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Deepening our understanding of community services across Queensland

Central to QCOSS’ work is a deep understanding of the sector we represent. We meet regularly with our members and other key community service stakeholders to stay connected to what’s happening on the ground in Queensland’s communities.

Highlights:

  • Released the 2024 State of the Sector Report: In September 2024, we released the State of the Sector Report in the lead-up to the state election, sharing feedback gathered from the sector and advocating for greater support for community services. The findings showed that community service providers across Queensland experienced significant difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified staff in 2024, with low wages and insecure short-term contracts among the major contributing factors. The sector also faced unprecedented levels of demand, with the complexity of need continuing to grow among service users.

    Despite these challenges, the sector has responded to an incredible increase in service demand and complexity by implementing creative, resourceful, and practical measures to support service users and the community. We regularly heard about community service providers delivering innovative programs and working collaboratively with other organisations in their community to ensure service users receive the support they need.    ​​

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  • Conducted the 2025 Community Sector Survey: 
    The 2025 Survey received 1,079 responses, 932 from people who work or volunteer for a community organisation in Queensland.  Alongside feedback from sector employees workers about their jobs, workplaces, and the challenges facing the sector, the survey proves invaluable in shaping QCOSS’ advocacy agenda and provides a strong evidence base to demonstrate to government where improvements were are needed. The findings will inform our 2025 State of the Sector Report, expected to be released in late 2025.
     

  • Activated QCOSS networks: In 2024–25, we engaged our networks to identify shared sector challenges, emerging issues, and advocacy priorities, and to collaboratively generate solutions.

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  • Delivered the Community Services Sector Excellence Framework:
    While the sector is diverse and shaped by an ever-changing political, social, and operating environment, the Excellence Framework brings clarity by identifying the key areas where organisations agree excellence can be achieved. Developed through a literature review, statewide Town Halls in 2024, and sector-wide consultation in early 2025, the Framework outlines seven areas of excellence:

 

  1. Governance and leadership

  2. Human rights respecting

  3. Evidence-based practice

  4. First Nations perspectives and self-determination

  5. Workforce planning and development

  6. Collaboration

  7. Resourcing and sustainability.

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