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CEO Update

7 September 2023


History is Calling! Voice. Treaty. Truth.
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We'll be heading to the ballot box on 14 October to vote on the recognition of First Nations people in the Australian Constitution and establishment of the Voice. NCOSS urges non-Indigenous Australians to accept the generous invitation of the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart and vote YES!

For some inspiration, scroll down to read the Uluṟu Dialogue’s latest newsletter announcing their campaign video featuring John Farnham’s You’re the Voice and share their call to action. Listen to the legendary Paul Kelly’s plea to the nation in his new single, If Not Now? Who could help but be moved?

Check out some of what’s happening in the lead up to the referendum, including Yes23's Walk for Yes on Sunday, 17 September 2023 and Walking Together Workshops, developed and facilitated by Youth Off The Streets’ Nicole Laupepa, a proud Gomeroi woman, and Jacqui Parker, a non-Indigenous educator.

It's more important than ever that we turn up in support of the YES vote. Make a noise and make it clear!

You can read NCOSS' statement of support for the Voice here. And watch this space for messages from some of our sector leaders on why they're voting YES!


Independent Gaming Reform Panel
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The Independent Gaming Reform Panel held its second meeting on Monday.


It's clear that the cashless gambling trial will only be able to test the feasibility of the available technology. In a trial limited to some 2,500 machines spread across a number of venues in NSW and with a tight timeframe even that could be challenging. But, if we are to give end-users more tools to reduce gambling harm, getting the design of the system right will be crucial. The trial is an important opportunity in that regard.

Luckily, there’s sufficient evidence from other jurisdictions about the kinds harm minimisation features technology can enable which will put greater control back into customers' hands.

We're looking forward to finalising specifications for a robust trial to demonstrate that the available technology with built-in features to help reduce money laundering and gambling harm – can be implemented without the sky falling in.


The ClubGRANTS scheme Some changes afoot!

NSW Hospitality and Racing has recently informed us of a number of important changes to the ClubGRANTS Guidelines, ahead of the comprehensive review already announced by the government.

As well as removing NCOSS as one of the 'core members' of Local Committees which we requested a number of years ago the amended Guidelines clarify that 75% of Category 1 funds must be allocated in accordance with Local Committee recommendations. They also include the requirement for Local Committees to advise the Regulator where Clubs are not complying with the Guidelines. Under the enabling legislation, Clubs must not be granted a tax rebate for grants made under the scheme if they aren't complying with the ClubGRANTS Guidelines.


These are important changes that strengthen accountability. We are told that NSW Hospitality and Racing will be providing information to Local Committees shortly, and that further guidance will follow. So if you are involved on a Local Committee and/or are interested to understand these changes, keep an eye out!

WEXPO Blacktown 2023 – Cost of Living Crisis
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It was great to be part of the discussions about the how the cost-of-living crisis in NSW is driving deepening inequality in NSW, including between Sydney's West and the suburbs close to the coast, and how the community and government can respond.

Our 2023 Cost of Living in NSW report, Barely Hanging On: The Cost-of-Living Crisis in NSW shows that Blacktown SA4 tops Sydney’s regions in the hardship stakes on a range of indicators. It has the highest rates of low income households not being able to pay utility bills on time, going without medication and health care, not undertaking essential travel, and using Buy Now Pay Later to cover the cost of basics. And other areas in South Western and Western Sydney are not doing much better.

The findings in relation to multicultural households are further illuminating. They show that culturally and linguistically diverse families are more likely to be younger, raising kids, working full-time or in multiple jobs, experiencing housing stress, to have relocated or moved in with family and friends because of housing costs, and to have unsuccessfully applied for a new job or pay rise. In short, they are hardworking and resourceful, but up against it.

I joined Michael Fox, Quality and Practice Manager, Mission Australia Western Sydney; Clement Meru, Settlement and Community Programs Manager, SydWest Multicultural Services; and community representative, Najwa Tirezy to understand the pressures for people in Western Sydney and engage in a thought provoking discussion. It was an opportunity to highlight the targeted and practical measures that would make a real difference for communities in Western and South Western Sydney.

Thanks to Elfa Moraitakis, CEO of SydWest Multicultural Services, for hosting the event.


Reconnect & Reimagine LCSA's 2023 Conference
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I greatly enjoyed being one of a panel of speakers – with the LCSA's Can Yasmut, Youth Action's Kate Munro, and Fam's Susan Watson – at the LCSA's 2023 conference, which had the theme Reconnect & Reimagine Working with local communities into the future. The session, facilitated by Dr Angela Jackson, explored the importance of place-based solutions for achieving economic and social inclusion.

It was an opportunity to remind ourselves of the role played by place-based organisations during COVID and recent natural disasters, who came to the rescue when top-down approaches fell short. And of the increased resourcing, flexibility, and collaboration that flowed as a result, if only for a short time.

Long-standing, local NGOs know that it’s not just the big disasters that have a devastating and upending effect – it’s also the everyday disasters of poverty and disadvantage, made worse by cost of living and housing crises. Surprisingly, the panel discussion was upbeat, recognising the strength of communities and the services that support them, and expressing hope for greater recognition, true partnership, and investment in place-based solutions.

2023 Post-Budget Breakfast

Don't forget to register for our 2023 Post-Budget Breakfast. You can find out more information in NCOSS Events below. In-person places in NSW Parliament House's Strangers Dining Room are limited, so get in quick!

S
ector organisations located outside Sydney who are joining us online can go into the draw for one of three, $300 cash prizes to put on their own Post-Budget Breakfast after the livestream ends.

Farewelling a valued staff member

In coming weeks, we'll be farewelling Rocellita Lacsina, who has been with NCOSS for over five years and has taken on many and varied roles in that time. These have included delivering the TEI support and assistance program, getting our Vision, Voice, Value conference across the line, and supporting important initiatives such as the NGO Researchers Forum. Throughout, Rocellita has been a team player, bringing a positive and diligent mindset, and applying her extensive experience in the sector, to the task at hand.

She will be greatly missed. We all wish her well in her future endeavours and we know she’ll keep in touch!

Joanna Quilty, NCOSS CEO

 
The Voice
 
Make a noise and make it clear!
The following is a transcript of the 3 September newsletter from Professor Megan Davis and Patricia Anderson AO, Co-Chairs of the Uluṟu Dialogue.

Dear Friends

The Uluṟu Dialogue are thrilled to share with you our new referendum campaign advertisement, which will hit TV screens, movie theatres and social feeds from next week.

Professor Davis and historian Clare Wright secured the rights to use the song Australia’s unofficial anthem, "You’re The Voice" as the soundtrack to the referendum campaign.

The ad is a direct call to action to remind Australians they have a chance to change history for the better.

So help us make a noise and make it clear!


Download and share the ad through all of your networks. We have just over 40 days to get the message out. The more people who see the ad, the better chance we have of changing minds.

This is the next chapter in Australia’s history.

We all have a voice in what happens at this critical moment. So make yours heard by sharing the ad through your social networks, showing it to your friends and family and emailing it to your mates. We have one chance at this and the time is now.

And if you can, help us get it on more tv screens, on more billboards and in more social media feeds with a tax deductable donation.

Give $10, $20, $50 or as much as you can spare. Every extra dollar raised means we have a greater chance of reaching the millions of Australians we know are still making up their minds about how they’ll vote.

John Farnham said he hoped the song would help inspire change. “This song changed my life. I can only hope that now it might help, in some small way, to change the lives of our First Nations Peoples for the better,” he said.

Tim Wheatley, John Farnham’s close friend and son of his manager Glenn Wheatley, said “Both John and my father have fiercely protected this song’s use for decades, I think for this very moment.”

Professor Davis was also thrilled to have engaged and worked alongside Kaytetye man and award-winning feature film director and cinematographer, Warwick Thornton, the first commercial he has directed.

"It was the honour of a lifetime to work with a director of the stature of Warwick Thornton on an issue as critical and historic as constitutional change," she said.

The Uluṟu Dialogue are so buoyed to see the groundswell and growing support for yes. Together we can make history on 14 October.
The lead image is a grab from Warwick Thornton's video. The image directly above is by Ben Frye/the Uluṟu Dialogue as seen in the Uluṟu Dialogue's 3 September newsletter.
If you called and no-one heard you, imagine how you’d feel?
These are the lyrics of Paul Kelly's new single, If Not Now, released 1 September. It's a call for us all to accept the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart's generous invitation and finish the unfinished business. Let's get this done!

It’s a splinter in the mind, a whisper in the heart
A feeling something’s missing, some crucial little part
It’s business that’s unfinished, a reckoning that’s due
If not now, then when? If not us, then who?

It’s a simple proposition to join the new and old
A chance to make our country larger in its soul
It’s an invitation offered to set our course anew
If not now, then when? If not us, then who?

How long can we keep walking with this stone in our shoe?
If not now, then when? If not us, then who?
We may never get another chance like this again
If not us, then who? If not now, then when?

Too many falling far behind, shut out of the deal
If you called and no-one heard you, imagine how you’d feel
This land was never given, it was taken and then sold
But its ancient songs and stories are a gift greater than gold

The status quo is busted, let’s stop kicking that old can
If not us, then who? If not now, then when?
It’s business that’s unfinished, high time to see it through
If not now, then when? If not us, then who?

Listen to Paul on YouTube. The image is a grab from the video by Siân Darling.
Yes23 Walk for YES! 17 September 2023
Find your local Walk for YES

Armidale Walk for YES - 10:00am, Marsh Street, Armidale

Canberra Walk for YES - Location and time TBC, Canberra


Goulburn Walk for YES - 11:00am, Fitzroy Bridge, 33 Sydney Road, Goulburn

Illawarra Walk for YES - 10:00am, Redding Reserve, Lake Illawarra, Windang


Mudgee Walk for YES - 11:30am, Market Street, Putta Bucca

Newcastle Walk for YES - 10:30am, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle

Sydney Walk for YES - Location and time TBC, Redfern

The Voice: Events, Information Sessions & Volunteer Training
There are, literally, hundreds of upcoming events, information sessions, and volunteer training sessions taking place across NSW in the lead up to the Voice referendum on 14 October.

Not sure how to cast your vote? Take this time to get informed at a street stall, a town hall meeting, or an online forum.

Want to support the YES campaign? Participate in a flashmob or a wobble boarding. Maybe volunteer, and help spread the word.

Here's a few of the things happening in your region over the next couple of weeks. You can find much more on the Yes23 website, among other resources.
 
NCOSS News
 
Community Sector Disaster Capability Project Local Hosts
We ae excited to announce the local Project Host services for the Community Sector Disaster Capability (CSDC) Project. All the local Project Hosts are working in partnership with other place-based NGOs and have project activities planned or underway.

In the Hawkesbury, Peppercorn Services is a well-known and respected community service provider, operating for the last 22 years. Along with other local NGOs, Peppercorn has been active in the ongoing recovery after the floods of recent years.  

In the NSW Northern Rivers, Resilient Lismore has been at the forefront of coordinating community-led disaster recovery since 2017. They have worked closely with local communities who have been impacted by the 2022 disaster, as well as the wide range of organisations actively working in disaster recovery in the region.

In Snowy Monaro, Monaro Family Support Service (MFSS) has been delivering early intervention and intensive support to individuals and families who may be vulnerable or experiencing adversity for almost 50 years. MFSS has been working with communities and other local NGOs to increase disaster resilience after the Black Summer Bushfires.

In the Eurobodalla and Bega regions Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services provides wraparound care, advocacy and access to support services. Katungul was integral in providing rapid emergency support during COVID lockdowns and have supported the Black Summer Bushfires recovery.

Our experiences of recent disasters has shown that vulnerable groups are at the greatest risk. The CSDC Project builds on the learnings from each region’s multiple disasters to:

  • Increase understanding of the strengths and disaster risks for local communities, including vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, and the role of local NGOs in reducing disaster risk
    Equip local NGOs with tools, resources, training and access to expertise to support vulnerable groups to reduce risk
  • Equip local NGOs with tools, resources, training and access to expertise to support vulnerable groups to reduce risk
  • Build ongoing relationships between local NGOs and disaster management agencies to reduce the disaster risk of local communities.


Want to know more? Contact the CSDC Project Hosts in your region, or, the NCOSS central project team, Megan Nicholson and Eleanor Harris.


NCOSS, with AbSec and LCSA, have been funded to deliver the CSDC Project.
This project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments through the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund.

Find our local CSDC Project Hosts on social media!

Connecting, and sharing knowledge and insights
NCOSS regularly connects with our members to share our research, hear about what they've been doing, and pick up valuable insights on what's been happening on the ground from services operating at the coalface. But the past few weeks have been particularly busy!

As well as attending WEXPO Blacktown 2023, l
ast week Joanna and Ben participated in the annual Local Community Services Association conference which had the theme Reconnect & Reimagine Working with local communities into the future.

Joanna
joined a panel alongside Can Yasmut (LCSA CEO), Susan Watson (fams CEO) and Kate Munro (Youth Action CEO), moderated by Impact Economics and Policy's Lead Economist, Dr Angela Jackson. The panel explored
the importance of place-based approaches in achieving better social and economic outcomes for children and families.

Ben delivered a workshop, where he presented the results of NCOSS’s latest cost of living research Barely Hanging On: The Cost-of-Living Crisis in NSW and explored how the sector might respond in terms of supporting the community and advocating for policy change.

Both Joanna and Ben were thrilled to be involved and were, as always, incredibly impressed by the impact of neighbourhood and community centres across NSW. Thanks to LCSA for inviting us to be part of this event!
Photos courtesy of LCSA.

Ben also joined the Community Legal Centres NSW Conference this week.

He held a workshop focused on the data tools launched as part of our
Mapping Economic Disadvantage in NSW research, aimed at assisting CLCs to understand and identify unmet legal need.

The workshop was held alongside Delphine Bellerose from the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW. Delphine shared a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-launched Legal Needs Dashboard.

Thanks very much to CLC NSW for the invitation, and good luck to all the CLCs as they use the data tools to deliver free legal help and other supports for people in NSW who are in need, and continue to advocate for better access.
We're hiring!
NCOSS is looking for a Communications Officer to join our Operations team. Check out the listing on our Jobs Board for details. Applications close 11:59pm on Sunday, 17 September.

Image by Freepik.

 
NCOSS in the News

Young Australians forgoing necessities as cost-of-living crisis deepens wealth divide

The cost-of-living crisis has prompted thousands of young Australians like Allyssa Ablon to cut back on decadent indulgences such as food, medicine and toiletries.

The 28-year-old is among the thousands of young people across Australia who are at the forefront of the cost-of-living crisis, without the safety nets of property ownership or inherited wealth, having to weather huge rises in the prices of goods and services.

Chronically ill and unable to work, Ablon says she feels without hope.

“I don’t see how there’s any hope for people, especially young people, to get to a better place where we’re living instead of surviving,” she says. “We used to say Australians get a fair go and it’s absolutely laughable to me now, because for me there isn’t a way to improve my circumstances without money.

“I can’t pay for therapies, treatments or medications, all things that could improve my functional capacity, and it leaves me in a vicious cycle.”

Bailey Riley, president of the National Union of Students, says young people have also been forgoing socialising to stay afloat... A key pressure is rising rents, which have hit record highs in the past 12 months...

“It just creates a cycle where people can only work or study, they can’t have a social life or anything outside of that and have no means of dealing with the stresses of trying to keep up.”

A recent survey from the New South Wales Council of Social Service painted a similar picture, with 74% of people aged 25 to 34 reporting housing stress. Almost half of that cohort were struggling to pay bills and about a third, along with a similar number of people aged 18 to 24, said they could not pay their rent or mortgage on time.

The council’s chief executive, Joanna Quilty, says housing costs are taking up a huge chunk of the money young people earn.

“Home ownership is usually a good buffer against some of these issues but for many young people that is simply unattainable,” Quilty says.

“When you’re in the private rental market… that really fundamental need for safe, secure housing is not there and has enormous flow-on effects.

“It is becoming much harder for young people to independently set themselves up for that secure future and I think that is going to create widening inequality.”

Read Mostafa Rachwani's full article in
The Guardian, 3 September 2023. Photo by David Kelly.

 
Portable long service leave for NSW sector workers
The NSW Government is taking the first step towards fulfilling its election commitment, establishing a consultation process around the introduction of a portable long service leave system in the community service sector. The move responds to the rise of insecure work in the disability and community sectors and forms part of the Government’s commitment to attract and retain key workers in NSW.

A recent survey conducted by the NSW Council of Social Service said the care sector in NSW could lose up to 120,000 workers over the next 5 years, with poor pay and insecure work driving staff out.

Community sector workers are often employed on short term contracts with multiple employers and don’t have access to long service leave, despite some working in the sector for more than a decade.

Read the NSW Government's media release. Image as seen in the Australian Financial News, 27 August 2023.

The elastic band has only so much stretch in it before it snaps
It came as no great surprise but it was still very sobering reading when I looked at the Barely Hanging On report released by the NSW Council of Social Service last week.

The detailed and well researched report from NCOSS on the cost-of-living crisis shines a light on several issues that we have been prosecuting at Relationships Australia NSW for some time.

Not only are we experiencing cost-of-living issues but we are also living through a crisis of poor human interaction, stress and pressure, which could impact generations.

Those that undertook the survey shared their feelings that at no other time in their memory had they experienced such stress, anxiety or depression and how this was impacting their physical and mental health and, tellingly, their personal relationships.

It’s actually even worse when you look at those who have children, as they believe financial stress is causing tension and forcing them to spend less time with one another.

They are either at work, working another job or travelling longer distances on public transport as they have foregone their own cars to cut back on weekly expenses.

They are literally sacrificing time in their family unit so they can pay the bills.

Is it any wonder that we are seeing the breakdown of relationships and families because of this constant pressure?

The elastic band has only so much stretch in it before it snaps. And there is a collective snapping right now across our cities and towns, both in metropolitan centres and regional hubs.

It’s heartbreaking to think that family units are being destroyed because of the battle to pay bills and, sadly, we know that such breakdowns can often result in the most shocking of outcomes, impacting a far greater cohort of people.

What is clearly obvious is that urgent attention needs to be placed on the mental health of our citizens and the impacts cost of living pressures have on the health and well-being of our society.

If the NCOSS report doesn’t make that abundantly clear for our decision makers, I’m struggling to think of what will.

Read Relationships Australia's CEO, Elizabeth Shaw's, powerful opinion piece We need to invest in support in full. Published in the Daily Telegraph, 24 August 2023. Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik.
 
Sector News
One year on. Where are we now? #RaiseTheAge
August 2023 marked one full year since the Raise the Age campaign delivered over 200,000 signatures to the Australian Government, demanding federal, state and territory governments raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to at least 14 years old.

Last week, award-winning Sydney-based artist, Sharon Billinge, finished a mural on the Bondi Beach seawall, showing two primary school kids enjoying Sydney's beaches to highlight Australia's inhumane treatment of children. It was painted in support of the national Raise the Age campaign and in partnership with Change the Record.

Change the Record is Australia's first and only First Nation-led coalition calling for an end to the mass incarceration of, and violence against, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Read more here. Image of Sharon's mural (below) as seen on Change the Record's website.
 
Housing & Homelessness Plan: Submission deadline extended
The submission period for the National Housing and Homelessness Plan has been extended. Responses to the Issues Paper, through the online submissions process, will now close at 11:59pm AEST on Friday, 20 October 2023.

Registrations for Community Forums in Queensland, Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania are also now open. You can see the see upcoming events and register your attendance by viewing  the consultation schedule.

If you are unable to attend a face to face Community Forum event, there are two online webinars open for registrations. These are scheduled to occur on:


For further information on how you can engage in the development of the Plan, visit the DSS Engage platform.
Happy Birthday, MHCC!
In the last 40 years, the community-managed mental health landscape has seen remarkable transformation. This year the peak body for community managed mental health organisations in NSW, Mental Health Coordinating Council, celebrates its 40th anniversary.

The milestone is an occasion to reflect on the meaningful reforms that have changed the way people with lived experience of mental health are supported.

Back in 1983 the mental health sector in NSW was changing dramatically. Old institutions were closing, funding for community services was growing and the emphasis shifting to recovery and hope.

A visionary group of mental health advocates working in community organisations many of whom are still members of MHCC today (@stride @grow @wayahead @flourish) identified the need to band together and create a stronger voice to shape the future of service delivery. This led to the development of MHCC, one of the first peak body for community managed mental health organisations in the country.

On the occasion of this milestone anniversary, we pay tribute to the passionate and dedicated individuals who had the vision and motivation to chart the course and lay the foundations of MHCC, and thank those who continue to build on their progress.

We wish the MHCC and all its members a happy 40th birthday!

Bus Industry Taskforce: Parramatta Bus Passenger Forum
Transport for NSW has advised that the next Bus Passenger Forum is being held ion Friday 15 September 2023 at Business Western Sydney, Level P2, 4 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street Parramatta NSW 2150.

The format is be a drop in style event, held ove two sessions:


Register to attend.
 
Training and Events
 
NCOSS Events
NCOSS Post-Budget Breakfast
Tuesday, 26 September 2023 @ 8:00-9:45am.  
Strangers Dining Room, NSW Parliament House & by livestream
From $20 (NCOSS Member price, online) | Register


Hear from the Treasurer, the Shadow Treasurer followed by a panel of sector leaders. The discussion will be moderated by respected journalist, Nine's State Political Reporter, Liz Daniels.

Joining us in-person?
Catch up with friends and colleagues over a stand-up networking breakfast from 9:45-10:30.

Located outside Sydney? Put on your own Post-Budget Breakfast!
Sector organisatons located outside Sydney who join us online can go into the draw for one of three, $300 cash prizes, to help them put on their own Post Budget Breakfast when the livestream ends. Winners will be drawn at random and announced in the 21 September edition of eNews.

Sector Events

A housing system that serves us all the human right to housing
Mercy Foundation
13 September 2023 @ 9:30-10:30
Online
Free | Register


The Mercy Foundation is hosting an online forum about how we can leverage the Australian Government’s obligation to uphold the right to housing to improve our housing system.

Just in time to help inform your submission to the National Housing and Homelessness Plan, the forum will explore how the right to housing is violated in Australia, the impacts this has on marginalised groups and how leveraging the right to housing can help create a housing system that serves all of us. Read more here.
Lessons in Disaster training
Gender & Disaster Australia
September to October 2023
Bega, Lismore, Blue Mountains, Sydney
FREE


Do you work with communities affected by disasters? Don’t miss out on the valuable Lessons in Disaster training.

Award-winning training will help you understand:

  • The distinct experiences of women, men, and LGBTIQA+ people during disasters.
  • How gender roles often expect men to protect and provide while women are expected to prioritise nurturing others at the expense of their own safety.
  • That LGBTIQA+ people’s needs are frequently overlooked in disaster situations.
  • That applying a gendered lens at every stage of disaster leads to stronger and more inclusive communities in recovery.

Follow  the links below to register for the session closest to you:

  • Bega: 26 September 2023 @ 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Lismore: 10 October 2023 @ 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Blue Mountains: 18 October 2023 @ 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Sydney: 19 October 2023 @ 9.30am to 4.30pm.

You may wish to continue on to the two-day intensive Train the Trainer program in Sydney on 24-25 October 2023. To register, first submit an EOI for review. For more information contact Melesa or visit the website.
Sector Training
Understanding Recent Tax Reforms
Justice Connect - Not For-Profit-Law
19 September 2023, by Zoom
Free I Register

Join Justice Connect for a FREE special edition webinar in partnership with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) that will help your not-for-profit understand and comply with new and existing tax requirements.

The requirements for not-for-profits that self-assess as income tax exempt ⁠changed from 1 July this year. In this webinar, we’ll host Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Moltisanti of the ATO, who will guide you through what these changes mean for your organisation and how you can prepare.

Trauma Informed Care
AbSec
20 September or 31 October or 12 December 2023
$450 per person, group bookings available


It is a requirement in NSW that all Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care have a Cultural Care Plan and a Cultural Support Plan.

The Cultural Connections Workshop helps child protection practitioners and agency staff support Aboriginal children in care through effective cultural planning.

During the one-day workshop, AbSec's Aboriginal trainer will guide you through how to create meaningful and achievable cultural planning, and how to put it into practice. They will also build interpersonal skills to help you consult with Aboriginal families and communities; maintaining these relationships is central to forming complete and effective cultural support plans, and gaining the important input of all key figures in a child’s life.

This 1-Day course is designed for those working or intending to work in the child protection industry as a service provider, case worker, manager etc.

More information and enrol here.
 
Grant Opportunities
Securing Faith-Based Places
Federal Attorney-General's Department

Closing Date: Monday, September 11 2023

The Securing Faith-Based Places grant opportunity aims to assist faith-based places and spaces to improve security and safety.

The objective of the program is to support religious schools and pre-schools, places of worship and faith-based community centres to address the risk of crime and violence motivated by religious or racial intolerance through the installation or upgrade of security infrastructure and/or the engagement of security guards at those sites.

The intended outcomes of the program are to:

  • Enable faith-based communities to undertake activities safely and free from harassment
  • Deter crime and violence at faith-based places
  • Improve safety within faith-based communities when attending faith-based places, and
  • Contribute to greater community resilience and wellbeing.

Eligible activities must directly relate to the improvement of security measures at a religious school, pre-school, place of worship or faith-based community centre that is facing security risks associated with religious and/or racial intolerance.

You must provide supporting information confirming that the crime and violence is religiously or racially motivated.

Grants available are between $25,000 and $500,000. The grant amount will be up to 100% of eligible project costs.

Details here.

Community Grants Program
Lesbians Incorporated

Closing Date: Sunday, September 17
2023

Lesbians Incorporated has established a Community Grants Program to give out $10,000 in grants (up to $1000 per successful application) per round.

To be eligible for funding, projects must demonstrate that they:

  • Meet an identified social, cultural, educational, health, welfare, recreational, personal development or legal need of the lesbian community
  • Target discrimination against lesbians and/or aim to improve the civil rights and/or status of lesbians within the general community;
  • Aim to improve the access of lesbians to programs, services, activities and opportunities available to the general community;
  • Aim to increase the vocational training and/or employment opportunities of lesbians.

Projects may aim to benefit the lesbian community in general or one or more groups within the lesbian community. Groups may be racial, cultural, geographic, or may have specific identified needs or shared interests and concerns. LInc considers the children of lesbians as part of the lesbian community.

Details here.
 
Community Jobs
 
Direct Services Counsellor/Project Officer (Sydney) - STARTTS - VIEW JOB

Aged Care Advocate x 2 (Griffith) - Seniors Rights Service - VIEW JOB

Senior Policy Officer, Manager - Advocacy (Inner City Sydney) - CHIA - VIEW JOB, VIEW JOB

Aboriginal Case Worker (Macarthur) - Macarthur Family & Youth Services - VIEW JOB

Social Researcher (Western Sydney) - WESTIR - VIEW JOB

Administrative Support Worker (Sydney CBD) - Positive Life NSW - VIEW JOB

Early Intervention Worker (Blue Mountains) - Thrive Services - VIEW JOB

Clinical Director, Research Data Manager, Research Project Officer (Sydney CBD) - Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies (NADA) - VIEW JOB, VIEW JOB, VIEW JOB

Executive Leader, Children and Families (Sydney CBD) - Barnardos - VIEW JOB

 
Member Stories
 

NCOSS gives its members the opportunity to share their stories, research, resources, events and more through NCOSS eNews. If you have something to share with the sector, send through a short blurb (50-70 words), image (250 x 250px) and relevant links to info@ncoss.org.au.

We will endeavour to add it to an edition of NCOSS e-News (goes out every fortnight on Thursday). Deadline for content is 12pm Monday, week of publication. Next deadline is 12pm Monday, 18 September 2023.

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