NCOSS eNews

23 February 2023

Investing in social infrastructure is vital for regional communities

I was pleased to be a panellist at Local Government NSW’s Rural and Regional summit addressing the topic of 'What do regional communities need?’.

It was an opportunity to draw on NCOSS research from 2022 to underscore that the events of the last three years haven’t been evenly felt, with widening disadvantage and significant economic costs playing out over the longer term if we fail to intervene. And that regional areas of NSW will bear more than their fair share of these negative outcomes without targeted action from government.

The data paints a grim picture:

• Working families in regional areas struggling to make ends meet and contending with precarious employment and housing arrangements, while others struggle to find or are not able to work, depending instead on woefully inadequate income support payments.
• Increased mental health issues amongst the working population as a result of COVID lockdowns and for young people who struggle to get timely support, particularly in regional areas.
• Rising domestic and family violence, exacerbating already high levels of reported assaults and breaches of AVOs in regional areas.
• A 52% increase in regional households experiencing extreme housing stress - paying more than 50% of their income on housing costs.
• Regional LGAs making up the majority of top 20 LGAs where children face the biggest losses in education, employment and lifetime earnings as a result of COVID remote schooling and lost learning.

Under a business-as-usual scenario, the economic costs to regional NSW from these ongoing impacts are in the billions of dollars. But NSW entered the pandemic behind the eight-ball with significant under-investment, per head of population, in community based mental health services and domestic violence services, relative to our state and territory counterparts. We also didn’t see the sizeable investment in social housing that we saw from Qld, Victorian and Tasmanian governments during the pandemic. And our service system for at-risk children and their families is concentrated at the crisis end, unable to respond to the vast majority of risk reports made.

So we are playing catch-up. Regional communities clearly need urgent, increased investment in social infrastructure - the network of services and supports that keep families functioning and able to get through difficult times. But while our political leaders are passionate about investing in physical infrastructure - roads, rail and other big construction projects - they are less enthusiastic about essential social infrastructure. Meanwhile our social service sector - NSW's fastest growing industry that contributes over $15.4 billion pa in economic output - is buckling under the strain of rising demand, inadequate funding, program uncertainty, poor wages and conditions and a workforce that is disappearing. Prioritising investment in social infrastructure - for both regional and metropolitan areas - must be front and centre for the next State Government.

Homelessness services are definitely essential and stretched beyond capacity across all of NSW, turning away more people than they can support. So it's hard to fathom why the federal government hasn't committed to incorporating ongoing ERO payments into baseline funding. We've joined with Homelessness Australia, ACOSS and other peaks to call for this situation to be reversed as a matter of urgency.

Reducing disaster risk for vulnerable population groups

This week we are pleased to announce that we've received funding under the jointly funded NSW and Australian Government Disaster Risk Reduction Fund. This will enable us to test, in 3 different locations, a more collaborative, networked approach to disaster risk reduction working with vulnerable communities and the NGOs that support them. We are partnering with LCSA and AbSec and will be looking to contract with a local organisation in each location (Hawkesbury, Northern Rivers and South Coast) to host and lead the project on the ground. You can find out more about the Fund here and we will keep you posted as our project is developed.

The Yes Campaign kicks off – how to learn more and show your support

With the launch of the Yes campaign for the Referendum on the Voice to Parliament this week, there are a range of resources available to guide those who want to learn more, get involved and offer their support. You can access these below. Guided by the First Nations leaders on our RAP Partners and Advisers Group, NCOSS will be providing opportunities for our members to understand the issues, hear from different community voices and engage in respectful discussions. We'll also be supporting members with practical advice about how to ensure the safety and wellbeing of First Nations staff as the public debate plays out. Stay tuned!

Keep up to date on election announcements

In the lead-up to the election, don't forget to check out our policy tracker to keep up to date on announcements and commitments from the political parties and candidates vying for your vote!

Happy World Pride and Mardi Gras to everyone fighting for greater equality, justice and inclusion for NSW's fantastic, diverse LGBTIQA+ community.

As we approach the first anniversary of the catastrophic flooding that impacted much of the NSW Northern Rivers, we would like to acknowledge the many local community service organisations who supported, and are still supporting, their community to recover from the impacts. We know this has been a challenging and exhausting time for many.

Community service providers throughout NSW, with your connection and commitment to your communities, have continued to provide vital support through multiple crises. Thank you. At NCOSS we continue to support you in this critical work.

Have you had experience accessing virtual care/telehealth in the last 2 years? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

The University of Sydney’s Neighbourhood Research Hub is inviting people who are 18 years old and over and who have had an experience/s with telehealth services, to be interviewed for a study looking at the lived experiences of virtual care since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to better understand the use and access and how we can improve it.

For more information and contact details, click here.

Australia has seen over two centuries of failed policies directed towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; policies created from government without enough engagement from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are directly affected by them. Constitutional recognition through a voice to parliament will provide the foundation for better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It will empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to take ownership and responsibility for the challenges that they face, and work constructively with governments from any political party to develop the laws and policies needed to Close the Gap.

All Australians can be involved in the movement towards a referendum. It is an opportunity to contribute to a matter of national importance and deliver a unifying moment through a successful YES vote in a referendum.

Learn more about From the Heart’s campaign for voting in the next referendum
Download The Uluru Statement Supporter Kit
Register for a yarning circle. Yarning circles will be run intensively throughout the Week of Action in February and offered regularly in the lead up to referendum day.
Together, Yes is a kitchen conversations movement in support of a YES vote in the 2023 referendum on a First Nations Voice to parliament. It’s a powerful way you can participate in the upcoming referendum to enshrine a First Nations Voice in our constitution.

The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) welcomes the Australian Government’s announcement of plans to end the cruel and unnecessary policy of temporary protection.

Refugees subject to the temporary protection policy have been waiting for more than 10 years for the right to safety and security in Australia.

The conversion of temporary protection visas to permanent visas will enable people who have been contributing to Australian society for more than a decade to feel that this country is their home. They will no longer be prevented from getting a loan for a home or their business and, most importantly of all, will be able to apply to reunite with separated family members.

In March, Sydney WorldPride will host the largest LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Conference ever to be held in the southern hemisphere.

This will be the largest convergence of human rights defenders, community members, government and political representatives, philanthropists and corporate leaders committed to LGBTQIA+ rights ever held in Asia Pacific. Together, this Conference will be an opportunity to create a world that is safe, free and equal for everyone – no matter who we love, who we are or what sex characteristics we were born with.

Read more

The Sydney Alliance

Forum
28 February 2023
The Sydney Alliance is inviting you to register for the 2023 Sydney Alliance Election Assembly. The evening will include a well-known Alliance roll call of organisations, testimonies, putting the case, and asking politicians of all parties to make commitments to act on the Alliance agenda: Cost-of-living, climate change, affordable and renewable energy, affordable and social housing, and fair renting reforms (including removing no-grounds eviction and climate-proofing rental properties).
Register here

Physical Disability Council of NSW
Press Conference
1 March 2023
The interests of the disability community have been left off the agenda in the lead up to the State Election despite one in 4 people living with disability across our state. It's time to let politicians know that the disability community matter and that we want a new government which will prioritise our rights as citizens and members of the community. Come and show support for our lived experience spokespeople at our public press conference at 11am, March 1, at the Tree of Knowledge, Hospital Road, behind NSW Parliament House.

Pride in your workplace

Australian College of Community and Disability Practitioners (ACCDP)
Webinar
23 February 2023
Join this webinar to hear from community activists on a recent national survey of LGBTIQ+ people on what they want from a new government in NSW. This is your opportunity to hear about the priority issues and how we can work together for real change.
Register here

Trauma Informed Care

AbSec
Short course
23-24 February 2023
AbSec LDC are offering practitioners and carers of Aboriginal children and young people in care an opportunity to develop and understand best-practice when it comes to effective approaches and strategies when supporting children with trauma. As part of the course, you will be exposed to a combination of mainstream and Aboriginal healing methods in response to Aboriginal inter-generational trauma.
Register here

Supporting children and young people with disabilities in out-of-home care
28 February 2023
Children and young people with disabilities are overrepresented in out-of-home care (OOHC). This webinar will have a focus on the prevalence, characteristics and outcomes of children and young people with disabilities in OOHC and the support services available to them and their carers.
Register here

Member Disputes and Conflict on the Committee
Justice Connect NFP Law Webinar
28 February 2023
Conflicts and disputes can be stressful. Healthy debate is good for your organisation, but if a conflict or dispute is preventing your organisation from achieving its goals, you need to know how to handle it effectively.
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 comes legal risks which, if poorly managed, can impact negatively on the organisation and its people.
Register here

Social Justice Small Grants Program

Close 13 March 2023
The Mercy Foundation is now accepting applications for its Social Justice Small Grants Program. Grants up to $10,000 are available for community initiatives addressing social justice issues at the grass roots. Projects that prevent or respond to family and domestic violence will be prioritised.
Find out more here

Stronger Communities Programme
Close 10 May 2023
The Stronger Communities Programme supports the Australian Government’s commitment to deliver social benefits in communities across Australia. Round 8 of the program will provide $22.7 million to fund small capital projects in each of the 151 federal electorates. The program is part of the government's 2022–23 budget initiatives focussed on making local economies stronger and boosting community organisations.
Register here