Wakool Edward Strong Communities Initiative (WESCI)
At the completion of MDBA initiated Water Community workshops held in May to August 2016, community leaders identified the need to form a community organisation to address the impact of Basin Plan water policy changes to the region. The Wakool Edward Strong Communities Initiative (WESCI) was formed to leverage positive attributes of the region and create a strong and prosperous future by exploring options that may have a transformative impact.
Two Wakool - Edwards Strong Communities Initiative (WESCI) workshops produced a charter and framework including a list of initiatives that can be explored in the future. The project achieved the desired outcomes from the first phase of the project supported by Murray Local Land Services.
The WESCI Workshop summary document outlines the project output under three key themes and priority topics of;
1. Capital raising
2. Novel use of existing infrastructure and companion industries
3. Enduring innovation
The next phase of the project will be to form small working groups to investigate initiatives for plausibility and feasibility.
The working groups will essentially research initiatives as best we can with available information and local networks, rather than just seeking funding for a consultant to build a business case completely from the idea conception phase. Well researched and agreed upon initiatives are far more likely to attract business case funding in the future.