A number of Chamber members have thrown their weight behind the Thriving Communities Partnership (TCP) launch of the One Stop One Story (OSOS) Hub Pilot Program.  

The world-first digital platform aims to ease the burdens faced by vulnerable members of the community experiencing family and domestic violence, by enabling frontline workers in corporate and community organisations to connect and refer their clients to a range of support services via a single access point.  

The initiative seeks to improve findings which demonstrate that 35.5 per cent of people in Australia are currently just getting by or struggling, with that figure exacerbated in the past 12 months, and many people still not accessing the support they are entitled to.  

Some of the barriers preventing individuals from seeking support include a lack of awareness around the assistance available, mistrust of organisations and embarrassment about having to ask for help.  

The OSOS Hub is therefore designed to reduce the difficulty and complexity involved in contacting each individual support program.  

It was co-designed and co-funded by a wide range of organisations across corporate and community sectors including MCC members Yarra Valley Water and AGL and VCCI Platinum member Transurban. 

Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra said, “COVID-19 has meant we have had to stay indoors for long periods of time, and unfortunately for some home is not a happy place. Seeing our members come together in support of such a crucial initiative that will provide support to those most vulnerable in our community is fabulous news.” 

Thriving Communities Partnership Chief Advocate Tim Costello said, “It’s really rare to have this many organisations across so many sectors come together and unite around a common cause. It’s really inspiring to see, and I share in everyone’s excitement to see the Hub going live."  

TCP OSOS Program lead Gabby Sundstrom added, “Having to repeat your story multiple times can cause people to relive shame, embarrassment and trauma. Only having to tell their story once will be a huge step for simplifying processes for people and will ease the burden of accessing support through multiple, complex channels.”  

The OSOS pilot is running from October 2021 until June 2022 and was recently announced a 2021 Shared Value Awards Collaboration of the Year – Early-stage finalist. 

The initial pilot will focus on supporting members of the community impacted by family and domestic violence.  

It was co-designed with community partners and people with lived experience, ensuring privacy and security requirements were a key focus during the co-design phase. 

The program has scope to be broadened to other members of the community experiencing vulnerability in the future.