23 February 2023

9 March 2023

Northern Rivers floods: One year on

Last week was the one-year anniversary of the devastating Northern Rivers floods, which decimated much of Lismore and other towns and communities in this beautiful part of NSW. NCOSS joined with LCSA to visit some of our amazing neighbourhood centres up there, collaborating with centre staff to hold roundtable discussions with candidates in the upcoming state election.

It was an opportunity to highlight the ongoing ramifications, beyond physical destruction. Heightened rates of financial hardship and poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, domestic violence, and worsening outcomes for children and young people continue to be experienced long after the waters have receded, and with long-lasting impacts.

Core funding for frontline neighbourhood centres is a must

In amongst this, neighbourhood centres are lifelines – ‘go-to’ organisations providing practical assistance, specialist support, social connection and access to other service systems for people whose lives are still upended. But, as our neighbourhood centres so eloquently explained, they don’t receive core funding to ensure they can cover the cost of a manager and administrative support to keep the wheels turning and the doors open.

These long-standing, trusted organisations provide essential services that would otherwise be government’s responsibility. Yet they’re not provided dedicated funding for important governance and oversight functions, which should be non-negotiable. This has to change, which is why core funding for neighbourhood centres is a central ask of our 2023 policy platform.

This week, we continue to highlight this glaring oversight through roundtables with candidates in Western and South-Western Sydney and on the Central Coast. Communities that are bearing the brunt of our housing and cost of living crises, and where neighbourhood centres face unprecedented demand and pressure on their constrained resources.

It's IWD 2023, and nothing says 'thanks' like decent pay and conditions

And with this being the week of International Women’s Day, our ask for neighbourhood centre core funding takes on particular resonance. The vast majority of managers of the more than 180 centres throughout NSW are women.

In a highly feminised industry – with accompanying poor pay and conditions – they already contend with the gender pay gap, as well as rising rates of stress and burnout from the heavy workload and its often traumatic nature.

Adding to this, centre managers are forced to chase new programs, one-off grants, and donations, as well as organise fundraisers, just to be able to cobble together enough to cover their own salaries. It’s exhausting and it’s not sustainable.

Candidates from across the political spectrum have shown up to our round tables, listened, and expressed their gratitude for the tireless efforts of neighbourhood centres. Let’s hope this sympathetic hearing translates into real commitments and action! As has happened in Queensland and Tasmania, NSW needs to provide these vital community assets with core funding.

So happy International Women’s Day week to the many women of NSW employed in the social service sector – women from diverse backgrounds, well qualified and deeply experienced, going above and beyond to deliver expert care and support to those doing it toughest. It’s high time that recognition and appreciation for your skill and dedication went beyond thanks, to deliver practical improvements to wages, conditions and career opportunities.

NSW State Election updates

You’ll find other news about sector-related activities and announcements in the lead-up to the election in articles below, and via our policy tracker.

This includes the recent commitment from the Coalition to end ‘no grounds’ evictions for periodic (rolling) leases on private rental properties. While the commitment needs to extend to fixed term leases to provide protections across the board, it’s a sign that the concerns of the growing number of renters in our state are on the political agenda and gaining traction. Well done to the tireless advocates, especially our colleagues at the Tenants Union of NSW, who’ve pushed for this for many years.

Fantastic to spend the morning at Yerin on the Central Coast with Madeline Davy, Vickie Parry and their amazing team, alongside local candidates for the State Election. Yerin showcased the vital, multi-faceted work they do supporting the wellbeing of the local community.

Yerin is the 'go-to' organisation for community members facing tough times – providing practical assistance, specialist support and social connection in a culturally safe place. But it needs core funding to continue its role and guarantee appropriate governance and certainty.

At the South Penrith Neighbourhood Centre, NCOSS and LCSA were hosted by Joy Impiombato. Joy is General Manager at Nepean Community & Neighbourhood Services. We were joined by Abigail Boyd of The NSW Greens and Karen McKeown of the NSW Labor Party, as well as community members who participate in the Centre’s activities.

We heard about the critical role the Centre plays in the local community, including through their child and family programs, parenting support, and significant Aboriginal programs. Both Abigail Boyd and Karen McKeown expressed their support for the work and agreed with the need to provide greater support and sustainability to Neighbourhood and Community Centres across NSW.

It was great to visit Northern Rivers Community Gateway’s distribution centre in Goonellebah last week, from which much needed practical assistance and emotional support is provided to locals whose lives, 12 months on from the floods, are still in turmoil. It was an opportunity to meet with candidates running for the seat of Lismore. Jenni Beetson-Mortimer and her amazing staff left us all in no doubt that, in the aftermath of a disaster, an organisation like Community Gateway is a lifeline – serving as a multipurpose hub to deliver a range of invaluable supports, respond flexibly and be there for the long haul.

Expressions of Interest (EoI) will open on Friday 10 March for a place-based NGO in the Hawkesbury, Northern Rivers and South Coast regions to host the Community Sector Disaster Capability project, which NCOSS is delivering with partners AbSec and LCSA.

The project aims to build a more collaborative, networked approach to disaster risk reduction by strengthening connection between local communities, social service organisations and emergency management systems. While many social services continue to respond to recent disasters, too often local community organisations are not involved in the early stages of disaster management where preventative action can be taken to reduce risks and ensure the community is prepared.

Through the project, NCOSS will work with a place-based NGO in each of the three locations, tapping into local NGOs’ knowledge and understanding of the community to build local disaster capability.

About the EoI

Applications close Thursday 6 April 2023.
Local Host Organisations will receive funding under an agreement with NCOSS.
Project ends June 2024.

More information and to apply click here.

The project is jointly funded by the Commonwealth/NSW Governments through the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund.

This year’s Federal Budget is less than 9 weeks away.

Even before the current cost-of-living crisis, income support payments like JobSeeker weren’t nearly enough to cover basic expenses. Then, in the last 12 months, rents have risen by about 18 per cent, and food by about nine per cent.

The pollies in the Australian Parliament need to hear that this is not good enough. Jobseeker, the Youth Allowance and other vital income support payments need to be raised so the people who depend on them can to live with dignity. We need to raise the rate for good!

What’s the best way to do this? Call them!

You can find your local MP’s electorate office number here.

Not sure what Federal electorate you’re in? Use the Australian Electorate Commission's handy electorate finder.

You can reach NSW Senators at the numbers here.

NCOSS welcomes the announcement from the NSW Coalition committing to reform no-grounds evictions, but warns that further steps are required.

An end to no-grounds evictions has long been championed by a range of advocacy groups and NGOs including the Tenants Union of NSW, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Shelter NSW and NCOSS.

All major parties have now committed to some form of no-grounds evictions policy. As the peak social services body, NCOSS said that the ban on no-grounds evictions for periodic leases could make a difference to the lives of people in NSW, but more safeguards are needed.

Read the NCOSS media release.

With the NSW election fast approaching, it’s not too late to add your organisation’s voice of support for NCOSS’ eight policy recommendations for the incoming state Parliament.

Read about the recommendations in the 2023 NCOSS Policy Platform page. To endorse, simply submit your organisation’s logo by filling out the endorsement form, or by emailing it directly to advocacy@ncoss.org.au

Don’t forget to check out other election resources, including NCOSS Policy Tracker, which capture relevant policy announcements from three major political parties.

NSW Council for Social Service (NCOSS) CEO, Joanna Quilty, said neighbourhood centres are a good option for communities. "Whether it is food relief, disability support, social connection, immediate assistance for those experiencing homelessness or domestic violence, or referral to specialist services, neighbourhood centres are well placed to provide a raft of services in response to local community need. But managing such a diversity of service offerings is complex and requires strong oversight and dedicated resources.

"During the floods, fires and pandemic, in many instances, these centres were first on the ground and stepped in as a quasi-emergency response team – providing urgent help to those in need."

Read the Echo article.

With NSW set to go to the polls, we'd like to restate what AbSec and First Nations communities are calling for. Full implementation of the Family Is Culture recommendations. The formation of a new child protection system built on Aboriginal self-determination. And the creation of an independent child protection Commissioner.

AbSec is also calling for the release of the Department of Communities and Justice’s Family Is Culture Report Card. This document was due to be released in December, but it still has not seen the light of day. As a result, we stray further from addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection system.

Watch the AbSec ABC interview here.

• The NSW social service sector provides essential care and support to over one million people a year. One of the state’s fastest growing industries, it plays an increasingly important role in the NSW economy as the population ages and demand for care services grows.

• The NSW social service sector employs over 230,000 people a year, with economic output worth $15.4 billion pa. That’s twice the contribution of the Agriculture industry in NSW and its set to grow, with a further 67,000 social service jobs required by 2030.

• A $1 billion net investment in care industries could lift economic activity in NSW by $10 billion per year through direct creation of jobs and by freeing up people – mainly women – from unpaid care in the home.

• Women comprise 75% of the social service sector in NSW, but they are underrepresented in key leadership positions. In NSW’s larger NGOs, less than 20% of Board Chairs, and 45% of CEOs, are women.

• Being at or close to the minimum wage, low wages in the social service sector contribute to the gender pay gap across the economy. This is despite jobs in the sector requiring post-school qualifications.

• Half of the state’s social service workers lack job security, being employed in fixed term or casual positions. Along with rising demand and unmet need, this contributes to chronic stress and mental health concerns in the workforce, and undermines service quality.

Strong Born is a communications campaign designed to raise awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD), and the risks of drinking alcohol while pregnant, among Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples in rural and remote communities. Strong Born is also about supporting people with FASD, and their families and carers, by increasing community understanding of FASD and the support services that may be available for individuals and families.

The Strong Born campaign includes resources that have been designed for rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and health professionals working in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) setting. The resources are available via the Every Moment Matters website and the NACCHO website for anyone seeking to support individuals and families through issues related to FASD in a culturally safe way.

Download the stakeholder kit.

NSW Women's Week
6 - 12 March 2023
Various events
NSW Women’s Week is a chance for women and girls across the state to come together to support one another, share information and celebrate women’s achievements. NSW Women’s Week is also a time to bring our communities together to work towards gender equality. We all have a part to play in championing gender equality and making NSW a great place to live, work and succeed.
Find an event near you here

Big Red Roll & Scroll - For Muscular Dystrophy
19 March 2023
Community event
The Big Red Roll + Stroll is an inclusive event for our whole community, aimed at providing people living with a neuromuscular condition the chance to celebrate who they are with their family and friends. After a tough last few years for all, the physical Big Red Roll + Stroll is going ahead this year.
Register here

World Social Work Day

Australian Association of Social Workers
Webinar
21 March 2023
The theme for World Social Work Day in 2023 is Respecting Diversity Through Joint Social Action. It's the day that we celebrate the social work profession and promote the vital work of social workers to the Australian community, and globally. This year, the AASW will be hosting a fantastic webinar with National President Vittorio Cintio to discuss the vital role of social workers play in advancing direct action on climate change.
Register here

Trauma Informed Care Workshop

AbSec
Short Course
16-17 March 2023
Our two-day interactive Responding to Trauma course, run by experienced Aboriginal facilitators combines mainstream practices with Aboriginal methods to ensure you have the tools to effectively support children, families and communities in a culturally appropriate manner.
Register here

Cultural Connections for Child Protection Professionals
AbSec
Workshop
21 March 2023
Our upcoming Cultural Connections Workshop is specifically designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to create meaningful and effective mandatory Cultural Care and Cultural Support Plans, which are vital pieces to helping our kids maintain their identity through connection to culture, community and Country.
Register here

Privacy Obligations for Not-for-profits
Justice Connect NFP Law Webinar
14 March 2023
Cyber attacks are on the rise and not-for-profit organisations are particularly vulnerable. This webinar is a must for anyone involved in a not-for-profit organisation that wants to know more about privacy law and best practice for managing and protecting the personal information of clients, members, volunteers, and others.
Register here

Social Media and the Law
Justice Connect NFP Law Webinar
28 March 2023
Social media offers a number of benefits to not-for-profit organisations, including expanding reach, connecting people, starting conversations and growing awareness. Along with those benefits come legal risks which, if poorly managed, can impact negatively on the organisation and its people.
Register here

Best Practice Grant-Seeking

Strategic Grants
Workshop
4 May 2023
In this workshop you will self-score your organisation’s performance against our seven critical success factors, learn best practice processes and funder expectations, and have a clear plan on where your organisation needs to focus its attention to improve grants success.
Register here

Carers Investment Program
Communities and Justice
Close 21 March 2023
Carers are people who provide ongoing, unpaid support to people who need it because of disability, chronic or life-limiting illness, mental illness, frail age, dementia or drug or alcohol dependency. $3.1 million is available in the Carers Investment Program 2023-25 Grant round.
Read more

Strengthening Rural Communities — Small & Vital

Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal
Close 31 May 2023
Grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000).
Read more

Strengthening Rural Communities – Prepare & Recover
Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal
Close 31 May 2023
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after the disaster.
Read more

Strengthening Rural Communities – Rebuilding Regional Communities
Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal
Close 31 May 2023
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.
Read more

Counsellor/Project officer (Auburn) – NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors – VIEW JOB

Counsellor/Project officer (Liverpool) – NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors – VIEW JOB

Administration Officer – Kings Cross Community Centre Inc - VIEW JOB

Strategic Litigation Solicitor – Public Interest Advocacy Centre – VIEW JOB

Support Program Case Manager – Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT – VIEW JOB

Program Manager – Network of alcohol and other drug agencies – VIEW JOB