By Marika Kontellis, Executive Officer
Hello Sector!
Nothing in our Sector is a set-and-forget solution. We have to move with the times, build on the legacy we inherit, but always “leave the place a bit better than it was” before we got here. That is what is happening in and across the Sector, with key policymakers, politicians, community sector leaders, and our frontline staff and volunteers pushing for changes and delivering what is needed to make things better for people, families, and communities.
Currently, in the Sector, a few significant developments are happening that have the potential to set the stage and shape our Sector for decades to come.
For example, last week I went along to Newtown Neighbourhood Centre to share in the Official Launch: A Shared Commitment to Collaboration for Neighbourhood and Community Centres in NSW. This important work confirms a commitment from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Local Community Services Association and Neighbourhood and Community Centres to work together for strong, vibrant local communities in NSW.
I do not want to “count our chooks…”, but this puts our neighbourhood centres front of mind for our NSW government and demonstrates that social infrastructure everyone seems to be talking about is enabled by local community and neighbourhood centres.
At the same time, the Fair Work Commission is reviewing the SCHADS Award to fix gender-based undervaluation. Their approach is limiting, and I am glad to have NCOSS cautioning decision-makers about oversimplifying the complex work we do.
You might also know about the Portable Long Service Leave Scheme – a system designed to enable workers in the community services industry to accumulate their long service leave entitlements across multiple employers. Unlike traditional Long Service Leave, which is employer-specific, the portable scheme allows continuity of service to be recognised even when employees move from one employer to another within the community services sector. If you lead an organisation, you will need to ensure that you register your organisation and your employees by the cut-off date.
These are just a few of the big-picture shifts that are from ‘the ground up’. Shifts that can have a deep, lasting impact on our Sector.
Don’t forget to say hello,
Marika