Thursday 13 October 2022

13 October 2022

A focus on Western Sydney

Last week I was lucky enough to attend the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue's event where the Prime Minister outlined his vision for Western Sydney to the 700-plus people present – leaders from across banking, construction, finance, technology, social services, transport and other industries. It was an uplifting speech, acknowledging Western Sydney as rich in cultural diversity, home to Australia’s largest urban Aboriginal population, undergoing extraordinary growth and as our nation's centre of aspiration. He outlined the importance of infrastructure as a means of unlocking productivity, boosting access to services and improving quality of life. The airport, metro lines, intermodal terminals, roads, parks and outdoor space all got a mention – as did human capital to fill jobs, provide skills and deliver economic benefit. His vision for Western Sydney was optimistic, premised on growth, opportunity and a vibrant future.

But as we know, not everyone is guaranteed to participate in this vibrant future to the same extent.

Our recent Cost of Living survey of low income households in NSW highlighted that Western Sydney's regions have been hard hit by rising interest rates, the spiralling cost of everyday essentials and stagnant wages. It showed Western Sydney locations being particularly impacted by increased housing costs and overcrowding, insecure work, holding down multiple jobs to make ends meet; and resorting to skipping meals, forgoing health care, and doing without basics like hygiene products, internet access and essential travel to get by.

And our recent Aftershock series, exploring the long term impacts of the pandemic and other extreme events, further contributes to this picture – with areas of Western Sydney experiencing alarming spikes in the numbers of 12-17 year olds presenting for self-harm and suicidal thoughts; a rise in the incidence of first time domestic violence or escalation of violence; and rental pressures in outer suburbs and on the urban fringe contributing to housing stress and homelessness.

The research underscores that investment in essential social infrastructure – such as social housing, community based mental health services and place-based organisations providing culturally appropriate support – is vitally important if we want everyone to enjoy the growth, vibrancy and opportunity that Western Sydney has to offer.

Latest research on housing crisis NSW

Our latest Aftershock report, looking at housing security, shows that an additional 54,000 households have entered or experienced a worsening of housing stress since the pandemic began. But it is in fact in regional NSW where the situation is most dire, with the number of low income households in extreme housing stress increasing by 52% since the start of 2020. See the report to understand which regions have been hardest hit by rising rents and dwindling vacancy rates; the flow-on costs that arise from increased financial and mental stress, reduced workforce participation and productivity, and further strain on our service systems; and the targeted investment in a comprehensive suite of reforms that would ameliorate these impacts.

NCOSS Board Elections

With the AGM season fast approaching, we’re seeking nominations for election to the NCOSS Board. Nominations close at 5:00pm on Wednesday, 26 October 2022. To throw your hat in the ring, please complete the nomination form and CV form and return them to agm@ncoss.org.au by the closing date.

Please contact agm@ncoss.org.au if you have any questions about how to nominate.

Vision, Voice, Value conference

Finally, we are looking forward to seeing many of you in person next week at our Vision, Voice, Value conference – an opportunity to reflect on our experiences of the last 2-3 years, build on our strengths and recalibrate for the future. With a diversity of talented speakers and panellists, and offering a variety of ways for you to contribute your views, it's a not-to-be missed event. There's still time to participate in a local watch party or join us online. You can get more details and check out the conference program here.

Resources for planning & preparing for disaster recovery

Increasingly, local organisations are using the skills they have built as part of their day-to-day activities to support the wellbeing of their community during and after disaster. The Community Resilience, Wellbeing and Recovery Project Resources enable community organisations to be a key part of community-led disaster recovery.

Developed by NCOSS, the NSW Mental Health Commission and the University of Canberra, the resources include A guide for local organisations to assist local organisations to identify the roles they contribute to disaster recovery and resilience in their community and how to plan and prepare for these roles. This guide talks about common practical challenges local and non-local organisations experience as part of disaster recovery. The Workbook for community-based organisations contains seven worksheets local organisations can use to plan their role in disaster recovery processes.

The guide for those seeking to enable and support local organisations in disaster recovery is for funders, government agencies, large organisations and others seeking to enable and support local organisations in disaster recovery.

National Anti-Poverty Week (APW) starts this weekend and runs from 16-22 October. This year NCOSS and our partners will be urging the NSW Government to prioritise funding that will ensure children in NSW can thrive by having a safe and secure home, are connected to the right services to support them at the right time and that their families have enough money to cover the basics.

Get involved in our Anti-Poverty Week campaign:

Share on social media. Download the social media toolkit and call on your MPs to take urgent action to support children in NSW so that the long-term impacts from the pandemic and recent disasters are minimised.

Take a pledge. Pledge to halve child poverty by 2030 and post it on social media with the hash tags #apw22 and #EndChildPoverty. We also encourage you to promote the campaign in local media. Don’t forget to tag us on Facebook @NSW Council of Social Service, Instagram and Twitter @_ncoss_.

Activate your networks. Share the key facts and messages from our campaign with your networks. Call on your staff, volunteers, board members, supporters and broader networks to take the pledge and show our politicians that this is an issue that we all care about.

Additionally, if you are planning some activities during the week, please send an email through to advocacy@ncoss.org.au and we’ll share it on our website and through social media.

During Anti-Poverty Week, NCOSS will also be launching the fourth report in the Aftershock: Addressing the Economic and Social Costs of the Pandemic and Natural Disasters series which explores the impacts of the pandemic and natural disasters on child wellbeing and development. Stay tuned.

Have you heard of the Reading Writing Hotline? It’s a free national referral service for adults who need help with literacy, numeracy or computer skills. In 2020 the RW Hotline partnered with NCOSS and Social Equity Works to look at the form filling support provided by community service organisations around NSW. One of the research findings was that increasingly complex, paper based and online forms made it harder for individuals with literacy gaps. In response, the RW Hotline has produced a resource, Reader friendly communication: A guide to using plain language to raise awareness on how to make communications more accessible. The Guide includes case studies of those currently providing a great model in making their communications more reader friendly.

The RW Hotline has also produced some short video conversations on adult literacy which feature brief conversations between literacy teacher Adam Nobilia and literacy student Mike who were both in the popular first SBS series of Lost for Words. The videos explore issues around literacy learning and raise awareness of the literacy barriers adults experience. The video Taking the first step illustrates the shame experienced by people who have literacy difficulties but also the positive outcomes when they enter a literacy program.

Community organisations might also be interested in the results of the RW Hotline national survey, Insights from the classroom – a survey of adult literacy providers, conducted by Social Equity Works. The report provides a snapshot of the significant unmet needs for adult literacy services identified across Australia and the barriers experienced by providers, and learners in accessing these programs. In coming months the RW Hotline will extend this research to community sector organisations to look at unmet literacy needs they identify.

Vision, Voice, Value: Charting a new course for the social service sector

NCOSS Conference
17 – 18 October 2022
Location: Rebel Theatre at Australian Theatre for Young People
Eora Country, Pier 2/3, 13A Hickson Rd, Dawes Point

In-person registrations are closed but you can join us online. If you’re in Wagga Wagga/Murrumbidgee, Greater Western Sydney, Hunter, Newcastle or the Central Coast – find out more about attending a Watch Party. Read the conference program here.

NCOSS AGM
25 November 2022
10am – 12pm
Location: Gadigal Country, Yirranma Place, Level 1, 262 Liverpool St
Darlinghurst

With the AGM season fast approaching, we’re seeking nominations for election to the NCOSS Board. Nominations close at 5:00pm on Wednesday, 26 October 2022. To throw your hat in the ring, please complete the nomination form and CV form and return them to agm@ncoss.org.au by the closing date.

Indigenous Business Month
2022 Events
1 – 31 October
Indigenous Business Month is an initiative driven by the alumni of Melbourne Business School’s MURRA Indigenous Business Master Class Program, who see business as a vehicle towards self-determination, a way of providing positive role models for Indigenous Australians and improving quality of life in Indigenous communities.
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The MHS Learning Network Conference
The Mental Health Service Learning Network
11 – 14 October 2022
The MHS Conference Sydney 2022 will explore the collaborative action being developed with other sectors and investigate what still needs to happen. Clearly the system needs to address significant workforce shortages and anticipate future needs.
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The Russell Taylor Oration
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
14 October 2022
The Russell Taylor Oration is an annual event that celebrates the achievements and contributions of prominent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the public service and aims to inspire the next generation of First Nations talent in the public sector.
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National Carers Week
Carers Australia
16 – 22 October 2022
Carers make an enormous contribution to our community as well as our national economy. National Carers Week provides you with a chance to show your appreciation for Australia’s 2.65 million carers.
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Social Impact Hub
Scaling Impact Showcase
19 October 2022
Scaling Impact focuses on addressing the needs of social start-ups at a crucial point in their development – the inflexion point between building on a proven track record and preparing to take on impact investment.
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Let's Do Lunch
Flourish Australia
21 October 2022
Let’s make it a date and do lunch together online in celebration of Mental Health Month 2022, with guest speaker Ellen Fanning!
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NSW Youth Work Awards
Conference
17 - 18 November 2022
The Awards is a great time to celebrate the amazing work the Sector has achieved this year. We hear so often from young people that what makes a real difference in their lives is the worker who cares, and it is important to honour that. The Awards is a fun celebration for everyone to mingle and hear about some of the outstanding achievements across the Sector.
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Community Housing Industry Association
2022 AGM
24 November 2022
CHIA is the peak industry body for the Australian community housing industry, which provides one in five of Australia’s social housing properties, complementing public housing.
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Shelter NSW
2022 AGM
24 November 2022
As a valued supporter of Shelter NSW, we would like to extend an invitation to you to attend our Annual General Meeting to reflect on the year that was and look ahead to our plans for 2023. All members are invited and encouraged to attend.
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Indigenous Higher Education Curriculum Conference
UTS Conference
29 - 30 November 2022
The purpose of the conference is to highlight that Australian universities are progressively embedding Indigenous perspectives into higher education curriculum to provide students with Indigenous graduate attributes to work with and for Indigenous Australians across their chosen professions.
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Leadership Program

Australia Council for the Arts
Close 18 October 2022
Sync Leadership Australia Online Program is a new intensive modular online leadership and coaching program exploring leadership for people with disability and/or who are D/deaf.
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Get Online Week
Good Things Foundation Australia
17 – 23 October 2022
Good Things Foundation Australia is mobilising more than 600 community organisations to run free and fun digital skills events, from learning how to spot a scam to joining an online cooking class.
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Workplace Wellbeing Assessment
NSW Government
No end date
This tool enables you to consult with your workers to find out how well your organisation is promoting, managing, and supporting mental health in your workplace. It will provide your business level of capability as compared to other businesses in NSW in your industry and business size.
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Seven Steps to Reconciliation & Allyship
Online Course
Evolve Communities
No end date
In just 45 minutes, help your team to become Allies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, build cultural competency, and ignite your Reconciliation Action Plan.
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Cultural Competence Courses & Programs
Evolve Communities
No end date
When it comes to cultural awareness training, there isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution for education, reconciliation and Allyship training. That’s why we offer different training courses and programs to suit any team’s size or style and let you choose the cultural competency training that is the best fit for your business.
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Responding to Trauma Course
AbSec
26 October & 9 November 2022
This course will explore the way that complex trauma, caused by early childhood abuse and neglect, impacts survivors and outlines a number of principles and approaches for working in a trauma-informed way with children and families.
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Aboriginal Case Management Policy Short Course
Absec
No end date
The Aboriginal Case Management Policy (ACMP) is designed for caseworkers and practitioners working with Aboriginal children, young people, and families.
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Psychology Internships
Learning Links
End 30 June 2023
Learning Links offers a Psychologist Registration Program which meets the full supervision, professional development and placement requirements for registration as a Psychologist, as specified by the Psychology Board of Australia.
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Self-empowerment Workshops & Speakers
Community Support Services Inc
No end date
A variety of coaching sessions and courses for everyone to develop new skills and grow their opportunities of success.
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ACCESS
Women's and Girls' Emergency Centre
No end date
ACCESS is a free personalised mentoring program developed by Women's and Girls' Emergency Centre to support you to identify your strengths, build self-confidence and set goals for the future.
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Careers
Reconciliation Australia
No end date
Reconciliation Australia will provide you with a unique experience working in the not-for-profit sector. You will work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous organisations, individuals, senior executives and working groups from a range of sectors.
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E-Learning
100 Families WA
No end date
This is a lived experience informed and led, interactive, e-learning program from 100 Families WA. This self-administered e-learning can be completed in full or in part.
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Employment Law
Marrickville Legal Centre
No end date
Develop your skills and learn what it’s like to work in a community legal centre.
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Free Training & Education
Southwest Sydney Legal Centre
No end date
Our training supports people to understand their legal rights and responsibilities and how to navigate the legal system. We share knowledge and skills to support community workers to assist their clients with legal issues.
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Free Legal Advice
Youth Law Australia
No end date
Youth Law Australia is a community legal service that is dedicated to helping children and young people in Australia and their supporters to find a legal solution to their problems.
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Building Digital Skills Grant

Be Connected
Close 31 October 2022
The aim of the Building Digital Skills grants program is to enable organisations to support older Australians 50+ through free face-to-face contact (if safe to do so), either one-on-one or in small groups, to develop their digital skills and confidence, utilising the learning courses available on the Be Connected Learning site.
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Community Infrastructure Grant
NSW Government
Close 31 October 2022
The objective for the Infrastructure Grants program is to fund the costs of construction, alteration, renovation, completion and fit-out of buildings and community infrastructure to deliver outcomes for disadvantaged NSW communities including regional, remote and drought-affected areas, culturally and linguistically diverse, disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and disaster-affected communities.
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Strong and Resilient Communities
Grant Connect
Close 3 November 2022
These grants aim to support equity and opportunity for Australian communities through local community-driven solutions that build self-reliance and empowerment.
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Environmental Education
NSW Government
Close 7 November 2022
The Environmental Education program funds projects that develop, broaden and transform the community's knowledge, skills, and intrinsic motivation to engage in sustainable behaviour and encourage participation in protecting the environment.
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Anzac Community Grants Program
NSW Government
Close 11 November 2022
The Anzac Community Grants Program (ACGP) provides small grants of up to $3,000 for a range of projects that commemorate and educate New South Wales communities about the service and sacrifices of current and former military servicemen and servicewomen.
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Core and Cluster Program
Homelessness NSW
Close 1 May 2023
The main objective of this program is to support, enhance and develop organisational capacity to design and implement domestic and family violence refuges.
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Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program
NSW Government
Close 30 June 2023
Eligible not-for-profit organisations can apply for grant funding to build, renovate or extend their facilities to deliver preschool education to preschool-aged children in a centre-based setting, respond to a crisis situation, or to purchase a vehicle for a mobile preschool.
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Specialist Homelessness Caseworker – YWCA Australia VIEW JOB

Early Childhood Counsellor/Project Officer – NSW STARTTS VIEW JOB

Psychology & Counselling Social Work – WHOS VIEW JOB

Intake/AOD Support Worker – WHOS VIEW JOB

Case Worker – Shoalhave Womens Group Ltd VIEW JOB

Youth Workers – Anglicare NSW South and West VIEW JOB

Family Worker – Strong Nation Community Services VIEW JOB

Youth Worker – WASH House VIEW JOB

Lead on Systems Change – Homelessness NSW VIEW JOB

Community Health Promotion Officer First Nations Health Programs – ACON Health Limited VIEW JOB

Diversity and Inclusion Officer – ACON Health Limited VIEW JOB

Case Manager – Bobby Goldsmith Foundation VIEW JOB

Direct Services Counsellor/Project Officer – NSW STARTTS VIEW JOB

Intake Counsellor/Project Officer – NSW STARTTS VIEW JOB