Quality and Safety - balancing reporting and improvement. Do community service organisations think DHHS have got it right? (May 2010)

This report presents results of a confidential TasCOSS survey of its members and other DHHS funded community service organisations to judge their level of satisfaction with, and the benefits and impacts of, the new DHHS Quality and Safety Framework – qualityFutures. A letter relating to the report and the actions it indicates need to be taken to improve the Framework was sent to David Roberts, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on 1st June 2010.

To download the report click here.

To view a copy of the survey questions click here.

Download the letter to David Roberts here.

 

Formalising Partnerships Kit (March 2010)

This Kit provides information and a practical tool for organisations who wish to enter formal partnership arrangements of one kind or another. While many partnerships are informal in nature, there are many situations where there is a need to develop a more structured or formal relationship. This may be to attract new funding – e.g. joining a consortia for service delivery, – or sharing resources and administration, or revising the way recurrent funding is applied – e.g. developing a Memorandum of Understanding aiming to deliver more holistic services.

The Kit is particularly for small to medium organisations, and aims to be a tool helping them to form partnerships where all the organisational and legal aspects have been considered, so they build on their own strengths and add value to the community.

To download the report click here.
Hard copies are also available. Contact: tim@tascoss.org.au

 

Making a difference: Towards an outcomes, performance and accountability framework for Tasmanian community services. (February 2010)

In Tasmania, DHHS has stated its intention that by July 1st 2010 all service agreements with community service organisations will be outcomes focused and reporting will be against agreed key performance indicators to measure progress towards specified outcomes. This Interim Report explores how an outcomes framework can work for both community organisations as well as government.
The report examines what outcomes are; why measure them; whether an outcomes focus makes a difference; key factors for implementing an outcomes framework; and, characteristics of a practical outcomes framework.
To download the report click here.

 

What’s culture got to do with it? The Role of Organisational Culture in the Recruitment and Retention of Staff in the Community Services Sector: Literature Review (August 2009)

This literature review explores the major issues relating to recruitment and retention of staff in the community services sector. In particular, it examines the connections between organisational culture and worker satisfaction and how this impacts on willingness to continue to work for an organisation.
To download the report click here.

 

Reporting, compliance and government paperwork - Burden? Obligation? Tool? (March 2009)

A report examining the impacts and issues of reporting, compliance and government paperwork for Tasmanian community service organisations. The report presents five case studies demonstrating the issues and challenges that government funded community organisations have with reporting, as well as ways they successfully manage data collection and internal and external reporting requirements. The key issues identified are summarised but specific recommendations are not presented.
To download the report click here.

 

Solid Foundations – Challenging Futures: Not-for-profit Community Services in Tasmania - Industry Profile 2008  (February 2009)

A report summarising available data on the size of the not-for-profit community services industry in Tasmania, its income and expenditure, its workforce, and key data limitations. This profile provides a starting point for understanding the community services industry in Tasmania in better detail. Such an information base is fundamental to sound strategic planning and development of the industry. However this report also highlights the need for investment in addressing the significant gaps in important data that the industry and its funders need in order to make informed decisions about investment of public monies, and the appropriate provision of services in Tasmania.
To download the report click here.