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The UWA Business School's Centre for Social Impact (CSI) conducts research, teaching and public engagement activities to achieve its mission of creating positive social impact in the community.

One of the core themes of its work is the transformative role of collaboration in facilitating and achieving large-scale social change.

In terms of research, for example, CSI (UWA) Director Winthrop Professor Paul Flatau and his team recently conducted a study which found both clients and service managers desired greater levels of service integration.

Published earlier this year by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, the resulting report found where homelessness, mental health and drug and alcohol services collaborated with other organisations providing complementary services, managers "felt that they were able to have a greater impact than they could on their own, make a contribution to the community, meet the needs of clients better, develop valuable relationships, and acquire useful knowledge about services, programs, or people in the community."

And this principle of collaboration extends into the Centre for Social Impact's teaching activities, explains CSI (UWA) Director Winthrop Professor Paul Flatau.

"We have students from different backgrounds mixed together - not-for-profit managers, corporate executives, government managers, individual social innovators, social entrepreneurs and leaders. It is that mix which is really valuable," he said.

"The Graduate Certificate in Social Impact alumni group comprises around 100 graduates who are continuing to network together and work on individual projects focused on Western Australia and also around the world. They are implementing what they have learned in a practical setting.

"Our graduates are now employed in roles including Executive Officer at the Fogarty Foundation, Head of Fundraising & Social Enterprise at Anglicare, Head of Self-Directed Services Purchasing at Disability Services, and Fundraising Manager, Social Outreach & Advocacy at St John of God Hospital."

The student and alumni group will grow even larger in January, when the Graduate Certificate in Social Impact sees its next intake of students. These students will have the opportunity to learn from guest lecturers such as the Chair of the Fogarty Foundation, CEO of GivingWest and Manager of Philanthropic Services Australia.

Applications for the Graduate Certificate in Social Impact close on 22 January 2014.

Media references

Karen Della Torre (UWA Business School)                    (+61 8) 6488 8538
Verity Chia (UWA Business School)                               (+61 8) 6488 1346