A Providence team member worked with the University of Canberra to support Joint Health Command to strengthen the governance and service arrangements underpinning the Defence Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2023, partnering with the three branches during a period of heightened scrutiny. This required the sourcing, handling and analysis of sensitive material across complex internal and external stakeholder networks. Working directly with senior leaders, they helped navigate evidence and reporting requirements while the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans’ Suicide was underway. The role focused on bringing together fragmented programs, clarifying accountabilities, identifying and leveraging relevant data to ensure evaluation and future planning was supported by clear, defensible, information. This included improving how data was captured, reported and used, and ensuring governance processes enabled continuous learning and improvement, rather than compliance alone. The outcome was increased confidence among leaders that information, systems and controls could stand to public scrutiny. This strengthened governance approach directly informed the renewal of the Strategy and contributed to its renewal for 2025 to 2030.
A Providence team member was engaged by Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) to enhance the governance of evidence and advocacy work amongst its nation-wide network of service providers. CSSA is the peak body for the Catholic Church’s social service ministry, representing over 50 member organisations operating in more than 600 locations in every diocese across Australia. They provided advice, support, training and mentoring to memberships CEOs and leaders in improving the governance and delivery evidence-based approaches to support more effective compliance, funding, evaluation, impact and advocacy reporting to ministers, departments, grant bodies and stakeholders. This included assessment of data and organisational governance, improvements to data systems and processes and leveraging big data and AI resources. The outcome was both stronger evidence for key member responsibilities and a stronger cross-member data set to support the priorities and work of this national peak body.
A Providence team member supported the Australian Public Service Commission and APS Academy in the codesign and delivery of the Senior Executive Stewardship Program, an elite leadership program for Deputy Secretary (Band 3) leaders. Working closely with the Academy and delivery partners, they helped establish governance arrangements to manage program design, procurement, delivery and budget oversight while maintaining flexibility and compliance. The role included supporting the elite faciiltatoin team, enabling decision‑making across key stakeholders , and ensuring program intent was translated into practical, well‑governed outcomes. This governance support enabled the successful co‑design and delivery of the first iteration of the program, on time and within budget, while meeting APS accountability requirements. The outcome was a robust and scalable model to give senior sponsors confidence and support the continuity of the APS Academy program into future years.
A Providence team member supported the Office of Social Cohesion (OSC) within the Department of Home Affairs to develop and strengthen around a complex, cross‑government, democratic resilience initiative. The work focused on supporting shared understanding, clear assessment of data accessibility and utility, as well as structured networking across policy, research and delivery stakeholders. This included facilitating a multi‑day workshop with Commonwealth agencies, university researchers and thinktanks, to develop and test the ‘civic journeys’ concept as tool for future research and program decision-making. This helped clarify how evidence on civic engagement across the life‑course could be used to inform policy settings, program priorities and funding strategy. The outcome was improved coordination across stakeholders, enhanced governance by the OSC of a nationally significant initiative, and greater confidence that research and engagement activity would translate into practical, policy‑relevant outcomes over time.
Adash is Providence’s CEO and is responsible to the Providence Board and Providence’s clients for ensuring the timely delivery of outcomes through advice, guidance and mentoring to Providence’s staff.
