Tools & Resources

Asset Based Community Development is an approach to sustainable community-driven development. Beyond the mobilisation of a particular community, it is concerned with how to link micro-assets to the macro-environment. More information at…

This report is a synthesis of learnings and insights from a workshop facilitated by Mark Cabaj and CFI on changing systems, power and potential. The report is a blend of concepts, frameworks, applications and hints organised into three sections: Defining the system; Leading for systems change; and…

David Snowden on his Cynefin framework to assist you and others to differentiate between the complicated and the complex.

An overview of important things to consider (beyond Cultural Competency) before entering into partnerships between First Nations and Other Multicultural Australians. It includes concepts such as understanding the historical patterns of working, being aware and making decisions about language and…

This resource is a field guide to the use of participatory and other research tools by Aboriginal research practitioners in Australia.

This tool will help you to map and interpret stakeholder dynamics in your initiative. This tool can be useful at the start of an initiative when you are working out the ‘lay of the land’, if things go wrong, if there is conflict, or if you are not making progress.

John Kania talks about 'System Leadership' as the leadership required for systems change and identifies leadership as the biggest distinguishing factor of successful Collective Impact efforts. This is an excerpt of a video interview in 2020 with John Kania by CFI Director, Kerry…

This resource describes the difference between leaders who need to be the centre of attention and leaders who create the conditions for collaborative outcomes.

This resource describes different approaches to leadership and identifies those best suited to collaborative community impact and systems change.

This resource is a compilation of tools and techniques for working in groups and facilitating meetings and workshops.

This resource describes the core capabilities of system leaders and describes the means by which they may be acquired.

This resource helps individuals think systemically about social change, explore what is happening below the surface on issues they care about, and determine how they and their organizations can pursue large-scale change in a disciplined and holistic manner.

There are many more tools and approaches that can be used to engage with and learn about your community, have a look through the following websites for inspiration: 100 Conversations, appreciative inquiry, there are also a number of arts-based methods that can be useful…

Deep Collaboration is a way of working that was created by First Nations and other Multicultural Australians to find new ways to work and lead together. In this video, Deep Collaboration Lead, Mark Yettica-Paulson and CFI’s Jane Martin discuss why a new approach to working together is needed.