In this issue:
- Partnerships, Mergers and Consortia Forum
- Greater Sydney Multicultural Interagency Directory
- ARAFMI Carers Consultation
- KLC Workshops for Community Workers – Victims Compensation
- Looking Forward Looking Back 4 Mental Health forum
- 2013 Redistribution of NSW Electoral Boundaries
- Children, DoCS and Changes to the Law
- Dying with Dignity NSW 2013 Forum
- Community Transport, Home Modification and Home Maintenance Reviews
- Online Service Directory
- Quote of the Week
- Subscribe
Partnerships, Mergers and Consortia Forum
Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development is hosting a free NGO Partnerships, Mergers and Consortia Forum on Wednesday December 4th from 9.30am-3.30pm at the Redfern Town Hall.
Speakers will include representatives from FACS, NCOSS and community centres and projects familiar with mergers and collaborations. Some of the topics to be discussed are co-operative tendering, umbrella organisations and best practice for working together across regions and cross sector partnerships.
Greater Sydney Multicultural Interagency Directory
The Ethnic Communities’ Council NSW has produced a 47 page Interagency Directory of multicultural, youth and local council interagencies covering some 400 entries. The fabulous resource can be found on the ECC website.
Information in the Directory includes Purpose/Aim, Participants, Contact/Convenor (position, organisation, address, phone and fax number, email), meeting address, meeting time, website and on-line records and where relevant, cross referenced with factors such as such as language.
Mental Health Carers ARAFMI NSW Inc. will be hosting a Consultation on Carers Expectations of the NSW Mental Health Commission, with the goal of finding out what carers want and need out of the NSW Mental Health Commission’s Strategic Plan for Mental Health, specifically, what is working well, what are the gaps that require change, and how the Strategic Plan can realistically achieve these changes. Mental Health Carers are welcome to attend.
When 10am-1pm, Thursday 7 November
Where South Eastern Sydney Medicare Local
Level 3, 15 Kensington Street
Kogarah NSW 2217
KLC Workshops for Community Workers – Victims Compensation
Kingsford Legal Centre’s next free workshop as part of their Community Workers Series will be on Victims Compensation. It will provide an overview of Victims Compensation laws and the changes made to eligibility for victims compensation earlier this year.
The workshop will be presented by students from the Kingsford Legal Centre.
When 11am-12:30pm, Tuesday 29 October
Where Kingsford Legal Centre
If you have any queries, please contact Dianne Anagnos by email d.anagnos@unsw.edu.au or phone 9385 9566.
Looking Forward Looking Back 4 Mental Health forumv
The Inner City Mental Health Recovery Working Group is hosting the 4th Looking Forward Looking Back Mental Health Forum.
Who should attend?
- Mental health consumers,
- Mental health service providers
- Mental Health clinicians
- Community workers
- Carers
- Anyone interested in understanding how to assist in individual and community mental health well-being.
The day will be opened by Alex Greenwich MP and include panel discussion with mental health professionals, peer support workers and consumers around recovery practices. The Inner City Narratives Project will also be launched by the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore.
Mad Jam performers will provide entertainment.
When Wednesday 27th November at
Where Trades Hall, Sussex St, Haymarket.
2013 Redistribution of NSW Electoral Boundaries
Due to changing population numbers, the Electoral Commission has determined new boundaries for NSW, with quite major changes in the Inner Sydney region.
The determined boundaries were proclaimed on Wednesday, 18 September 2013.
The result for the Inner Sydney area is a changing of the boundaries to the seat of Sydney, with the south end of Surry Hills now falling into the newly created seat of Newtown. The seat of Marrickville will be dissolved, and reshaped as part of the seat of Newtown and another new seat, Summer Hill. The final Commissioner’s report and the determined district maps are available to view on the Redistribution website.
Children, DoCS and Changes to the Laws
The law relating to Care and Protection of Children is changing and Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Corporation and Redfern Legal Centre are holding an event to let the community know about these changes, and how they may impact on their lives. This event is open to anyone in the community who would like to attend.
These changes are not yet final, but may include;
- Require parents to enter Parent Responsibility Contracts, which will require parents to attend parenting programs. These programs may be extended to 12 months,(from 6 months) and may involve parents prior to the birth of the child.
- Making the adoption of children in Out of Home Care quicker and earlier. Adoption will be considered before long term parental responsibility is given to the Minister and the feasibility of restoration of children to be reduced to within 6 months if children are less than 2 years old, or within 12 months for children older than 2 years. These changes may also confer from the Supreme Court to the Children’s Court jurisdiction to make adoption orders.
For parents where there is domestic violence, child abuse, drug use or other issues that put children at risk they should get assistance early, and then stay with these programs. FACS will be speaking about the programs that they have to support families and how they work to keep these families engaged.
The program includes:
- A presentation by an indigenous solicitor who has practiced in this area of law. She will provide practical information about the court process and what the legal changes mean to the community
- The law about Victim’s Compensation has recently changed so we will be talking about how claims for compensation for domestic violence are now made, and what are likely outcomes
- The Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service will talk about how domestic violence impacts on the community, and the services that are available to help victims
- Community Services will be presenting on programs that they have to help families and the ways the can help to keep families together.
Lunch will be provided for the community.
When 11am, Tuesday 5th November
Where Redfern Community Centre, Hugo Street, Redfern
Dying with Dignity NSW 2013 Forum
Alex Greenwich MP is the host for Dying with Dignity NSW “The Ethics of Voluntary Assisted Dying” Forum.
Speakers include Coral Levett – President, Australian Nursing and Mid-Wifery Association; Professor Malcolm Parker, Prof of Medical Ethics, University of Queensland; Reverend Andrew Sempell, Rector St James Anglican Church Sydney; Neil James – Director, Plain English Foundation.
When 2pm – 4:30pm Monday 4th November
Where NSW Parliament House Theatre, 6 Macquarie Street Sydney
Buy tickets over the phone on 02 9212 4782 or
Buy directly from DWDNSW website.
Community Transport, Home Modification and Home Maintenance Reviews
As part of the aged care reform the Commonwealth Home Support Program will be introduced from 1 July 2015. This Program will bring together a range of services currently providing basic home support – including the Commonwealth HACC Program.
The Department of Health and Ageing is conducting national discussions as part of the Reviews of Community Transport, Home Modification and Home Maintenance during October and November 2013. There are two ways to contribute to the discussions – either as a service provider or service recipient – You may register to attend the National Discussions for Service Providers at the following locations or you can complete a Website Questionnaire.
Online Service Directory
Inner Sydney Regional Council is continuing in the process of creating an extensive online directory of community services in the Eastern Suburbs and Inner City. The map is very easy to read and navigate and will list each organisations details and services.
In order to make it as comprehensive as we can, we need to know the details of your organisation, the type of organisation you are e.g. mental health, aged care, neighbourhood centre and a brief description of your services, and a website if you have one.
Quote of the Week
A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
eNews is the fortnightly bulletin distributed by Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development.
It informs local residents, community organisations and groups about upcoming events, conferences, training and submission deadlines, as well as any relevant news.