Hands Up Mallee
Hands Up Mallee is a Mildura-based, community-led not-for-profit initiative that uses a co-designed collective impact model and Aboriginal-anchored governance to run free youth, early-years and community programs for children, young people and families in the Mildura LGA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMildura, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hands Up Mallee does
Hands Up Mallee is a place-based, community-led not-for-profit initiative established in 2015 and headquartered in Mildura, Victoria, on Latji Latji Country. It operates a collective impact model designed to break cycles of disadvantage for children, young people and families in the Mildura Local Government Area, which is ranked the 6th most disadvantaged of 79 Victorian LGAs on the SEIFA Index. Programs are delivered free to community members and span youth recreation (HomeBase Hoops, Free Pool Access Pilot, Youth Cinema Project, Red Cliffs Half Basketball Court), early childhood (Red Cliffs Integrated Early Years Hub, Family & Child Hub), justice and legal support (Community-led Youth Justice Table, Early Legal Help co-design), and community connection events (Red Cliffs Connected, Fun in the Park). The organisation is one of only ten federally funded Stronger Places, Stronger People sites in Australia and the only Victorian site, with co-funding from the Victoria State Government and Mildura Rural City Council plus philanthropic partners.
The underlying 'technology' is methodological rather than software: a co-designed governance structure comprising the Backbone Team, Yarning Group (Aboriginal cultural oversight) and Collaborative Governance Group; a Journey of Change Theory of Change grounded in the ARACY Nest Framework; nested Measurement, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Frameworks for ages 0–8 and 9–18 with project-level Mini-MELs; a Data Hub curating population-level indicators for the Mildura LGA; and an Ethics, Privacy and Safety Framework covering data sovereignty and partner engagement. These frameworks are developed with evaluation partner Clear Horizon and research partner ARACY.
The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue derives from multi-year federal (DSS Stronger Places Stronger People), state (Victoria) and local (Mildura Rural City Council) government funding, supplemented by philanthropic partners including Dusseldorp Forum and Centre for Public Impact, plus program-specific grants. A 9-person backbone team — Executive Officer Jane McCracken, MEL Coordinator Fiona Merlin, and Strategic Lead Catherine Thompson — facilitates collaboration, strategic planning, evaluation and learning rather than delivering direct services, with delivery executed through partners such as Sunraysia Community Health Services (HomeBase Hoops, Family & Child Hub), Mildura District Aboriginal Services, Victoria Police and Connected Beginnings Mildura.
Hands Up Mallee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hands Up Mallee
- Legal name
- Hands Up Mallee
- Website
- https://handsupmallee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Hands Up Mallee is a Mildura-based, community-led not-for-profit initiative that uses a co-designed collective impact model and Aboriginal-anchored governance to run free youth, early-years and community programs for children, young people and families in the Mildura LGA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hands Up Mallee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
Keywords
Where Hands Up Mallee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mildura
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hands Up Mallee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: Hands Up Mallee is primarily funded through multi-level government grants. As a site of the Department of Social Services' Stronger Places, Stronger People initiative (since 2020), the organization receives federal government support. Additional funding comes from Victoria State Government and Mildura Rural City Council. Funding also includes program-specific grants such as Local Solutions Funding ($100,000 to HomeBase via SCHS), and $40,000 grant for active-outreach vaccination clinics.
- Philanthropic and Partnership Funding: Funding and support from philanthropic partners. The organization has partnered with Clear Horizon for evaluation support and the Dusseldorp Forum, Centre for Public Impact, and others for specific projects. The Storytelling for Systems Change project was a partnership between Dusseldorp Forum, Hands Up Mallee, and Centre for Public Impact.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Hands Up Mallee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hands Up Mallee is a community-led, place-based collective impact initiative operating on Latji Latji Country in Mildura, Victoria, Australia. The organisation designs and delivers free programs for children, young people, and families through co-designed governance that embeds Aboriginal leadership, including youth recreation (HomeBase Hoops), Early Years Hubs, place-based projects (Red Cliffs, Places and Spaces), and a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework with a Data Hub.
Product overview
Hands Up Mallee is a place-based, community-led initiative that operates as a collective impact model rather than a commercial product platform. The organization offers a portfolio of community programs and initiatives including youth programs (HomeBase Hoops), early years hubs, place-based projects (Red Cliffs Project), and infrastructure initiatives (Places and Spaces). These programs are supported by Measurement, Evaluation and Learning frameworks, a Data Hub, and a co-designed governance structure consisting of the Collaborative Governance Group, Yarning Group, and Backbone Team. Rather than a unified software platform, Hands Up Mallee provides a coordination and facilitation service that enables community-led systems change through partnerships with local government, services, and community members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HomeBase Hoops A free youth basketball and recreation program for children and young people in the Mildura region, delivered through community-led place-based activities.
- Early Years Hubs Community hubs providing early childhood support services for families with young children in Mildura and surrounding areas.
- Red Cliffs Project A place-based initiative focused on the Red Cliffs community, designed to strengthen local connections and support children, young people, and families.
- Places and Spaces A program designed to create and activate safe community places and spaces for children, young people, and families across the Mildura region.
- MEL Framework and Data Hub A Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework paired with a Data Hub that measures social outcomes and community impact across Hands Up Mallee's programs.
Companies that use Hands Up Mallee
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hands Up Mallee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Hands Up Mallee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) AustraliacoreNational organization supporting adoption of place-based approaches. Led the PLACE Community Roadshow & Listening Tour (10-week national engagement), with Mildura as the first stop in March 2025. PLACE's vision is about communities taking the lead in shaping policies and initiatives that affect them.
- Dusseldorp ForummajorPhilanthropic organization that initiated the Storytelling for Systems Change inquiry and partnered with Hands Up Mallee and Centre for Public Impact (2021) to strengthen storytelling capability within systems change efforts. The partnership produced two key resources: Storytelling for Systems Change and Listening to Understand.
- Centre for Public ImpactmajorGlobal not-for-profit working with governments, philanthropists, and community organizations to improve outcomes. Partnered with Dusseldorp Forum and Hands Up Mallee on the Storytelling for Systems Change project, exploring the role of stories in community-led systems change and how institutions can listen more effectively.
- Australian Government Department of Social ServicescoreFederal government department funding Hands Up Mallee through the Stronger Places, Stronger People initiative since 2020. One of ten funded communities across Australia (and the only Victorian site). DSS funding supports community-led, place-based approaches to break cycles of disadvantage for children, young people, and families.
- Victoria State GovernmentcoreState government level of the multi-level funding model supporting Hands Up Mallee. Victoria's Department of Education was specifically involved in the Red Cliffs Early Years Hub advocacy and funding. The state government supports the collective impact approach alongside federal and local government.
- Mildura Rural City CouncilcoreLocal government partner providing co-funding, advocacy support, and operational collaboration. Council partnered on the Red Cliffs Integrated Early Years Hub ($6M investment), Free Pool Access Pilot, Youth Cinema Project, Fun in the Park, and the Red Cliffs Half Basketball Court. Council is a key member of the Local Solutions Funding process.
- Sunraysia Community Health Services (SCHS)corePrimary health service partner delivering HomeBase Hoops (as part of SCHS youth service program) and Family & Child Hub. SCHS was a clinical partner in COVID-19 active outreach vaccination efforts. CEO Darren Midgley highlighted the importance of co-designed youth services. SCHS led the successful $100,000 Local Solutions Funding application for NextGen Community Connect.
- Mildura District Aboriginal Services (MDAS)coreAboriginal community-controlled health organization partnering on Fun in the Park and broader community initiatives. MDAS brings cultural expertise and trusted community relationships, particularly important in reaching Aboriginal families for health outreach and co-design processes.
- Wallis CinemasminorLocal cinema partner collaborating on the Youth Cinema Project (2024), a youth-only cinema event creating safe spaces for young people to connect in the Mildura CBD. Partnership included local businesses and Victoria Police.
- Victoria PoliceminorLocal police partnership on youth initiatives including Youth Cinema Project and the Community-led Youth Justice Table (alongside Justice, Housing, local families, and Aboriginal Elders). Victoria Police's Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (Aunty Jemmes Handy) was instrumental in COVID-19 testing and vaccination outreach in Aboriginal communities.
- Clear HorizoncoreEvaluation consultancy facilitating co-design, coaching, and sense-making processes; developing and supporting the Measurement, Evaluation and Learning Framework and Toolkit. Clear Horizon has worked with Hands Up Mallee since its inception, supporting U-MEL development, Journey of Change workshops, and mid-term evaluation. Featured as a case study in Clear Horizon Academy's learning modules on evaluating community-led place-based approaches.
- Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY)coreNational research alliance co-designing population-level indicators with Hands Up Mallee, grounded in the ARACY Nest Framework. The Nest Framework guides the Data Indicators, Data Hub, and the six wellbeing domains (Valued Loved & Safe, Material Basics, Healthy, Learning, Participating, Positive Identity & Culture) used across all MEL frameworks.
- Centre for Child and Community Health (Murdoch Children's Research Institute)minorResearch institute partner in the Coffee and Chats initiative, working with local families and carers of children aged 0-8. Combined community voices, service knowledge, and research expertise to identify priorities for giving every child the best possible start in life.
- Connected Beginnings MilduracoreCo-host of ChangeFest 2024 alongside Hands Up Mallee. Connected Beginnings is part of a national network supporting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-5 to be school-ready. Active partner in the Wimmera-Mallee PLACE Community Roadshow network.
- Wimmera Southern Mallee By FiveminorPlace-based early years initiative in the Wimmera-Mallee region, part of the network supporting the PLACE Community Roadshow in Mildura and Wimmera-Mallee.
- North Central LLENminorLocal Learning and Employment Network in the North Central region, part of the PLACE Community Roadshow network supporting place-based collaboration in the Wimmera-Mallee area.
- Our Place RobinvaleminorPlace-based initiative in Robinvale, part of the national Our Place network. Partner in the PLACE Community Roadshow network covering the Mildura and Wimmera-Mallee region.
- Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities CouncilminorEthnic communities council partner in COVID-19 active outreach vaccination. A GP Clinic worked in partnership with local government, the Ethnic Communities Council, and Hands Up Mallee to deliver weekend vaccination clinics administering 706 vaccinations on site, primarily to migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers without Medicare cards.
- Local Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee (LAJAC)minorRegional Aboriginal justice advisory committee (Loddon Mallee) that endorsed and supported the Community-led Youth Justice Table work developed by Hands Up Mallee. The Youth Justice Table aims to reduce young people's contact with the justice system by strengthening pathways for support.
- Sunraysia Community Legal ServicesminorLocal legal service committed to supporting the work of community in designing a new model of early legal support for families at risk of entering the child protection system. Involved in the Early Legal Help co-design initiative with Hands Up Mallee.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hands Up Mallee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Maranguka Justice Reinvestment: Maranguka is an Aboriginal-led, community-driven justice reinvestment initiative in Bourke, NSW that works with community, services, and government to reduce Aboriginal people's contact with the justice system. It is directly comparable to Hands Up Mallee's Aboriginal-led co-design governance through the Yarning Group and its emphasis on systems change rather than service delivery alone.
- PLACE Australia (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment): PLACE Australia is a national organization supporting the adoption of place-based approaches across Australia, including the PLACE Community Roadshow in which Hands Up Mallee participated as the first stop. It is directly comparable as a national framework-holder and advocate for community-led place-based change.
- Logan Together: Logan Together is a place-based collective impact initiative in the Logan region of South East Queensland focused on improving outcomes for children, young people, and families. It uses a community-led backbone model very closely comparable to Hands Up Mallee's structure and is one of the most-cited Australian place-based initiatives of this type.
- Foundation for the Northern Territory: Foundation for the Northern Territory supports place-based, community-led initiatives addressing disadvantage in remote and regional Northern Territory communities, with a strong focus on Aboriginal self-determination. It is directly comparable to Hands Up Mallee's place-based, Aboriginal-governed approach in a different but related regional Australian context.
- Community First Development: Community First Development is an Australian not-for-profit that partners with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to lead their own development, using place-based and community-led methodologies directly comparable to Hands Up Mallee's collective impact model and Aboriginal governance approach.
- Connected Beginnings: Connected Beginnings is a national program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-5 to be school-ready, with local sites that co-design family services. It is directly comparable to Hands Up Mallee's Early Years Hubs work and is an explicit program partner, including co-hosting ChangeFest 2024.
- Stronger Places, Stronger People (the broader federal initiative): Stronger Places, Stronger People is the Australian Government Department of Social Services initiative that funds Hands Up Mallee and nine other community-led place-based sites across Australia. The other nine funded sites are direct peers operating under the same federal framework with comparable objectives around breaking cycles of disadvantage for children and families.
Broad incumbents
- Centre for Public Impact: Centre for Public Impact is a global not-for-profit that works with governments and communities to reimagine government for the 21st century. It is a formal partner of Hands Up Mallee on the Storytelling for Systems Change project and is comparable as a broader systems-change organization working at the intersection of government, philanthropy, and community.
- The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI): TACSI is an established Australian social innovation organization that designs and tests new approaches to complex social issues across multiple domains including children, families, and aging. It is comparable as a broader social innovation peer applying co-design and systems-change methods across Australia.
Regional players
- Wimmera Southern Mallee By Five: Wimmera Southern Mallee By Five is a place-based early years initiative in the Wimmera-Mallee region of Victoria, focused on giving children the best start in life through community-led, integrated service approaches. It is directly comparable in model and is a formal partner in the PLACE Community Roadshow network with Hands Up Mallee, operating in an adjacent geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hands Up Mallee social profiles
Digital presenceHands Up Mallee compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Hands Up Mallee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hands Up Mallee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Hands Up Mallee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Hands Up Mallee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Hands Up Mallee
What does Hands Up Mallee do?
Hands Up Mallee is a community-led, place-based collective impact initiative operating on Latji Latji Country in Mildura, Victoria, Australia. The organisation designs and delivers free programs for children, young people, and families through co-designed governance that embeds Aboriginal leadership, including youth recreation (HomeBase Hoops), Early Years Hubs, place-based projects (Red Cliffs, Places and Spaces), and a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework with a Data Hub.
Is Hands Up Mallee a public or private company?
Hands Up Mallee is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hands Up Mallee founded?
Hands Up Mallee was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Hands Up Mallee based?
Hands Up Mallee is headquartered in Mildura, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Hands Up Mallee make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are philanthropic and Partnership Funding.
Who are Hands Up Mallee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Maranguka Justice Reinvestment, PLACE Australia (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment), Logan Together, Foundation for the Northern Territory, Community First Development, Connected Beginnings and Stronger Places, Stronger People (the broader federal initiative). Broad incumbents are Centre for Public Impact and The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI). Wimmera Southern Mallee By Five is listed as a regional player.
Does Hands Up Mallee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hands Up Mallee.
What industry is Hands Up Mallee in?
Hands Up Mallee's product category is Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts).