COMPACT works across communities and sectors to inspire people to foster social cohesion, stand united against divisive forces and come together in times of need.

At the program-level, our community partners work together to build Community Resilience across the four areas of community Preparedness, Prevention, Response and Recovery:

Preparedness: Proactively build and support committed, collaborative, responsive community networks

Prevention: Break the cycle of hate: the community champions cultural diversity and community harmonyResponse: Community networks and relationships mobilise to stand up and stand united in the face of threats to community harmony

Response: Community networks and relationships mobilise to stand up and stand united in the face of threats to community harmony 

Recovery: Community networks and relationships mobilise to support each other and maintain or restore social cohesion in the wake of an incident or crisis

COMPACT has inspired and empowered more than 80,000 young people as champions for community harmony. COMPACT Partnership Projects aim to:

1. To inspire and empower young people to stand up and stand united against extremism, hate, fear and division as champions for community harmony;
2. To support communities and build resilience to threats to community harmony in NSW arising from local or global issues;
3. To build robust, sustainable networks, relationships and partnerships across communities;
4. To promote community understanding of the value and benefit of cultural diversity.

Our COMPACT partners are youth practitioners who deliver a range of activities to engage, empower and inspire young people:

Digital citizens: includes methods to engage and empower young people to build safer, more harmonious online communities and to protect each other from online hate and other digital harms.

Peacebuilders & humanitarians: includes effective peacebuilding and conflict resolution methods and volunteering, community service, charity and local and/or international humanitarian work with a clear benefit to local communities.

Creative communicators: includes creative methods to amplify the voices of young people and tackle tough issues like hate and polarisation through art, music, writing, traditional and digital/social media, public speaking or performance.

Networkers & influencers: includes methods to create and sustain active, effective networks of youth leaders, allies and influencers, in both online and offline contexts, that can activate against divisive forces and promote community harmony.

Community connectors: includes methods of cross-cultural, cross-regional and interfaith engagement that bring communities together and foster trust, collaboration and cohesion.

Thought leaders & changemakers: includes methods to facilitate constructive dialogue and debate, enhance critical thinking and ethical social action, and inspire young people to defend democracy, diversity and human rights.

Team players: includes sports, games and play to engage young people, break down barriers, combat racism, reinforce positive messages, and create support networks, mentoring opportunities and positive role models.

COMPACT supports collaboration across communities and sectors. COMPACT Partnership Projects are delivered by partners with the experience, expertise and capacity to bring about real positive change in young people.

COMPACT partners are part of the COMPACT Alliance and participate in a joint program of activity to build social cohesion.

Current COMPACT Partnership Projects:

1. Interfaith School Communities: Stepping Stones over Troubled Waters Finding the Path of Unity: led by Catholic Mission with Together for Humanity, and the Centre for Western Sydney, Western Sydney University.
2. Shared space and collaboration: digital storytelling with LGBTIQ+, faith-based and culturally diverse young people and communities: led by Western Sydney University with High Street Youth Health Services (Western Sydney Local Health District), Woodville Alliance, and The Open Door Community of Christ.
3. We are the Matrix: led by All Together Now with Headspace, and Western Sydney University.
4. NSW Global Links: Partnerships 4 Peace: led by the Institute for Economics & Peace with Shayna Humanitarian Services.
5. All-Rounded Youth Resilience: Equipping Cross-Community Youth with Democratic and Digital Media Resilience and Collaborative Digital Action: led by Islamic Sciences & Research Academy with Amity College, Charles Sturt University, The newDemocracy Foundation, and Knox Grammar School.
6. Cultural Motion: Empowering youth for more harmonious futures: led by Youth off the Streets with Community Minds.
7. Empowering Youth to Inspire Change: led by Gymea Community Aid & Information Service with Black Rose Media, Reg Mahoney & Associates, Shopfront Arts Co-operative, Sutherland Shire Council, Georges River Council, and Headspace Miranda.
8. Common Ground Project: Phase 2: led by B’nai B’rith Courage to Care NSW with The Ethics Centre.
9. Game Changer for Western Sydney: led by Creating Chances with Western Sydney University.
10. UNIFY: A creative program to engage young people to create digital works around the theme of unity: led by Milk Crate Theatre with Y Foundations, ARV (Australian Refugee Volunteers), Mission Australia – Reconnect Inner City, Counterpoint Community Services Inc., The Twenty Ten Association, and The Burdekin Association.
11. Applied Theatre in Western Sydney High Schools – resilience, harmony and rehearsing self-advocacy: led by Outloud with Headspace Bankstown, and Canterbury-Bankstown local high schools.
12. TheatreConnect: led by The CREATE Centre, The University of Sydney with BBT.
13. It’s Our Turn: Fostering Community Harmony and Connection Through Creative Writing: led by Story Factory with The Hive, and United Way Australia.
14. HOLDING SPACE: led by Curious Works with Sydney Opera House, Refugee Welcome Centre – Settlement Services International, and Settlement Services International – Arts and Culture Program Homelands Tour.
15. NRL Social Cohesion Project: led by National Rugby League Ltd (NRL) with Moving Forward Together, and the Institute for Economics & Peace.
16. In My Shoes: led by The Skill Engineer with Mosaic Multicultural Connections, Central Coast Community Council, and Central Coast Council.
17. Islamophobia—Not a Vibe: led by Islamophobia Register Australia with Our Race, Mission of Hope, and The Creative Cooperative – Maya Cares.
18. NextGen Navigators: empowering youth for community resilience: led by Plan C with the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP).
19. The Crossroads Project: Young people creating safe online and in-person spaces for cross-cultural and interfaith conversations and connection in South-West Sydney: led by Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre with Project Rockit, and UNSW Centre for Social Impact.
20. Warrawong: Tides of Harmony – Film Project: led by Barnardos Australia with Gawura Aboriginal Corporation (Gawura), Warrawong High School, and CoEqual.

COMPACT has been independently evaluated as “first of its kind” program.

Its success is measured by the positive outcomes for young people and the joint efforts of the COMPACT Alliance as a force for community harmony.

Projects are reviewed regularly. The COMPACT Alliance provides a regular forum for community partners to come together to learn from each other.

The COMPACT Alliance is a state-wide network of community partners and allies who are standing united against hate and building a force for community harmony.

The COMPACT Alliance brings our COMPACT community partners together to learn from each other, build networks and work collaboratively towards common goals.