VCOSS Community Sector Summit

Reimagining What’s Possible

On Monday 6 October, more than 350 community and social service leaders from across Victoria came together at Melbourne Town Hall for the first major gathering of its kind since COVID.

It was a chance to talk, listen and plan, to strategise about the big issues facing our sector and the communities we serve.

We’re incredibly grateful for the insights and perspectives provided by an amazing lineup of speakers and facilitators. Emceed by Wren Rapture, this included Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, Opposition Leader Brad Battin, Uncle Perry Wandin, Kos Samaras,Tony Barry, Prof. Jo Barraket AM, Dr Jill Gallagher AO, Sarah Davies AM, Ahmed HassanOAM, Margherita Coppolino, Dr Alison Roberts, Stefan Gruenert and Chris Christoforou.

And as Matthew Schulz said in a wrap-up of the day for the Institute of Community Directors Australia, the formal panels provided a springboard for what was in many ways the main event: “a chance for community leaders to converge to consider the sector’s challenges and create momentum for coordinated action.”

In four afternoon workshops, provocateurs Bill Mithen, Noel Lim, Erin Turner and Ilo Diaz inspired big thinking and bold discussion in themed sessions designed to encourage cross-sector collaboration..

The expertise and insights contributed to this event will be used to shape our shared advocacy and priorities for 2026 and beyond. If you would like to learn more, we’ve created this post-event summary that highlights what we heard across the sessions.

Thank you to everyone who made the VCOSS Community Sector Summit so special.

Wren Rapture - a smiling woman standing on stage in a red suit
Opposition Leader Brad Battin, speaking on stage
Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, speaking on stage
A full view of the Town Hall venue
Three people and an Auslamn interpreter on stage
Ilo Diaz - a man speaking and gesticulating
A group of people speaking and shaking hands
Stefan Gruenert - a man speaking into a microphone
A laughing woman
Two people holding up a phone to take a selfie
A full view of the Town Hall venue with two people and an Auslan interpreter on stage

VCOSS is the peak body for Victoria’s social and community sector, and the state’s premier social advocacy body.

We work towards a Victoria free from poverty and disadvantage, where every person and community experiences genuine wellbeing.

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