Thursday, 7 May, 2020

Message from the CEO

I’m delighted to welcome you to the first edition of the ACOSS Community Hub. As we find ourselves physically distant, the aim of this publication is to promote communication and connection amongst us. We hope it will be a trusted source for you to stay up to date with major developments, and as a hub for information, engagement and networking. The Hub will be highlighting the excellent work happening across our sector as we respond to this crisis now and over the longer term. It aims to share the best ideas, profile great work, introduce new people, link you up, and build communities of interest amongst our diverse membership. We will be working closely with our State and Territory colleagues in the COSS Network, with a regular feature, the COSS Corner. Thanks for all the great ideas that led to this new initiative.  We hope you enjoy it, and find it useful! 

- Dr. Cassandra Goldie
CEO of ACOSS

 
Community Contributions

Social Ventures Australia has created 7 Steps for keeping the lights on: Support for social enterprises (COVID-19 impact response)

The COVID-19 Rapid Advocacy Fund is offering grants and building a pool of funding to support strategic grassroots advocacy responses to the pandemic in Australia

The Women’s Services Network (WESNET) has created a comprehensive resources page for DFV agencies wanting to use technology during the COVID-19 pandemic


COTA Australia, National Seniors Australia, Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) and Dementia Australia’s COVID-19 hotline is now live to assist with queries for older Australians

Group of Eight universities (Go8) has developed a comprehensive report, charting a Roadmap to Recovery following the COVID-19 global pandemic. Click here for more information, and the full report

The National Debt Helpline is a not-for-profit service that helps people in Australia tackle their debt problems through free financial counselling

Community Conversations
NATSILS call on Government to prevent COVID-19 deaths in custody

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) and State Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS), are urging “Governments to do everything in their power prevent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody due to COVID-19”. In particular, they are calling for early release of prisoners, with priority given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, many of whom suffer from chronic illness, live with disability and/or have family members, including elderly relatives and children, who rely on their support. We understand there are currently no immediate plans to implement early release of prisoners due to COVID-19. Please sign this petition to stop COVID Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Read NATSILS policy statement on COVID-19
Good Things Foundation launches new COVID-19 grant

Good Things Foundation has launched a brand new grant to support organisations to purchase devices to loan to older Australians in their communities who face barriers to getting online. The aim is to reduce social isolation and improve access to information and connections to community, services and digital skills support during COVID-19.

See full overview of the Digital Devices grant
Anglicare releases Rental Affordability Snapshot

Anglicare Australia is calling on the government to raise the rate of income support payments for good. The call is made as Anglicare Australia releases its Rental Affordability Snapshot. The Snapshot surveyed almost 70,000 rental listings across Australia and found that there is still a chronic shortage of affordable rentals across Australia – even after recent income support increases. Click here for more information.

Read the full Rental Affordability Snapshot
Economic Justice Australia responds to service demand

Economic Justice Australia’s (EJA) member legal centres have been responding to significant increases in demand for their services, with unprecedented numbers of people affected by COVID-19 claiming Centrelink payments and finding it difficult to navigate the complex social security system and Centrelink processes. EJA has produced factsheets on COVID-19 and Centrelink, which explain eligibility and how to apply for JobSeeker Payment and the Coronavirus Supplement, as well as a factsheet specifically for people receiving the Disability Support Pension. EJA continues its work to ensure that particularly vulnerable groups, such as temporary visa holders, people seeking asylum and refugees, are not left without support, especially during this public health crisis. Follow EJA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Click here for EJA self-help resources
Connecting Up provides tools for WFH transition

To celebrate World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April), we’d like to share this helpful list developed by Connecting Up, which provides an overview free and discounted tools to assist organisations who have had to make the transition to working from home. The page includes resources to ensure a smooth switch out of the office, including links to Connecting Up online courses which you and your team members are able to sign up to!

See list of free or discounted work tools
 
Community Sector Events
  • The COSS Network is delivering focused webinars on the applicability and accounting for JobKeeper payments for NFPs and charities

    A webinar recording can be found on the WACOSS website

  • UNSW Centre for Social Impact is providing free daily webinars through their impact2020 webinar series 

    Multiple dates throughout May, click here for more information on the program

  • Australia at Home offers lunchtime briefings, presenting a leader of civil society to join in an interactive conversation

    Multiple dates available, click here for more information on the program

  • Consumer Health Forum of Australia (CHF) are hosting a webinar for those who want to know more about telehealth in the age of COVID-19

    8 May, 2020 - click here for more information

Community Sector Resources
  • Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) has created an information hub for people with disability on COVID-19. DANA has also created a hub of simple, plain English advocacy resources to assist organisations in better supporting people with disability for the duration of the pandemic.
  • Volunteering Australia have compiled COVID-19 information for organisations who work with volunteers.
  • Mackillop Family Services have adapted their services in light of COVID-19 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and their families, as well as staff. Mackillop have also compiled resources, activities and tips for self-isolation to support foster carers, families and people with disability during the pandemic.

ACOSS is constantly working to provide an up-to-date list of COVID-19 resources offered by our members. Click here for the full list.

COSS Corner
The latest news from State and Territory Councils of Social Service

The Federal Government clarifications to JobKeeper were welcome for many services - WACOSS partnered with Professor David Gilchrist from the University of Western Australia to provide crucial information to the sector nationally. A webinar recording can be found on the WACOSS website. 

SACOSS released their latest Cost of Living update which shows that some households are likely to be better off during the COVID-19 crisis, and calling for people who have not been financially hit to donate to support their local charities. See the media release or read the report.

Adrienne Picone, formerly the CEO of Volunteering Australia, will take on the role of TasCOSS CEO following the departure of Kym Goodes. She will start work with TasCOSS on 17 June 2020 - click here for more information.

NCOSS has launched the results of their Cost of Living in NSW survey undertaken in 2019, it highlights the significant cost of living pressures experienced by many households in NSW and the drastic measures taken to get by – many likely to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week ACTCOSS united with Women’s Centre for Health Matters, Women’s Legal Centre ACT and Professor Lorana Bartels to support National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services’ (NATSILS) COVID-19 policy statement and to call for its implementation in the ACT. The NATSILS statement calls on government, police, courts and corrections agencies to play their part in keeping our people safe and stop the virus ravaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Read more here.

QCOSS’ CEO, Aimee McVeigh updates the Queensland sector on a weekly basis with a short video. This week Aimee talks JobKeeper and welcomes changes made to not-for-profit eligibility, the Senate Inquiry report into the adequacy of JobSeeker payments, and movement in Queensland’s Care Army. Check it out here.

VCOSS is lobbying the Victorian Government to make a social housing construction blitz central to the state's COVID-19 recovery strategy, as new RMIT research reveals two decades of squandered opportunities for housing investment.

The NT Government released the evaluation of the minimum unit price of alcohol. The minimum unit price was advocated for by NTCOSS and many other organisations and has resulted in declines in harm including alcohol-related ED presentations and alcohol-related assaults, showing the evidence-based policy when implemented is extremely effective.

Members in the Media
'Frustration as welfare recipients told they have to wait longer for coronavirus supplement'

Australian Unemployed Workers Union spokesperson Jeremy Poxon said thousands of Australians could have been affected after already waiting more than a month for the payment to kick in since the 22 March announcement.

Read more
'COVID-19: Food security, medical supplies and isolation'

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation CEO Pat Turner says she would like to see a roll-out of rapid-testing equipment throughout Indigenous communities.

Listen here
'Youth unemployment set to surge during COVID-19 pandemic'

Brotherhood of St Laurence Executive Director Conny Lenneberg discusses how young people will be disproportionately affected by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Listen here
 
Member Tweet

#COVID19au has shown how important our homes are - to our safety, our wellbeing, to everything.
And how easily so many people's housing situation unravelled.
Can you call on @ScottMorrisonMP @AlboMP to make sure everyone has a home.#EverybodysHomehttps://t.co/YFEBK4P3IS pic.twitter.com/12z5lptw61

— Everybody's Home (@_EverybodysHome) April 29, 2020
 
We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the country on which we work, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

We recognise the right of all First Peoples around the country to self-determination.

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

 Facebook  Twitter  Web
 

If you would like further information on the ACOSS Community Hub, or if you're interested in contributing to future editions, please click here to get in touch

Unsubscribe /  Forward this email