About the Group

Blue Mountains Community Interagency (BMCI) is a member-based forum established by Mountains Community Resource Network, the peak body and voice of community organisations within the Blue Mountains.

BMCI comprises key stakeholders of the local community services sector including individuals, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, charities and government organisations.

The Blue Mountains City Council provides funding to resource the BMCI through the Community Assistance Program.

Purpose/Goals

The BMCI provides a cross-sectoral, generalist forum – open to both specialist and generalist services – enabling managers and workers to identify services, new programs, changes in direction, ways to address issues arising for the sector, and opportunities for partnerships.

Activities

The BMCI meets once each month and provides:

• a forum for member organisations to come together, network, share information, and discuss sector-wide issues
• a mechanism for working together collaboratively on identified issues (eg issues-based working groups, make a submission on behalf of the community, time-limited Special Interest Groups, or meet the Candidate for an upcoming election)
• a forum to foster action on social justice and positive social change
• an opportunity to forge partnerships and engage in strategic alliances
• a forum to bring together government and non-government organisations
• (proposed future implementation of) a member forum on MCRN’s website for the discussion of ‘hot topics’, and the establishment of web-based forums for Special Interest Groups, and
• a ‘space’ for members to identify opportunities for growth and development.

Meetings

- Format: - BMCI meetings generally comprise issues-based specialist forums - the themes decided by BMCI members, frequently with guest speakers.

- How often: - BMCI meets 9:30am-11:30am on the last Tuesday of every month (except December).

- Where: - Santa Maria Centre - off Mary Street, Lawson (unless otherwise advised)

- Who can attend: - All BMCI members are invited to attend BMCI meetings. Non-members may attend up to three meetings a year by prior arrangement.

How to get involved

To join the BMCI, individuals and organisations must first become financial members of the MCRN.