FindHelpTAS, a COVID rapid response group, and covering the basics

All the latest news from the Councils of Social Service of Australia.

ACOSS

National Cabinet must find new ways to address the reality that those with the least are being hit hardest by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They’re at the back of the queue to access boosters and rapid antigen tests, and most at risk as Omicron continues to spread across the country just as schools prepare to reopen. With many service systems under severe strain, ACOSS has written urgently to the National Cabinet, urging them to create a civil society COVID Rapid Response Group consisting of ACOSS, unions, business peaks and public health experts to address the impacts of the rampant spread of the Omicron COVID variant. The letter identifies a further nine policy recommendations that respond to the rapidly changing situation on the ground. The letter calls on the prime minister and National Cabinet to adopt these recommendations, in addition to 42 recommendations provided to them on 12 January. ACOSS is calling on National Cabinet to address all 51 recommendations. Click here to learn more and read the letter. 

TasCOSS

Seeking help or assistance? Be sure to give the new FindHelpTAS Facebook page a “like”. FindHelpTAS is a free online directory of community services for all Tasmanians. You can find advice, counselling, support groups, food relief, local community activities and everything in between – online, over the phone or face-to-face. There are over 900 programs listed from more than 400 community service organisations. See for yourself at www.findhelptas.org.au. You can also become a member organisation and list your services.  

SACOSS

SACOSS is issuing a powerful call for SA political leaders to step up and commit to “covering the basics” in their pre-election commitments, and post-election actions. On this list are measures for rental affordability; digital inclusion; a fairer concessions system; safe affordable drinking water; investment in public health and prevention; and a range of other protection and support measures. Find out more. 

NCOSS

In the lead-up to the state budget in June, the NCOSS Pre-Budget Submission 2022-23 calls on the NSW government to: 

• ensure people have a safe, healthy, accessible and affordable place to call home; 
• invest in essential support, social cohesion and job security for women by boosting recurrent baseline funding for the social services sector by 20 per cent; and 
• embed place-based NGOs in emergency management systems to improve local emergency responses and recovery. 

Read the full Pre-Budget Submission 2022-23 and strengthen its impact by endorsing here. 

QCOSS

Want to sharpen your tender writing skills? QCOSS is hosting a series of webinars and workshops in February and March on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) program. These not only provide a useful overview of the SQW program, but also deliver handy tips and tricks for anyone looking to refine their skills at writing grant and funding applications. Register now. 

WACOSS

Alongside Unions WA and the Youth Affairs Council of WA, WACOSS are seeking working people to complete our 2022 Jobs Survey. In particular, we want to hear from people who are on low incomes or who are struggling to find permanent, secure work. What the unemployment figures don’t tell us is how many people in our community are struggling to get by with not enough hours at work to live on, or whose shifts vary wildly from week to week. To help build a strong, collective voice on job security and worker wellbeing we need to hear from low income workers so that our advocacy can be stronger. We know it’s a big ask, but if you have capacity then please take the time to fill out this year’s survey. 

ACTCOSS

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services and ACTCOSS have welcomed news that the average daily number of prisoners in the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) has gone down but expressed deep concern about the ongoing over-incarceration of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Read the joint media release here. 

NTCOSS

The next budget comes at a challenging time during a period of rapid change in the NT. Over the past year there has been continued, exceptional levels of cooperation and coordination between community, political leaders, government departments, community service providers and businesses in responding to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. NTCOSS calls on the NT government to deliver a budget that puts people and community at the centre. The NTCOSS Pre-Budget Submission recommends investment initiatives to the NT government for inclusion in the 2022-23 budget and in subsequent budgets. Learn more.

VCOSS

VCOSS has a new-look fortnightly newsletter, replacing the old eNews. They have called it Amplify because that’s what it will do: turn up the volume on our sector’s achievements, get loud about issues and opportunities, and increase the voice of VCOSS members. Click here to subscribe.

This article was contributed by ACOSS Community Hub.