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ACT Council of Social Service Inc.

Annual Report 2013-14

ACT Council of Social Service Inc. (ACTCOSS).............................................3Acknowledgement of traditional custodians................................................3About ACTCOSS........................................................................................3

ACTCOSS Strategic Plan 2014-18....................................................................5Vision..........................................................................................................5Values.........................................................................................................5Roles...........................................................................................................5Goals..........................................................................................................5Measures of success..................................................................................6Focus areas................................................................................................6

President’s report..............................................................................................8

Director’s report..............................................................................................10

ACTCOSS staff................................................................................................12Our evolving staff team.............................................................................12

2013-14 highlights...........................................................................................1350th birthday celebrations.........................................................................14

Advocacy.........................................................................................................16Advocacy related to social policy that impacts on people living with disadvantage, vulnerability and exclusion.................................................16Other advocacy.........................................................................................17Advocacy related to the operating environment for community-managed organisations.............................................................................................21NGO operational challenges and opportunities to address these.............22Consultative advisory groups & events.....................................................23National engagement................................................................................24Federal Election campaign.......................................................................24COSS Networks........................................................................................25

Reconciliation..................................................................................................26Gulanga Program......................................................................................26Resources.................................................................................................26

Training.....................................................................................................27Engagement..............................................................................................27Sector engagement...................................................................................28Broader ACTCOSS team engagement in reconciliation...........................29

Capability development..................................................................................31Learning & development...........................................................................31Networks...................................................................................................34ACT Home and Community Care/Disability Services (ACT HACC-DS). .35

Membership engagement...............................................................................41Review & development of member services.............................................41Analysis of the ACT Budget outcomes......................................................42Constitutional changes..............................................................................42Strategic Plan 2014-2018.........................................................................42Member survey.........................................................................................43Other points of engagement with members..............................................43ACTCOSS members 2013-14..................................................................44

Media................................................................................................................51Media releases..........................................................................................51

Publications.....................................................................................................53Newsletters...............................................................................................53Formal publications...................................................................................53

ACTCOSS Committee.......................................................................................55

ISBN 978-1-921651-88-5 (Word doc version)

© ACT Council of Social Service Inc. 2014

This work is copyright. Apart from use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without the prior written permission of the ACT Council of Social Service Inc. Requests and inquiries should be addressed to:

1/6 Gritten Street, Weston ACT 2611Ph: 02 6202 7200Fax: 02 6288 0070Email: [email protected]: www.actcoss.org.au

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http://www.actcoss.org.au/

mailto:[email protected]

ACT Council of Social Service Inc. (ACTCOSS)

Acknowledgement of traditional custodiansACTCOSS acknowledges Canberra has been built on the land of the Ngunnawal people. We pay respect to their Elders and recognise the strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and their ongoing contributions to the ACT community.

About ACTCOSSThe ACT Council of Social Service Inc. (ACTCOSS) is the peak representative body for both community organisations providing services and support for low-income households and for people experiencing disadvantage in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). ACTCOSS has been a voice for the ACT community since 1963. The role of ACTCOSS is to:

Take action to achieve positive social change

Influence the social change agenda and decision makers

Provide support and guidance to build the social capital of people who are disadvantaged and vulnerable and the capacity of community-managed organisations

ACTCOSS is a membership-based organisation, with a diverse membership that includes other peak bodies, advocacy and consumer groups, service providers, mutual support and self-help groups, as well as individuals who share our vision and values.

ACTCOSS is a member of the nationwide network of Councils of Social Service (the COSS Network), that includes each of the state and territory Councils and the national body, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).

Strategic direction and corporate governance of ACTCOSS is provided by the Committee comprised of respected leaders from our membership. The staff are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and contribute their skills and knowledge to the advocacy and capability development work of ACTCOSS. This work is also sustained by the talents, expertise and commitment of numerous community-based networks.

ACTCOSS receives the largest proportion of our funding from the ACT Government Community Services Directorate (CSD). The Gulanga Program receives funding under the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) and through the ACT Government Children, Young People and Families Support Program (CYFSP), which is jointly funded by the ACT Government and Australian Government. We also receive funding from ACT Health to support ACT Home and Community Care and Disability Services (ACT HACC-DS)

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organisations and workers operating services within and outside of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, who provide home-based support and assistance services to people under 65 years of age.

Our advocacy and sector development are supported by financial and in-kind support from members, individual supporters and private sector organisations that share our vision and values.

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ACTCOSS Strategic Plan 2014-18

VisionOur vision is to live in a fair and equitable community that respects and values diversity, human rights and sustainability and promotes justice, equity, reconciliation and social inclusion.

ValuesACTCOSS is committed to operating in a way that reflects our values that are:

Integrity

Leadership

Collaboration

Reconciliation

Social Justice

Roles Take action to achieve positive social change

Influence the social change agenda and decision makers

Provide support and guidance to build the social capital of people who are disadvantaged and vulnerable and the capacity of community-managed organisations*

Goals Standards of living: All people in Canberra can meet minimum standards

of living as defined by community norms

Human rights: Our laws, institutions and systems enable people to exercise their rights and live free from discrimination

Support: All people in Canberra can access the right support at the right time and right intensity and duration

Meaning, choice & control: All people can live a life that has meaning to them, in which they have choice and control over the circumstances in which they live

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Social inclusion: We are a community in which all people can live life with dignity and access the means and opportunity to participate and be included economically and socially

Equality & fairness: The prosperity of Canberra is shared fairly, and inequality is reduced

Measures of success Reduced demand for services needed to reduce poverty and inequality,

especially crisis and tertiary level services—because people experience less deprivation and exclusion, and there is less unmet demand

Evidence of good returns on the human and financial investments made by people, the community and funding bodies to reduce poverty and inequality

Focus areas Infrastructure: Improved access to basic infrastructure—affordable

housing, affordable and accessible transport and affordable utilities

Justice & corrections: Improved justice system and reduction in the social determinants of crime

Social determinants of health: Improved social determinants of health—with a focus on adequate income, reducing the social gradient in health and education, improving early life experiences and family capacity to support children and young people’s development

Reconciliation: Supporting and building capability around reconciliation, to overcome the causes of division and inequality between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians

Community development: Supporting citizens affected by poverty and inequality to express their views, influence decisions that affect them, shape the service system and influence the priorities of governments

Capacity building: Capacity building of community-managed organisations* that exist to serve the needs of people in their local community who are vulnerable, face disadvantage or who require assistance to engage with main stream organisations

Improving effectiveness: Improving effectiveness of community-managed organisations* through support and guidance to strengthen their consumer engagement, cross and inter-sectoral partnerships, governance, financial systems, organisational strategy and human capital

Increasing impact: Increasing the impact of work, efforts and investments in the community sector—including building effective alliances and

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partnerships and business planning to diversify ACTCOSS income streams

Membership services : Exploring membership services that could provide cost savings for organisations

* Community-managed organisation: An organisation governed by citizens who provide their time and expertise because of their commitment to the vision and purpose of the organisation. Governance decisions are guided by the interests of the community.

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President’s reportJenny Kitchin, Director of Community Services, Anglicare ACT

This has been another year of activity, productivity and self-reflection for ACTCOSS.

Our last AGM was the catalyst for much thought about effective member involvement in ACTCOSS’ work and I would like to thank all of you who gave us feedback both verbally and in written form about changes we needed to make. We hope that the constitutional and procedural changes we have made have improved how we operate as a representative organisation.

It was a year of grappling with a Federal Budget that gave all of the COSSes around the country cause for concern and soul searching as to how best to advocate for community services and disadvantaged individuals. This was where our complementary work with ACOSS has been and continues to be vital.

Our policy forums provided us with opportunities to explore in more depth with our members some of the key issues in a variety of human services areas. A critical one was on youth unemployment which generated fruitful discussion about how best to support students to transition from school to work in the current climate. Through our Director, staff and Committee members, alliances and partnerships have been formed with many agencies and peak bodies and this work continues to strengthen.

We have continued to enjoy a strong and robust relationship with Ministers in the ACT Legislative Assembly who have worked willingly and with interest with us. Likewise, with key people in ACT Government directorates we have maintained strong and productive partnerships providing advice and information whenever we believe it can influence key decisions and positive social change.

We are privileged to have Susan Helyar as our Director who consistently brings to the position great insights, strategic thinking, energy, optimism, successful networking and lateral thinking. Despite it being a personally difficult year for her she has shown enormous resilience, strength and commitment to the agency and we thank her for that. The whole ACTCOSS staff team have worked together to support each other and strengthen the organisation throughout this year. The ACTCOSS staff continue to produce quality work. They are great advocates in their own roles and for our organisation and I thank each of them for what they do.

The ACTCOSS Committee has been strong in its views, robust in its discussion and resourceful in its support for ACTCOSS. Members come from a range of peak bodies, service providers and individual members and have been invaluable to Susan and I in being able to reflect on directions and issues for ACTCOSS. I thank each and every one of you for your time and commitment to the Committee’s work. I also thank the Executive who have been invaluable in their direction and support. Thanks also to the Nominations Sub-Committee who have given considered thought to the skills, knowledge and experience needed in the Committee and how we can best recruit these.

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We look forward to another year ahead of fruitful and robust discussions and activity with all of our members and partners.

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Director’s reportSusan Helyar, Director, ACT Council of Social Service Inc.

In 2013-14 the ACTCOSS team, in consultation with our members and guided by our governing Committee, identified how we could better focus and more finely tune our efforts so we could maximise our influence on policy settings, program design and funding administration. This approach is essential in an increasingly difficult operating environment for community managed organisations in which:

Inequality is growing, increasing the risk of deprivation and exclusion

Entitlements previously considered reasonable in a wealthy community—such as access to adequate income when not earning income from work—are under threat

Access to finance, volunteers, members and philanthropic support is constrained

Wages in the community sector are relatively low, and work is often part-time and temporary

Funding bodies seek reduced costs for service provision and increased accountability about the impact of funding provided

Federal funding bodies seek to constrain the work of community organisations on systemic advocacy

Our Strategic Plan for 2014-2018 shows where we believe our efforts should be focused and our resources deployed.

In order to deliver on our Strategic Plan we have continued to strengthen our relationships and better leveraged resources from within our membership, from our national network of Councils of Social Service, from other peak bodies and from other industries. Some examples of this include: more proactive dialogue with members during ACT Budget week to inform our assessment of the Budget outcomes; collaboration with the COSS Network on advocacy to the Federal Minister for housing on the urgent need for continuation of funding to services operating under the National Partnership Agreement on Housing and the National Affordable Housing Agreement; and building a sponsorship relationship with the OAMPS Insurance broker.

We have also worked to more clearly articulate our policy positions, so our members and the decision makers we seek to influence have a better understanding of the issues we are most concerned about, the evidence that informs our advocacy and the changes we want to see. In 2013-14 we worked on our position statements on justice and corrections, and essential infrastructure. In the coming year we will be working on the social determinants of health, reconciliation and organisation capacity, effectiveness and impact.

This work has only been possible because of the leadership of our members, the commitment of our staff and the support of funders. With the loss of any one

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of these three components our work would be impossible. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the important work of ACTCOSS.

On a personal note, I want to say thank you to the Committee, staff, funding partners, COSS colleagues and ACTCOSS members who provided support to me and to the ACTCOSS team when I had a health matter that took me away from work for an extended time this year.

In reflecting on the efforts and achievements of the past twelve months it is clear that the two key imperatives that have driven ACTCOSS decisions over five decades continue to be both relevant and compelling:

Reducing inequality, poverty and exclusion

Supporting citizens and community organisations to express their views, influence the decisions that affect them, shape the service system and influence the priorities of government

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ACTCOSS staffDirector:

Susan Helyar

Deputy Director:

Wendy Prowse

Gulanga Program:

Keith Brandy

Julie Butler

Kim Peters (from Sep 2013)

Policy & Sector Development:

Nadia Osman

Angie Bletsas (from Feb 2014)

Roydon McNamara-Smith (from Aug 2013)

Project Officers:

Julia Gilchrist (until Nov 2013)

Admir Meko (until Dec 2013)

Organisational Services:

Lisa Howatson

Suzanne Richardson

Our evolving staff teamIn 2013-14 we welcomed Wendy Prowse to an ongoing role as Deputy Director, and engaged two new Policy and Development Officers, Angie Bletsas and Roydon McNamara-Smith.

The Gulanga team grew with Kim Peters joining Julie Butler and Keith Brandy.

We farewelled Adele Williams from a Policy and Development Officer role and thanked Admir Meko and Julia Gilchrist for their assistance in disability research and project roles.

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2013-14 highlights Asserted the role of members in governance of ACTCOSS

Completed review and renewal of our vision, values, roles, goals, focus areas and measures of success and adopted our Strategic Plan 2014-2018

Collaborative research and analysis on housing affordability and homelessness issues through the Housing Policy Consortium, that includes ACT Shelter, the Women’s Centre for Health Matters, the Youth Coalition of the ACT and ACTCOSS

Orienting our advocacy on justice and corrections issues around development of a justice reinvestment approach that is tailored to the ACT context

Development of resources to support community organisations to respond better to the needs and expectations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Development of an activity book to support services with cultural engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families

Consulting with members to develop advocacy position statements on justice and corrections, and essential infrastructure

Offered seminars and networking opportunities to enhance sector preparation for commencement of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in the ACT

Active engagement in the Federal Election campaign

Facilitating development of shared advocacy messages across the sector about the need for effective services for women in the Canberra community, and the need, in particular, for gender-specific and trauma informed services

Increased individual consultancy to support community sector organisations building on their governance and strategic planning work undertaken in 2012-13 and extending to workforce development and management

Implementation of the Emerging Leaders learning and development program for middle managers and team leaders in community-managed organisations, complementing the Community Sector Development Program administered by the ACT Government that offered seminars and consultancies to CEOs and boards

In our role as co-chair, led revision of the Joint Community Government Reference Group (JCGRG) Terms of Reference and work plan

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Ongoing dialogue and growing collaboration with other community sector peak bodies in the ACT and nationally

Increased public profile of our advocacy positions including through broadcast media and building our social media engagement, particularly through Twitter

50th birthday celebrations2013 marked ACTCOSS’ 50th year. After the 2013 Annual General Meeting (AGM) we celebrated our 50th birthday with a party, an exhibition of ACTCOSS artefacts and documents, speeches, and the unveiling of a poem commissioned to mark our 50th Anniversary. The ACTCOSS Jubilee poem was composed by local writer Hal Judge, who spent several months researching ACTCOSS’ history and mission. It narrates 50 years of ACTCOSS in rhyming verse. You can read the poem on the next page of this annual report.

At the 50th birthday celebration ACTCOSS was pleased to confer its first Life Membership to Jean Moran OAM. Jean was recognised for her active role in establishing ACTCOSS in 1963 and her ongoing commitment to social justice and reform in the ACT community.

The ACTCOSS 50th birthday year coincided with Canberra’s Centenary. We were pleased to include documents about ACTCOSS and our Jubilee in the Centenary Time Capsule, which was sealed inside an obelisk on Canberra’s City Hill in March 2014.

Jubilee

Social workers got the Council going, a humble start in ‘63with countless cups of coffee and ten pounds lent generouslyfor a newsletter, aged survey and a welfare services directory.

The combined strength of member agencies, gave us authorityto speak in favour of minorities, children and the elderlyfor assistance out of poverty and a fair share of prosperity.

The Council ran on a members’ fee and a few bucks from the TABno office space, staff salary, nor proper funding certainty. The 70s saw the Council grow, printing off a vintage roneo.

The first seven years without an office (like working in an elevator)with a Gestetner duplicator, then an Epson floppy disc computer.We shared our old printer, breaking news and social data.

Are public needs served adequately by token acts of charity?Is the affluent Capital Territory, pampered and social problem free?ACTCOSS reported factually that’s not the actual reality.

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We have the sense and sensibility, to be a wise and kind society.From the Vinson Poverty Inquiry to the Havelock House victorythe Council fought passionately for public housing priority.

Homeless kids without a smidgeon, need more than a soup kitchenand the lonely older generation have earned our patient consideration.And refugees without a nation, deserve inclusion, not derision.

Single parents on a paltry pension, should not have to suffer deprivation.Folks without sight or ambulation, we consult and listen to themthey’ll exceed what anyone expected with a little augmentation.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history requires honest recognitionnot just knee jerk reaction and unilateral intervention.Reconciliation means action with authentic self-determination.

For the poor are always with us, perhaps, but often hidden and we are always with them, that’s our purpose and our visionto advocate with courage, backed by research and compassion.

Fifty years of conviction, hard won progress and evolution.

By Hal Judge, 2013

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AdvocacyThe ACTCOSS advocacy agenda in 2013-14 was shaped around the following key focus areas:

Infrastructure: Improved access to basic infrastructure—affordable housing, affordable and accessible transport and affordable utilities

Justice and corrections: Improved justice system and reduction in the social determinants of crime

Social determinants of health: Improved social determinants of health—with a focus on adequate income, reducing the social gradient in health and education, improving early life experiences and family capacity to support children and young people’s development


Community development: Supporting citizens affected by poverty and inequality to express their views, influence decisions that affect them, shape the service system and influence the priorities of governments

Improving effectiveness: Improving effectiveness of community-managed organisations through support and guidance to strengthen their consumer engagement, cross and inter-sectoral partnerships, governance, financial systems, organisational strategy and human capital

Advocacy related to social policy that impacts on people living with disadvantage, vulnerability and exclusionACTCOSS advocacy aims to shape the social change agenda, influence decision makers in funding bodies and build social capital. We engage in advocacy that will influence decisions about resource allocation, service models and administration of social programs that will improve outcomes against the goals in our Strategic Plan:

Standards of living: All people in Canberra can meet minimum standards of living as defined by community norms

Human rights: Our laws, institutions and systems enable people to exercise their rights and live free from discrimination

Support: All people in Canberra can access the right support at the right time and right intensity and duration

Meaning, choice & control: All people can live a life that has meaning to them, in which they have choice and control over the circumstances in which they live

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Social inclusion: We are a community in which all people can live life with dignity and access the means and opportunity to participate and be included economically and socially

Equality and fairness: The prosperity of Canberra is shared fairly, and inequality is reduced

Formal submissions

Comment on the Out of Home Care Strategy Issues Paper, Sep 2013

Submission on the Inquiry into Sentencing in the ACT, Oct 2013

ACTCOSS Budget Priorities 2014-15, ACT Budget submission, Oct 2013

Comment on Review of Current Homelessness Costing Structure: Proposing Alternative Costing Model Option, Dec 2013

Comment on the ICRC Price Determination Draft Report, Mar 2014

Submission on the Senate Inquiry into Affordable Housing, Mar 2014

Comment on the Draft Women and Children’s Program Policy for the Alexander Maconochie Centre, Jun 2014

Other advocacy

ACT Government Budget 2014-15

As noted above ACTCOSS provided advice to the ACT Government through the annual ACTCOSS Budget Submission. This advice took the form of recommendations for improving opportunity, better health and better education outcomes.

Following announcement of the Budget we facilitated sector understanding of key Budget outcomes, provided detailed analysis of Budget measures relevant to our members and summarised whether and how Budget allocations would contribute to achieving the goals set out in our Strategic Plan 2014-2018. This material was collated and published in a ‘Budget Snapshot’ and summarised in our Budget Forum that included the Treasurer providing a speech to the sector.

Anti-Poverty Week

ACTCOSS played a substantial role in promoting awareness of poverty and action to reduce poverty during ACT Anti-Poverty Week (APW):

Member of Anti-Poverty Week Steering Committee (subsequently the Director was appointed as co-chair for ACT Anti-Poverty Week for 2014-15)

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Director was speaker in the APW Debate

Director facilitated the Red Cross/Anglicare/Communities@Work Food Security Forum

Co-commissioned (with other NGOs and ACT Government) a report Disadvantage in the ACT that received wide media coverage

Being interviewed on 2XX radio program An Ethical Life on poverty and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ACT

Collaborating with the ACTSmart Program to develop a factsheet for landlords on reducing energy and water costs in rental properties

Hosting a Twitter awareness campaign ‘100 Ways to cope with the costs of living in Canberra’

Federal and ACT Government consultations

ACTCOSS attended public and individual consultations run by Federal and ACT governments to hear and share our perspectives on community views about:

The proposed light rail transport system

Digital Canberra Strategy

The Trauma Recovery Centre

The consultation strategy for renewal of the Commitment to Children and Young People

Development of the Out of Home Care Strategy

Participating in the Corrections Roundtable hosted by Minister Rattenbury

Contributing to round table discussions with the Chief Minister in regard to the impact of the Federal Budget on the ACT

Providing input to Medicare Local Comprehensive Needs Assessment consultation strategy and input to priority setting processes

Providing advice and feedback on the Women With Disabilities ACT project on current data sets, gaps and policy implications of the findings

Provided verbal feedback on the Principals Based Supported Accommodation Framework

Presentations at forums

ACTCOSS presented evidence-based material at events hosted by others to increase the knowledge and awareness of diverse audiences:

National Council of Women: Older Women and Homelessness Seminar

Families Australia Policy Forum—on improving family policy and service provision

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Medicare Local Health and Social Care Innovation Symposium

Noetic NDIS Roundtable discussions

Regional Development Australia ACT Education and Employment Workshop

YWCA Senior Managers Development Forum

University of Canberra lecture on social justice in the sustainable communities undergraduate course

Human Services Blueprint

ACTCOSS contributed as a member of the Human Services Blueprint Taskforce to this important reform agenda, promoted to our members the importance of participation in Blueprint consultations and convened a consumer forum on the Blueprint. As part of the announcement of the Blueprint initial rollout being funded, ACTCOSS said:

ACTCOSS has contributed to developing the Human Services Blueprint and implementing the Better Services Initiatives because we believe it has the potential to deliver real improvements in the design, delivery and resourcing of services so they make a positive difference to people in Canberra, especially those who are living with poverty and disadvantage, or who are facing a vulnerable time in their life. Three principles underpin this work:

People who access services (and the people they care for and about) should be at the centre of decisions about when, how and where they access support and the form that support will take

Positive change will only be delivered if we make changes in public administration, service models and the way staff work with each other and with service users

Building communities in which people can contribute, belong and be resilient is just as important as providing high quality services that respond to specific needs

Justice issues

ACTCOSS continued to remain engaged in issues around justice and corrections in the ACT and provided strategic advice to the ACT Government on this on a number of occasions. We provided comment on the topics listed in the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry into Sentencing in the ACT being undertaken by the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety. ACTCOSS also provided strategic advice to decision makers on criminal justice system issues through its participation in working groups and forums.

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Changes to the Women’s Information Referral Centre (WIRC)

ACTCOSS provided advice to the ACT Government on the proposed changes to WIRC, including constructive recommendations on alternative options. Our advice was representative of and informed by the concerns of a number of not-for-profit organisations and individuals including the Women’s Services Network.

Philanthropy Forum

In July ACTCOSS co-hosted a forum on philanthropy with bankmecu and Hands Across Canberra, that brought together government, business, philanthropy and community sector leaders to explore opportunities to enhance the role of philanthropy in addressing social and economic disadvantage in the ACT.

ACT Health Multicultural Co-Ordinating Framework

ACTCOSS advocated for stronger involvement of sector organisations, in particular multicultural community sector organisations, and community members, in developing an understanding of cultural competence, and evaluating and providing feedback on health services. Many of our concerns were noted and some of our suggestions were incorporated into the final framework which was endorsed by the ACT Health Executive Council in May.

Research and analysis

ACTCOSS gathered and analysed research, data and statistics from research and statistical work (including the ABS, AIHW, Australia Institute, NATSEM) by:

Attending ACT and national conferences to build staff knowledge

Liaising with COSSes in other states and territories, and contributing to national advocacy in partnership with ACOSS—especially focusing on income support and employment support services

Forums and advisory groups

ACTCOSS contributed to the following forums and advisory groups:

ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Community Forums

ACT Peaks Forum (convened by ACTCOSS)

ACT Shelter Forum

ACT Women’s Services Network

AMC Throughcare Governance Group

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AMC Women’s Advisory Group

Anti-Poverty Week Committee

Chorus of Women Canberra Centenary Conversation

Community Integration Governance Group (co-chair and secretariat)

Community Recovery Committee

Community Sector Development Program Working Group

Community Transport Working Group

CREATE Foundation Strength to Strength National Conference

Crime Prevention and Community Safety Forum

Digital Canberra Forum with the Chief Minister

Disability Quarterly Forum

Gambling Advisory Reference Group

HESTA Money Smart Forum—promoting the Gulanga Program

Homelessness Outcomes Framework Workshops and Working Group meetings

Joint Pathways Executive Committee

Joint Pathways Members Forum

Linking into New Communities Taskforce Forum

Medicare Local ATAPS Re-design Workshop

Meyer Vandenberg’s Hypothetical in Relation to Disability Services

NDIS Readiness Forums

Problem Gambling Assistance Fund Advisory Committee

University of Canberra Public Hospital Workforce Innovation Forum

West Belconnen Development Workshop

Women and Prisons Group

Advocacy related to the operating environment for community-managed organisationsACTCOSS continues to play a key role working with consumer groups, service providers and government to identify risks to the sustainability of services provided to the community and respond to emerging needs. Peak bodies are uniquely placed to provide information, that government would otherwise be unable to access, about the positive and negative impacts of the changing

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operating environment on the strength and capability of the service systems that people in Canberra value and on which they rely.

ACTCOSS has been working with organisations and government around the critical need to invest in resources that assist both service providers and service users to operate effectively in a rapidly changing environment. ACTCOSS continues to advocate and work with both government and non-government funders to reduce unnecessary administrative, reporting and compliance tasks that take resources away from assisting our community.

The community sector has been investing its own funds through the Community Sector Reform and Development Program administered by the ACT Government and ACTCOSS has played a key role working alongside government to ensure the benefits from this investment will be realised for contributing organisations, and be sustained well into the future.

We contributed to the development of the Community Sector Development Program and provided guidance to community service organisations considering applying for the Governance and Financial Management Initiative.

ACTCOSS has worked hard to ensure these funds are used effectively. We have also pushed for transparent reporting back to the contributing organisations on the allocation of these funds. In the coming year we will continue to work as closely as we can with government to ensure a good return to the community of this investment in sector development.

NGO operational challenges and opportunities to address these ACTCOSS highlighted community sector organisation operational challenges and recommended measures to address these in our contributions to the Joint Community Government Reference Group and the Community Sector Reform Advisory Group. ACTCOSS is part of the Community Sector Leaders Forum Steering Group, and contributes to setting the agenda and engaging speakers for these forums.

ACTCOSS has contributed to system reform and red tape reduction by participating in discussions around the bill to revoke the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), as a member of the taskforce for the Human Services Blueprint, renewal of the ACT Women’s Plan and outcome measurement frameworks for homelessness services.

ACTCOSS has taken a leadership role in the Joint Community Government Reference Group, with Darlene Cox (in her role of Vice-President) being co-chair in 2013, and the Director becoming co-chair in 2014. We have worked with the JCGRG on revising its Terms of Reference and work plan to sharpen and strengthen its work to ensure the right information and mechanisms are in place for community and government leaders to jointly shape the social policy reform agenda, improve service delivery and improve public policy.

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Through the Community Sector Reform Advisory Group, we have advocated for public sector reform that will enhance consistency of administrative processes across portfolios, match compliance to risk, get rid of duplication in delivery of data, and reduce unnecessary reporting. We have supported the work of the team in the Community Services Directorate who have facilitated dialogue with the sector on red tape reform.

Cheryl Pollard, a member of the ACTCOSS Committee Executive led ACTCOSS engagement in discussions and decisions regarding work place safety, in her role as ACTCOSS member of the ACT Work Safety Council.

ACTCOSS completed a review of the reforms that have impacted on community organisations over the past ten years, focusing on ACT Government initiatives and policy settings as well as work in other jurisdictions. This review looked at alignment and contradictions in the various reform processes and agendas related to government/community sector procurement, administration and reporting arrangements.

Consultative advisory groups & eventsACTCOSS has contributed to the following consultative and advisory groups and events:

ACNC Red Tape Forum

ACT Health Healthy Workplaces Advisory Group

ACT Work Safety Council

Agency Directors Meeting (CYFSP)

ANZSOG Social Services Design Workshop

Business Council for Mutuals and Co-operatives Public Service Reform Roundtable

Catalyst Innovation Network

CIT Centre for Health, Community and Wellbeing Advisory Committee

Co-design Forum and Master Class presented by The Australian Centre of Social Innovation

Community Council of Australia National Press Club Debate

Community Sector Leaders Forum

Community Sector Reform Advisory Group

Community Support Program Forum

Development of ACT Skills Need List facilitated by ACT Education and Training Directorate

Innovation Catalyst Workshop with Hargraves Institute

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Joint Community Government Reference Group

Social Impact Measurement Network Alliance

National engagementSo many of the causes of poverty and inequality relate to Federal Government responsibilities. The COSS Network brings together the Council of Social Service organisations operating in every state and territory across Australia to advocate collectively for the social and economic reforms that will reduce poverty and inequality.

The COSS Network has maintained a strong national presence on issues such as housing and homelessness, tax reform, costs of living, adequacy of income support, and community needs during and resilience in recovering from disasters. The COSS Network facilitates information flow in regard to the ACNC and NDIS; and promoted the Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as our first peoples in the country.

The collective voice of the COSS Network continues to highlight the persistent problems identified in the ACOSS Poverty in Australia research published in October 2013.

We also collaborated during the ACOSS Federal Election campaign, and supported national campaigns on tax and welfare reform, opposing unfair and destructive changes to income support and service funding cuts proposed in the 2014-15 Federal Budget.

Federal Election campaignDuring the Federal Election Campaign ACTCOSS:

Advocated for election commitments that would address the interests of Canberra as a whole and for the specific needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens

Convened a Candidates Forum

Disseminated a report Beyond the Soundbite on the positions of parties that had candidates in both the House of Representatives and the Senate elections on key election issues of interest to our membership

Participated in an election forum on food security

Our advocacy and dialogue with candidates focused on the following policy issues:

Secure revenue to meet community needs

Increase Newstart Allowance

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Support to people who have been long-term unemployed to get and keep a job

Reduce child poverty

Increase affordability of housing and energy

The need for an assistance package for Canberra to cope with the impact of significant job losses in the public sector

Additional issues of interest to our members were:

Affordable housing and homelessness

Employment for people living with disability

Health care affordability and priority placed on population health

Engaging young people in elections

Early intervention for families

The focus on cost of living instead of income inequality

Better understanding of voting processes and systems

Paying better attention to the needs and interests of ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

COSS Networks ACOSS National Conference

ACOSS Policy Forums

ACOSS Member Updates Network

COSS Directors Forums

COSS Community Recovery Network

COSS Communications Network

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Reconciliation

Gulanga ProgramThe word ‘Gulanga’ is derived from the Ngunnawal language and means ‘we too, including you’. The Gulanga Program continues to build as a centre of excellence promoting reconciliation. It has continued to provide support to ACT community organisations and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers within the community sector.

Resources The Gulanga Program continues to update and promote its culturally appropriate resources to help community organisations better engage and work effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and individuals. The cultural awareness resources that the Gulanga team have developed and made available to the community are:

Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Toolkit (CASAT) which assists agencies to identify areas of improvement in delivering their services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Resource for Community Sector Workers booklet that assists the community sector to further engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

In September 2013 the Gulanga program expanded to include the Children, Youth and Family Support Program providers, and from this funding a new resource was developed in November 2013, the Gulanga Activity Book. This book was developed from listening to the concerns being voiced by community sector workers about how many services were struggling with not being able to develop a strong enough rapport with their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users/clients. The booklet addresses identity, social interaction, connection to country, healthy eating, and provides simple fun and enjoyment for everyone using it. The booklet has received both local and national acknowledgement from the Aboriginal and wider community. The support and appreciation from the local community sector, government and private enterprise has been encouraging.

In 2014 the Gulanga team began development of the Options for Our Community: Housing, Accommodation, Respite & Support in the ACT booklet. The guide was developed to raise awareness of services and to facilitate the engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their families to access the services that will best meet their needs. We consulted with stakeholders during the development process, and the need for this resource was widely supported.

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TrainingACTCOSS has continued to offer regular training around Aboriginal Culture, History and Heritage delivered by Kerry Reid-Gilbert (Kuracca Consultancy) with over 60 people participating in the last 12 months. Kerry has been part of the ACTCOSS family for more than 7 years and over this time has so generously shared her wisdom and stories to assist others in their reconciliation journey. In May 2014, it was with a heavy heart that we wished Kerry all the very best for her retirement.

To complement the training that has been delivered, the Gulanga Program has been providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness workshops focusing on specific areas of interest including: Effective Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; Recruitment and Retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff within the Community Sector; and Racism within the Workplace from an Aboriginal Perspective. These training sessions were launch in May 2014 and over a six week period more than 40 people attended.

The Gulanga team takes a holistic approach to supporting community sector organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community sector workers. To enhance the work they do, the team has participated in a range of learning and development opportunities which have focused on suicide intervention, Aboriginal men’s health, domestic and family violence awareness, an introduction to co-design methodology, and specific cultural awareness training for the children, youth and family sector.

EngagementIn February 2014, ACTCOSS participated in two events to acknowledge the 6th Anniversary of the National Apology by the Australian Government to the Stolen Generations.

The first event was held in partnership with Relationships Australia. There were over 80 participants from various community and government agencies privileged to listen to an emotional address from Mr Stephen Ridgeway, one of the members of the Stolen Generations, and this was followed by a morning tea.

The second event involved two Elders who were part of the Stolen Generations generously sharing their stories with over 50 people. This event was coordinated by the Gulanga team and received an overwhelming amount of support not only from the Aboriginal community, young and old, but also organisations within the community and government sectors. Mr Johnny Huckle provided an impromptu rendition of songs from the same era and this was followed by morning tea from Bandu Catering, an Aboriginal owned catering service.

As part of Youth Homelessness Week, Gulanga staff participated in the ACT Youth Coalition Youth Homelessness Matters Day to highlight the issues around youth homelessness, and partnered with the Tuggeranong Arts Centre

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and the Yurauna Indigenous Education Centre to showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander homelessness through the medium of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. This event was held at the ACT Legislative Assembly and was well attended.

Staff from the Gulanga team gave a presentation at Reconciliation Australia’s ACT Learning Circle Forum to talk about their reconciliation journey and provide an opportunity for people within the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) community to come together to discuss key topics that are relevant to RAPs, share expertise and learn from each other in a supportive, open environment. The Learning Circle panel focused on ‘Cultural Awareness: How to get the best return for your investment’. The panel provided multiple perspectives to the discussion on cultural awareness and how it is relevant to a successful business strategy across a range of sectors, highlighted approaches that work in developing culturally competent staff, and shared key cultural principles other organisations can implement.

The Gulanga team continued to coordinate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Sector Network (ATSIComSec Network), which has over 40 members, meets bi-monthly and provides a peer-support and information-sharing forum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers employed in the community sector. The meetings include guest speakers, presentations from workers and networking. Speakers during the year included:

The Indigenous Cultural Inclusion Officer from Tuggeranong Arts Centre giving a presentation on their roles and responsibilities

Staff from Indigenous Community Volunteers (ICV) presenting about their organisation and how to get involved

Staff from the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs within the ACT Community Services Directorate talking about the role of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body

The email component of the network continued to provide regular information to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander network members.

Sector engagement ACTCOSS has continued to support the sector on their reconciliation journey through participation and support of the following activities and events:

Presenting on the ACT Youth Coalition CYFS Induction Bus Tours

Facilitation of quarterly Reconciliation Peer Network meetings which commenced in 2014

Supporting the Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Reconciliation Working Group

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Participating on the OZHELP Indigenous Suicide Prevention Reference Group to ensure the suicide prevention training for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities was culturally appropriate

Speaking at the Young Indigenous Women’s Leadership Conference which was hosted by the YWCA

Participating in the Whole of Government ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2014-17 Workshops

Supporting numerous community service organisations in the development of their RAPs

Participating in events such as R U OK day, NAIDOC Golf Days, Gugan Gulwan’s Youth NAIDOC Disco, art exhibitions, and Sorry Day Reconciliation Bridge Walk

Attending the Koori pre-schools to discuss the importance of cultural awareness training for staff

Consistently attending relevant forums and meetings that address youth and homelessness, education, domestic and family violence, community issues, health, equity and justice

The Gulanga Program within ACTCOSS continues to provide culturally appropriate information and support to community organisations that want to continue their reconciliation journey.

Broader ACTCOSS team engagement in reconciliationStaff at ACTCOSS participated in a number of events during Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and Sorry Day, including the Bridge Walk. We have used our social media platforms and weekly e-notices to promote and support engagement in the Recognise Campaign, encouraging all Australians to support Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Since 2006 ACTCOSS has sponsored the NAIDOC Award for the Canberra and District Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Sector Worker of the Year. The award recognises workers who are providing links between their organisation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, or who have supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through their work in the community sector.

The 2013 NAIDOC Week ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Sector Worker was awarded to Clyde ‘Cookie’ Chatfield. Cookie was nominated by his team at ACT Medicare Local for his role in planning and delivering Winanggay, the Allied Health Cultural Awareness Workshop. Winanggay has been approved by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners for accruing professional development points. His training and support for general practices has increased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access to this critical part of the health system. ACTCOSS was proud to acknowledge Cookie’s achievements and the positive outcomes he has generated.

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ACTCOSS continued to renew our Reconciliation Action Plan through this year, working to embed actions from previous plans in our everyday operating policy and procedures, engaging new members of the ACTCOSS Committee in our RAP Working Group and identifying how we can fulfil the requirements of a ‘stretch’ RAP.

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Capability developmentCommunity-managed organisations continue to face a changing and uncertain operating environment, driven by administrative and funding changes, as well as challenges in workforce retention, development and management. ACTCOSS believes that we have an important role in shaping the social service system that operates in our city and region, and service providers need support to maintain current levels of service provision and to evolve to meet changing and increasing demand and complexity.

The capability development work of ACTCOSS in 2013-14 has been shaped around the following key focus areas:


Capacity building: Capacity building of community-managed organisations that exist to serve the needs of people in their local community who are vulnerable, face disadvantage or who require assistance to engage with main stream organisations

Improving effectiveness: Improving effectiveness of community-managed organisations through support and guidance to strengthen their consumer engagement, cross and inter-sectoral partnerships, governance, financial systems, organisational strategy and human capital

Increasing impact: Increasing the impact of work, efforts and investments in the community sector—including building effective alliances and partnerships and business planning to diversify ACTCOSS income streams.

Learning & developmentThe community sector is so incredibly diverse in size, capacity, capability and service models. ACTCOSS is proud to work alongside organisations of all sizes, from the very large to the very small. ACTCOSS has provided individual consultancy, group seminars and individually tailored training to our members and other community organisations over the past year. There has been a growing demand for individual consultancy around governance, risk management, business and strategic planning, change management, conflict resolution and quality improvement.

ACTCOSS continued to deliver regular training on building cultures of continuous quality improvement, using two tools developed for the ACT community sector—Raising the Standard and the Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Toolkit. Our governance training was delivered in group sessions and via individually-tailored workshops for boards and management committees. We have also provided one-on-one consultancy sessions for member organisation CEOs to work through specific issues and challenges.

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ACTCOSS develops the learning and development calendar around the needs of the sector and over the past year has offered training on Human Rights and Public Authorities, Professional Boundaries, Working with Vulnerable People, and Managing Change (in partnership with Jobs Australia).

This year ACTCOSS supported the Red Cross to host its first workshop specifically for the community sector on the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers accessing services in the Canberra community. The workshop was part of the Red Cross Seeking Humanity Program and highlighted the need to understand the complex issues around eligibility and entitlement for this particular group of people experiencing high level need for support services in our community. ACTCOSS also supported Companion House to deliver a workshop on the Fundamentals of Working Cross Culturally. This workshop looked at the cultural assumptions which can be built into service delivery and suggested practical ways to make services more inclusive.

The Human Resources Network is a face-to-face quarterly meeting facilitated by ACTCOSS. The network provides an opportunity to discuss shared interests and to work together around key challenges such as sector reforms and the building of human capital within organisations. The generosity of members to share systems and resources is to be congratulated as this will continue to build the capacity and capability of the sector.

ACTCOSS has valued working with Companion House to develop and deliver a quarterly workshop program for emerging leaders to support their communities in Canberra. The focus has been on gaining a better understanding of community organisation structures, governance, leadership skills and relevant legislative and regulatory arrangements. These workshops are supporting community leaders to have the confidence and knowledge to take on a leadership role and build capacity within their community.

Over the past year, 121 organisations accessed sector development activities provided by ACTCOSS with evaluations informing us that 98% of respondents rated overall satisfaction of excellent or good and 2% of respondents rated overall satisfaction as neutral.

The learning and development topics and program of events provided by ACTCOSS this year is outlined below.

Workforce management

ASU & ACTCOSS Information Session on Advocacy about ERO Supplementation

Developing the Community Sector Workforce

Developing the Community Sector Workforce: Getting Your Employment Practices Right

Industrial Relations Issues around Workforce Management

Managing Through Change Seminar

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Managing Through Change: HR Implications and Future Sustainability Workshop

Returning to Work and Reducing Your Workers Compensation Premiums

Designing & evaluating service provision

Co-design Masterclass

Co-design with Customers

Results Based Accountability Training

Social Impact and Measurement Workshop

Working in a culturally diverse community

1 Day of Torres Strait Islander Awareness Training

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment and Retention

Aboriginal Culture, History and Heritage Training

Effective Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Fundamentals of Working Cross Culturally

Racism within the Workplace from an Aboriginal Perspective

Seeking Humanity: Vulnerability in Forced Migration

Building Better Boards

Board Basics

Board Governance and Strategy

Financial Management

Emerging Leaders

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Grant Writing

Productivity, Planning and Resilience

Strategic and Business Planning

Human Rights

Human Rights Obligations of ACT Community Organisations

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General

Information and Communications Technology Strategy

New Privacy Laws Seminar

Raising the Standard (RTS)

Social Compact Training

Working with People Coming Out of the Criminal Justice System

NetworksACTCOSS continued to actively attend and facilitate a range of meetings, networks and forums, both face-to-face and via email networks, as part of growing and disseminating an evidence base of key concerns and strategies to improve policy and programs.

ACTCOSS continued to auspice and support CDNet (Community Development Network), the Community Sector Leaders Forum (CSLF), and began auspicing the Canberra Living Conditions Network which provides training and information sessions for community sector workers supporting people with hoarding and squalor issues.

ACTCOSS continued to manage a number of e-networks around specific interests such as ACT HACC-DS Net (ACT HACC and Disability Services Network), ATSIComSec Network (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Sector Network), Human Rights Network, ACT Policy Network, Justice Network and Human Resources Network, with membership ranging from 50 to 220 people.

Our full list of face-to-face networks and e-networks is provided below:

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Sector Network (ATSIComSec)

ACT Community Sector Communications Network (CommsNet)

ACT Community Sector Policy Network

ACT Home and Community Care/Disability Services Network (ACT HACC-DS Net) (funded by ACT Health)

ACT Home and Community Care/Disability Services Working Group (funded by ACT Health)

ACT Peaks Forum

ACTCOSS Committee

ACTCOSS Weekly Community Sector Notices (ACTCOSSNotices)

Community Integration Governance Group (CIGG)

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Homelessness Network (Hnet)

Human Resources Network

Human Rights Network

Justice Network (Jnet)

Reconciliation Peer Network

Social Impact Measurement Network

ACT Home and Community Care/Disability Services (ACT HACC-DS)ACTCOSS is funded through ACT Health to facilitate a peer network for services involved in Home and Community Care and disability service provision and to support sector development through consultancies, seminars and networking events.

This work facilitates our understanding of organisation and workforce challenges in a changing policy and funding environment—as a result of transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, reorganisation of aged care service models and funding arrangements, and changes in jurisdiction responsibilities for policy, program and funding administration.

This funding allows ACTCOSS to keep in touch with emerging issues in disability and aged care and include advocacy on the needs of this sector and the people to whom they provide services in our broader advocacy on health, housing, transport, utilities, justice, and children, young people and family issues, and in our broader sector development work.

Consultancy services

Flexible consultancy with the ACT HACC-DS sector continued to remain a priority for ACTCOSS, providing limited hours of one-on-one consultancy as the trend for greater engagement at networking meetings continued.

Due to the launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, ACT HACC-DS sector development was supported with Commonwealth-funded consultancy packages being made available to ACT HACC-DS organisations. This welcome additional funding for sector development reduced demand for our one-on-one consultancy services except in relation to support around governance.

However, ACTCOSS has played an important role in providing information and resources in different ways. This has included providing policy analysis support, working through the implications of new funding contracts, and identifying potential service gaps which may be able to be filled by organisations, or will require changes in service models, given the change in service delivery with the NDIS.

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ACTCOSS has also played a liaison role between ACT HACC-DS organisations and ACT Government, especially in working with Disability ACT and ACT Health to assist organisations through the transition period. ACTCOSS sees its involvement in this activity as being a vital part of its support of the sector as a whole as it undergoes fundamental change.

ACT HACC-DS seminars

Over the past year a number of seminars have been convened for ACT HACC-DS service provider team leaders, managers and CEOS:

Palliative Care, Advanced Care and End of Life Options

Practical Implementation of Consumer Directed Care and Briefing on Consumer Led Service Engagement from ImagineMORE

Outcomes of the Enhanced Service Offer, Round 1

ACTCOSS continued our partnership with Disability ACT, National Disability Services and the Mental Health Community Coalition to deliver information and consult with stakeholders in the lead-up to launch of the NDIS in the ACT. Seminars were held in August (presentation by DisabilityCare on structures and processes) and November (implications and challenges for mental health service delivery).

Executive Planning Day: 17 September 2013

The ACT HACC-DS Executive Planning Day held on Tuesday, 17 September 2013 brought together community organisation senior managers and ACT HACC-DS funding managers.

A process review of the last twelve months looked at what ACTCOSS facilitated and identified as areas of improvement. Service managers, in smaller groups, canvassed the benefit of information sessions, working group and executive forums and outlined key learnings. This included recognition that relationship building with key agencies such as Department of Social Services, information sharing and communication of knowledge were considered to be most effective when face-to-face network and working group meetings were frequent (held monthly) and supported by ACT HACC-DS Net email updates.

We also discussed current priorities within identified areas for improvement. This included: identifying gaps and unmet need; recruitment and retention of staff; and collaboration and partnerships between ACT HACC-DS organisations. Emerging issues were identified: people facing gaps in service provision (especially those living with multiple health and disability issues); business models; adapting to NDIS processes; and a perceived lack of carer support.

These discussions led to four advocacy areas being identified for progression in 2014. These were: sector development; maximizing choice and control;

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minimising administrative complexity; and preparation to respond to the new service environment.

The core priorities for 2014 were identified:

Development of sustainable business models

Consumer directed supports and the infrastructure required

Marketing strategies and techniques

Understanding the new service environment, e.g. centralised intake and assessment

Workforce skills development needs

Development projects

These projects followed up on projects established in 2012-13.

Consumer directed care

The ACT HACC-DS Working Group meeting of 22 October identified that ACT HACC-DS organisations needed support in:

Identifying values underpinning a customer-centric approach: We decided to focus on how person centred planning works and how care workers could support families in implementing the plan on a daily basis

Identifying how to listen to the customer through capacity building initiatives: We referred ACT HACC-DS organisations to the supported decision workshop coordinated by ADACAS and Advocacy for Inclusion

Identifying how organisations could reshape their businesses to include processes that incorporated the values of consumer directed care: We completed a Literature Review of Consumer Directed Care which incorporated a description of how the values of social role valorisation and person-centred planning could be fed into business operations

Hospital workers, social workers and the ACT HACC-DS sector

This project focused on the need for ongoing conversations in the ACT HACC-DS Working Group and Network about how hospitals, hospital social workers, and the ACT HACC-DS sector could more effectively work together to ensure effective post-hospital care for outpatients.

The ACT HACC-DS Working Group identified an interest in developing an information stall to be based in the foyer of the Canberra Hospital. ACTCOSS formulated a project outline establishing the terms of operation of the stall project and circulated this with an expression of interest to ACT HACC-DS organisations. As the stall project idea developed and its feasibility was further investigated it became apparent that without the information technology and data systems available to Carers ACT, who have an information stall in the Calvary Hospital, the hospital stall project would have very limited capacity to

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achieve the goals of facilitating better relationships between social workers, hospital staff and ACT HACC-DS organisations or improving the knowledge of ACT HACC-DS services among social workers. It was therefore decided that the project would be devolved to interested sector organisations.

Interface for the NDIS and disability sector transition

Preparing ACT HACC-DS organisations for the NDIS Transition took the form of information sharing at ACT HACC-DS Network meetings. It also included the active participation by the Disability Project Officer in a range of activities held across Canberra by HACC and disability service organisations.

Updates provided by the NDIS Taskforce at ACT HACC-DS Network meetings led to the sharing of new information and creation of resources and advice for HACC organisations, which were distributed on the ACT HACC-DS Net email list.

Information and consultation forums facilitated through this funding provided a forum for managers and team leaders in organisations affected by the NDIS to ask questions and clarify their understanding of the NDIS, and how they could support clients with writing applications for funding through the ACT Enhanced Service Offer.

ACTCOSS also participated in forums convened by consumer and carer advocacy groups to build and be able to further disseminate information about supported decision making and working with person-centred planning approaches. Advice was provided to ACT HACC-DS workers on how to actively work with new processes, as well as respond effectively to new ways in which individuals and families chose to use services and supports.

The ACTCOSS Director facilitated community seminars to build shared understanding by consumers, families and service providers of the impacts and opportunities in moving to a service model that is founded on improved choice, control and social inclusion for people living with disabilities. This included:

Partnering with COTA to bring Dr Kevin Doughty to the ACT to provide seminars on International Consumer Driven Agendas, Development and Policy Perspective on Assistive and Enabling Technology (14 participants)

Partnering with ImagineMORE to facilitate networking evening and Q&A panel discussion with Bob Rhodes (founder of UK company Livesthroughfriends), Jeanette Purkis (disability advocate, who lives with Asperger syndrome and schizo-affective disorder), and Paul Kruger (father of a person with disability, and advocate for asset based approaches to disability) (45 participants)

ACT HACC-DS Network meetings

ACT HACC-DS Network meetings are held monthly and have between 15 and 40 participants. Of note this year was the network meeting which included National Disability Insurance Agency staff as guest speakers. It was the most

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well attended meeting and exceeded the capacity of the room. This demonstrated the ACT HACC-DS Network is facilitating engagement on the NDIS by people not being captured by other communication and engagement strategies.

Network members enjoyed the peer networking aspect of the meeting and said they:

Enjoyed workshopping issues and key challenges around service delivery

Were interested to know more about the NDIS and how it would affect them doing their work and supporting clients

Were keen to ensure continuity of service for under/over 65 years of age clients, particularly those who might face eligibility of service issues

There have been ongoing requests from workers in ACT HACC-DS services and in ACT Health to subscribe to the e-network throughout 2013-14 and we welcomed new subscribers each month.

Issues of keen interest to the ACT HACC-DS Network in 2013-14 were:

Hospital discharge processes

Community transport

Reporting requirements

Palliative care

Consumer directed care

Use of the ACT HACC-DS Network/email list

Recruitment and retention of ACT HACC-DS staff

Transitioning into the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Split of funding responsibility of over/under 65 as part of the aged care reform process

Discussion topics and guest speakers at network meetings included:

Key concerns with the implementation of My Aged Care Gateway and the NDIS Enhanced Service Offer transitional planning for the ACT

Palliative Care options in Canberra

Strength based capacity building through information sharing and troubleshooting

Outcomes of the Enhanced Service Offer (ESO) Round 1, and preparing for ESO Round 2

ImagineMORE and implementing the principles of consumer directed care

End of year review

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Update from NDIS Taskforce and Medicare Local

Seniors and their pets in aged care facilities and in the home

Preparing agreed questions for NDIS Taskforce/NDIA staff and guest speaker Leigh Watson, Executive Officer of ACT Shelter

Q&A with staff from the NDIS Taskforce and the NDIA and guest speaker Dwayne Cranfield, National Ethnic Disability Alliance

Group information sharing session on experiences three weeks into the NDIS and guest speaker Lou Bannister, PATH

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Membership engagementAs outlined in the new Strategic Plan, ACTCOSS has identified membership services as a key focus area.

In 2013-14 ACTCOSS had approximately 170 members with an average of one new member a month. New members stated they joined our organisation to receive discounted training and to have access to our consultancy support services, as well as supporting our policy advocacy (which reduces the need to maintain an individual organisation advocacy role), and because they value our role in consolidating and disseminating information.

Review & development of member services

ACTCOSS Notices

ACTCOSS continued to develop the content and format of the weekly ACT Community Sector Notices email bulletin. We changed the format from plain text into Word and PDF to increase the amount of content, readability and visual appeal. We received positive feedback from subscribers. By the end of 2013-14 we had approximately 1000 subscribers.

Job Notices

In April 2014 ACTCOSS introduced its Job Notices service, which is distributed with the ACTCOSS Notices weekly email bulletin. For a small fee community sector organisations can promote job vacancies. There was a growing interest in members and non-members utilising the Job Notices.

Discounted insurance premiums

ACTCOSS brokered a service for members to receive discounted insurance premiums which is facilitated through an insurance brokerage firm, OAMPS. As part of our key focus area on membership services, ACTCOSS continued to look into other opportunities for group/bulk purchasing that will deliver cost savings to members via economies of scale in purchasing.

Expanded learning & development calendar

January to June 2014 saw the development and implementation of an expanded learning and development calendar. The workshops, information sessions and seminars provided under the learning and development calendar were developed in response to need in the community sector identified through our annual survey and training evaluations, analysis of changes in the service provision market, or from discussions about workforce and organisation capability gaps. The program has included topics such as effective grant writing;

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strategic planning; how to work in a culturally sensitive manner with people from CALD backgrounds; measuring social impact; co-design; improving communication skills; and human rights obligations of community sector organisations. There was an enthusiastic response to the learning and development programs. The Emerging Leaders Program and the Co-design Program have had good participation from both community sector and government staff.

Analysis of the ACT Budget outcomesIn response to the ACT Budget 2014-15, ACTCOSS developed its annual Budget Snapshot. We emailed the draft 2014-15 ACT Budget Snapshot to members for input, and trialled the use of the online survey tool SurveyMonkey for feedback and questions about the Budget. We also ran an ACT Budget Analysis Consultation for ACTCOSS members. Approximately 20 members participated in the workshops and surveys to develop the questions which were addressed by the Treasurer Andrew Barr MLA, Minister Burch and Minister Rattenbury at the 2014 ACT Budget Forum for the Community Sector.

Constitutional changesACTCOSS undertook a review of the Constitution. This review included research into good practice in governance of community managed organisations, consultation with the Committee and seeking advice from governance experts. From this research the Committee identified a number of changes needed to bring the ACTCOSS Constitution in line with contemporary governance practice and to accurately reflect the daily operational business management of the organisation. After a robust discussion at the November 2013 AGM, a number of Constitutional changes were passed and adopted.

In response to member feedback that arose at the 2013 AGM, we held a Special General Meeting (SGM) in May 2014 to address a number of additional Constitutional changes, primarily focused on the need to assert the role of members in governance decisions and processes. The changes which passed at the SGM were incorporated into the Constitution, and a number of further changes were referred to the November 2014 AGM.

Strategic Plan 2014-2018The ACTCOSS Strategic Plan for 2014-2018 was developed in consultation with ACTCOSS members through the following mechanisms:

The Director holding face-to-face meetings with a sample of large and small organisation members

Consultation with the ACT Peaks Forum

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Two workshops—one with the Committee and ACTCOSS staff, and another with members

Consultation sessions with key stakeholders

Distribution of a draft Strategic Plan to all members for feedback

The Strategic Plan was launched in November at the 2013 AGM. We received positive feedback about its concise format and clear, engaging layout.

Member surveyACTCOSS distributed a member survey in September 2013 via an online tool. We received over 30 responses, and these were some of the findings:

Members identified the key benefits of being an ACTCOSS member included:

being kept informed about community sector news and activities

involvement in ACTCOSS advisory forums

access to training, advice and consultancy services

an opportunity to support the ACTCOSS purpose and vision

Members identified benefiting from ACTCOSS seminars and training; organisational support; the networks that ACTCOSS facilitates; and the advocacy opportunities that ACTCOSS provides. These were all seen as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good’

Feedback on the ACTCOSS website was mainly ‘Good’, the quarterly newsletter was ‘Good’, and the weekly e-notices was ‘Very Good’

100% of respondents found that communicating with ACTCOSS was satisfactory and 90% of respondents stated ACTCOSS met their needs and expectations

Other points of engagement with members

Open invitation in Notices

In the weekly ACTCOSS Notices we started listing the policy areas we were working on and the appropriate Policy Officer contact person so members could email or call and discuss at their own initiative.

Submissions, comments and letters

ACTCOSS consulted with members and advocacy partners when developing responses submissions and commentary on affordable housing, electricity

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prices, the Racial Discrimination Act, criminal justice sentencing options, out of home care and the ACT Budget 2014-15 Submission.

Position statements

We sought member input into the development of our position statements on justice and corrections, and essential infrastructure.

Policy forums

The ACTCOSS Committee opened up their bi-monthly policy forums to the whole ACTCOSS membership and staff team. Each forum had a different topic on which invited speakers presented and responded to questions from the audience. The topics covered in 2013-14 were: social services contributing to improving health outcomes; young people and unemployment; and the 2014-15 Federal Budget.

ACTCOSS members 2013-14

Member Organisations

2XX FM

A Gender Agenda

Aboriginal Justice Centre

ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations

ACT Critical Incident Stress Management Information Service Inc.

ACT Deafness Resource Centre

ACT Disability, Aged & Carer Advocacy Service Inc.

ACT Down Syndrome Association

ACT Hepatitis Resource Centre Inc.

ACT ME/CFS Society Inc.

ACT Medicare Local

ACT Mental Health Consumer Network

ACT Playgroups Association Inc.

ACT Shelter

Advance Personnel

AIDS Action Council

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Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Association ACT

Anglicare ACT

Argyle Community Housing Ltd

Asthma Foundation ACT

Australia Mon Association Inc.

Australian Association of Social Workers ACT Branch

Australian Catholic University, Institute of Child Protection Studies

Autism Asperger ACT Inc.

Barnardos Australia

Belconnen Community Service

Beryl Women Inc.

Canberra & Q’yan ADD Support Group Inc.

Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy

Canberra Blind Society

Canberra Institute of Technology Student Association

Canberra Men’s Centre

Canberra Multicultural Community Forum (CMCF) Inc.

Canberra Police Community Youth Club Inc.

Canberra Preschool Society Inc.

Canberra Rape Crisis Centre

Canberra Youth Residential Service

Capital Community Housing Inc.

Care Financial Counselling Service and the Consumer Law Centre of the ACT

Carers ACT Inc.

CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn

CHC Affordable Housing

CONTACT Canberra Community Information

Communities@Work

Community and Public Sector Union

Community Connections

Companion House

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Computing Assistance Support and Education Inc.

Conflict Resolution Service Inc.

Connections ACT

DIRECTIONS ACT

Disability Services Australia

Diversity ACT Community Services

Domestic Violence Crisis Service

Doris Women’s Refuge Inc.

DUO Services Ltd

Environmental Collective Housing Organisation Inc.

Epilepsy Association ACT (Inc)

Families & Friends for Drug Law Reform

Families ACT Inc.

Family Drug Support

Foster Care Association of the ACT Inc.

Fusion Australia

GROW - ACT

Havelock House Association Inc.

Health Care Consumers Association of ACT Inc.

Inanna Inc.

Indigenous Community Volunteers

Justice Action

Karinya House

Karralika Programs Inc.

Koomarri

L’Arche Geneseret

Lifeline Canberra Inc.

Lone Fathers Association

Marymead Child & Family Centre

Menslink Inc.

Mental Health Community Coalition

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Mental Health Foundation

Mental Illness Education ACT

Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria

Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc.

Multicultural Women’s Advocacy Inc.

National Sorry Day Committee Inc.

NationsHeart Christian Community

No Sweat Fashions Ltd

Noah’s Ark Resource Centre

Northside Community Service Ltd.

Palliative Care ACT

Parentline ACT Inc.

Pegasus Riding for the Disabled Inc.

People with Disabilities ACT Inc.

Picking Up the Peaces

Post and Ante Natal Depression Support & Info. Inc.

Prisoners Aid (ACT) Inc.

Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre

Regional Development Australia ACT

Relationships Australia Canberra and Region Inc.

Religious Society of Friends Inc.

RSI & Overuse Injury Assn of the ACT, Inc.

SEE-Change Inc.

Self Help Organisations United Together Inc.

Sexual Health & Family Planning ACT Inc.

Shareability Inc.

Sharing Places Inc.

SIDS and Kids ACT

Softlaw Community Projects Limited

Southside Community Services Inc.

St John’s Care

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St Vincent de Paul Society

Superannuated Commonwealth Officers’ Association

Technical Aid to the Disabled (ACT) Inc.

Ted Noffs Foundation

Tenants’ Union ACT

The Cancer Council ACT

The Salvation Army - ACT & Sth NSW Division

The Smith Family

Toora Women Inc.

Tuggeranong Link Community Houses & Centres

Unions ACT

Uniting Church in Australia - Presbytery of Canberra Region

UnitingCare Disability

University of Canberra Students Association Inc.

Victims of Crime Assistance League ACT Inc.

Volunteering ACT

Warehouse Circus Inc.

Welfare Rights & Legal Centre

Woden Community Service Inc.

Women with Disabilities ACT

Women’s Centre for Health Matters Inc.

Women’s Electoral Lobby - ACT Branch

Women’s Legal Centre (ACT Region) Inc.

Youth Coalition of the ACT

YWCA of Canberra

Affiliate Members

Just Better Care Canberra & South East NSW

Legal Aid ACT

Queanbeyan City Council

QuestCare

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Associate Members

C Ansted

L Bochenek

A Bootle

C Box

R Brown

J Carty

D Collins

L Cox

A Cresswell

P Cubitt

J Donnelly

S Ellerman

G Evans

M Flynn

J Graham

L Harris

P Kendall

A Kilpatrick

J Kitchin

K Korsch

G Lazarus

J Lintern

R Little

D Lucas

K Lyttle

R McGowan

A McLaughlin

C Moore

K Oddy

P O’Flaherty

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B Orr

R Refshauge

A Rowe

E Street

T Tahana

R Vassarotti

G Weir

E Wensing

J Wood

Life Members

J Moran

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MediaACTCOSS continued to build our role as a commentator on current issues, and engaged with the media to build awareness of and support for our social change agenda. Our commentary and messages were picked up by the following media outlets:

2CA

2CC

666 ABC Canberra

ABC 1

Canberra FM News (104.7, 106.3)

Northside Chronicle

Prime 7 ACT

The Canberra Times

WIN News

Canberra Weekly

We have also made use of social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. These platforms engage more directly with citizens and opinion-shapers as well as facilitating mainstream media engagement. Our Facebook page has 105 friends, including local MLAs, leaders in other industries, people involved in community organisations and services and people interested in social justice and local politics.

ACTCOSS continued to use its Twitter account to contribute to the public debate on social policy and sector reform, disseminate information on resources, training and events, and promote a range of campaigns related to Anti-Poverty Week 2013, human rights, the Federal Budget, promoting NAIDOC Week and community sector programs. Of particular note was our social media engagement during ACT Budget week, including interactions with several Ministers and other community organisations, and live coverage of ACTCOSS events and activities across the week, such as the ACTCOSS ACT Budget Forum which saw #ACTCOSSBudget2014 trending on Twitter. Our Twitter followers increased in 2013-14 from 772 to 1030, and there was a noticeable increase of followers initiating contact with ACTCOSS on issues important to the sector and wider Canberra community.

Media releases ‘Unmet Needs Key Concern of Community Services’, Australian

Community Sector Survey Report 2013, 1 July 2013

‘ACT Community Leaders Talk Philanthropy’, 17 July 2013

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‘Need combination of measures to get people off welfare and into work’, 30 August 2013

‘Canberra community needs support to cope with significant job losses’, 30 August 2013

‘Tax Reform Key to Balancing Federal Budget’, 3 September 2013

‘Higher cost of living means Canberra’s hidden poor do it tougher’, Anti-Poverty Week 2013 Committee, 11 October 2013

‘Resource developed to support landlords and property managers to assist tenants to lower utility costs’, 18 October 2013

‘ACT Medicare Local and ACTCOSS embrace Human Services Blueprint’, 7 November 2013

‘ACTCOSS Celebrates Fifty Years of Community Building’, 14 November 2014

‘Comments on Care’, 19 December 2013

‘Fairness and consistency needed in Welfare Review’, 21 January 2014

‘No room for complacency on status of women’, 8 March 2014

‘The wrong sort of change: Racial Discrimination Act’, 28 March 2014

‘Report on the Human Rights Audit on the Conditions of Detention of Women at the Alexander Maconochie Centre’, 21 May 2014

‘Canberrans have easier access to better human services’, 29 May 2014

‘ACT Budget: Positive commitment, modest investment – but is it enough?’, 3 June 2014

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Publications

NewslettersACTCOSS saw a growing interest from members, community service organisations and the wider community wanting to publish in the quarterly ACTCOSS newsletter, Update. The topics we focused on in 2013-14 were:

Housing and homelessness – Issue 65, Spring 2013

Co-design – Issue 66, Summer 2013-14

Women in the ACT: Frustrated, motivated, activated – Issue 67, Autumn 2014

Criminal justice matters – Issue 68, Winter 2014

ACTCOSS posted hard copies of the newsletters to financial members.

Formal publicationsWe also produced a number of formal publications, which are available on the ACTCOSS website:

Beyond the Sound Bite: Report to the Community from the ACT Council of Social Service 2013 Federal Election Candidates Forum, Sep 2013

Disadvantage in the ACT: Report for Anti-Poverty Week 2013, Oct 2013

Reducing energy and water costs in rental properties, factsheet, Oct 2013

ACTCOSS Annual Report 2012-13, Nov 2013

Exploring the Feasibility of a Citizen Advocacy Program in the ACT Community: A Scoping Research Study, Dec 2013

Gulanga Activity Book, Feb 2014

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Toolkit, revised edition, Feb 2014

ACT 2014-15 Budget Snapshot, Jun 2014

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ACTCOSS CommitteeExecutive Committee Attended Apologies

President (elected Nov 2013, 2 yr term)Jenny Kitchin, Anglicare ACT

3/5 2

Vice President (elected Nov 2012, 2 yr term)Darlene Cox, Health Care Consumers Association

2/5 3

Treasurer (elected Nov 2013, 1 yr term)Vice President (term ended Nov 2013)Simon Rosenberg, Northside Community Service

5/5 0

Secretary (elected by Committee, Dec 2012)Cheryl Pollard, DUO

3/5 2

Treasurer (resigned Sep 2013)Tania Tahana, Associate Member

0/1 1

Ordinary Members Attended Apologies

Brendan Church, Aboriginal Justice Centre (elected Nov 2012, 2 yr term) 2/5 3

Paul Cubitt, Associate Member (resigned Sep 2013) 1/1 0

Miranda Garnett, Koomarri (elected Nov 2013, 2 yr term) 3/3 0

Fiona MacGregor, YWCA Canberra (elected Nov 2012, 2 yr term) 5/5 0

Nathalie Maconachie, SIDS and Kids ACT (elected Nov 2012, 2 yr term) 3/5 2

Sandi McGowan, Marymead Child and Family Centre (term ended Nov 2013)

2/3 1

Alexa McLaughlin, Associate Member (elected Nov 2013, 2 yr term) 3/3 0

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Ordinary Members Attended Apologies

Lucy Mitchell, Marymead Child and Family Centre (elected Nov 2013, 2 yr term)

3/3 0

Camilla Rowland, Karralika Programs (elected Nov 2012, 2 yr term) 5/5 0

Emma Walter, Woden Community Service (term ended Nov 2013) 1/2 1

Note: In 2013-14 there were five face-to-face meetings as the June meeting was deferred due to a lack of quorum. We made decisions on items that needed to be determined before the end of the financial year through an out-of-session process.

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