From Surviving to Thriving
Village Connect is a culturally led, community-designed pilot supporting pregnant and parenting people, with those aged 25 years and under as the priority population, in Southwest Sydney. Funded through DCJ’s Investment Approach for Social Impact Strategy, Village Connect brings together Karitane, Uniting, and Sonder to deliver wraparound care for families who may not otherwise access mainstream services. The program aims to build parental confidence, identify concerns early, and reduce the need for tertiary interventions, including entry into the OOHC system. Since becoming fully operational in April 2023, Karitane has supported more than 297 families with clinical and non-clinical supports including playgroups, parenting education, CFH nursing, cultural connection, and allied health. Uniting has supported more than 117 families through a Key Worker model addressing social determinants such as housing and education. Sonder has supported more than 251 families through 24/7 multilingual, app-based support, enabling chat or phone access to health and wellbeing professionals. The integrated team meets families where they are physically, emotionally, and culturally, building trust and reducing stigma. A dedicated Systems Navigator strengthens partnerships across health, education, disability, and community sectors, addressing systemic barriers such as service complexity and fragmented processes. This presentation describes Village Connect from a family perspective, highlighting how relational, integrated service models improve initial and sustained engagement with supports.
Presenters: Rebeccah Egan (Karitane) & Courtney Baker (Uniting)
Rebeccah has over 15 years’ experience working alongside young parents, specialising in delivering programs that reduce barriers and improve service engagement. For the past three years, in the role of Clinical Team Lead of the Karitane Village Connect team, Bec has worked collaboratively with stakeholders to provide relationship‑based, integrated supports that enable young parents to engage with services and receive coordinated care. Previously, Rebeccah managed a Karitane Young Parent Program for 12 years, combining TAFE qualifications with wrap‑around case management to support re‑engagement with education amid complex challenges. Rebeccah believes lasting change begins with one consistent, supportive person in a young parent’s corner.
Courtney Baker, Regional Manager, Uniting, NSW Courtney has over 19 years of experience in Child Protection, Out-of-Home Care, and Early Intervention, advocating for vulnerable families and communities in South West Sydney. Beginning her career in statutory child protection, she worked directly with families to ensure child safety and well-being. Now a Regional Manager at Uniting, she leads an Early Intervention portfolio, specialising in managing linker and Navigator programs across South West Sydney. She is passionate about driving proactive, family-centred support. With a strong commitment to collaborative and innovative approaches, Courtney is dedicated to empowering communities and ensuring every family has access to the resources they need to thrive.