Wednesday 27 October 202

Community Contributions

If you have personal experience as someone who has lived with mental health issues, or a carer for someone who has, and are passionate about advocating for mental health in multicultural communities, apply to join the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project. Click here to apply, applications 7 November 2021

Nominations are open for Pro Bono Australia's Impact 25 Awards. Impact 25 winners spend their days advocating on the issues of the time, usually working over years and even decades to generate positive social change and support communities of interest. These extraordinary people take action in their communities and influence the lives of those around them, sometimes without recognition or thanks. Click here to place your nomination

With the federal election just around the corner, the Human Rights Law Centre has released a guide to assist charities and community groups to comply with their obligations under Commonwealth electoral law

A new report has identified the successful ways schools are using cultural activities to drive improvements in Aboriginal high school completions. The in-depth study, published by the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation, analysed the data of almost 40,000 secondary students across the state, including 3,686 who were Aboriginal. Click here to learn more

The latest Community Colleges Australia (CCA) report shows how NSW adult and community education (ACE) providers significantly over-perform on almost all tracked measures in reaching vulnerable and disadvantaged students. This achievement results from targeted government funding, which combines with the ability of NSW ACE providers to use those funds effectively and successfully, to meet training outcomes for key equity groups. Click here to learn more

Housing and minimum energy efficiency standards are having a moment nationally, with the National Construction Code review and the upcoming climate summit in Glasgow putting the issue firmly on the policy agenda. The ABC’s The Signal podcast featured Healthy Homes for Renters supporters Dr Kim Loo (Doctors for Environment/NSW AMA chair) and renter Alice from Sydney, who both shared their compelling and powerful testimony as to why implementing minimum standards for many renters is a matter of life or death. Click here to listen

Community Conversations

Foodbank Hunger Report 2021

The Foodbank Hunger Report provides a snapshot of the prevalence and depth of the issue of food insecurity, as well as insights into the day-to-day experience of people living with this fundamental vulnerability. Whilst there are many contributors to food insecurity in Australia, COVID-19 has continued to rage during the past 12 months so, as it was last year, it is a major theme of this year's report.

Much of the report is informed by a national survey conducted between 1 and 28 July 2021 involving more than 2,877 Australians representing the population, more than 1,000 of whom had experienced food insecurity at some point in the last 12 months. 

Key statistics from the report include:

  • One in six Australian adults haven't had enough to eat in the last year
  • 1.2 million children have gone hungry in the last year
  • Uncertain access to food affects Australians from all walks of life
  • One in three people struggling to meet their food needs are new to the situation
  • Two in five people seeking food relief do not get enough for their household’s needs
  • More than half of people impacted by severe food insecurity go a whole day every week without eating
  • 64% of food insecure Australians have a job
  • Foodbank provides food relief to more than a million people each month
Read the report

Open Letter - A First Nations National Safety Plan to Eliminate Violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women

A dedicated National Safety Plan to end violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women - for and by First Nations women - is needed.

For many years now, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been calling for a dedicated National Safety Plan written for and by First Nations women. Academics, Commissioners, specialist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services, community leaders and victim-survivors have been clear that only a dedicated First Nations National Safety Plan that is developed for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women will work for our people. 

This demand was again made at the Women’s Safety Summit in the opening forum, and was repeated throughout the Summit by First Nations leaders who are determined that another National Safety Plan should not be created that will fail our communities. 

Change the Record are calling on Prime Minister Morrison, Senator Payne and Senator Ruston to agree to support a dedicated First Nations National Safety Plan that is developed for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. 

Read more and support

New report urges significant changes to protect human rights of Intersex people

The Australian Human Rights Commission has released a new report which makes significant recommendations to protect the human rights of people born with variations in sex characteristics. The report, Ensuring health and bodily integrity: towards a human rights approach for people born with variations in sex characteristics, makes 12 recommendations for a human rights-based approach to decision-making on medical interventions. 

“This report is the culmination of over three years of extensive consultations, including with people born with variations in sex characteristics, who have strongly advocated for their right to life, bodily autonomy and integrity,” said Commission President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM. 

Read more

Anglicare Australia launches Jobs Availability Snapshot: Jobseekers being left behind again

The Government has restarted mutual obligations and demerit points for jobseekers – but Anglicare Australia’s Jobs Availability Snapshot shows that the jobs just aren’t there for the people who need them.

The Snapshot measures how many jobs are available for people who don’t have qualifications or work experience. It found that:

  • 27 jobseekers across Australia are competing for each entry-level job
  • One in ten of these jobseekers don’t have recent experience or qualifications, or they have barriers to work
  • Unemployment is going down, but the number of people with barriers to work has not budged
  • These jobseekers spend an average of five years looking for work
  • On top of that, 1.16 million people are underemployed. They could also be competing for these jobs.

“Our system is failing those who need the most help to find work – people with disabilities, who didn’t finish year 12, or older workers who lost their jobs later in life,” said Executive Director Kasy Chambers.

Read more
 

Community Sector Events

  • In July this year, there were news headlines declaring that a major government reform to the NDIS was “dead”, following a concerted year long campaign by disability advocates. This was a stunning turnaround on a policy that the Government has been determined to introduce. Australian Progress is hosting a webinar examining the strategy and tactics behind the campaign to stop independent assessments. Hear directly from those who led the effort - 28 October 2021 - Click here for more information and to register
  • Australia’s National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children is up for renewal in 2022. It will set the agenda for the next 10 to 20 years on key priorities and investment areas. Violence against women and children results in the death of at least one woman a week on average – a rate unchanged under the current National Plan. Join this UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion webinar for a discussion on what the next National Plan must deliver - 2 November 2021 - Click to register 

  • 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. The High Court’s recent decision in the Voller defamation case demonstrates how far-reaching the responsibility of organisations can be for content posted on their socials. In this webinar Justice Connect will explain the implications of Voller’s case for the way your organisation manages its social media accounts – as well as stepping you through other key legal risks for not-for-profit organisations that engage with social media, and how to manage these - 9 November 2021 - Click here for more information and to register
  • Maybe you already have a social media strategy that rolls over from year to year, or maybe you are more reactive and go from campaign to campaign. If you want to make a bigger impact in 2022 it is time to review and refresh your strategy. In this session by Connecting Up you’ll have the opportunity to review the year just gone, examine your results and create a sustainable and scalable plan that helps achieve consistent results throughout the year - 18 November 2021 - Click here for more information and to register

Community Sector Resources

  • Educational institutions around the country are being encouraged to identify and support young carers in their classrooms with the help of a new toolkit from Australia's peak body for unpaid carers. The Young Carer toolkit, a part of the National Carers Week 2021 Caring for Carers resources, can help teachers and support staff recognise that a young person in their school may have caring responsibilities. Click here to access the toolkit

COSS Corner

The latest news from State and Territory Councils of Social Service

Do you work with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities? QCOSS is hosting a series of webinars next week, exploring crisis communication for multicultural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and how organisations can better engage with interpreters and increase inclusion and representation for the communities they represent. Register now for webinars on 3-4 November: https://bit.ly/3aXtEkw

During Anti-Poverty Week, NCOSS launched a new report into women’s economic security, Rebuilding for Women’s Economic Security – Investing in Social Housing in NSW – which  highlights that women have been particularly affected by the COVID pandemic. We welcomed the NSW Government announcement of several important initiatives during the week, including significant funding for domestic and family violence initiatives and more investment in social housing. This is a great first step, but we need at least 5,000 new homes every year for the next decade so that more women have a pathway out and a safe, secure place to call home.

TasCOSS: It's all systems go for the TasCOSS Conference next week. Take a look at the final jam-packed TasCOSS Conference 2021 program. Program highlights include writer, speaker and appearance activist, Carly Findlay OAM, futurist and business advisor, Bernard Salt AM and host of the ABC’s flagship radio program AM, Sabra Lane.

WACOSS' 2022-2023 State Budget Submission focuses on the need for Western Australia to develop long-term sustainable strategies and measures that go beyond recovery and even resilience, towards building fair and strong communities where we all have the freedom to live well. Read more here.

SACOSS has released a new report, The State of Concessions in South Australia, which identifies problems in the system of concessions which support low income South Australians. As a result of what we found, SACOSS is calling for a range of specific reforms, as well as an overall review of the system. We are also looking forward to our Liveable Futures Conference on 18 November.

ACTCOSS has expressed its deep concern following the Australian Government’s announcement that the Braddon Services Australia Service Centre will be closed and merged into Gungahlin and Belconnen Service Centres. ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Campbell said: “The final decision to close the Braddon Service Centre has been taken without any meaningful consultation with the ACT community sector, organisations representing vulnerable communities or current clients of the Braddon location." Learn more here.

NTCOSS continues to support Youth Voice NT, a project that works with young people and youth workers to elevate the voices of young people in the Northern Territory. The project helps young people to have a say about things that impact everyone in the community. It also focuses on sharing the talents and stories of young Territorians. Click here to learn more

VCOSS continues to encourage Victorians to get vaccinated with its Back To The Good Things campaign. The campaign highlights: Getting vaccinated isn’t just about ‘not catching COVID’, as crucial as that is. It’s about reclaiming our old lives; the things we once took for granted. Meeting grandchildren, hugging your mum, catching up with friends. It’s about music festivals, first dates and dancefloor introductions. It’s about an end to home-schooling, and hitting the open road. It’s about getting back to the good things.

Members in the Media

Inquiry examines violence against women with disability

Jen Hargrave, Women With Disabilities Victoria discusses disability royal commission into sexual violence and abuse against women and girls with disability.

Listen here

Indigenous health leader concerned over COVID-19 vaccination gap as nation reopens

Pat Turner expresses frustration about a lack of progress from states to develop specific contingency plans for managing COVID-19 outbreaks within First Nations communities.

Read here

Pandemic spurs women's housing insecurity

A coalition of groups including the NSW Council of Social Service, Mission Australia and the Older Women's Network have released a report highlighting the urgent need to support women's economic security and safety by investing in social housing.

Read here
 

Feature Tweet

This #ChildrensWeek we celebrate safely connecting with others. Staying connected during the pandemic has meant socialising, learning and playing online. Our COVID-19 resources include online safety information for children, parents and carers. https://t.co/wj5RQRc9SJ

— SNAICC (@SNAICC) October 26, 2021
Click here to see full tweet
 

We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the country on which we work, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

We recognise the right of all First Peoples around the country to self-determination.

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

 Facebook  Twitter  Web
 

If you would like further information on the ACOSS Community Hub, or if you're interested in contributing to future editions, please click here to get in touch

Unsubscribe /  Forward this email