Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) has shared the consultation draft of its latest guide, designed for multicultural communities to start or extend engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Peoples.

Caring Fairly found 42 percent of unpaid carers have lost some or all regular income since COVID-19, and 86 percent were spending more money on living costs. Read the summary of results from their Carer Survey here.

Better Renting are conducting a survey, using the responses to develop a report and push for more changes to support renters. Click here to take the short survey.

Centre for Social Impact is producing a series of fact sheets addressing social issue areas in the context of COVID-19. Click for the list, which includes Indigenous Financial Impacts, Homelessness, and Protecting People with Disability to name a few.

COVID-19 Insights from the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) Research and Policy Centre highlight how groups of people in Australia are affected, and propose policy responses. Read the first Insight.

National COVID-19 Coordination Commission has established a not-for-profit working group to provide recommendations to lessen the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable people and the sector.

Position/Title: Manager, Asylum Seeker Services

Organisation: Settlement Services International

Q: What is your favourite part of your job?

A: Supporting asylum seekers living in the community through building partnerships with other community organisations providing coordinated assistance in a holistic way, and supporting asylum seekers to establish strong links within their own community and the broader Australian community. 

Q: Can you outline one of your proudest moments?

A: In my career development with SSI, I successfully obtained a sponsorship through ACOSS to attend the Young Leaders Forum in 2018, delivered by McKinsey & Company.

Q: How has COVID-19 affected your day-to-day work?

A: I have been managing my team supporting asylum seekers with the team working from home, contacting our clients mostly by phone but also where required to process documents, seeing clients by appointment in the office or taking them to medical appointments and conducting home visits. 

Q: Once the pandemic is over, will you continue to use measures implemented during COVID?

A: Providing in language information to asylum seekers via email and phone is a positive to come out of our support to asylum seekers. Video conference case conferences are going to be more utilised in the social work case management, collaborative community of practice groups, and inter-agency meetings moving forward.  

From the Heart is an education project created to show the Australian community that an Indigenous Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution is fair, is practical, and that it is time that we make this change in the interests of our shared future. Launched last week, the commencement of the Project coincides with the three-year anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which was delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from all over the country and from all walks of life.

The Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak organisations (the Coalition of Peaks) has today launched a website aimed at engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap to be agreed with Australian governments and how it will work in their communities. The new website tells the story of who the Coalition of Peaks is, why it formed and how its community-controlled members are working with Australian governments to improve life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In addition to the website, the Coalition of Peaks is launching the following social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

A new report launched today by Social Ventures Australia (SVA) and the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) forecasts the impact of COVID-19 on the sector. The report, Will Australian charities be COVID-19 casualties or partners in recovery? A Financial Health Check, models the potential impact on the financial health of Australia’s 16,000 registered charities with employees (excluding those run purely by volunteers) to better understand the effects and identify systemic solutions.

Australia Post have created a national letterbox where, from now until 18 August, you can write a letter to share your experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. They're working with National Archives of Australia, where eligible Dear Australia letters will be kept for future generations. This will enable all Australians to record their impressions of this moment in time. Letters could contain a message of hope, a story of community spirit, a description of how this event has changed your life; it could even incorporate a piece of your child's artwork.

MacKillop Family Services (MacKillop) is celebrating National Reconciliation Week 2020 by unveiling its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP outlines the actions – based on the feedback from Aboriginal communities and staff – that MacKillop will take over the next two years to inform the way it works and many of these actions are already underway, including mandatory cultural awareness training for all MacKillop staff and acknowledgement plaques for all MacKillop offices and residential homes.

• Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) has developed the Families in Focus webinar series - Multiple dates available - see full program here

• Australia’s largest social change conference is going online this year, with Virtual Progress 2020 - June 23 - 24, 2020 - click here to register

• Connecting Up are hosting the Leadership Webinar Series, dedicated to helping not-for-profits design 20/21 strategies with confidence - multiple dates, running from 10 June to 1 July - click here for more information and to register

• Pro Bono Australia have upcoming webinars which will focus on optimising employee engagement, and using journey mapping to adapt services for the COVID-19 world - multiple dates available - click here, and here for more information and to register

• Australia at Home will host the Filthy, Rich, and Homeless lunch webinar on the eve of the latest season of the SBS docu-drama of the same name - 5 June, 2020 - click here for more information and to register
  

• Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) have improved online resources in languages other than English making it easier for people from diverse communities to access financial dispute resolution, including a series of videos featuring AFCA’s people speaking their own first language - Watch the new videos here

• The Australian Red Cross is supporting people in isolation and is providing food and essentials to people on low incomes, and have created an information hub with practical tips on how to look after yourself and your community. Click here to access the hub

• Australian Federation of Aids Organisations (AFAO) is working with its member organisations to ensure the needs of people with HIV are met, as well as the needs of LGBTIQ+ people who access member organisations’ services. Click here for info

• Australian Unemployed Workers Union (AUWU) is providing updates on income support via social media and offers a volunteer-run hotline to discuss Centrelink issues

• Australian Progress have developed a COVID-19 Messaging Guide to assist communities and organisations working to respond to COVID-19

Public Health Association of Australia discusses the call for 10 days of taxpayer-funded paid pandemic leave for workers, including casuals.

The Smith Family charity has been helping thousands of students through the COVID-19 crisis. Its teams have identified eight major issues highlighted by the crisis, including mental health concerns, food insecurity and the "digital divide"

Growing our economy with a job creation agenda at its centre is both decent and politically expedient, writes Joe Zabar, deputy CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia.

New @MissionAust #YoungWillingAble report shows young people with #disability 2x as likely to feel sad about their lives than peers. Must increase support services for families of young ppl with disability, improve accessibility of information & access to #mentalhealth services. pic.twitter.com/iyoBWK1xHC

— Mission Australia (@MissionAust) May 20, 2020