We’re The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI), an independent, not-for-profit organisation working across Australia.
Since 2009 we've had hands-on experience putting social innovation into practice across systems in Australia. We are strategic partners, capability builders, consultants, connectors and facilitators, and we’re passionate about partnering with people, communities, philanthropy, communities, government, NGOs and businesses to tackle Australia’s biggest social challenges.
At the heart of TACSI lies the fundamental belief that people are the experts in their own lives. We believe that the best innovations come from working alongside the people who face the very challenges we’re trying to solve.
Join us.
What we do
Strategy
We develop social purpose strategy for organisations and sectors operating in complex systems.
Our experience includes supporting governments, philanthropy, First Nations-led organisations, community organisations and not-for-profits.
Co-designing initiatives to reduce Aboriginal over-representation in the criminal justice system
Co-designing initiatives to reduce Aboriginal over-representation in the criminal justice system
Case study: Understanding the lived experience of homelessness and housing challenges
Case study: Understanding the lived experience of homelessness and housing challenges
Case study: Connecting mental health and alcohol and other drug systems in South Brisbane
Case study: Connecting mental health and alcohol and other drug systems in South Brisbane
Policy development
We engage community and stakeholders in policy, service and systems development applying participatory design and systems change practices across the policy cycle.
We’re skilled in creating collaborative spaces that bring together subject matter expertise, policy making expertise and lived-expertise. Our processes build ownership and buy in.
Case study: Co-designing the transition of Accommodation Support Services
Case study: Co-designing the transition of Accommodation Support Services
Skills for Victoria Review: Our ideas to build in equity and innovation through system reform
Skills for Victoria Review: Our ideas to build in equity and innovation through system reform
Service design
We design, prototype, implement and scale health and social service models through collaborative partnerships and processes, including lived, learnt and practice experience.
We’ve helped not-for-profits renew underperforming services, governments test new services models and designed breakthrough models that have achieved national take-up.
Case study: Designing a community-based initiative to help regional NSW communities attract and retain essential workers
Case study: Designing a community-based initiative to help regional NSW communities attract and retain essential workers
Case study: Co-design and capability building for the Forensic Mental Health Service
Case study: Co-design and capability building for the Forensic Mental Health Service
Systems change initiatives
We work as strategic and program partners to co-create strategy and impact initiatives with partners committed to long-term system change, including philanthropy.
We work alongside our partners to scope what systems need, designing innovative and fit-for purpose models, and supporting structures for effective implementation.
Lived experience
We develop cultures, structures and processes involving lived and living expertise in planning, design, delivery, evaluation, and governance.
Our experienced practitioners can help you create the conditions for success and tailor your approach to engaging lived and living experience within your context and resources.
Case study: Co-designing for safe and diverse participation with Me Well
Case study: Co-designing for safe and diverse participation with Me Well
Case study: Co-designing better post-suicidal support systems
Case study: Co-designing better post-suicidal support systems
Case study: Supporting parents of children with life limiting illnesses
Case study: Supporting parents of children with life limiting illnesses
Capability building
We help build your social innovation capability through resources, courses, coaching and learning networks, and can provide tailored learning experiences as needed.
We can coach and train your team, utilising the creative learning resources on the TACSI Learning Hub to initiate, grow, or extend your organisation or teams innovation capability.
Case study: How we’re building Regional Innovation Capability
Case study: How we’re building Regional Innovation Capability
How we’re nurturing social innovation to flourish across the third sector
How we’re nurturing social innovation to flourish across the third sector
How we can
work together
As capability builders
We can help build your social innovation capability through resources, courses, coaching and learning networks.
We can partner with you to identify your unique needs, and help build out your organisation's innovation capabilities through our courses and coaching, resources and network.
As consultants
We can work from short sprints through to long term partnerships, and from idea to implementation to identify, ideate, design and deliver participatory design projects, strategy development. All while building on a body of knowledge and evidence from practice since 2009.
As connectors and facilitators
No one organisation can make lasting change alone; it takes a network of catalysed thinking, connected approaches and coordinated community- led ideas. We love coordinating and facilitating a networked approach to everything we do.
As long-term strategic partners
Deep work takes time, and some of our most impactful work is through our long term partnerships and relationships. We’ll work alongside your team and real people so that, together, we can partner for long-term social impact and change.
The principles that guide our practice
We act in Allyship with First Nations Peoples, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Country
We think and act systemically
We are rigorous in imagination and experimentation
We embrace diversity in decision making
We put a focus on learning