School hubs meet the real-world needs of children and families

26 November 2025

CEO Update

Something extraordinary has been happening at Ashcroft Public School.

Children who once struggled to attend regularly are now turning up eager to learn. Parents who felt isolated are becoming active partners in their children’s education. Teachers are feeling supported, energised and able to focus on what they do best instead of feeling as though they are being stretched thin.

This is the Mirrung model in action, an initiative that has not only changed the school but has transformed an entire local community.

Over the past three years, our philanthropically funded partnership between NCOSS and Ashcroft Public School has delivered tangible results:

Attendance has risen to 90.4 per cent, which is above the state average.
Reading comprehension has jumped nearly 30 percentage points, number and place value by 20 points, and phonic screening by 18.
Student wellbeing is soaring, with 98 per cent of children reporting a strong sense of belonging and 92 per cent feeling deeply connected to their school.
Teacher wellbeing has also improved: 87 per cent of staff say their wellbeing is better because of Mirrung, and 93 per cent report a stronger understanding of how poverty affects learning.

These are not marginal gains. They are life-changing outcomes for children who deserve nothing less.

NCOSS has released an evaluation report that shows how Mirrung closes equity gaps not by tinkering around the edges, but by addressing the complex realities families face in health, housing, food security, access to services and integrating that support seamlessly into the school environment.

Mirrung was never intended to be a short-term experiment. It was designed to be a new way of thinking about how schools in deeply disadvantaged communities can operate: as safe, supportive hubs that meet the real-world needs of children and families.

Ashcroft Public School has become a model for what is possible.

We have the blueprint and the compelling data. What we need now is the commitment to ensure that Mirrung doesn’t become a success story cut short, but the beginning of lasting change across our state.

Forty-five people joined NCOSS’s 2025 AGM and our end-of-year get together on 21 November 2025 at Yirranma Place in Sydney and online.

After the formal business of the meeting, we farewelled retiring Directors, Wendy Foote, Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle and John Leha, CEO of AbSec. Wendy and John have served on the NCOSS Board since 2019 and 2022 respectively. NCOSS is grateful for their contribution to making NCOSS a stronger, more focused organisation and more vocal advocate for the sector and the people we serve.

We also welcomed back Directors, Jenni Beetson-Mortimer, CEO of Northern Rivers Community Gateway, and Yolanda Saiz, CEO of St Vincent de Paul Society of NSW, who have been re-elected to the Board and welcomed new Directors, Larissa Daniel, Chief Strategy Officer at the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO), and Joanne Robertson, Strategy and Analytics Manager at CORE Community Services.

A highlight of the get-together was hearing from Board President John Robertson, NCOSS CEO Cara Varian and our keynote speaker, Lizzie Webb, CEO of The Next Economy.

Lizzie Webb gave an engaging presentation on what a wellbeing economy means – and the NSW social service sector’s role in achieving it. This was followed with Q&A with members of the audience.

Thanks to all who attended and helped make the event a special day! You can see more photos of the event here.

Fifteen women leaders from the social service sector will receive a fully-funded scholarship to maximise their leadership potential, thanks to a new collaboration between NCOSS and Chief Executive Women (CEW). The scholarship will be open to NCOSS members working in small-to-medium sized community services organisations in NSW.

Last week NCOSS announced the Harrison-Church Women’s Leadership Scholarship, which aims to elevate leadership capability in the social service sector and tackle the stark gender pay gap between male and female senior leaders in the not-for-profit sector.

Attending the CEW Leaders Program will provide expanded opportunities to meet other leaders, develop peer support relationships, and potentially open doors for cross-sector collaboration and service innovation.

We strongly encourage applications from women leaders based in rural, regional and remote NSW and First Nations leaders (especially those who work for NCOSS member organisations that are ACCOs or ACCHOs).

The first intake will be in June/July 2026. Applications for the first scholarship round close on Sunday, 1 February 2026. To apply, you will need to complete an application form on the NCOSS website and submit it by the closing date.

To find out more information and apply, please visit the NCOSS website.

NCOSS has launched a new website to better serve and reflect the sector.

We’ve shifted from a text-heavy, publication-driven format to a more visual, contemporary and human-centred experience—making it easier for visitors to immediately understand our impact and access the resources they need. With improved navigation, stronger use of imagery, clearer content pathways, and streamlined online processes, the new site provides a far more intuitive and engaging experience for members, partners, and sector stakeholders.

As part of the launch, we have developed a dashboard that allows you to access key stats about your region, including cost of living data, rates of poverty, and waiting times for healthcare.

Have a look at the new website here.

The Local Community Services Association (LCSA) is conducting a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) survey as part of the Community Organisations Disaster Adaptation (CODA) Project. The survey will help identify the skills, knowledge, and resources local non-government community service organisations need to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Survey results will guide the development of a disaster management training program for organisations initially in the four CODA project areas.

Click here to access the online survey.

We would greatly appreciate you completing the survey. We would also appreciate it if you were able to circulate the survey to your members in the Northern Rivers, Hawkesbury and South East NSW areas. These are the local areas involved in the project.

We welcome input from organisations with all levels of experience, ranging from minimal to extensive to inform our understanding and assist in developing future training.

Time to complete: Approximately 20 minutes

Who should complete it: The manager or a nominated staff member

When will it be available and for how long: The survey is open and closes 17 December 2025

The CODA Project received funding from the Australian Government and the NSW Government.

Please contact Bronwyn Hutchings, LCSA Disaster and Resilience Manager on bronwyn@lcsansw.org.au if you wish to discuss this further.

AbSec held its quarterly forum on beautiful Worimi country last week. The forum covered a range of topics including the IPART review of OOHC pricing, housing options for young people leaving care and the urgent need for a Child Protection Commission.

NCOSS was particularly interested in the discussion about the structural barriers to restoration for Aboriginal children in care. Our homework is to read The Shackles of Terra Nullius in Child Protection ‘Reforms’ to better inform how we can walk alongside our First Nations communities in ensuring that child protection reforms don’t reproduce structures and practices that don’t privilege First Nations experiences and voices.

Following the Forum, NCOSS was proud to co-sponsor AbSec’s Gala Dinner and Awards. Cara and Neha enjoyed taking part in a dance performance with Gabinya miyay Dance Group and it was great to see some wonderful First Nations people and organisations get acknowledged for the work they are doing in their communities.

AbSec has launched its Know Your Rights project which provides a series of information guides for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, families, and communities navigating the NSW child protection system.

The Know Your Rights project and website is being designed to provide culturally safe, practical, and empowering information to help families understand their rights, advocate for their children, and make informed decisions.

Find out more at the AbSec website.

If you work with young people, lead teams, manage services, or support the sector in any way, your experience matters. These surveys help us show the real story of youth work: the impact, the pressures, the gaps, and the value we bring to communities every day.

There are two surveys, please pick one that suits your role: NSW Youth Sector Snapshot Surveys 2025

Leadership Survey (for CEOs, managers, program leads, and decision makers): Your Voice, Our Leadership: NSW Youth Sector Snapshot 2025 for Leaders

Workforce Survey (for youth workers, frontline staff, and students): Your Voice, Our Workforce: NSW Youth Sector Snapshot 2025

Five winners from each survey will receive a $50 gift card.

From 10 December 2025, many social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australians under 16 create or keep an account.

The age restrictions are likely to apply to Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat,
Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube as well as other platforms. See the latest list.

There are no penalties for under-16s who access an account on an age-restricted social media platform, or for their parents or carers.

If you or your family is impacted by this change, information and support is available at the eSafety Commissioner website, which includes frequently asked questions, tips and resources for dealing with the change.

Jailing Is Failing's latest briefing paper examines the strong links between homelessness and imprisonment — and why housing must be central to any plan for community safety.

People experiencing homelessness are over-represented in Australia’s prisons, often cycling in and out of custody due to poverty, instability, and lack of support. When people leave prison without safe housing, the risk of reoffending increases dramatically.

We need to move away from criminalising disadvantage and instead invest in secure, supported housing and community-led services that address the drivers of offending.

Read more in the Homelessness briefing paper, and explore the full series here: https://loom.ly/Rr7ON4U

Getting Carer Data Right: Understanding What is Available and Why it Matters.
Carer Knowledge Exchange
27 November, Online
Free | Register here

Data is critical for evidence-based policy making and practice improvement. However, knowledge about, access to, and navigation of carer-related data remain fragmented.

This webinar will explore key challenges in accessing and interpreting data, highlight examples of how it is being used across research, policy, and practice, and discuss opportunities for more consolidated and reliable sources of information.

Call It Out Annual Report Launch
Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research & the National Justice Project
27 November, Online
Free | Register here

The Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research and the National Justice Project invite you to the launch of the Call It Out Annual Report for 2024-25.

Developed in partnership, Call It Out was created to provide a safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share their experiences of racism, give voice to their concerns, hold perpetrators to account and present solutions.

Risk vs Reward: Harnessing the power of AI in Social Services

ACWA
4 December, Sydney Masonic Centre
Free | Register here

Join ACWA’s Strategy to Action Day 2025 to explore the exciting and complex world of Artificial Intelligence in social services.

This dynamic, in-person event will unpack how AI can assist service delivery, boost efficiency, and support stronger connections with children, families, and communities — while keeping ethics, safety, and human care at the centre.

Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant
Closing Date: 28 February 2026

The Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant (EDAEG) adopts a number of strategies to develop and support Aboriginal people through the creation of training and employment opportunities.

Promoting diversity, innovation and service responsiveness in the NSW workforce, the Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant subsidises the salary, development and support costs of Aboriginal employees in public service agencies, local government authorities and Aboriginal community controlled organisations.

For more information, please visit the grant information page.

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 Wednesday morning). Deadline for content is 5:00pm on Monday, the week of publication. The next deadline is Monday, 8 December 2025.