The Regional Engagement Program (REP) is a multi-faceted strategic approach to community engagement. It involves seven engagement offerings that operate across nine regions, metropolitan and regionally based, throughout the year. The REP will provide a variety of engagement offerings that facilitate dynamic, purposeful, and technologically enabled engagement with regional communities.

The REP was designed following a review of the operation of the former Multicultural NSW Regional Advisory Council (RAC) program. The review involved extensive consultation with key regional stakeholders and drew on lessons from the online activation of the networks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The REP is a wholistic program incorporating various engagement offerings available all year round. It has been developed with a focus on amplifying the voices of communities, through more focused engagement, leading to more purpose-driven dialogue.   The program is more responsive to the needs of the local communities and engages a wider audience to ultimately influence local issues and government policy.

The REP offers seven engagement offerings made available to communities across nine localities. Each offering has a particular purpose and has been created with the intension of leading localized conversations.

The REP provides more opportunities for the voices of communities to be heard and embedded across government policy through the provision of various “all in” offerings that encourage participants to connect with peers and to share learnings and opportunities.

The REP aims to:

a. Expand, nourish, and sustain effective, wide-reaching, robust relationships with and between communities across NSW regions.

b. Facilitate dynamic, purposeful, and technologically enabled engagement through a variety of regional engagement offerings throughout the year.

c. Ensure diverse and inclusive community representation and participation, including from new and emerging communities, young people, First Nations communities, and cultural community leaders.

d. Provide a channel for community insights and experiences to inform NSW Government policy and strategy relating to cultural diversity.

e. Facilitate collaboration among regional community members and stakeholders to resolve issues and promote good multicultural practice.

f. Maintain strong cross-cultural, cross-sector, cross-regional networks with the capacity to mobilize in times of need.

The REP will incorporate nine regions across NSW. Two regions will be in Greater Sydney Metropolitan areas and the other seven will be in Regional NSW.

1. Greater Sydney (East and North)
2. Greater Sydney (West and South)
3. Riverina
4. Murray-Lower Darling
5. Hunter- Central Coast
6. Illawarra – South-East NSW
7. Western NSW
8. Northern NSW
9. New England and Northwest NSW

Every active community member and leader is invited to register and participate in the REP. Becoming a participant in the REP will allow you to access and participate in “all in” offerings such as the Joint Regional Forum, the Annual Regional Summit and online digital platform.

To join the REP network, please complete the Registration Form.

RCNs across the regions will comprise of fifteen community members who will be formally appointed by the Minister of Multiculturalism.

As a guide, RCNs will be made up of participants representing the following groups:

• Active Community Leaders/Members from a variety of communities including those from new and emerging communities
• Community Organisations
• Religious & Faith Leaders
• Young People (18 –24 years old)
• People with Disabilities
• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community
• LGBTIQ

The REP has a strong focus on empowering Youth Representatives (Young Persons between the ages of 18-24) and will offer opportunities for individuals to co-chair meetings, forums and discussions.  The voice of young people will be a strong focus of this program.

Young people are encouraged to register and become involved.

As an overview, the program will be reimbursing voluntary representatives for their contribution and payments will be in accordance with the PSC Board and Committees Remuneration Structure. Advisory Board Members & REP Champions will also be paid as co-chairs and will also be compensated for travel and meals expenses. Those who join REP as paid employees will not be paid.