Latest Training Sessions
Event Invitation – Understanding the Royal Commission
Celebrating 25 years of service
Name change
The Illawarra Forum is now proud to be known as the Community Industry Group. The name change was voted in by our members, at the recent Annual General Meeting, to better reflect the work we do and the greater geographic area we reach with our programs. We are currently in the process of updating our marketing materials and documents and will replace these on our website as they become available.
Position Vacant
Policy & Project Officer – Aboriginal Initiatives Community Industry Group is seeking an experienced and passionate person to support the growth and development of community services organisations in the Illawarra/Shoalhaven region; leading to more culturally appropriate service delivery and improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For more details please click here. Applications close 5pm, Sunday 11 February 2018.
Workforce Planning
Wednesday 14 February 2018 9.30am to 4pm, Illawarra Forum, 106B Industrial Road, Oak Flats Members $180, Non Members $280 Workforce challenges are a high priority for disability and aged care services. How do you get the right staff for the right job and retain them in the future? Move beyond band aid solutions for recruitment and retention with Workforce Planning. At the end of the training you will: • Identify the benefits of Workforce Planning for your organisation • Understand the process and resources needed for successful Workforce Planning • Learn how to integrate Workforce Planning into your organisations strategic and business planning • Develop skills to design and implement a Workforce Plan Click here for the full flyer.
Recruitment Strategies in the Aged and Disability sector
Increased competition for care workers in the aged and disability sector has led employers to look for creative strategies to hire the right person for the job. Traditional methods of recruitment are no longer returning the results needed. Here are some approaches for broadening your recruitment strategies to access a more comprehensive talent pool. University students – Both the aged and disability services are experiencing an aging workforce and are looking for a diverse workforce to match their client’s needs. Part time and casual employment suits many university student timetables. Students studying nursing, social work and psychology may have an interest in working in the industry prior to graduation but don’t limit yourself to those areas as many other students may have the skills and attributes you are looking for. Click here to access the UOW 2018 Employer Guide. For more comprehensive information, please click here. High School Students – […]
Working with Interpreters
Working effectively with interpreters is essential in delivering culturally responsive services to people from non-English speaking backgrounds. The Illawarra Forum has developed a simple fact sheet to assist community service professionals to effectively use interpreters with their clients. The fact sheet includes tips about when and how to use an interpreter, as well as some of the interpreting services available in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region. Click here to view the Working with Interpreters Fact Sheet.
Wellness and Reablement Self Audit
Illawarra Forum have developed a Wellness and Reablement (W&R) Self-Audit for CHSP services. This short questionnaire allows you to do a quick stocktake on where you are now in your W&R practice, and where you may want to look at changing your procedures. To do the questionnaire please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W3V2MQ5 We will also be using the data from these surveys to plan for future training, professional development and organisational support for 2018.
AGM 2017
Transport Disability Incentives and Subsidies Review Submission
The Illawarra Forum is pleased to have provided Transport for NSW with a submission regarding the recent Transport Disability Incentives and Subsidies Review 2017. Our submission reinforced our view that transport across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions remains a significant issue that is characterised by availability, affordability and geographical variety. Transport, specifically for people with a disability and for persons requiring wheelchair accessible travel, is often further restricted by physical access, reduced service availability, reliability and affordability. Whilst the Illawarra Forum supports recent amendments to Point-to-Point travel, and welcome increased choice and availability of differing modes of transport for people with disability, we urge Transport for NSW to provide continued leadership and commitment to safeguards, nationally accredited driver training and a transparent complaints process that ensures consumers of accessible travel are safe and protected. For further information on the submission, please contact Karen Kirk-Torresan at kkirktorresan@communityindustrygroup.org.au.
Annual General Meeting
The Illawarra Forum will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 7 December 2017, 9.30am at Warrigal Shell Cove, 50 Harbour Boulevard, Shell Cove. Our Guest Speaker is Karen Willis OAM. Karen is the Executive Officer, Rape and Domestic Violence Service Australia (R&DVSA), and has worked in the field of violence against women for over 30 years. She is a fearless advocate for women’s rights and particularly for those who have experienced sexual, domestic or family violence. Karen and her organisation strive to provide the highest standard of compassionate professional assistance to women affected by violence to aid their recovery. Recently, the R&DVSA withdrew their services for the 1800 Respect trauma counselling service after negotiations broke down with Medibank Health Solutions over the issue of handing over existing confidential client files. Light refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome to attend. To rsvp click here.
Aboriginal My Aged Care Session
Claire Bishop of NSW Health together with Sheree Rankmore from the Illawarra Forum provided a Koori My Aged Care (MAC) information session at the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation in Wollongong in November. The morning provided local elders with practical information with regard to how to best access MAC, the role that various agencies play in referring persons onto MAC, the assessment process, and what services are available once a MAC package is allocated. The elders were joined by service providers from across the region that provide culturally appropriate aged care services. The session further highlighted the confusion for consumers in accessing services and the lack of Home Care Packages available. Illawarra Forum will continue to lobby for the simplification of processes for consumers, and the increase of more packages for the region.