Learning through collaboration with civic leaders in North Sydney

NORTH SYDNEY, NSW – The North Sydney Baha’i community is learning how small acts of community service, whether planting trees or joining local wellbeing gatherings, can strengthen relationships with community organisations and deepen its contribution to neighbourhood life.

Though sometimes modest in scale, these efforts are encouraging individuals to be more focused on the needs of the broader community, opening pathways for collaboration with local organisations and leaders whilst creating opportunities to walk alongside those who share a desire to strengthen the social fabric of the area. 

One of the clearest insights emerging from the community’s experience is the importance of building relationships with institutions and organisations already serving the neighbourhood. Whether participating in environmental initiatives or attending local civic gatherings, members of the community have found that working with established organisations has allowed efforts to be more coherent, sustainable, and responsive to local needs. 

“Collaborating with North Sydney Council has helped the community understand how social action unfolds at the grassroots level,” the local governing body of the Baha’i Faith, the Local Spiritual Assembly of North Sydney, reflects, “and how small contributions can reinforce broader community goals.” 

“These experiences have deepened the friends’ appreciation that social action is not a standalone activity, but a natural expression of the community’s commitment to unity and service.”

This learning was evident during the recent National Tree Planting Day, when around 10 members of the community joined North Sydney Council’s National Tree Planting Day for the second year. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with other residents, they helped plant more than 100 native trees and shrubs to restore the reserve’s natural vegetation. 

The morning was filled with laughter, muddy gloves, and conversations with neighbours. For many, it was a reminder that caring for the environment is also a way of nurturing relationships, an opportunity to meet people, strengthen bonds of friendship, and contribute to a shared sense of stewardship. Friends of all ages worked together – children and junior youth brought enthusiasm and energy to the space, as they learnt more about planting and how to care for the environment from the adults who guided and supported them. Younger friends were encouraged to plant extra trees to give older friends a small break. Unity and service were intertwined with joy, as people of all ages contributed what they could to the process. 

“Throughout the year, several members of the community have joined various activities and events organised by our Local Council as well as our Federal Members of Parliament,” the Spiritual Assembly reflects. “Given the fewness of our numbers, our community is learning how to broaden our vision to connect with established activities and contribute in meaningful ways to enhance those spaces whilst building bonds of friendship as part of our community building efforts.” 

“Attending these spaces and gatherings is helping the community appreciate the importance of being externally focused and be present in spaces where conversations about various aspects of social cohesion are taking place and contributes with our overall community-building efforts.”

In March, a member of the North Sydney Baha’i community joined a women’s day gathering co-hosted by Ms Zali Steggall OAM (Federal Member for Warringah) and Ms Nicolette Boele (Federal Member for Bradfield). 

During Refugee Week in June, two members of the community were invited to join the roundtable hosted by Ms Steggall OAM. “The contributions that the Baha’i Community of Australia has made to integrating refugees and migrants into each of our local areas was acknowledged by Ms Steggall,” the Spiritual Assembly said. “It was an intimate gathering of 15 people from various backgrounds, where each shared their stories and experiences of helping refugees find their way as Australia became their home.” 

In August, a member the community attended a men’s wellbeing gathering bringing together around 200 people with speakers highlighting the range of wellbeing resources available across the electorate. It was a valuable opportunity to meet residents, listen to the concerns and aspirations of the community, and better understand the social issues shaping the lives of families in the area. 

Across these experiences, environmental efforts, civic gatherings, and planned youth-initiated service projects, which support existing local educational activities driven by the Ruhi Training Institute, a pattern is emerging. Some initiatives last only one morning, while others grow over time. Regardless of duration, each effort contributes to a shared learning process: how to serve with humility, how to collaborate with institutions, and how to build unity through action while acting as role models for other members of the community. 

“As our community reflects on these experiences, a sense of purpose is taking shape,” the Spiritual Assembly reflects. “The friends are learning that social action begins with small steps, taken consistently, in fellowship with others. We look forward to continuing this journey, strengthening relationships with local organisations, supporting various initiatives that align with our own interests whilst contributing to the wellbeing of, and connecting with, the North Sydney residents in ways that are both practical and spiritually grounded.”