Silvia Bethencourt - Workforce Issues Interview

Silvia Bethencourt, who is the Community Information Coordinator - TRI Community Exchange, has been interviewed on Workforce Issues by Miguel Ferrero (MF). MF is the convener of the Training Directions Network. This is a summary of the conversation.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PARTH TO YOUR CURRENT JOB?

I joined TRI just over 10 years ago as the Database Assistant for the online Community Services Directory. I had already been working in the sector for about 5 years in administration roles. I am now the Community Information Coordinator at TRI and part of TRI's IT team

joining TRI marked the beginning of my passion for online technologies and their benefits for the sector. It inspired me to go to University and get my BA in Internet Studies. I have, in the last decade, well and truly become an Internet nerd! It's been so exciting to be part of TRI's growth as a provider of quality IT services to the sector. I love my job - whether it be administering communityNet, building websites or training, every day is an adventure in Techie Dork Heaven. And I can't gush lyrical enough about our team - they are ace!

WHAT IN YOUR OPINION ARE THE KEY WORKFORCE ISSUES FACED BY THE COMMUNITY SECTOR?

I think the issues faced by the sector in regards to the effective use of ICT (Information Communication Technologies) are varied and are particularly problematic for small organisations, in trying to build ICT capacity with very limited time and resources. It's difficult to see ICT as a priority with so many other pressing priorities to be met

Often there is a lack of understanding of technology needs, including training and support. There is the question of money - the difficulties around budgeting for ICT, particularly when funding programs don't include this component.

There is sometimes a negative attitude to ICT and limited appreciation of its potential benefits by senior management, which means technology is not incorporated into organisations' strategies

WHAT STRATEGIES THE SECTOR COULD DEVELOP TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES?

ICT has a big role to play in building community and social capital, and in my opinion this role will continue to grow. I think we need to see ICT as an integral part of our organisations' overall planning and strategy, and understand that budgeting must include a healthy ICT component that includes provision for things like training and for effectively engaging online with stakeholders.

Organisations like ours need to continue to promote the role and needs of nonprofit organisations with regards to ICT and to recognise the diversity of the sector, its individual ICT needs and capacity and how best to address them.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE COMMUNITY SECTOR THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO FACE THESE ISSUES?

My advice is first of all, know what your needs are. There are lost of questions to be asked. What can ICT offer to make your service better, to make your work more efficient, and to make your community thrive? what tools are out there and which ones will have the most impact while being realistic about how much time and resources you can allocate to effectively using them? What are your training needs?

Talk with other organisations that do similar work to you. What are they doing? What have they found effective? What strategies have they put in place for, for instance, engaging stakeholders online? Is there scope for collaboration between you?

Finally, I would say, don't be afraid of technology. Technology is a big word for what is basically blinkly lights! There is a quote by Surfrider's CEO Jim Moriarty that I love: "Networks aren't about technology any more than books are about paper". We do networks well in the sector - it's intrinsic to our work. By expanding our networks through ICT, we can do more sharing, communicating, campaigning, advocating, connecting - the sky's the limit!

Conference Papers 2010 - "Education and Training for a more productive Australia"

Dear TDN members
I found this link containing some of the presentations discussed at the "Education and Training for a more productive Australia" Conference. The conference was held on October 29th in Victoria


http://www.education.monash.edu.au/centres/ceet/publications/conferencepapers/2010.html


MF

Frank Edwards - TDN Guest Speaker

At the September Training Directions Network meeting, we had the chance to listen to Frank Edwards. Frank has a long and broad experience working in the sector as Aboriginal trainer, mediator, conflict resolution practitioner and community services assessor and he was really pleased to answer our questions about recruiting and supporting Aboriginal workers in the community sector.

This is a brief summary of Frank Edward’s presentation and conversation with TDN members:

· Frank provided information about his professional background and involvement with the sector in the last couple of years

· His area of interest has been doing training on governance and supporting management committees, being involved as an assessor for prospective Foster Parents, and recruiter of carers.

· One of the major issues affecting Aboriginal workers in the sector is isolation.

· Once organizations are able to recruit an Aboriginal worker, there are usually no structures in place to support his or her work and the required cultural skills within the organization.

· It is crucial that the Aboriginal worker has the chance to connect with existing Koori Interagencies, to be allowed to attend events such as NAIDOC week, Sorry Day, and Survival Day.

· Workplace culture needs to change and to be aware of Aboriginal protocols. For example, Aboriginal workers need extra time to attend community events and funerals or alternate his/her roles at these events.

· Potential Aboriginal workers prefer full time positions rather than part time

· In terms of recruiting potential ATSI workers, one strategy is to advertise positions in the Koori Mail, use informal networking and word of mouth.

· Family issues could affect the performance of the Aboriginal worker. In some cases, the high level of incarceration could affect families and the performance of the worker.

· Another strategy is to have an ATSI advisory group to get advice and/or contract out an Aboriginal consultant.

· Mentoring projects are a good solution, especially when recruiting Aboriginal workers who have recently finished TAFE or University.

· From a HR perspective, put emphasis on a broader description of the position (job description) and include and highlight duties that involve going out and visiting the community and other organizations

· In terms of the worker’s office space: invite the worker to have pictures of their family, art work or posters with aboriginal motifs.

· Use Aboriginal colours in promotional material (logo, brochure, business cards)

Some thoughts before delivering training to Aboriginal participants

· Put up the Aboriginal flag or indigenous art work (in a visible place)

· Do your best to have an appropriate person available to do a Welcome to Country. If this is not possible, an Acknowledgement can be done.

· Learning principles: use round tables

· Round table: you as the trainer should be the last one in personal introductions

· Put learning outcomes in a visible place

· Use a lot of diagrams

· Learning is about reaching it out (NGAMALI GADAUMADWA GIARRUU)

· Use or bring in participant’s personal experiences and knowledge and connect this to outcomes

When having a younger Aboriginal audience

· Use cultural elements in training, so that it becomes more of a cultural experience (e.g. use stories in delivery of material)

· Increase their knowledge

· Try to reconnect their audience to their networks

· Reinforce their personal knowledge

Frank finalized his presentation by responding to the questions: are things getting better? And this is his summary:

· Funding is getting better, especially the funding to address issues raised by the Woodward report. The issue is to keep these funding commitments in the longer term.

· Other interesting areas are the Aboriginal cultural awareness sessions and the interest of the NGO sector in this kind of training.

· The relevance of training that aims to challenge deeper assumptions (anti-colonization training).

· More funding opportunities for early intervention programs.

Sydney Facilitators Network - November meeting

The Sydney Facilitators Network November meeting will be held on Monday 8 of November at UTS, Jones Street, Ultimo corner Thomas St. Room 5.580 Level 5, Building 10. The meeting will start from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm sharp.

The topic is about the "Feldenkrais Method". This method relies on the human beings' innate capacity to use sensing, feeling, thinking and moving to develop and to mature our body-mind potential. Students of this approach develop their capacity to become deeply aware of themselves; to become aware of self in relation to others and in relation to the environment, whatever it becomes aware of self in relation to others and in relation to others and in relation to the environment, whatever it contains.

Rada Millwood will be the facilitator. Her background is in the field of adult learning, workplace learning and personal development. She has been in private practise since 1993.

Two Summary Reports - Links

Dear TDN members
I have posted two interesting summary reports. The first one is a profile of the community sector produced by the Social Policy Research Centre - UNSW

http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/File/Report8_10_ProfilingNSWNGOs.pdf

the second report is called: "Creating a future direction for Australian vocational education and training. This is discussion paper and readers are encouraged to provide feedback. You can obtain a copy by clicking the link:

http://www.skillsaustralia.gov.au/PDFs_RTFs/discussionpaper-contentskeypoints.pdfhttp://www.skillsaustralia.gov.au/PDFs_RTFs/discussionpaper-contentskeypoints.pdf

MF