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The Power of Many: conference to re-set Australian jobs landscape
BUSINESS leaders and international economists from the UN and OECD, along with Australia’s leading social policy experts, will gather in Canberra on June 23 and 24 to launch Australia’s largest not-for-profit (NFP) member network and business partnership initiative.
The Power of Many CoAct conference will focus on how, through collaboration, Australia can address some of its biggest social challenges including unemployment, equality and youth issues. 
The upcoming The Power of Many CoAct conference seems set to facilitate a collaborative re-set of Australia’s approach to creating jobs – especially in regional and disadvantaged communities.
The conference created by CoAct – the former Job Futures not-for-profit organisation – is bringing in acknowledged international experts, who have been developing successful programs to re-energise business and job creation, to work and collaborate with Australian community and business leaders.
The transformation from the Job Futures organisation, which has been successful over many years, to CoAct is driven by the experience that as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, employment is now inextricably linked with other community services. CoAct, today, is a national network of locally embedded community service providers working together to create social and economic opportunities for Australia’s disadvantaged, according to CEO Matt Little.
“They operate solely for community benefit and drive over 90 percent of revenue back into the communities in which they operate,” Mr Little said.
One of the key presenters at The Power of Many conference in Canberra is United Nations expert Marco Roncarati. Dr Roncarati is an economist and social policy expert for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Dr Roncarati said he was looking forward to the conference and is “seeking to serve and empower those in need, learn more and develop partnerships”. 
“In particular, I am keen to share my knowledge on youth issues and social sustainability,” Dr Roncarati said.
Another powerful insights session will be presented by Stéphane Carcillo, the senior economist for the Social Policy Division of the OECD. Paris-based Mr Carcillo will focus his presentation on ‘Lessons Learnt from Overseas’, providing rare insights for Australian business and community leaders. So will Ireland’s Kanchi Awards founder Caroline Casey, who is to present on ‘The Power of an Idea’ on day two of the conference.
In fact, many of Australia’s leading business and community identities are taking part in the conference and its associated workshop and panel discussion sessions, including Jenny Lambert of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hero Construction Company founder Matt Lambert, OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn, and KPMG head of innovation, James Mabbott.
The conference had also drawn participation from Australian Paralympic swimming icon Matthew Cowdrey, media presenter Waleed Aly and comedian and social commentator Tim Ferguson.
CoAct chief executive Matt Little said The Power of Many CoAct conference would be more than just coming, sitting and listening to people speak. 
“The theme is collaboration, and there's a focus on conversations, sparking new ideas and action,” Mr Little said. “We want to start a new way of thinking and doing to create a brighter future for all Australians.”
The Power of Many CoAct conference is expected to assist employers and community service providers to shape brighter futures for their organisations.
The conference addresses problems employers increasingly face as a shrinking talent pool means that the usual sources of recruitment are falling short.
Mr Little said, “We know that a diverse workforce is a better workforce. This conference will show you how to develop a reliable workforce in ways you never imagined possible.”
The conference will show employers how to activate corporate social responsibility programs through better cross-sector collaboration; easily increase diversity targets in their workforces and access government funding; reveal new resources and talent pools from outside the usual recruitment pipelines; connect with decision makers who can help solve urgent business problems; and place organisations at the forefront of solving issues such as youth and indigenous unemployment.
Community service providers and other NFPs will get value out of the conference from showcasing to the government, the private sector and the media; actively connecting with organisations to get ideas off the ground; introductions to government decision makers, thought leaders, and CEOs of like-minded organisations; and hearing from international speakers sharing overseas best practice methodologies.
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