Why Community Services Needs Business Skills: A Real-World Story

 


The Shift No One Can Ignore

Whether we like it or not, community services has changed. It’s no longer just about goodwill and helping hands—these days, it’s also about running a business. That means budgets, leadership, project management, and, yes, the art of writing a winning tender. 

The Reality Check

I remember when I started in this sector. My days were filled with home visits, client meetings, and a lot of heart. But then came the funding cuts, new compliance rules, and the ever-growing pile of paperwork. Suddenly, I realised: caring wasn’t enough. If our service was going to survive—and keep making a difference—we needed business skills.

A Story from the Field

Take our team’s experience last year. We saw a grant opportunity that could help us launch a much-needed youth mentoring program. The catch? The application process was tough. We needed to show not just passion, but a clear plan, a budget, and evidence that we could deliver results.

That’s where business skills came in. We pulled out our project management toolkit: timelines, milestones, risk assessments. Our team leader drew on her leadership training to keep everyone focused and motivated, even when the process got overwhelming. And our newest staff member, who’d just completed a tender writing course, took the lead on the application—translating our big ideas into the kind of language funders understood.

The Outcome

We won the grant. More importantly, we learned that running a community service today means wearing a lot of hats. You need the heart to care, but also the head for business. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s how we keep the doors open and the lights on for those who need us most.

The Takeaway

Community services is still about people. But if we want to keep making a difference, we have to embrace the business side too. Leadership, project management, tender writing—these aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the skills that help us survive, grow, and keep serving our communities, no matter what changes come our way.



About the Author: Niki Gent

Niki Gent is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Family & Child Consultants, based in Adelaide. With over 20 years’ experience in the community services sector, Niki combines deep clinical expertise with a passion for practical, trauma-informed leadership.
Holding an MBA, a Master of Social Work, a Bachelor of Criminal Justice, and a Diploma of Counselling, Niki has worked across frontline services, program management, and strategic leadership. She’s known for her commitment to accessible, culturally competent practice and her drive to make professional development meaningful for those working at the coalface.
Niki is a champion for integrating business skills—like project management and tender writing—into community work, believing that these tools empower teams to create real, lasting change. When she’s not designing training or supporting clients, you’ll find her writing poetry, mentoring emerging leaders, or advocating for trauma-informed approaches in every corner of the sector.
Connect with Niki on LinkedIn or learn more at Family & Child Consultants.

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