July 1
Getting to know our amazing sector
Getting to know our amazing sectorThis month I have enjoyed meeting people from all across our vibrant sector, and feel enormously inspired by their dedication to improving the lives of children and families doing it tough.
These people work at all levels, from forming high-level policy to providing direct services to help vulnerable children and families. I’ve met foster carers, kinship carers, residential care workers and family support workers, just to name a few.
These people are committed, hardworking and recognise the individual and unique needs of children, young people and families, and overwhelming need to assist them to achieve their aspirations.
I look forward to continuing these meetings over the coming weeks and getting to know more of you.
I also chaired the second day of the inaugural National Out-of-Home Care Summit, which provided a range of valuable insights into Australia-wide child protection issues. This was valuable context with the Auditor General’s review about to commence, looking at the effectiveness of the Department’s provision of services to support appropriate and stable outcomes for children in residential care.
Deb Tsorbaris
Left – Deb with Glenys and Dom from Westcare
Sector Reform
This month the Centre responded to Professor Shergold’s interim report, Service Sector Reform: Reflections on the Consultations.
Our submission was developed through a consultation forum with a number of member organisations and can be found here.
Sector Research & Evidence Forum
On August 2nd the Centre is hosting the 3rd annual Sector Research & Evidence forum.
Dr Andrew Young of the University of New South Wales will speak on building research evaluation and practice development capacity to demonstrate social outcome.
If you would like to participate, we are currently calling for 250 word expressions of interest for presentations. Details of the forum and themes for presentations can be found here.
Learning and Development
Get in fast to book a place at:
1. Motivational Interviewing: Learn techniques to assist clients who are ambivalent about changing harmful or self-defeating behaviours.
2. Creating a Positive Organisational Culture: Equips managers and team leaders with the knowledge and skills required to promote positive organisational culture from the ground up.
3. Synergistiq is offering Evaluation and Program Logic workshops on a regular basis. Contact John Prent.
Emerging Futures Project
In 2012 the Centre was engaged by the Office for the Community Sector to scope the changing environment for CSOs.
This project also included suggestions for models that the sector might develop to respond to the changing environment, and provision of information about the approaches taken by CSOs dealing with the change in their operating environment. More →
SNAICC Campaign
This month SNAICC launched a national campaign to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in the child protection system.
In response to these issues, a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous organisations have joined together to call for a fairer and more just response to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities. More →
Many Cultures Many Celebrations
CARE With ME would like to invite you to hear from six of the most highly represented communities in Victoria’s north at their upcoming forum.
Representatives from the Arabic, Turkish, Polynesian, African, Indian and Muslim communities will present cultural considerations when raising a child, and discuss the child protection service in a round table environment. Booking can be made here.
Good Practice 2013
Good Practice 2013 is an opportunity to share individual,
team and program achievements and innovative practices that delivered improvements to lives of children and families you work with.
Stories about client
experiences with your service and drawings by children and young people are welcomed. More →
National Youth Affairs Conference
Places are still available for the 2013 AYAC conference, which will bring together 400 youth sector representatives, community-minded young people, youth policy makers, youth researchers and academics.
More information is available here.
PILCHConnect – Royal Commission
PILCHConnect is currently investigating the need for national pro bono legal services among small NFPs called to engage with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
To help them understand the numbers of NFPs that may be involved, PILCHConnect are conducting a short online survey. You can participate in the survey here.
ASU – Videos and Info Sheets
The Australian Services Union has released a series of videos and information sheets about the new community award structure and Equal Pay increases.
The videos are available here, while the information sheets will also be published on their website soon.
Anti-Poverty Week: 13 – 19 October
Poverty and severe hardship affect more than a million Australians. Around the world more than a billion people are desperately poor.
For more information and ideas about how to fight poverty and hardship during Anti-Poverty Week visit www.antipovertyweek.org.au.
Vic Police Community Consultation
Victoria Police are inviting community feedback and comment on two key issues:
1. How field contact procedures are carried out under current policies.
2. How Victoria Police train members in matters of diversity.
This community consultation closes on Wednesday 31st July, with specific questions and details for submissions available here.
