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15 January 2020

Premier Mark McGowan to speak at Breakfast

There has been an overwhelming response to the New Year Sector Breakfast, with all tickets sold out!

The Honourable Mark McGowan, Premier of Western Australia, will be guest speaker at the event, talking to the priorities of the State Government in 2020.

If you have registered for the event and can no longer attend, please email [email protected] to cancel your ticket, so that it can be offered to someone on the (long!) waitlist.

Next week tickets will go on sale for the WACOSS Conference Finding Ground: Building a better way together. Stay tuned for an early bird registration rate, with discounts for WACOSS Members.

Not a WACOSS Member? Why not consider joining and become part of a network of community service organisations working together to achieve social justice and working toward changing the attitudes, behaviours and systems that create poverty and inequality. 

Become a WACOSS Member
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Welcome to the first Sector News of 2020

The Sector News, news for the sector, by the sector, is delivered fortnightly to all WACOSS subscribers. Member organisations can promote news and events for free, and non-member organisations can promote for a small fee. To share news or promote an event please complete the submission form on the WACOSS website.
 

ACOSS Statement on the Bushfire Crisis

The Australian Council of Social Service has released a statement of the Bushfire Crisis last week, calling on the Federal Government to increase disaster recovery payments, and to recommend the allocation of an additional $30 million in funding to food relief community sector organisations, to respond to the surge in need, which is likely to continue for months.
 
Read the media release

Community Trauma Toolkit - for disasters and traumatic events

The Community Trauma Toolkit contains resources to help support adults and children before, during, and after a disaster or traumatic event. Emergencies and disasters are extremely stressful, and it's normal to feel overwhelmed. Children, even infants can be affected. They depend on adults around them for safety, security, and will need reassurance, care, and opportunities to share their feelings. These resources provide a starting point for you to help children navigate different stages of a disaster.
 

96% of organisations recommend this UWA internship program

Do you have a project that could benefit from the hard work of a University of WA intern?
The McCusker Centre for Citizenship partners with more than 250 not-for-profit, community, and government organisations to provide quality 100-hour internships to students. The Centre works closely with host organisations to design highly-structured internship placements.
The benefits of hosting an intern include:
  • Assistance with a project that will add value to the community and your organisation,
  • Harnessing young people’s passion and skills to get a long-needed project started or completed,
  • Gaining new insight and fresh perspectives, and
  • Promoting active citizenship and awareness about community issues.
The Internship Coordinator proactively supports the student and organisation to ensure the experience is positive for all involved. Are you interested in hosting an intern? Contact the Internship Coordinator via email [email protected] or phone 08 6488 7553.

Survey: Helping children who have experienced neglect

In the past year, have you worked with children who have experienced neglect? If so your insights are valuable. This 30-minute survey is part of a PhD research project at La Trobe University. PhD candidate is Annette Jackson, under the supervision of Prof Margarita Frederico, Dr Helen Cleak, and Dr Bruce D. Perry. The survey is available until the end of January. Later, there will be focus groups which respondents may also be interested in (March to May 2020).
 

Ngunga Women's Group Aboriginal Corporation take over Early Years programs in the West Kimberley

World Vision Australia First National Program has been implementing an Early Childhood Care and Development Program in communities across the West Kimberley since 2011. In 2018, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet decided to transition funding arrangements from non-Indigenous organisations to Aboriginal Controlled Organisations.

This has led to World Vision and Ngunga Women’s Group Aboriginal Corporation building a strong partnership with a focus on a regional strategy for the Early Years, and now to NIAA transitioning to the full funding for this work to Ngunga and World Vision’s contract with NIAA ceased on 31st December 2019.

Ngunga Women’s Group has been in operation in the West Kimberley region for over 30 years and have been in the early childhood space since 1999 running Onyon, Mobile Playgroup and pop up playgroups across the region. NIAA commitment to funding in this region is a strong indicator of the priority focus on early childhood within the Aboriginal community. Ngunga will continue to work collaboratively in this space to achieve the regional vision the corporation has developed and look forward to working with the new team into 2020.

As of January 2020 Ngunga has taken over the management and running of community playgroups within the communities. In partnership with Ngunga, World Vision will still continue to provide training and development opportunities for community facilitators and support the transition process.
 

Department of Finance to change tender lodgement practices

The Department of Finance is proposing changes to the way tenders are lodged. Currently the Department allows tenders to be submitted either electronically (through Tenders WA website), or in hard copy submitted through a tender box or by post. To streamline the operation and improve efficiency, the Department is considering removing the option to submit hard copy tenders, both through the tender box and by post. This proposal, which would be implemented in mid- to late-2020 would mean that the only method of lodgement would be electronically through Tenders WA. WACOSS is interested in sector feedback on this change. If you have any feedback, please email [email protected] by Wednesday 22 January.
Click here to publish your news with WACOSS!

Weaving Culture - a free program for CaLD women by Aboriginal women

Weaving Culture is a free program for CaLD women, by Aboriginal women. It's an opportunity for CaLD women to learn about Noongar ways of life and history, with mentorship from female Aboriginal artists. Workshops run from January to March, followed by an exhibition of work in April. Workshops are being held at Sudbury Community House, Mirrabooka, on Tuesdays between 10:00am and 12noon.
 

Make Renting Fair Campaign Workshops - 28 & 29 January

Renters' rights have been improved in other Australian states, it's now time to make renting fair in WA. To make this happen, we need your help to show widespread support and need for significant reforms. Register to attend one of the campaign workshops to learn valuable skills and information for how we can Make Renting Fair. The workshop is suitable for renters, advocates, and the social services sector and will cover campaign tactics such as: key campaign issues, lobbying your MP, sharing your rental story, spreading the word through media, and making a submission. Join the alliance on 28 or 29 January to get involved.
 

Working with Children Check Organisation Obligations

The Working with Children (WWC) Check is a compulsory screening strategy for people who engage in certain paid or unpaid work with children, described as ‘child-related work’ under the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 (WWC Act). The Department of Communities administers the WWC Check in Western Australia. If you are an organisation, that has employees, volunteers or students who carry out ‘child-related work’ in WA and/or the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, then you have responsibilities to ensure that they obtain WWC Checks.

As an employer, you must ensure that all your employees, volunteers and students who undertake child-related work, have either applied for, or hold, a current WWC Card and that they renew their Card every three years. You can check validity of a WWC Card is on the WWC Check website.

If an individual has been issued with an Interim Negative Notice or Negative Notice, they are prohibited from engaging in any child-related work. 

Keep information that demonstrates you comply with the WWC Act and be prepared to supply this information to the WWC Screening Unit if asked. 

If you suspect that an employee, volunteer or student has been charged or convicted with an offence which makes it inappropriate for them to carry out child-related work, the WWC Act allows you to contribute to child safety by notifying the WWC Screening Unit, which runs regular free training for employers to learn more about WWC Check responsibilities and child safety.

More information about the WWC Check and upcoming events can be found on the WWC Check website. 

 

Co-location in the heart of Fremantle

Communicare have a great opportunity for another organisation to co-locate in the heart of Fremantle. Enjoy high quality fit-out and furnishings in a ground floor, centrally located office space available on flexible and affordable leasing terms. Contact Phillip Broom on 0407 669 725 for more information.

Pay it Forward ConnectGroups' small grants programs

The Pay it Forward Plan (PIF) is a small grants program available to ConnectGroups’ members. It is an early intervention and prevention mental health initiative. The objective of PIF is to empower and encourage peer Support Groups to achieve positive mental health outcomes and further mental health support to their members. Grants of up to $15,000 are available for your project within funding categories of capacity building and sustainability, marketing and promotion, information technology, or customised projects. Read more for inspiration from past grant recipients in PIF stories books. Pay it Forward grant applications will remain open until Thursday 27 February 2020.
 
More info

Kings Park Survey

The views of Kings Park stakeholders and the Western Australian community are sought by the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority to help inform a new draft Kings Park and Botanic Garden Management Plan for 2020 – 2025. Submissions are welcomed around the strategic themes of:
  • Truly local experiences 
  • Community wellbeing 
  • Culture and heritage
  • Science and conservation 
  • Western Australian Botanic Garden 
Submissions are welcomed via email to [email protected]

Additionally, the Kings Park Community Survey has been designed to capture views, values and priorities. Submissions and the survey will close on 31 January 2020. 
Take the survey

Our Turn to Speak

Our Turn to Speak survey will stay open until the end of March 2020. Our Turn to Speak is a national survey that seeks to understand the life experiences of people living with severe and complex mental health issues in Australia. This survey is being conducted by SANE Australia’s Anne Deveson Research Centre, in partnership with the University of Melbourne’s School of Psychological Sciences, with the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
Download the supporter kit

Developing an Aboriginal empowerment strategy

The Western Australian Government is developing a strategy to guide how it works with Aboriginal people towards better social, economic, health and cultural outcomes.

A whole-of-government strategy will provide all WA Government agencies with a clear, common direction, consistent logic and shared vision for the future. This will allow agencies to work better, and will strengthen Government accountability to the WA community.

A strategy about outcomes for Aboriginal people must be built around their views, priorities, voices and aspirations. The Government is seeking input from Aboriginal people, and a range of other stakeholders, to help shape the strategy.

To begin that conversation, A Path Forward: Developing the Western Australian Government’s Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy is a discussion paper that has been developed in collaboration with the WA Aboriginal Advisory Council and a range of Aboriginal organisations.

Your feedback on the discussion paper is important and will help with the development of the final strategy, which will be formally adopted by the Government in early 2020. The last date to make a written submission is Friday 28 February 2020. Please send written submissions via email to [email protected] or call the Aboriginal Policy and Coordination Unit, DPC on 08 6552 5000, if you have any questions.
Read more

North West Shelf Project Extension - Public Environmental Review

Woodside Energy Ltd as an operator for and on behalf of the North West Shelf Joint Venture proposes the ongoing operation of the North West Shelf Project to enable the processing of third party gas and fluids through the North West Shelf Project facilities until around 2070. Submissions are sought and public feedback is welcome.
Read more

Supporting Communities Forum Communique

The Supporting Communities Forum final meeting for 2018-2019 was held on 2 December 2019. The communique is published on the Department of Premier and Cabinet Supporting Communities Forum website, where you can also find additional information about the Forum.
Download the communique

FaCS Bulletin

The Department of Finance, Funding and Contracting Services have released their December 2019 Bulletin.
Download the bulletin

Project Manager – ACCO Early Intervention Project – part time

Noongar Family Safety and Wellbeing Council - applications close Monday 27 January 2020

16 JAN | Cultural Foundations for Engaging with Aboriginal Communities

Aboriginal Insights - Perth - $325

28 JAN | Make Renting Fair WA - campaign workshop 1

Make Renting Fair Alliance - East Perth - $ Free

29 JAN | Make Renting Fair WA - campaign workshop 2

Make Renting Fair Alliance - East Perth - $ Free

30 JAN | New Year Sector Breakfast (SOLD OUT)

WACOSS - Kings Park - $ Free for Members, $30 for non-Members
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