The Principal, Jill French, has built up a broad range of experience encompassing community capacity building and social planning, project management and community service program delivery over the past two decades. Jill has been able to combine working for herself as a consultant, with several extended periods employed directly in the local government and natural resource management sectors. During this time, her time working with Indigenous communities on local development programs has been significant.
Across all sectors, she is able to demonstrate her talent for engaging and working with local groups and communities as well as her ability to engage with the relevant policy frameworks and legislation and undertake the background and on-ground research crucial for successful outcomes.
Work undertaken by Jill French has included:
- Regional Coordinator Community Development and Employment (CDEP) for West Arnhem Shire, NT from (late 2010 to early 2013). This role included development of a strategic direction and planning for the Shire’s CDEP program and capacity building of local groups, management of program delivery, staff and budgets, and compliance and reporting responsibilities. The role had a significant regional coordination perspective, working with various levels of government, policy and strategic planning, and connecting local community initiatives into regional plans and partnerships.
- Senior Consultant, Social and Community Planning, for the AEC Group Pty Ltd based in Queensland (2009). One of the projects undertaken while with the AEC Group was the Social and Economic Impact Assessment of the Drought for the Mildura Rural City Council (Victoria). Jill worked with a multi-disciplinary team examining the impact of the decade of drought and the national water reforms on the local communities and industries in the Mildura region. She undertook extensive on-ground interviews and focus groups with community and industry stakeholders, as well as research and report writing from the social impact perspective.
- Regional Facilitator for the Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority in south west NSW (2005-08). Her role included the development of a Communications and Engagement Strategy and building strong working relations with stakeholders across a six million hectare catchment; Stakeholders included irrigated horticulture community, pastoral community and mining companies, Indigenous landholding groups and a range of government agencies and local economic development groups. Jill’s role included facilitating community, promoting Commonwealth NRM policies and funding programs; working with community projects and drought committees; and coordinating capacity building workshops for Indigenous Land Managers.
Community development and social planning projects undertaken by Jill French Community Planning (or Jill French Consultants) included:
- The Community Livelihoods Project for Bushlight, a unit within the Centre for Appropriate Technology, Alice Springs (2009-2010). Jill worked with Bushlight teams across four regions in northern Australia to engage local communities in a series of planning meetings to address future projects to extend their capacity and viability. Outcomes included four community action plans and a manual to support community planning processes for small remote communities.
- Maningrida PACE Project, undertaken with Mulga Gidgee for DEEWR, 2010. The project undertook extensive engagement across the main community camps and language groups within Maningrida town. The engagement supported community input to the development of stronger and more appropriate methods for community engagement in education. The project demonstrates Jill’s ability to work with diverse language groups and undertake on-ground research in a cross-cultural environment.
- The Wentworth Sense of Place Project which was a capacity building exercise involving the setting up of action planning teams, asset mapping, development of community visions and plans, as well as advocacy, mentoring and leadership support. Jill also prepared the Wentworth Shire Social Plan 2004-2007, prepared for the Wentworth Shire Council. Tourism was an important factor in the regional communities and she was a member of the Wentworth Regional Tourism Board.
- Northern Mallee Local Learning and Employment Network Environmental Scan, Mildura (Vic), 2004, entailed considerable research and analysis on local employment and vocational education requirements in north west Victoria. The project undertook consultation and identification of issues for 15-19 yr old cohort and reviewed education and training programs. This local research was supported by a review of regional participation rates in vocational education and training and an extensive analysis review of state and Commonwealth ABS data to support a comparative analysis and provide guidelines for future monitoring of participation rates.
- Boggabilla/Toomelah Community Link Report July 2001: a Feasibility Study and local service plan prepared for the NSW Premier’s Department, New England & North West Regional Co-ordination Program, Armidale, NSW. (not for public distribution). The project undertook a review and evaluation of services and facilities; an extensive social needs analysis for services and infrastructure; advocacy for the communities and negotiation of improved services; and recommendations for the regional Integrated Service Delivery Strategy.
- Moree Youth Needs Analysis and Development Strategy, undertaken for Moree Plains Shire (Place Management Unit), 2000. The strategy was based on extensive local engagement of youth, social research and development of a long term youth development policy, and practical recommendations to guide local government youth policy and strategy to improve local access to resources for young people and address entrenched social disadvantage.
The work above demonstrate Jill’s ability to undertake grounded community research; to work closely with local communities; assess the outcomes within the relevant policy priorities or Social Planning guidelines as required; and deliver quality reports and specific recommendations for the client.