The social sector has never lacked people who care. What it has sometimes lacked is people who know how to run things.
It is not a comfortable thing to say, and in some corners of the sector, it is still not welcome. But the evidence is hard to ignore. Funding bodies are demanding more accountability. Contracts are more competitive. The organisations that are growing are the ones that have figured out how to be both mission-driven and commercially disciplined, and that combination does not happen by accident.
Paul Barbaro spent thirty years in commercial environments before making a deliberate move into community services. He did not arrive to fix what was broken, but because he thought he had something to add. A different way of reading a funding landscape. A different set of instincts around growth, sustainability and what it actually takes to scale a service without losing the thing that made it worth scaling in the first place.
As CEO of Campbell Page, he is still adding it.
Q&A with Paul
What inspired you to pursue a career in the social sector?
I wanted to lift the profile of the sector by drawing on my commercial background and engaging in a more contemporary way with key funding stakeholders, employers, participants and community groups. I spent 30 years in commercial environments both nationally and internationally and felt many of the skills I developed in these sectors could be applied in the social sector. There has been a long history of people who have ‘grown up’ in the social services sector to ensure organisations are focussed not only on serving specific cohorts, but also doing so in a commercially sustainable manner.
What is the most fulfilling part of your work?
Ensuring we meet the objectives of our funding bodies by providing quality services to cohorts nationally but also seeing positive tangible outcomes for participants. Watching people become better versions of themselves because we gave them the belief they can be better and the resources to pursue their goals is a great aspect of the job.
What is the most impactful project you have worked on so far?
A national bid that expanded our services nationally and made our organisation 4 times larger than before, now operating in regional Australian centres also.
Read also: The power of a voice is determined by willingness to stand, not who stands behind it
What are the biggest developments you have seen in the social sector so far?
The shift from a welfare mentality to a more commercially focussed business model. Many organisations are making this transition, some by introducing commercially minded individuals who have this background, and others by investing in their existing staff to help build this capability.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our sector nowadays?
AI and how it can be used not as a substitute of people, but as an enabler for people to provide higher standards of service offerings, and more efficient services to specific cohorts without compromising the most significant element – the human touch.
What emerging technology or trends do you believe will shape the sector’s future?
AI is a natural technology evolution that will impact our sector, but I believe the trend of funding bodies demanding value for money from providers will shape the sector moving forward. There will no longer be a place for providers who are just good at delivering services, the trend will include innovative relationships between employers, industry groups, and other community organisations to work together and find real longer term solutions.
What advice would you give aspiring leaders in this sector?
Work in a multitude of industries before seeking executive roles. The Social Services sector needs fresh and innovative ideas and inspiring leaders with a broad background that can provide greater benefits to the sector than those who have worked their way up without seeing how other markets and sectors operate.
Tell us more about your organisation. What is something unique about it?
Campbell Page is a community based organisation delivering national services across a variety of federal and state funded programs designed to help people find meaningful work. Additionally, we are an NDIS provider, have an Aboriginal pre-school and youth hostels all designed to help young people be educated and live their best lives. We also have a commercial division which is a recruitment business providing permanent and temporary services to clients across a wide range of sectors.
Share Your Story
Are you a leader or practitioner making a difference in the social sector? We want to hear your insights. Your experiences help bridge the gap between policy and the real-world impact on families.
Submit your story via our submission form here.
Ritchelle is Content Team Manager at Akolade, producing stories for Australia's not-for-profit sector at Third Sector.
Trending
Popular
