The Good Karma Effect Ltd was established as a company limited by guarantee, and a registered charity, in 2018. The organisation was established by the founder of the Good Karma Networks movement, Amy Churchouse, in recognition that there had been rapid uptake and growth of the GKN groups across the country since Amy founded the first GKN in Kensington in 2016. Finding resources to support the volunteer Guardians that administer each of the networks was considered important, as well as working with them to minimise the challenges that arise in online community management.
Over the 6 years since then, the organisation has achieved a number of successes – the number of Good Karma Networks has grown to 35 around Australia; the membership base has grown considerably; and members have shown, through two surveys undertaken to measure the impact of GKNs, that the networks are highly valued in their communities and have increased collaboration and their sense of belonging. The organisation has been successful in attracting some small grants to support its work, but it has also been difficult to align the GKE approach to the expectations of more traditional funders. The effort and resources that are required to maintain this legal entity as a formal structure are now greater than the opportunities it has been able to create. Despite this, the Good Karma Networks continue their work on the ground, in their communities, thanks to the effort of all the volunteer Guardians.
As a result, the Good Karma Effect Ltd as an organisation was wound up, effective July 2024.
The Good Karma Effect, as a movement and interconnected coalition of GK Networks, will continue. Guardians do amazing work for their own networks and communities, and this will continue. The policies, guidelines, modus operandi and training materials that have been developed over the past few years will continue to support the GKNs and their Guardians.
Amy and all the Guardians will continue to collaborate and to facilitate the positive experiences and outcomes the GKNs are well known for, and which help differentiate GKNs from other community Facebook groups.
