With almost 50 per cent of the Australian population born overseas, or having a parent that was born overseas, it is not adequate to consider the needs and experiences of migrants as an afterthought or add-on, Settlement Services International (SSI) says. To have any success in reducing DFV in Australia, we must imbed into our national plan specialised multicultural services, free access to interpreters, and emergency support for women on temporary visas. Read more

Mental Health Australia launched its calendars for Mental Health Month, including daily ideas to look after their mental health in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. Mental Health Australia’s downloadable and printable calendars are tailored with some great tips for different audiences, including: the general public, young adults, families, older Australians, and workplaces. Click here to download and learn more

The Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (ASRC) has continued to work with leaders from the Afghanistan-Australian community to amplify their #ActionforAfghanistan campaign and keep the pressure on our Government to do more in response to the crisis. Learn more

Lowitja Institute, Australia’s national institute for community controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, has unveiled a landmark program of 20 new research grants that changes the way Indigenous health research is done in Australia. Click here to learn more

Next week is Feminist Book Week! Feminist Book Week is an initiative launched by YWCA to raise awareness of the sexism, unconscious bias and gender inequity that is still rampant in publishing and media, while celebrating female writers and diverse storytelling. Click here to learn more and get involved

Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, Australia's peak advocacy body for older Australians, has welcomed the establishment of the Council of Elders, which will consult and advise the Federal Government on aged care reform, signalling an important commitment to giving older Australians a genuine voice in decisions about aged care. Read more

Save the Children Australia warmly welcomed a national focus on children's mental health and wellbeing, noting the plan has arrived at a critical time for children's mental health support and recovery. Click here to read more

Carers are people who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental health condition, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged – anyone at any time can become a carer.

National Carers Week is an opportunity to raise community awareness among all Australians about the diversity of carers and their caring roles.

National Carers Week is an initiative of Carers Australia, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, and coordinated with the assistance and participation of the National Carer Network.

In Australia today 2.65 million adults and children struggle to survive on income payments that are well below the poverty line, that’s over one in 10 Australians - including 940,000 children (1 in 5) who are growing up in the poorest families. Many are at risk of homelessness due to a shortage of affordable housing. An additional 1.9 million adults are facing the loss of COVID Disaster payments and risk falling into poverty if they are forced to rely on inadequate JobSeeker payments as low as $45 a day. It’s not right in a wealthy country like Australia, especially in light of achievements last year when the Federal Government’s Coronavirus Supplement reduced poverty for so many.

This Anti-Poverty Week (17-23 October) is calling on governments to unlock poverty for millions of Australians by raising income support above the poverty line and investing in social housing.

As more of our lives move online, it has never been more important for everyone to have affordable access to the internet and be confident using technology. Next week, Good Things Foundation Australia’s digital inclusion campaign, #GetOnlineWeek, is helping Australians to improve their digital skills and learn more about how to ‘Get online. Get connected’ through hundreds of community events.

Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA), say a report by the national organisation for children and young people with disability shows that some of the country's most at-risk groups are being left behind in the race to reopen the country.

"The report, based on survey data of more than 150 families of children with disability and young people with disability, shows over 70% of respondents experienced difficulties in securing vaccinations, either for themselves as young people, or as parents/carers on behalf of young people, or as parents/carers securing their own vaccinations. Worryingly, 62% of survey respondents were parents and carers who reported difficulty in securing a vaccination for their child or children, despite this group being recognised as one of the most 'at risk' populations and being touted for months as part of the government's priority rollout." - Mary Sayers, CEO of Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)

• In Australia, 1 in 6 children live in poverty. No other age group is experiencing poverty more than Australia’s children. We know adequate income is key to addressing poverty - but we also know that poverty isn’t just about money. This Brotherhood of St Laurence run webinar will explore the question: What will it take to shift the dial on child and family poverty? - 19 October 2021 - Click here to register and learn more

   

• Lendlease are offering not-for-profits and community organisations access to training at no charge. The two week-long program offers virtual learning and networking opportunities designed to upskill and grow the capacity within the sector - 18-22 October 2021 - Click here for more information and to register
  
  
• Australia's most comprehensive energy efficiency event is taking its conference online this October. The virtual conference will bring together over 40 leading experts to help businesses take control of their energy costs and build greater resilience during these unprecedented times - 20 October 2022 - Click here to register and learn more

• The circumstances around when a not-for-profit organisation can require their workers and volunteers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are fast-changing and difficult to understand. In response to recent government announcements relating to mandatory vaccines for particular classes of workers and volunteers Justice Connect are hosting a free special webinar - 22 October 2021 - Click here for more information and to register

• Assistme Hub is a not-for-profit financial wellbeing service.
  It provides a web application for people seeking financial, emotional and social support in times of vulnerability. Click here to learn more

• The Carer Gateway supports clients and stakeholders who are carers and may not know that there is support out there to help them in the form of counselling, respite care (emergency and planned), personal care, domestic assistance, coaching, connecting you with other carers through peer support, purchase of laptops and mobile phones, online skills courses and financial support. There are additional services for young carers including tutoring to help with schoolwork and exam preparation, access to educational programs and driving lessons. Click here to access

• Pride in Health + Wellbeing runs a free national annual index (Health + Wellbeing Equality Index) that is free and open to every organisation, and you don’t have to be a member to take part. Click here to learn more

• Infoqore is transforming the way people with disabilities, providers and coordinators find disability and aged care services. Infoqore aims to lower the complexity of finding high-quality, verified information for NDIS providers and participants and more. Click here to learn more

Australia's expert panel on vaccines has approved the rollout of a third COVID-19 vaccine dose for those with severely weakened immune systems.

Advice for the general population is expected to be released later this month.

It comes as some disability advocates raise concerns that efforts to vaccinate people in parts of the country have been sluggish.

ABC News Radio's Tom Oriti spoke to Damian Griffis from the First People's Disability Network about those concerns.

“I don’t accept there was a de-prioritisation,” said Murphy, who instead called it a “refocusing on residential aged care”.

“That has probably saved over a thousand lives in aged care, because all of our advice was that was the highest-risk population.”

Samantha Connor, the president of People With Disability Australia, was not impressed by Murphy’s response.

Foodbank's pop-up has served students of more than 120 different nationalities since last October, the charity's Victoria CEO Dave McNamara said.

It started in response to international students "not receiving any federal assistance at the time, and not being able to work or return home at the time". 

Today the ACT has published a roadmap to #RaiseTheAge! It sets out clear & achievable steps to ensure that no child under 14 years old is arrested, criminalised or imprisoned in the ACT. It is a roadmap to a safer and more supportive community for all.https://t.co/ghSW6nzZxU

— Change the Record (@Change_Record) October 11, 2021