Strengthening Non-Government Organisations ... - Community Door

News in briefStandards for Community Services —resources to support policy developmentTo begin implementing the Standards for CommunityServices, community organisations will need toidentify the policies they may need to develop. Thestandards and a list of required policies can beviewed on the Community Door website atwww.qld.gov.au/ngoAn online tool will be available on this website inearly 2007 to help organisations work out the scopeand content of individual policies and ensure theseare appropriate for the organisation’s size, locationand service type. This tool will be linked to a suite ofsample policies for reference.Templates will also be provided to help organisationsdevelop policies to suit their individual needs.Further informationEmail: standards.team@communities.qld.gov.auPhone: 3247 9164Governance Pilot Program beginsCommunity and disability organisations inthe Logan–Beaudesert and Rockhampton–Woorabinda areas were invited to register theirinterest in participating in a pilot program aimed atstrengthening the governance skills of managementcommittees.Twenty-nine organisations have been selected fromthe two pilot areas to work with a consultant mentorto develop and implement individualised plans forincorporating the latest governance practices in theiroperations.Public workshops on governance will also beprovided in the pilot areas during 2007, as well as aleadership program for Indigenous people wishingto become committee members of existing or newIndigenous community organisations.Further informationEmail: sngos@communities.qld.gov.auPhone: 1300 794 611Update from QCOSSa major partner in theStrengthening Non-GovernmentOrganisations strategyWorkshops provided on standardsThe QCOSS community sector development workerspresented more than 50 workshops across the stateduring October–December 2006 to help organisationsbegin preparing for implementation of the Standardsfor Community Services. Another round of standardsworkshops will be held later in 2007.Standards DVD available soonQCOSS is currently producing a DVD of the 2006standards workshops. Developed specifically for themanagement committees of community organisations,the DVD is organised into a series of short chapters sothat viewers can work through the material gradually. TheDVD is expected to be available in March 2007. To obtaina copy, please contact your regional QCOSS worker. Forthe QCOSS workers’ contact details, visit www.qcoss.org.au, scroll down to ‘Sector development’ and click onthe Strengthening Non-Government Organisations link‘Find out more’.Organising peer supportAs part of their community development work, theregional QCOSS workers are facilitating peer support fororganisations funded by the Department of Communities.If you wish to participate in peer support activities, pleasecontact your regional QCOSS worker.New QCOSS worker for CairnsThe latest addition to the team of regionalQCOSS workers is Colleen Blunt whotook up her position in the Cairns andFar North Queensland region in earlyDecember 2006. For the past two years,Colleen has been the coordinator of the Colleen BluntMarlin Coast Neighbourhood Centre.She has also worked as a counsellor, shelter supportworker, community educator, community developmentworker and sexual assault worker. Colleen has a Bachelorof Community Welfare, Graduate Certificate in SocialWork — Advanced Counselling Practice, Post-GraduateDiploma in Women’s Studies and Certificate IV inWorkplace Training and Assessment.Awards for workforce development leadersA Gold Coast early childhood centre,a Townsville disability serviceprovider and a Logan Indigenousnetwork were among the nineorganisations who took out tophonours in the inaugural Minister’sAwards for Excellence in WorkforceDevelopment presented in late 2006.Speaking at the awards ceremony,the Minister for Communities,Disability Services, Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Partnerships,Seniors and Youth, Warren Pitt,acknowledged the role communityand disability organisations playedin providing vital services toQueenslanders.“The awards showcase some of theexcellent ways these organisationsare building the skills of their workersand striving to continuously improvetheir services,” Mr Pitt said.“I congratulate not only the awardwinners, but also the other finalistsand nominees who took the time toenter the awards.”Mr Pitt said he established theawards as part of the StrengtheningNon-Government Organisationsstrategy because he believed workerswere the “heart of an organisation”.“Investing time, effort and resourcesinto building a strong, skilledworkforce is essential to achievinglong-term success and sustainability.“The awards are an ideal way fororganisations to share best practicein this field.”Sector representatives at the awardpresentation agreed it was importantto exchange ideas and learn fromeach other’s experiences.“The more we shareour learning, the morebenefits there will be for thestaff and clients of otherorganisations.” Kelly YoungKelly Young, director of the awardwinningA. B. Paterson EarlyChildhood Centre, said workers inthe human services sector owed itto themselves and their professionsto promote their achievements inworkforce development.“If we have successful strategies,we shouldn’t just keep them toourselves,” Ms Young said.“The more we share our learning,the more benefits there will befor the staff and clients of otherorganisations.Issue 2 | February 2007Kelly Young (right) received the openaward for Creating a Learning Culturefrom Minister Warren Pitt and NatalieReid who represented award sponsorThe Bremer Institute of TAFE.“Professional learning anddevelopment are essential to keepour sector moving forward, and it isimportant that we all contribute tothis growth and progress.”The awards were managed by akey partner in the StrengtheningNon-Government Organisationsstrategy, the Queensland CommunityServices and Health IndustriesTraining Council, now known as theHealth and Community ServicesWorkforce Council.More on the awards, pages 4–5.More informationContact: Glenda SacrePhone: 1300 794 611More informationFor more information or to join the mailing list for this newsletter, contact:Strengthening Non-Government Organisations teamGPO Box 806, Brisbane Qld 4001Phone: 1300 794 611 Email: sngos@communities.qld.gov.auIn this issueManagement support just a mouse click awayA brand-new place where everyone has a spaceHands-on support for Indigenous organisationsCongratulations to award finalists and winnersFunding boost increases access to artsNew Blueprint for the Bush funding now availableExploring ways to attract and retain workersNew laws planned for community servicesNews in briefUpdate from QCOSSwww.communities.qld.gov.au06-0204building robust and vibrant community organisations

Message from the MinisterI am pleasedto have thisopportunity in thefirst issue of theStrengtheningNon-GovernmentOrganisationsnewsletter for 2007 to offer youmy very best wishes for the yearahead.Congratulations on the excellentwork you have done in your localcommunities during the pastyear and your efforts to provideQueenslanders with the bestpossible community and disabilityservices.The Queensland Government hasintroduced a number of initiativesthrough the StrengtheningNon-Government Organisationsstrategy to recognise and supportyour efforts and to ensure thelong-term sustainability ofcommunity and disability servicesin our state.Management support just a mouse click awayThe Community Door website went live last month,providing instant access to a wide-ranging collectionof business management resources for Queensland’scommunity and disability organisations.Members of the community and disability sectorshave welcomed the “one-stop shop” convenience thewebsite offers.Silky Oaks Children’s Haven Chief Executive OfficerWendy Williams who participated in the site’sdevelopment and user testing said its resources rangedacross many areas of an organisation’s operations.“Tools like Management Support Online provide practicalsupport for program managers, finance officers,operations managers and professional services staff,”Ms Williams said.“There is also a workforce planning tool to helporganisations assess and determine their staffing needs.“It’s great to have these resources all in the one placeand targeted at Queensland organisations.”Members of the community and disabilitysectors have welcomed the “one-stop shop”convenience the website offers.The website also includes an online forum offeringconvenient, new opportunities for networking andinformation sharing.This newsletter reports on severalof these initiatives and some of theways organisations are making themost of opportunities for innovationand capacity building.I encourage you to support eachother’s achievements in theseareas and to celebrate andshare successful strategies forstrengthening the services andoperations of your organisations.The value of this kind of sharingand celebration was highlightedfor me and many members of thecommunity and disability sectorslate last year when I presented theinaugural awards for Excellence inWorkforce Development.The positive response to the awardsprogram showed that organisationswelcomed the opportunities itoffered for showcasing best practiceand for members of the sectors toget together and gain inspirationfrom each other.We need to remember that taking“time out” to acknowledge and learnfrom each other’s achievements isessential for individual professionalgrowth and development,organisational health, and theoverall health of the community anddisability services sectors.I hope we can build on thesuccess of the awards programduring the coming years so that itgrows in strength and value andbecomes firmly established as ameans of sharing best practice,celebrating the development of yourorganisations and supporting yourwork in the community.I wish you all a productive andfulfilling year.The Honourable Warren Pitt MPMinister for Communities, DisabilityServices, Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Partnerships, Seniors and YouthThe Community Door is the redeveloped version of theQueensland Community Online Resources websitelaunched in 2005.The redevelopment of the site’s content, structureand presentation has been a major initiative of theStrengthening Non-Government Organisations strategyduring 2006. Further development will continue during2007–08, with input from sector representatives.To view and give feedback on theCommunity Door, visit www.qld.gov.au/ngoMore informationContact: Claire RowlandPhone: 1300 794 611A brand-new place where everyone has a spaceWith a little bit of vision and foresight,people in the central westernQueensland town of Longreachhave turned the threatened loss of acommunity facility into a project thatpromises gains for everyone.As Longreach Youth Club and SportsComplex Secretary Elizabeth Adamexplained, the project is all aboutcreating “a brand-new place whereeveryone has a space”.The planned “new place” isthe Central West Youth andCommunity Hub, a multipurposeservice and recreationcentre for Longreach and thesurrounding area.Ms Adam said community groupshad come up with the idea of acombined service and recreationhub when looking for ways to avoidclosing the town’s Youth Club andSports Complex.“The complex was becomingincreasingly expensive to maintain,and we knew we had to make it moresustainable,” she said.“We believed it was important foryoung people to have a recreationand activity centre, but we alsorealised there were other groups inthe town who had needs too.“We decided that the most long-termsustainable solution was to redevelopthe complex into a venue whereregional service providers couldco-locate with community groups.”Four additional project officers have been appointedto the Strengthening Indigenous Non-GovernmentOrganisations team to provide hands-on support tocommunity organisations managed by Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander peoples.Two of these officers are based in Brisbane, workingwith organisations in South-East Queensland and theWide Bay–Burnett area. The other two are assistingorganisations in the Rockhampton and Townsville areas.Additional officers will be appointed in Cairns and MountIsa early in 2007.Ms Adam said the Youth andCommunity Hub would cater forthe needs of groups with particularneeds, as well as the widercommunity.The Central West Youth andCommunity Hub — a facility wherepeople can work, learn and play“The focus will be on providingspecific services and activities forseniors, young people, Indigenouspeople and people with a disability,”she said, “but there will alsobe general facilities for trainingprograms, recreational activities andmeetings.”Hub Steering Committee ChairmanRon Beezley said the creation of thehub was a collaborative project thathad brought everyone in the localarea together.“We have completed communityconsultation and are well on the waytowards developing a business planfor the project.“People like the idea of havinga central place where there issomething for everyone.”Funding of $15 000 to develop thebusiness plan for the Central WestYouth and Community Hub wasprovided through Building Links, aStrengthening Non-GovernmentOrganisations grants programaimed at helping community anddisability organisations developand implement collaborativeprojects.Members of the hub consortiumhave applied for funding for the nextphase of the project through theRural Multi-Tenant Service Centresinitiative introduced as part of theQueensland Government’s Blueprintfor the Bush.Hands-on support for Indigenous organisationsActing Team Director Graham White said the role ofthese officers was to assist organisations with theirday-to-day operations.“They will liaise with regional staff to visit Indigenousorganisations who request assistance and then workindividually with management committees and staff toidentify the best ways of giving them practical support,”he said.More informationContact: Graham WhitePhone: 1300 794 611Participating organisationsOrganisations and groups involvedin establishing the Central WestYouth and Community Hubinclude the Longreach Youth ClubCommittee and Steering Committee;Longreach Youth Council; LearningNetwork Queensland; Job Futures,Longreach; and Central West andHighlands Community Developmentand Employment Project Ltd.Central West Queensland RemoteArea Planning and Development(RAPAD) is developing the businesscase for the hub.23

FOR EXCELLENCE INWORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT2006Congratulations to award finalists and winnersMore than 150 members of the community and disability sectors joined representatives of theDepartment of Communities and Disability Services Queensland for the presentation of theMinister’s Awards for Excellence in Workforce Development at Brisbane’s Victoria Park FunctionCentre on 14 November 2006.Minister Warren Pitt presented four categories of awards: Effective Board of Management;Innovation in Workforce Development; Creating a Learning Culture; and Culturally Inclusive Practice.These pages feature some highlights of the awards and the winning organisations’ achievements.Effective Board of ManagementHervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre — regional awardThe Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre has a strongfocus on community development. Its managementcommittee has established a number of communitybasedpartnerships to introduce innovative programs andexpand services.Logan Integrated Network Combining Strengths —open awardThis network comprises four organisations in the Loganarea south of Brisbane who have banded together tointegrate their services and share resources. Run by amanagement committee with representatives from eachorganisation, the Logan network is an excellent exampleof collaboration in action.FinalistsOther organisations that reached the finals in thiscategory were:• Keppel Community Care, Emu Park• Supported Options in Lifestyle and Access Services,Townsville.Leading members of the Logan network included (from left)Annette Dawson, Kingston East Neighbourhood Group;Rikki Kemp, Working Against Violence Support Service;Linda Fletcher, Loganlea Community Centre; and TeresaPearson, Lifeline Logan.Innovation in Workforce DevelopmentDisability Sector Training Fund, South-WestDisability Training Coalition — regional awardMade up of members of the disability sector, this grouphas worked in partnership with Southern QueenslandInstitute of TAFE to make training more accessible todisability workers in the south-west area of the state.Focal Extended — open awardFocal Extended demonstrated active and positivecitizenship by obtaining funding for disability-specifictraining for its own workers as well as those from severalother organisations in the Ipswich–Moreton area.FinalistsOther organisations that reached the finals in thiscategory were:• Cootharinga Society of North Queensland, Townsville• Kolan Neighbourhood Centre, Gin Gin.Jeff Murray (right) accepted the regional award forInnovation in Workforce Development on behalf of theSouth-West Disability Training Coalition from MinisterWarren Pitt and John McDonnell who represented awardsponsor ProCare Personnel.Creating a Learning CultureCootharinga Society of North Queensland —regional awardCootharinga is a Townsville-based disabilityorganisation that has put long-term efforts into trainingand developing its workforce. Staff are supported togain formal qualifications in disability work and providedwith regular refresher training to help them keep up todate with best practice.A. B. Paterson Early Childhood Centre —open awardLocated on the Gold Coast, this centre has establishedprofessional development standards and made learningand development an important and valued part ofworkers’ daily activities.FinalistsOther organisations that reached the finals in thiscategory were:• Burnett Respite Services, Bundaberg• The Spot Community Services, Brisbane• Strengthening Family Connections, Yeppoon.Culturally Inclusive PracticeQueensland Centre for Domestic and FamilyViolence Research — regional awardCulturally inclusive strategies implemented by thisMackay organisation have included establishing anAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Groupand an Indigenous research worker position, andcollaborating with women from non-English-speakingbackgrounds on research projects.Murri and Torres Strait Islander Network —Indigenous awardThis network operates in the multicultural community ofthe Logan River Valley south of Brisbane. Staff memberscome from a range of cultural backgrounds and includeIndigenous workers as well as workers from placessuch as Samoa, Syria and Sudan. They receive crossculturaltraining so they can work with clients in culturallyappropriate ways.Griffith Adolescent Forensic Assessment andTreatment Centre — open awardOperating from Griffith University in Brisbane, this centreprovides assessment and treatment services for youngpeople who have committed sexual offences. Staff havedeveloped an innovative treatment model that includesprofessional staff, as well as “treatment partners” fromthe young person’s local area to ensure services areculturally and ecologically appropriate.Training and Development Officer Julie Mahoneyrepresented the Cootharinga Society of North Queensland,winner of the regional award for Creating a Learning Culture.The Murri and Torres Strait Islander Network, winner ofthe Indigenous award for Culturally Inclusive Practice, isrepresented here by Coordinator Barry Watson and staffmembers (from left) Dalal Roueiheb, Catherine Jackson,Madonna Anderson and Sue Jones.FinalistsOther organisations that reached the finals in thiscategory were:• Granite Belt Support Services, Stanthorpe• Immigrant Women’s Support Services, Brisbane.More informationContact: Glenda SacrePhone: 1300 794 6114 5

Funding boost increases access to artsUp to 16 people with a disability areset to begin training as arts workerswith the Brisbane-based organisationAccess Arts in 2007.They will take part in a 40-weekprogram to become facilitators ofSound Circles, an arts workshopprogram that brings people of allabilities together to express feelings,ideas and stories through the use ofsound, rhythm and improvisation.Access Arts Executive Director RossBarber said the program was the firstof its kind in Queensland.“Sound Circles are becomingincreasingly popular in communitiesthroughout Queensland and weneed more skilled artists to meet thegrowing demand for facilitators,”Mr Barber said.“Our program will include voiceand performance development inareas such as singing, movement,song writing and percussion, aswell as training in communication,disability awareness and culturalcompetency.”Mr Barber said trainees and the widercommunity all stood to benefit fromthe program.Sound Circles bring together people with a wide range of abilities, talents and stories.The Sound Circles training programwas established with a $19 000 grantfrom Disability Services Queenslandprovided through the StrengtheningNon-Government Organisationsstrategy. Access Arts was one of 23organisations that shared in fundingof more than $4.1 million for extraservices to improve communityaccess for people with a disability.More informationContact: Annett CummingsPhone: 3224 6435New Blueprint for the Bush funding now availableCommunity organisations thatprovide services in Queensland’srural and remote areas are invited toapply for two Blueprint for the Bushfunding programs available throughthe Department of Communities.Rural Service AccessThe Rural Service Access initiativeis designed to help communitiesput coordinated transport schemesin place. The schemes should aimto improve accessibility to localservices for people with limitedtransport options, such as peoplewith a disability, the elderly, youngpeople and Indigenous people.The funding is intended tosupplement coordinated schemesthat use existing vehicles andinfrastructure available in thecommunity.Closing date for applications is26 March 2007.“It will give people experiencinga disability greater confidence intheir personal and creative abilitiesand increase their access to theworkforce and cultural life of thecommunity.“Sound circles are becomingincreasingly popular…” Ross Barber“Having more trained facilitators willalso allow more community membersto participate in Sound Circles andexperience the opportunities theseoffer for creative expression andpersonal growth and development.”Our Place, Our FutureThe Our Place, Our Future initiativeis available for rural communitieswanting to strengthen their capacityto shape their future.Funds are available for projectsthat enhance leadership, networks,organisations, infrastructure, andrelationships with other areas, suchas sister-city relationships. Culturaldevelopment activities that buildsocial and economic capacity arealso eligible for funding.Two categories of funding areavailable under this initiative — onefor planning and engagement andanother for project implementation.Planning and engagement fundsare to help communities engagemembers in developing plans orstrategies that may lead tolonger-term projects.Project implementation funding isfor projects that activate existingcommunity plans, social plans orstrategic plans.Our Place, Our Future funding willbe offered regularly over the nextthree years. Submissions for theremaining funding rounds for 2007must be lodged by 4.00 pm on30 April, 30 July and 22 October.More informationwww.communities.qld.gov.auExploring ways to attract andretain workersWhat are the benefits of working inthe human services industry? Whatcareer opportunities does it offer?How can we encourage people toconsider long-term careers in thisindustry?These are the kinds of questionsbeing considered as part of EducationPathways for Community ServicesCareers, a Strengthening Non-Government Organisations initiativeestablished in late 2006 to boostworkforce numbers in the community,disability and child safety sectors.Pilot projects for the initiativeare now underway in Logan andTownsville to develop and trialaction plans for promoting careeropportunities in these sectors toprospective and current workers andbuilding a strong, stable workforcefor the long term.Hudson Global Resources, arecruitment and human resourcemanagement company, is providingspecialist services for the initiative.The Hudson team’s Project Manager,Margaret Goody, said they met witha broad cross-section of people fromnon-government organisations inthe sectors, government agencies,education institutions and businessgroups during their initial research inthe pilot sites.“This gave us a good view of thesectors from both an internal andexternal perspective and helpedidentify some of the issues involvedin recruiting and retaining workersin the human services industry,” MsGoody said.“Regional working groups havenow been formed in each pilot siteto consider these issues and begindeveloping local action plans.”The working groups includerepresentatives from community,disability and child safetyorganisations, government agenciesand the wider community.Helen Coyne, General Manager ofThe Spot Community Services andmember of the Logan working group,said the initiative was an excellentopportunity to collaborate on creativestrategies for promoting careers intheir sectors.“We will be targeting people who arecurrently considering careers in thehuman services industry, as well asthose who wouldn’t normally think ofworking there,” she said.Pilot projects for the initiativeare now underway…“We want to put it on people’s radar asan industry of choice — as somewherethey want to work and that offers themclear career pathways.”More informationContact: Glenda SacreMargaret GoodyPhone:1300 794 611 (Glenda)0418 794 479 (Margaret)The Education Pathways for Community Services Careers initiative was established tohelp build a suitably skilled workforce in the community, disability and child safety sectors.New laws plannedfor communityservicesNew community services legislationwas introduced into the QueenslandParliament in June 2006 followingstatewide consultation.The Minister for Communities,Warren Pitt, said the proposed newlaws were designed to establishclear, workable processes for howthe Department of Communitieswould allocate funding andother assistance to communityorganisations.“We have had broad support for theCommunity Services Bill from thesector, and valuable input to ensureit is as effective and relevant aspossible,” Mr Pitt said.“However, progress of the Billthrough Parliament was delayedbecause of the state election inSeptember 2006.“Under the parliamentary process,the Bill will now need to be reintroducedinto Parliament.”Mr Pitt said there had also beensome functions from QueenslandHealth and the former Department ofAboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderPolicy added to his ministerialportfolio following the election.“I have asked the Departmentof Communities to considerthese additions and ensure theBill continues to offer a strongfoundation for the sector andgovernment to work together toprovide the best possible servicesfor Queenslanders,” he said.It is expected that the process ofmaking the new laws will continuein 2007.More informationContact: Craig HodgesPhone: 3405 6381For updates on activities relatedto the Bill, visit the Departmentof Communities website athttp://www.communities.qld.gov.au/community/strengthening_ngos/initiatives/legislation.html6 7