Stage 3 Tax Cuts

After many years of campaigning against the proposed tax cuts which benefited the highest income earners, Community Industry Group was pleased by the recent announcement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of changes to the forthcoming Stage 3 Tax Cuts.

The changes announced will ensure that money goes back into the pockets of people working for low and modest wages, and will therefore particularly make a big difference to people working in the health and community services sector.

The people who deliver care and support to our most vulnerable and special community members are among our lowest-income earners. Over 80% of these workers are women, so we know these changes to Stage 3 will improve the lives of these women and their families. 

CI Group commends the Albanese government for putting money back into the pockets of our childcare workers, youth workers, aged care workers, and many other people who deliver vital care and support to our most vulnerable.

Overall the revised tax cuts are an improvement as everyone earning under $146,500 will be better off. 

With no news on the savings being redirected to hose on the lowest incomes, we continue to urge the Federal Government to increase the rate of income support for people who are unemployed to at least $78 per day.

Join our team! Seeking our next Marketing & Communication Superstar!

If you dream of using your marketing skills to truly make a difference in the community then this is the role for you!

We are looking for a dedicated, enthusiastic Marketing and Communication Officer with a can-do attitude to join our small, fun, and hardworking team.

Community Industry Group is leading the way for social and policy change on behalf of community service organisations, who care for the most vulnerable and marginalised people in Southern NSW.

We need your help to effectively promote our achievements and programs.

About the Opportunity

The Marketing and Communications Officer is a vital team member who works to drive Community Industry Group’s vision and mission.

Working collaboratively with all team members, the Marketing and Communications Officer is responsible for promoting the work of Community Industry Group through impactful marketing and communications.

You will get to work on interesting projects and campaigns, and truly be appreciated for your input.

What’s in it for you?

• Make a real difference working for a peak purpose-led organisation.

• Conveniently based in Port Kembla, in a funky office environment, featuring free parking and surrounded by beautiful green space.

• Flexible working hours and a collaborative, friendly work culture.

• Variety of tasks, and the opportunity to work on interesting projects.

• Bonus additional leave between Christmas and New Year.

• Training and personal development opportunities.

• SCHADS award Level 3 with above award salary and not for profit Salary Packaging benefits that ultimately boost your take-home pay.

• Feel good knowing you are working for an organisation with a strong social conscience and a meaningful presence within our community.

If this sounds like you, then hop on over to seek and apply here

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!!!!

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 that 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 the member.

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

Dapto - Register Here

Nowra - Register Here

Have Your Say:

The New Aged Care Act: Exposure Draft now out for comment

CALL-OUT FOR COMMENT: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/aged-care-act/consultation

Please send comments by February 9, 2024, 5.00 pm.

The Australian Government has released the Exposure Draft of the Bill for the new Aged Care Act. The new Act will set the foundations of the new system of person-centered aged care, CI Group is seeking input from members to contribute to our submission to the Exposure Draft. 

Your input will enhance the quality and depth of our submission form part of our submission to the process.

Please submit your comments and concerns to [email protected] or feel free to call the office to discuss 4256 4333.

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).

Coordinare’s Workshops

As part of Coordinare’s Community provider capability-building strategy, we are continuing to deliver free training workshops for anyone who works in a community provider setting across the South Eastern NSW region. We are offering workshops in:

Trauma Informed Care

• Mental Health First Aid

• Diversity

• Aboriginal Cultural Immersion and Safety

 Our February 2024 workshops are below.

The full list of workshops available from February – May 2024 are located here on our website Health professional events | COORDINARE - South Eastern NSW PHN.

Disability Community Voice Network – Join our online discussion

The NSW Fair Trading Disability Community Voice Network invites you to join our next stakeholder meeting.

Join our network with like-minded organisations across NSW, including peak bodies, disability service providers, disability advocates, local government agencies, access and inclusion staff, community groups, and regional service providers.

Tuesday 20 February 2024, 10.00 am – 11:30 am, Online via MS Teams

The meeting includes:

• a presentation from the Respect at Work team at SafeWork NSW, for workers and employers on addressing workplace sexual harassment

• an introduction to the proposed portable long-service scheme for community sector workers

• an opportunity for stakeholders to raise any emerging issues or concerns from the sector and to request topics to be explored at future meetings

Insights from the meeting will be collated and escalated to help inform harm minimisation initiatives and help guide NSW Fair Trading actions. Issues outside of NSW Fair Trading’s remit may be referred to our Department of Customer Service colleagues or to other agencies as necessary.   

Click here to register your attendance  

Please note our future online meeting dates for 2024 and mark these in your calendar:

Tuesday 21 May 2024 10.00 am - 11:30 am

• Tuesday 20 August 2024 10.00 am - 11:30 am

• Tuesday 19 November 2024 10.00 am - 11:30 am

Please feel free to share this invite and the attached flyer with any of your networks who may be interested.  Click here to find out more about the Community Voice Networks and subscribe to our newsletters.  

National Redress Scheme

What you need to know! A free half-day workshop for community organisations and services

The National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse started on 1 July 2018 and will close on 30 June 2028. The Federal Government has funded specialist services across Australia to provide support to survivors as they engage with the redress process.

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ACCPA are surveying CHSP providers to identify current needs and focus areas of priority.  

Your feedback will help inform ACCPA activities as we plan how to best support CHSP providers to prepare for upcoming changes over the next 2-3 years.

The closing date of the survey is Thursday, February 15 2024 and it will take 5-7 minutes to complete.

If you can please forward this email to the best contact in your organisation if you are not the appropriate person to complete the survey.

Take the Survey here

Multicultural Social Group

Multicultural Aged Care Services Shoalhaven

Enjoy outings and activities, exercise health and wellbeing, guest speakers, meals, and refreshments. For seniors 65+

Every Second Tuesday - Callala Bay

Every Second Friday - Sussex Inlet

Every Thursday - Nowra

Every Wednesday - North Nowra

Nowra Flyer

Shoalhaven Flyer

Illawarra Women's Health Centre

2024 NSW Seniors Festival

The NSW Seniors Festival is an annual event that celebrates the role and contributions that older adults make to our local community. The 2024 NSW Seniors Festival will run from 11 – 24 March 2024. The program in Shellharbour will run from Sunday 10 March to Wednesday 3 April. 

Our program offers great opportunities and experiences for:  

·         People to get together with friends or go out and meet new people  

·         Discover new services

·         Try new things and learn new skills 

·         Have fun 

A copy of the program is available on the Council’s website: www.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/seniors-festival-2024. Hardcopies of the program should be available from Shellharbour Council libraries from 12 February 2024

Picnic in the Park

FOR 2024 SCHOOL STARTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES!

FREE entertainment and giveaways for all 2024 school starters.

Join in the fun while finding out more about starting school!

Sunday 18 February, 10.00 am-12.00 pm @ MacCabe Park (southern end)

Cnr Church & Ellen Street, Wollongong

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Go 4 Fun

NAATSIHWP Professional Development Forum

Join the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) for a one-day CPD networking & professional development workshop

We will be focussing on issues that will strengthen you and your ability to grow in your workforce and update you on the current issues that are happening Nationally for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers & Health Practitioners.

The forum will include:

Update from NAATSIHWP:  We will present the current projects of NAATSIHWP to keep abreast of how we have been progressing nationally in supporting and promoting your workforce.

Scope of Practice - We run a small conversational workshop that helps you work out the best way to use this valuable resource in your workplace for your benefit and your employer.

Members Portal - Find out how to use this valuable tool so you can keep track of your personal training and look up the many resources available to you.

Cultural Considerations - We open up the conversation around cultural safety and how it affects us all in the workplace.  We talk about how to identify unsafe workplaces and what we can do about it.  

Self-Care Promotion - Generally people who work in health are amazing at looking after everyone else.  Not so good at taking care of their own well-being.  We talk about ways we can incorporate self-care into our very busy lives.

Fully catered and Free to attend.

22^nd of February in Nowra, NSW.

To Register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/naatsihwp-professional-development-forum-nowra-nsw-tickets-808559662717?aff=oddtdtcreator

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International Women’s Day Illawarra Luncheon

This year we welcome keynote speaker Dr. Gill Hicks AM MBE to Wollongong. A true inspiration and survivor of the 2005 London bombings, Gill's story is a testament to the strength of choosing life, resisting hatred, and striving for a better humanity. Get ready to be moved and inspired!

Each year, International Women’s Day celebrates a worldwide theme and in 2024 the theme is Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress. It examines the pathways to greater economic inclusion for women and girls to build their capabilities and strengthen their capacity to learn, earn, and lead.

The annual charity fundraiser is one of the most sought-after events on the Illawarra calendar and helps raise awareness of the need for gender parity around the world.

Date: Friday 8 ^th March 2024
Time: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm
Venue: WIN Entertainment Centre

Buy Tickets

Karitane Training - Courses for Professionals

The Family Partnership Model (FPM) is an evidence-based and internationally recognised approach to partnership practice that aims to achieve better outcomes for children and families. Further information is on the flyer attached.

This training will be delivered one day per week over 5 weeks: - 21st February - 20th March 2024 at SYFS, Warilla.

Book here: https://karitane.com.au/professional-courses

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Have your say to help shape how TAFE NSW responds to your community’s needs.

Every community is different, and TAFE NSW wants to better understand the needs and aspirations of the communities we serve.

So, for the very first time, TAFE NSW is providing all residents of NSW with the opportunity to have their say about their local TAFE. By better understanding local needs, we can deliver more effective, meaningful services.

Have your say by 5.00 pm Tuesday 6 February 2024 at  www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/tafensw

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Refugee Women’s Yoga Group

Fridays 10.00 am to 11.30 am - starting 23 February

This is a 6-week course with an Arabic interpreter provided at Illawarra Multicultural Services in Wollongong.

Contact April on 0403 410 607 to book.

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Registrations open - Looking for Carer Education and support in the Shoalhaven.

Facilitated by the ISLHD Carer Program, the next FREE Carer Education Program will be running in Ulladulla. This program is for unpaid carers who are supporting a family member or friend because of illness, disability, mental health, or who are aged and/or frail.

Details:

HealthOne Ulladulla (Corner of South Street, and Princes Highway),

9.30 am-2.30 pm,

Consecutive Tuesdays 5^th , 12^th and 19^th March 2024

Morning tea and lunch will be provided.,

Please contact [email protected] or call 0422 004 119 for information or to register.

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NCYSUR is dedicated to an evidence-based understanding of and responses to youth substance use. We would like to invite you to our symposium on 1^st March 2024 (9.00 am – 5.00 pm Brisbane time; GMT +10). This will be a hybrid event, with no registration fees.

Our research includes supporting individuals and families who are in need of help, working with schools and communities in a prevention framework, and policy and population-level interventions to enhance the health outcomes of youth.

We are excited to showcase and discuss our research at NCYSUR with you. There are speakers from early- to senior-career stages packed into this one-day hybrid event. Presenters will be live online to answer your questions.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT (ONLINE OR IN PERSON) PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK:

https://uqz.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MAYwJ-LIR3-cF_u69gL2AA

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 10:00 am- 12:00 pm (EST)

Register here

Care Positions

• Home Instead CareGivers

• Catholic Care Various Positions

New Board Members - Warilla Neighbourhood Centre

Warilla Neighbourhood Centre is a not-for-profit community-based organisation that has been operating for over 40 years. The Centre has a wide variety of groups and activities running which support the needs of the local community helping to build a sense of connection and belonging.

The Centre is currently seeking new Board Members with a genuine interest in the community and connecting people through social, educational, and recreational activities and events. The Volunteer Board is responsible for the governance of Warilla Neighbourhood Centre, ensuring that our organisation meets all legal and financial requirements and remains accountable to funders, stakeholders, and the Community.

We are particularly interested in applicants with a background and skills in financial management, business, human resources, or community-type experience and qualifications. The Board meets monthly with some activities throughout the month.

If you are interested in this position contact the Co-ordinator on 04910 45202 or email [email protected].

Staff to facilitate the MyTime Program

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The 2024 NAIDOC Local Grants Opportunity is now open.

Grant applications are now open on GrantConnect and will close at 3pm (AEDT) on Thursday, 22 February.

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.