Following the presentation by Dr Harald Klein, Director Neighbourhood Renewal at the the Community Colleges Victoria conference on the 13th of August in Lancefield, please find link below to a PDF version of the presentation.
Do you have a new committee or board member? Or do you need a refresher on what your legal responsibilities are? If so, here is a date for your diary: Tuesday 9 February 2010
Topic: Board members: roles, responsibilities, liabilities and protections
Registrations will open in early January, but please send us your contact details if you are interested so we can reserve a place and we can send you an email about registration: connect@pilch.org.au.
VICTORIAWORKS FOR CARERS RETURNING TO WORK
Recently Community Colleges Victoria was awarded a contract by the Victorian Government to deliver 225 grants for the Victoriaworks for carers returning to work program through CCV members and other ACE providers. The program was launched by Minister Lisa Neville at CCV member Upper Yarra Community House on 26th October (click on www.communitycolleges.vic.edu.au/news.html for more information). The project will be managed through Otway Community College.
The Victoriaworks for carers returning to work grants are designed to help carers who need support to update their existing skills or who are seeking to train for other areas of paid employment. Community Colleges and other ACE providers can access funding of up to $1,000 per eligible carer to cover any costs associated with approved training.
Please find attached the following 3-fold brochures:
Information for participating organisations – provides information about how you, as a CCV member, can access the grants for your eligible students
Information for carers – provides information to carers about how they can access the grants
These grants will be available until 31st December 2010.
For more information about how to access the grants, contact Jan Healey or Peter Macdonald on (03) 5231 9500 or otwaycommunitycollege@occ.vic.edu.au
NEW TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CARERS ACROSS VICTORIA
Up to 450 carers will receive help to return to the workforce under a new Brumby Labor Government jobs initiative.
Minister for Community Services Lisa Neville today launched the Victoriaworks for carers returning to work program today at the Brumby Labor Government Community Cabinet in Yarra Junction.
Speaking at the Upper Yarra Community House Ms Neville said that the new program will provide carers with the skills and support they need to return to the workforce.
“We are taking action to ensure that carers who want to return to the workforce after taking time out to care for their loved one have the skills and confidence to do so,” Ms Neville said.
“Through the Victorian State Disability Plan 2002-2012 the Brumby Labor Government is better meeting the needs of Victorian families and carers.
“The Victoriaworks for carers returning to work program includes $500,000 over four years in grants that will assist up to 450 carers find sustainable employment.
“Carers play a vital role in our community and often find it difficult to return to work after taking time out.
“Through this program we are supporting carers who have been absent from training, education or the paid workforce for more than two years because they were caring for a loved one with a disability, a mental illness or a chronic illness or health issue.
“We are providing grants to cover costs associated with approved training such as books and materials, course fees, transport, childcare, and respite care.”
Ms Neville made the announcement today while visiting the Upper Yarra Community House.
“The Upper Yarra Community House (UYCH) plays an active role in this community by offering a wide range of social and educational programs across the Yarra Valley district and beyond,” she said.
“UYCH are one of 21 training organisations in Victorian that, through Community Colleges Victoria, have been contracted to deliver 225 of the 450 grants to eligible carers across the State.
“This will give provide carers in the region with access to this support.”
Monday, 26 October 2009
CCV Tender Success
Community Colleges Victoria continues to be successful with funding applications, having recently secured two new tenders for State and Commonwealth Victoria-wide projects.
Carers Back to Work Grants (total project value $225,000), funded by Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, will support 225 carers to return to work who have been absent from education, training and/or the workforce for over two years whilst caring for someone:
with a disability
with a mental illness
with an illness or chronic health issue
Assistance will include:
Training
Work experience
Respite care/childcare
Transport costs
Resources such as books and equipment related to a course of study.
The project will be managed through Otway Community College. Grants will be available to any organisations funded through Adult, Community and Further Education.
Information about this program and how to register for places will be distributed through the ACFE Division and CCV network.
Making Trax (total project value $534,000), an Innovation Fund project funded by Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, is a highly innovative and exciting project aimed at young men aged 16-25 who face barriers to successful participation in the community as a result of childhood trauma, violence, abuse and neglect.
The program uses a very interactive and holistic approach, and works on the premise that long term change for people with significant barriers to work and participation will only be achieved with a long term approach that looks at the whole person, rather than just focusing on developing work skills.
Through group activities, mentoring and individual counselling the program aims to assist these young men to:
Identify the impact of these experiences
Explore such impact on their subsequent ability to successfully participate in personal relationships, parenting and employment
Identify and address learned behaviours which have arisen as a result of their life experiences, and develop strategies to overcome the negative impact of such behaviours
Provide skilled and committed mature male program leaders, mentors and role models to positively assist them to address the barriers caused by such life experiences
Build the capacity of each individual to successfully participate in the community, and to participate in future program development
The project will be delivered initially at three CCV member sites in Yarra Junction, Bairnsdale and Benalla over a twelve month period, and subject to positive evaluation and approval from DEEWR, rolled out to a further two CCV member sites for the following twelve months.
The project will develop and trial a model which can potentially be offered to Job Services Australia providers for their Stream 4 clients.
For more information contact Sally Brennan, CEO, Upper Yarra Community House,
(03) 5967-1776
Victorian ACE Awards
We offer sincere and warm congratulations to our Community Colleges members who won awards or were shortlisted at this year’s Victorian ACE Award ceremony held in the luxurious Sir Redmond Barry Room on the 19 August.
Outstanding ACE Organisation winner– Sandybeach Centre
In its everyday work, each Adult Community Education organisation is an outstanding contributor to its community of learners. So, the staff and volunteers of Sandybeach Centre felt very privileged to win the Outstanding ACE Organisation award in the 2009 Victorian Adult Community Education Awards, presented by the Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation, Jacinta Allan MP, on Wednesday 19th August.
Sandybeach focuses on five main areas of activity to meet its community’s needs: adult education including accredited courses; leisure activities as a significant fee-for-service operation; a multi-faceted program for adults with intellectual disabilities; occasional child care and an aged care program incorporating social support for frail and isolated elderly people, a respite program for people with dementia, and a carer support program.
Sandybeach is a partner, as project manager, with Hampton Community Centre, Family Life and Bayside Council in running skills based courses on the public housing estates in the area. In June, Sandybeach launched a new learning project with local secondary schools called Link and Learn. In this project, Sandybeach works with young people aged 15-25 to link them with older people in the early stages of dementia. Link and Learn will result in innovative planned activity groups to suit the needs of those in the early stages of dementia while the young people will achieve competencies in units of Certificate III in Aged Care.
Sandybeach Centre CEO, Rosemary Sharman, said: “Sandybeach Centre has built its expertise and excellent reputation in the community over many years. The individual efforts of our staff and volunteers combine to make a Sandybeach course a great experience for our learners.”
“Like all ACE organisations, we take extra steps to help our students achieve their goals, working with them one-to-one, outside class hours, whatever it takes to support that individual.”
“We are delighted to have won the Outstanding ACE Organisation award and for our learners, staff and volunteers to be recognised for their dedication and positive approach. We are particularly pleased that our work with our community partners is also recognised through the award,” Ms Sharman said.
The Award recognises leading practice in adult community education provision, organisational effectiveness and capability, linkages and partnerships and leadership and responsiveness to local needs.
Outstanding Koorie achievement in ACE winner - Education Centre Gippsland, Brayakoloong program
From its beginnings in a Work for the Dole scheme, the Brayakoloong program has continued with a variety of supports as a mechanism for Koorie men to build their knowledge of indigenous art, culture and heritage, further develop their artistic skills and improve their self esteem.
As well as benefitting those directly involved the project has been a catalyst for partnerships and collaboration between Education Centre Gippsland and a broad range of organisations to support ongoing initiatives to meet the needs of the Koorie communities of West Gippsland.
The initial success of the original Brayakoloong program has now lead to the introduction of a new dedicated arts group for Koorie women as well as the delivery of a school holiday program for West Gippsland indigenous children to learn more about their culture.
While art is a key element of the project, it has enabled the development of a range of other skills and participant learning has been broad and enriching.
Congratulations also to other Community Colleges Victoria members who were nominated and shortlisted in the following categories:
Outstanding ACE Learner –
Sharee Knott – The Centre, your community college
Outstanding ACE Practitioner -
David Lane, Education Centre Gippsland
Outstanding Koorie achievement in ACE –
Upper Yarra Community House – Oonah Pathways program
