An equal say for fairer communities
For over half a century, Inner Sydney Voice has promoted social justice and inclusion with, and for people who experience social and economic disadvantage or are in need of benevolent assistance.
As one of the first regional social development agencies to be funded in NSW, we continue to support people, their communities and organisations across Central, Eastern and Inner West Sydney.
“There will always be a place for an organisation like Regional [Social Development] Council! Someone to oppose the excesses of the “powers that be”. Someone to keep the community in community services. Someone who really understands that community development is about communities being in control and adequately resourced to solve their problems. Someone who really puts people first!”
Marg Barry, Inner Sydney Voice, Forward to the Future, 1995
1974
Formation Year
54
Partners and Friends
500000
Reach, Advocacy, Support
217
Community Resources Map
For more than 50 years, Inner Sydney Voice has promoted social justice and led community development initiatives that have delivered long, lasting change.
Despite improvements in green spaces, community facilities, and schools, the Inner Sydney Region still faces significant economic disadvantage, especially in areas like Redfern, Waterloo, and Glebe. The ongoing redevelopment of these areas presents challenges for at-risk populations. Persistent issues like housing affordability, cost of living crises, ageism, and discrimination contribute to social inequity and poverty, demanding continued advocacy and support.
Supporting disadvantaged and marginalised communities.
As the regional peak council for social development for the Inner Sydney Region, our purpose is to support and empower disadvantaged and marginalised communities and those who work with them. We are dedicated to ensuring they have an equal say in the decisions that shape their lives.
Our current funded programs support those who work with children, young people, women, families, people surviving domestic violence, frail older people, people living with disability and mental health issues, those with low incomes, people with dementia, those who are homeless, people exiting custodial care, people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as well as people at risk of environmental conditions such as bushfires, other extreme weather events and natural disasters.
ISV has been a long-time ally of diverse and marginalised communities in Inner Sydney, including First Nations people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and LGBTQIA+ communities through various social development initiatives.
How we do it
- Bringing people together to create opportunities to enable them to amplify their diverse, intersecting, and rich voices
- Being a trusted and credible voice
- Delivering programs to reduce disadvantage and empower communities of focus*
- Influencing decisions that reduce poverty, marginalisation and other forms of disadvantage
- Making service systems stronger and better to reduce poverty, marginalisation and other forms of disadvantage and vulnerability
- Ensuring that no one gets left behind and,
- Connecting sectors to enable communities to thrive.
*Communities of focus such as First Nations People, LGBTQI+, Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD), people with a disability, women, families, older people, young people, people on low incomes, people surviving domestic violence, people with mental health issues, people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, people at risk of environmental conditions such as bushfires, other extreme weather events and natural disasters.
01
Participation
Everyone has the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
02
Diversity
Diverse backgrounds, cultures, strengths, and perspectives are cherished social assets.
03
Empowerment
When all people are equally empowered to participate, it leads to fairer outcomes.
04
Fairness
Fairer societies are happier, healthier, safer, and stronger.
Over five decades, ISV has successfully run several programs to reduce social disadvantage and drive real change by supporting those in need, advocating for social justice, and fostering collaboration among community organisations in the Inner Sydney Region, particularly Inner City, Redfern, Waterloo, Eastern Sydney, and Inner West Sydney.
We know that change starts at the local level. That’s why we continue to provide practical support to those who need it most. By offering information, advocacy, and community development initiatives, we give individuals, families, and those who support them, the tools they need to stand up for themselves and their communities.
We’re not just a voice for those facing hardship; we’re also a connector of people and organisations. ISV plays a crucial role in bringing together social and community service organisations across the Inner Sydney Region. By fostering collaboration and enhancing the skills of service workers, we ensure that our collective efforts are more effective and that no one is left behind.
Over the past decade, we’ve transferred community development expertise to support communities in preparing for disasters and building their resilience to manage “whatever comes their way.”
ISV has developed a scalable, replicable community continuity planning process that can be applied in a wide range of contexts to bring service providers and their client communities together and better articulate shared responsibility for strengthening communities’ resilience to hazard risks.
Our work is about more than support—it’s about creating real opportunities. We believe in the power of community and the importance of giving people a seat at the table when decisions are made. Through our programs, we’re making sure that everyone has the chance to have their voice heard and to influence the decisions that impact their lives.
To help us plan and ensure that ISV continues to add value in an ever-changing local region we have our theory of change. We worked with our significant contacts and discussed our activities and the endgame of those activities. The result was our documented theory of change.
Our Theory of Change is about bringing our vision to life. An equal say. A fairer world.
For more than 50 years, Inner Sydney Voice has promoted social justice and led community development initiatives that have delivered long, lasting change.
Despite improvements in green spaces, community facilities, and schools, the Inner Sydney Region still faces significant economic disadvantage, especially in areas like Redfern, Waterloo, and Glebe. The ongoing redevelopment of these areas presents challenges for at-risk populations. Persistent issues like housing affordability, cost of living crises, ageism, and discrimination contribute to social inequity and poverty, demanding continued advocacy and support.
Supporting disadvantaged and marginalised communities.
As the regional peak council for social development for the Inner Sydney Region, our purpose is to support and empower disadvantaged and marginalised communities and those who work with them. We are dedicated to ensuring they have an equal say in the decisions that shape their lives.
Our current funded programs support those who work with children, young people, women, families, people surviving domestic violence, frail older people, people living with disability and mental health issues, those with low incomes, people with dementia, those who are homeless, people exiting custodial care, people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as well as people at risk of environmental conditions such as bushfires, other extreme weather events and natural disasters.
ISV has been a long-time ally of diverse and marginalised communities in Inner Sydney, including First Nations people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and LGBTQIA+ communities through various social development initiatives.
How we do it
- Bringing people together to create opportunities to enable them to amplify their diverse, intersecting, and rich voices
- Being a trusted and credible voice
- Delivering programs to reduce disadvantage and empower communities of focus*
- Influencing decisions that reduce poverty, marginalisation and other forms of disadvantage
- Making service systems stronger and better to reduce poverty, marginalisation and other forms of disadvantage and vulnerability
- Ensuring that no one gets left behind and,
- Connecting sectors to enable communities to thrive.
*Communities of focus such as First Nations People, LGBTQI+, Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD), people with a disability, women, families, older people, young people, people on low incomes, people surviving domestic violence, people with mental health issues, people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, people at risk of environmental conditions such as bushfires, other extreme weather events and natural disasters.
01
Participation
Everyone has the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
02
Diversity
Diverse backgrounds, cultures, strengths, and perspectives are cherished social assets.
03
Empowerment
When all people are equally empowered to participate, it leads to fairer outcomes.
04
Fairness
Fairer societies are happier, healthier, safer, and stronger.
Over five decades, ISV has successfully run several programs to reduce social disadvantage and drive real change by supporting those in need, advocating for social justice, and fostering collaboration among community organisations in the Inner Sydney Region, particularly Inner City, Redfern, Waterloo, Eastern Sydney, and Inner West Sydney.
We know that change starts at the local level. That’s why we continue to provide practical support to those who need it most. By offering information, advocacy, and community development initiatives, we give individuals, families, and those who support them, the tools they need to stand up for themselves and their communities.
We’re not just a voice for those facing hardship; we’re also a connector of people and organisations. ISV plays a crucial role in bringing together social and community service organisations across the Inner Sydney Region. By fostering collaboration and enhancing the skills of service workers, we ensure that our collective efforts are more effective and that no one is left behind.
Over the past decade, we’ve transferred community development expertise to support communities in preparing for disasters and building their resilience to manage “whatever comes their way.”
ISV has developed a scalable, replicable community continuity planning process that can be applied in a wide range of contexts to bring service providers and their client communities together and better articulate shared responsibility for strengthening communities’ resilience to hazard risks.
Our work is about more than support—it’s about creating real opportunities. We believe in the power of community and the importance of giving people a seat at the table when decisions are made. Through our programs, we’re making sure that everyone has the chance to have their voice heard and to influence the decisions that impact their lives.
To help us plan and ensure that ISV continues to add value in an ever-changing local region we have our theory of change. We worked with our significant contacts and discussed our activities and the endgame of those activities. The result was our documented theory of change.
Our Theory of Change is about bringing our vision to life. An equal say. A fairer world.