About CHRISY

CHRISY began in Yarram during a GP crisis that left our community struggling. Older residents couldn’t access the care they needed, home care services were stretched thin, and health outcomes were slipping. In those early days, our approach was direct—stirring up the community and demanding change. It worked, eventually, but it also left scars. What we gained in short-term results, we lost in trust, and the town felt divided.

That experience taught us something vital: lasting change can’t be built on conflict alone. Telling local services, “If you can’t do it, the community will,” might get attention, but it doesn’t build cooperation. We learned the hard way that real progress comes from connection, not confrontation.

Today, CHRISY is less about shouting across divides and more about bridging them. We see ourselves as a kind of babel fish—translating between governments and policy makers on one side, and regional communities and services on the other. Our role is to find the throughline: the common ground that everyone shares, even when it feels buried beneath differences.

By focusing on what can’t be compromised, and identifying where there is room to move, we help create solutions that are shared rather than imposed. It’s about building from the things we agree on, instead of getting stuck in what pulls us apart.

What We Do

• Advocacy & Listening – amplifying the voices of families and individuals so their needs shape the systems meant to serve them.

• Government Advocacy – influencing policy and practice to ensure regional realities are part of every decision.

• Strategy Development – designing evidence-based approaches that make resources stretch further and deliver compassionate outcomes.

• Information Sharing – cutting through the noise to share clear, practical insights that empower communities.

Why It Matters

Regional communities are resilient, but they shouldn’t have to do more with less. They deserve fair access to care, meaningful representation in policy, and services that reflect their realities. At CHRISY, we’re here to bridge gaps, not widen them—working toward healthier, fairer futures for people of all ages and stages of life.