Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year

Wishing you all a happy, safe, and healthy festive season.

As our 30^th anniversary year draws to a close, we thank our members for your ongoing support for your local peak body. We also acknowledge everyone who provided input and advice in the important policy and advocacy work we have done this year. Your voice shapes all that we do. Thank you for a great year, and we wish you all the best as you embark on 2024.

Please note the Community Industry Group office will be closed from Friday 22 December 2023 and will reopen on Tuesday 2 January 2024. Looking forward to working with you next year

 Nicky & the Team at Community Industry Group

Free Training Opportunity Attract - Recognise - Value Workshop

This will be delivered over 2 half-day sessions, Thursday 8th February & 15th February 2024, from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Delivered as a collaboration between the Booroongen Djugun and Community Industry Group Sector Support and Development Teams, this toolkit aims to:

• Assist an organisation or individual in identifying what they are doing well in their cultural competency, where they might improve, and some strategies to get there

• Promote the development of cultural competency in employment practices, policies, and processes to encourage Aboriginal applicants to apply

• Encourage the development of culturally respectful policies and processes to improve retention rates of Aboriginal workers and Aboriginal service users

• Promote strategies to improve links between Aboriginal people and the generalist service sector

Upon completion, participants will have information and strategies to improve:

• Their organisation’s cultural competency

• Employment strategies for Aboriginal people

• The capacity to create a culturally appropriate, respectful and safe environment for Aboriginal people.

As this is a free training opportunity, spaces are limited, so get in quickly and register before they are all gone.

Register here

Suicide Alertness safeTALK Training - Dapto and Nowra

Community Industry Group in conjunction with LivingWorks Australia will be holding 2 free 4-hour training sessions. One on Wednesday 21 February in Dapto and another on 22 February at Nowra focusing on suicide alertness via SafeTALK training.

SafeTALK is a half-day training session to help participants recognise a person with thoughts of suicide and connect them with resources who can help them in choosing to live. Participants don’t need any formal preparation to attend the training.

Continuing Professional Development: SafeTALK and provides continuing professional development points for:

• Australian Psychological Society (APS)- 4 hours, accredited, details uploaded by member.

• Australian Counselling Association (ACA)- 4 points, accredited, details uploaded by member.

• NSW Education Accreditation Authority (NESA)- 4 hours, accredited, details uploaded by LivingWorks to eTAMS once the training is completed. For teachers/early childhood educators.

• Australian Association of Social Work (AASW)- 4 hours, self-identified hours, details uploaded by member.

• Royal Australian College GP's (RACGP)- 4 hours, self-identified hours, details uploaded by member.

• Australian College of Nursing (ACN)- 4 hours, self-identified hours, details uploaded by member.

Dapto - Register Here

Nowra - Register Here

New Ages Care Act exposure draft released - consultation to continue in 2024.

The Federal Government has released the exposure draft of the new Aged Care Act and is running information webinars for providers and the public.

Consultation with the sector will continue in the new year and CI Group will be facilitating opportunities for aged care, HCP and CHSP providers to take part in that consultation and learn more about what the new Act will mean for their service. 

An overview of the changes can be found here. 

The exposure draft of the Act can be accessed here. 

Subject to finalisation, and passage through parliament, the new Aged Care Act is expected to start on 1 July 2024, replacing existing legislation, including the current Aged Care Act and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act (2018).

If you would like to register your interest in attending CI Group's future sessions on the New Act, please email [email protected]

New Report on Community Attitudes Towards Poverty and Inequality

The latest report from the Poverty and Inequality partnership, Community attitudes towards poverty and inequality 2023: Snapshot report, has been released and shows that 74% of respondents think the gap between wealthy people and those living in poverty is too large and should be reduced.

Researchers surveyed 2,000 adults and found that most people (62%) think government policies have contributed to poverty, while 75% think it can be solved with the right systems and policies.

Member Update Guidelines: If you are a member and want to add something to our Newsletter email [email protected]. Please keep all submissions between 50 and 100 words with a link to further info (images are also welcome).

Community Lunches and Free and Low Cost food

Attached is a list of free Christmas lunches as well as where to access free and low cost food across the Illawarra. 

Click here for the List

Nowra Youth Centre’s Summer - School Holiday Program for January 2024

Lean into Conflict Online Workshop

Community Industry Group (CIG), Social Futures, Macarthur Disability Services (MDS) and 3 Bridges have partnered with bts spark to deliver the Lean into Conflict Online Workshop 

Outline: Whether you are the CEO, Manager, Team Leader or Care Worker with a CHSP provider, understanding conflict is an essential skill to have in your toolkit. 

This workshop aims to empower individuals and teams to become comfortable dealing with conflict, providing opportunities to build trust and strengthen relationships.  

Participants will explore various conflict models, share case studies and apply their learning practically in small groups.  

Feedback from previous participants: "It was great to have an opportunity to practice the new skills in a safe space" & "Reflecting on the different models really helped me understand what I need to do" &"Awesome training and trainer" 

This workshop is aimed at CHSP providers. 

Where: Online

When: 27 February 2024 (online workshop) at 10:00am- 12:00pm (EST)

Register here

Certificate IV in Work, Health and Safety

This course includes assisting with WHS compliance, implementing risk assessment controls, identifying hazards, and implementing WHS continuous improvement.

The course applies to those working as supervisors, WHS personnel, and workers in other WHS related roles who manage risks effectively, apply relevant WHS laws, and contribute to WHS within the workplace.  So learn how to:

• Take your leadership skills from team member to workplace supervisor.

• Understand Work Health and Safety (WHS) responsibilities to improve consultation and participation.

Improve your knowledge for a safe workplace and to comply with all the relevant WHS regulations.

Checkout https://illawarraitec.edu.au/whs_safety/ for further information about the course or contact Virginia Wren at ITeC on 4223100 or [email protected]. 

This course will be commencing February 2024.  Sign up today and don’t miss out on this Fee-Free training. 

TAFE NSW are thrilled to announce that enrolment is now open for our Mental Health and Counselling courses, designed to empower you with knowledge and skills that will set you on the path to success.

Ready to embark on your learning journey?

Explore our Mental Health and Counselling courses below and secure your spot today. Kindly be aware that TAFE NSW might provide alternative delivery modes, duration and attendance requirements for the listed courses below. Courses commencing early February 2024.

• Certificate IV Mental Health

• Certificate IV Mental Health Peer Work

• Diploma Mental Health

• Diploma Counselling

 Information Sessions

Uncertain about which course suits you best? Or interested in learning more?

Join any of the information sessions listed below by clicking on the link OR view the attached flyers for more course information.

• Tuesday 19 December 2023 11am

• Wednesday 10 January 2024 4pm

• Wednesday 17th January 5pm

• Monday 29 January 10am

The Family Connect and Support (FCS) Common Assessment Tool is now available on the FCS website here.
 
The FCS Common Assessment Tool has been developed for FCS providers to adopt a consistent approach when conducting assessments that are family-led and culturally safe.

This tool also has broader applicability across all services offering early support to children, young people, and families, including TEI.

The design process for the Common Assessment Tool was led by Curijo, who worked closely with FCS providers, FCS service users, key stakeholders, and DCJ to ensure the final version of the tool, incorporates the views and voices of families and is flexible by design.

The Common Assessment Tool aligns with the best practice principles outlined in DCJ’s Aboriginal Casework Management Policy (ACMP), which was developed with the community and focuses on upskilling staff to empower Aboriginal families.
 
All FCS providers are currently implementing the Common Assessment Tool and we encourage you all to read this resource and consider its applicability to your own areas of work.
 
A special thank you to Curijo and all those who contributed to this significant work. 

If you have any comments or questions, please email [email protected]

3 weeks to go: Apply for a social impact scholarship!

With more than $160,000 of scholarship funding available, you can unlock a more purpose-driven career in 2024! Gain the practical tools to address pressing social issues, create sustainable solutions, and lead impactful initiatives across a range of sectors. Apply now. 

2024 Scholarships at the Centre for Social Impact | CSI

Family Planning Australia is very excited to be coming to Bega in March to present these two popular workshops for youth workers and disability workers. I am delighted to share with you our flyers now. Due to our generous funding, we are able to offer these courses with no registration costs for people living or working in NSW. We advise people to book early to ensure their chance to participate.

The Nitty Gritty Face-to-Face Course: Specialised Reproductive and Sexual Health Training for Youth Workers. One-day course, Tuesday 5^th March, Bega Valley Commemorative Civic Centre.

Youth workers and others who work closely with young people have the potential to support them to develop positive attitudes and make informed decisions about relationships, sexuality and sexual health. This popular course identifies opportunities and strategies for workers to talk about sexual health with young people within their role so that they can confidently guide clients to find reliable sources of information or make referrals to relevant services.

For more information and to register in The Nitty Gritty click here.

 CHCEDU003: Provide sexual reproductive health information to clients. Two-day course, Wednesday 6^th March and Thursday 7^th March, Bega Valley Commemorative Civic Centre.

This in-demand course takes a holistic and right-based approach to supporting reproductive and sexual health. Participants learn about best practice principles for educating people with intellectual disability and use discussion and case scenarios to explore the balance between duty of care with dignity of risk. Learning activities are used to build confidence in proactively supporting clients with intellectual disability around relationships, sexuality and sexual health.

Participants who successfully complete the assessment will be awarded a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for CHCEDU003 Provide sexual and reproductive health information to clients. This unit of competency may be credited towards a qualification from the Community Services training package (CHC), e.g. Certificate IV in Disability.

For more information and to register in the CHC Disability Course click here.

For more information please feel free to reach out to me or to our Education team on [email protected] or call 1300 372 372.

Mental Fitness in Professional Practice Training

The Peregrine Centre is excited to invite you to "Mental Fitness in Professional Practice: Beyond Self-Care to Intentional Mental Health Fitness" Training with Nikki Butler. Four 1-Day Interactive Workshops:

Wagga Wagga - 6th of February 9am - 4pm

Nowra - 8th of February 8:30am - 3pm

 Click here to register your interest now!

This Mental Fitness in Professional Practice training is FREE for rural mental health workers, funded by the NSW Health Rural Mental Health Partnership. This training is valued at $350*

Exploring the Future of Leadership

In a time of uncertainty, the future can seem scary. But organisations who don’t peek into the future and prepare for what is to come will inevitably be left behind.

The community sector needs to lift its gaze from the daily grind and assemble for what’s coming next. As we charge into the future, how can leaders prepare themselves to lead?

The Communities in Control autumn season will present a range of leaders from the community sector and beyond to discuss the future of leadership. We’ll consider the way we work and live, how we might think differently to avoid burnout, what Gen Z looks like in the workforce (and how we can work with them – and they with us – to achieve the best results), and how we can break out of the echo chamber and spread our message far and wide.

The leaders of tomorrow embrace the future with confidence. They anticipate what lies ahead and stand ready to face it head-on.

Communities in Control 2024 will take place online. We want to make the first edition of the new-look Communities in Control special, so we've locked in some of the finest speakers to ever grace our stage

Don't miss out. Tickets to the event cost $490.00, but are just $441.00 until 5.00pm AEDT, Thursday 4 January.  You can also pick and choose which sessions you'd like to attend, with single session registrations $139.00.

Register here 

Beat the Heat

Bill Relief to Eligible Women

Thanks to the ongoing generosity of Sydney Financial Group, Women Illawarra is so pleased to announce that we will be providing bill relief to eligible women in the lead-up to Christmas this year.

For terms and conditions or to apply visit Click Here

For further information, please call 4228 1499 during business hours.

Inside Out Recovery

• Psychological and Recovery Coach Positions

• Volunteer Position

Care Positions

• Home Instead CareGivers

• Catholic Care Various Positions

Berkeley Community Centre

• Community Centre Administration Assistant

Department of Communities and Justice

• No Gammin - Koori Pathways Program - Administration Roles

Rural Mental Health Small Project Grants

Do you have a research project that you think will improve mental health service delivery in rural or regional NSW?

The Peregrine Centre and NSW Health are pleased to offer a total of $400,000 in grants for small projects in 2024-2025. Minimum grant amount is $5,000 and multi-year funding will be considered.

Find out more here

ANROWS Research Grants

We are currently seeking applications for research projects that will inform policy and practice design decisions about prevention, early intervention, and responses to people who use domestic, family, and sexual violence. This grants round is funded by the Commonwealth government.

ANROWS Research Grants: Funding new research to grow the evidence base. As the leading domestic, family, and sexual violence research body in Australia, we fund new research to develop evidence on domestic, family, and sexual violence. Our research grant rounds are drawn from the research priorities in The Australian National Research Agenda (ANRA) to End Violence against Women and Children 2023–2028. These research priorities were established by identifying existing research gaps through evidence reviews, focus groups with victim-survivors, and consultation with other experts such as leading academics and practitioners.

The priorities under the ANRA also align with the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032. Together, these two frameworks coordinate a national approach to developing new research and evidence to prevent and better respond to gender-based violence and support victim-survivor healing and recovery.

All ANROWS research grants are funded by the Commonwealth and/or state and territory governments.