TasCOSS will hold a post-Budget briefing for the community sector at 4.30pm on State Budget Day, Thursday 23 May, at the first-floor meeting room, McDougall Building, Ellerslie Rd, Battery Point. Human Services and Community Development Minister Cassy O'Connor will attend the briefing, which will be followed by refreshments. For catering purposes, please RSVP by Tuesday 21 May to beng@tascoss.org.au or phone 6231 0755. Find us, map and access information here.  (Two-hour free on-street parking spaces are usually available in Ellerslie Rd and metered parking in Hampden Road.)

A more detailed State Budget analysis will be prepared and presented by TasCOSS on Tuesday 11 June, 10am-12.30pm, at the Tailrace Centre, Launceston. Please RSVP by Thursday 6 June to beng@tascoss.org.au or phone 6231 0755.

The TasCOSS submission on priorities for the 2013-14 State Budget, Fundamentals for a healthy and equitable Tasmania, focuses on four fundamental needs:

1. The need to tackle key social determinants of health

2. The need to further protect vulnerable Tasmanians

3. The need to strengthen human services systems

4. The need to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the community services sector in Tasmania.

 

 

Federal funding for DisabiltyCare and Gonski great but what about Newstart?

TasCOSS was part of a broad-based national campaign calling for Newstart and other Centrelink allowances to be raised by $50 a week in the Federal Budget. The solid funding commitments for DisabilityCare Australia and the Gonski education reforms are very welcome but we are disappointed that little has been done to alleviate the poverty of Australians on the lowest incomes. Read the TasCOSS Federal Budget 2013 media release.

Here is the Australians for Affordable Housing campaign's response to the Budget: Housing crisis to deepen following Federal budget.

 

 

Standards and Performance Pathways: 40 early-bird discounts left

Only 40 early-bird discounts on subscriptions to the Standards and Performance Pathways remain, with 80 organisations now subscribed at a 60% discount. Don't miss this DHHS-subsidised opportunity to slash the time and cost of quality standards and compliance reporting. The TasCOSS SPP Portal is now open. Click here to subscribe. For more information, including subscription costs, see the TasCOSS Standards and Performance Pathways web page or contact Tim Tabart on 6231 0755, tim@tascoss.org.au

 

 

Guide to purchasing insurance for community sector organisations

The TasCOSS Shared Services page now includes some resources to assist  community sector organisations in addressing their insurance needs. See the Shared Services page for this and more useful resources, as well as opportunities for sharing services, accommodation and purchasing power. You can contact TasCOSS Shared Services project manager Gus Risberg on gus@tascoss.org.au or (03) 6231 0755.

 

 

Transport in the Community project

 TasCOSS has begun the preparatory work on a project to address the lack of access to transport for low-income and otherwise transport-disadvantaged Tasmanians. The aim is to stimulate and enable bottom-up coordination, integration and innovation across the full spectrum of passenger transport in Tasmania. Find out more about the TasCOSS Transport in the Community project.

 

 

Call for feedback on draft DHHS Quality and Standards Framework

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking feedback on the Quality and Safety Standards Framework for Tasmania's DHHS-funded Community Sector - Consultation Draft. This document outlines the requirements of the Standards Framework and the roles and responsibilities of DHHS-funded community sector organisations and the DHHS. You can provide feedback through TasCOSS by contacting Tim Tabart on tim@tascoss.org.au or 6231 0755. To provide feedback direct to DHHS, email communitysector.quality@dhhs.tas.gov.au or address to Community Sector Quality and Safety Team, Level 1, 1 Civic, Square Launceston, TAS 7250. The feedback period ends COB Friday 31 May.

 

 

Workforce Development Plan 2012-15

TasCOSS worked with relevant sector peaks to facilitate and develop  the Tasmanian Workforce Development Plan 2012-15. For more information, go to the Workforce Development page of this website, or contact Dale Rahmanovic on (03) 6231 0755 or dale@tascoss.org.au. 

 

 

Measuring social outcomes a priority area

 Measuring the social outcomes -- the effectiveness -- of the work one's organisation does is a priority area in the development of the community sector. View TasCOSS Sector Development Manager Lindsey Moffatt talking about this, along with other presentations, at the Centre for Social Impact's Measuring Social Outcomes conference in February 2013. 

 

 

Tasmanian community sector profile adds to the picture

The DHHS has released a profile of the Tasmanian community sector, which was created from data captured from the Community Sector Salary Census 2012. Download the Community Sector Profile 2013.

 

 

 

Findings of TasCOSS 2012 indexation survey

A  survey to explore the impacts of reduced indexation of DHHS funding on community service organisations has found that,  regardless of size, location or service focus area, organisations are finding strategic or long-term planning impossible and the delivery of core services to clients challenging. Download the TasCOSS Indexation Impact Survey 2012 report here. For more information, contact Lindsey Moffatt,  Lindsey@tascoss.org.au or phone (03) 6231 0755.  

 

 

Review of TasCOSS

 The Department of Health and Human Services is undertaking a review of the work of TasCOSS over the past three years as the community services sector peak organisation in Tasmania. The review, being conducted by 3p Consulting, is seeking input from stakeholders. An online survey is open for completion. Find out more about the review of TasCOSS here.