A shared commitment, inspired by a lasting legacy
At the heart of Village is a simple but powerful belief that every child deserves the best start to life, and every family should feel supported, empowered and equipped to raise their children.
Our common agenda is to strengthen the systems surrounding children and families across Belconnen, ensuring that support is accessible, connected and responsive to local needs. This commitment has taken on a particularly meaningful dimension following the passing of Dolly Parton in August 2026.
Although Dolly may never have known the suburbs of Belconnen, her Imagination Library has helped bring the joy of books, reading and early learning into the lives of children and families here through the Kippax program. Her generosity reminds us that meaningful change does not always begin with knowing exactly where the impact will reach. Sometimes, it begins with a simple belief in what every child deserves.
We would like to dedicate this chapter of our Village journey to Dolly, a woman whose commitment to children’s literacy reached far beyond her own community and whose legacy continues to inspire people she would never meet.
Her Imagination Library embodies the spirit of our common agenda: investing in children’s potential, strengthening families and creating opportunities for learning from the earliest years.
A growing community of shared purpose
Since Dolly’s passing, we have also received interest from individuals and organisations who have learned about Village and the collaborative work taking place across Belconnen.
Among these are the Eat, Speak, Learn team, whose engagement has brought additional expertise and energy into our collaborative spaces. Their involvement, alongside Kids Dental Lounge’s engagement and contributions, reflects the growing interest in working together to address the needs of children and families.
New relationships are more than additions to a contact list. They represent opportunities to connect expertise, identify shared priorities and strengthen the collective capacity of our community.
As more organisations discover Village, our common agenda becomes something that is not simply stated in a strategy document but actively carried forward by the people and organisations who share it.