About the Regional Bahá’í Council for Western and Central Australia

The Regional Bahá’í Council for Western and Central Australia (WCA) is an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia and is charged with the development of community-building activities in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Its main work is the implementation of the Plans launched at regular intervals by the Universal House of Justice. Under the unerring guidance of the House of Justice, three Regional Councils are currently established in Australia: the Bahá’í Council for Queensland, the Bahá’í Council for South-Eastern Australia, and the Bahá’í Council for Western and Central Australia.

Key responsibilities of a Regional Council

Bearing the primary responsibility at this time "for overseeing the execution of the Five Year Plan in the territories under their jurisdiction", the Regional Councils' overarching task is "to ensure the movement of clusters along a rich and dynamic continuum of development" from those where a nascent programme of growth is being established to those that are advancing the frontiers of learning. This is achieved through the Councils' support of the work at the cluster level, development of systems and processes at the regional level, as well as strengthening of the training institute.

At the cluster level, the Regional Councils, in close collaboration with the Counsellors and their auxiliaries, guide and assist the cluster agencies to develop and implement plans of action that are informed by the experience accumulating at the grassroots of the community and familiarity with actual conditions. The timely appointment of Area Teaching Committees and their orientation, support and ongoing accompaniment is a particularly significant concern of Regional Councils. At the regional level, the Regional Councils support the development of clusters by putting in place and refining appropriate systems and structures to ensure the flow of funds, information, statistics, learning, and human resources, such as pioneers. They also endeavour to communicate with the friends on a regular basis, apprising them of the progress of the plans for the region. To administer the training institute, the Regional Councils appoint Regional Institute Boards with whom they closely collaborate to take the many decisions that concern, for instance, the deployment of pioneers, the allocation of funds, distribution of institute materials, the creation and promotion of Bahá’í literature, physical structures for training, and the planning of institutional meetings.

Extract from a National Spiritual Assembly of Australia letter dated 6 September 2016