Wollondilly regions. Our role centred on helping ensure the project reflected the real needs, strengths and lived experiences of the communities we serve.

The project is showcased at Maximising the Middle, an initiative designed to improve wellbeing and developmental outcomes for children aged 8–14.

Professional Learning and Capacity Building

To support this work, BYU staff participated in professional learning delivered by the Stronger Smarter Institute, focusing on culturally responsive practice, strengths‑based approaches, and building strong relationships with children, young people and families. This training strengthened our capacity to contribute meaningfully to the project and to embed these approaches across our programs.

Using the NEST Wellbeing Framework

The partnership also aligned with BYU’s ongoing use of ARACY’s NEST Wellbeing Framework, which guides our approach to supporting children and young people. The NEST provides a nationally recognised evidence base for understanding wellbeing across six interconnected domains, and it continues to shape how we design programs, measure impact, and collaborate with partners.

Why This Partnership Matters

This collaboration with Uniting reflects BYU’s commitment to working alongside organisations that share our values and our focus on improving social outcomes. By combining local knowledge, evidence‑based frameworks, and culturally informed practice, we can create stronger, more connected communities where children and young people have every opportunity to thrive.