Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Workforce Issues Interview - Tanya Merinda

Tanya Merinda who is NADA (Network of Alcohol and Durg Agency) Director Sector Development and Planning has been interviewed by Miguel Ferrero on workforce issues affecting the sector.

What has been your career path to your current job?

I worked as a chef for many years, so that got me interested in the are of drug and alcohol! For the past 16 years I have worked in the D&A sector, starting as a counselor, moving to management, program development, government policy and for the past 5 years with NADA in various roles - currently sector development and planning

What in your opinion are the key workforce issues faced by the community sector?

Staff remuneration, and recognition of specialist services provided by the community sector

What strategies the sector could develop to address these issues?

Understanding the true cost of service delivery, promoting that information, seeking full cost funding, advocating for equal pay, both the sector and funders agreeing to, seeking and providing fairer funding. We are a big sector, we need to be smarter in the way we intereact with funders and the policy environment

What is your advice to the Community Sector that could be helpful to face these issues?

Don't give up. What we do is essential and valuable service delivery and there are and will continue to be, opportunities for reform. If we work together, continue to build the evidence for it, I believe there will be change.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

How to deliver effective Online Training - Paper

Dear TDN members
I found this short interesting paper providing three simple steps to implement an effective online training program. I have attached the link of full paper to this blog entry


http://img.en25.com/Web/CitrixOnline/GoToTraining_Trn_Best_Practices_Brief_7369.pdf



MF

Friday, September 3, 2010

Sydney Facilitators Network - September meeting

Dear TDN members

The Sydney Facilitators Network is running their monthly session on Monday 13th of September. The topic is "HOW YOU DO ANYTHING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING" by Cindy Tonkin.
"Come play with us and discover a few improvisation games which will give you much pleasure, and be useful when next you need to facilitate a group (or have them facilitate themselves!). The games improvisors use to loosen themselves up and connect their brains before stepping on stage are games which reveal how you handle pressure, what makes you most afraid, what calms you most quickly"

Date: Monday 13 September
Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Jones St., Ultimo corner Thomas St. Room 5.580 Level 5, Building 10
Time: from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm

MF

Thursday, August 26, 2010

National VET Regulator

Dear TDN members
At its meeting in December 2009 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to the creation of a National VET Regulator. It will be responsible for the registration and audit of registered training organisations and the accreditation of courses in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. NSW has already agreed to refer powers to the Commonwealth to establish the national regulator. I have attached to this blog entry a link where you can find more information about these changes and copy of a consulation feedback for your perusal.

http://www.deewr.gov.au/skills/overview/policy/nationalvetregulator/pages/overview.aspx

http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Overview/Policy/NationalVETRegulator/Documents/ConsultationFeedback.pdf

MF

Monday, August 16, 2010

Australian Vocational and Training Statistics - 2009

Dear TDN members

NCVER has produced a snapshot of Australia's publicly funded vocational education and training (VET) sector for 2009. The paper includes information about students and participation, courses and qualifications, module/unit of competency enrolments, hours of delivery and full-year training equivalents for each state and territory. I have attached the link to this blog entry and if you have any problem downloading the document, please send me an email: miguelf@wscf.org.au

http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2264.html

cheers
MF

Workforce Issues Interview - Renée Koonin

Renee Koonin who is the General Manager of "The Housing Connection" has been interviewed by Miguel Ferrero on workforce issues affecting the sector.

What has been your career path to your current job?
I have not consciously thought about a ‘career path’. Instead the guiding force during my career has been about where I can best serve the interests of social justice. I have found that I have the most freedom to seek these goals in the non-government community sector. In addition, I worked in management positions from very early in my career because I observed that it is up to management to create an environment in which workers can thrive and be creative.

What in your opinion are the key workforce issues faced by the community sector?

There are a number of workforce issues that require urgent attention. These include:

§ Valuing the work of the sector and having parity in wages with government sector employees doing similar work.
§ Education and skilling of the workforce.
§ The ageing of the workforce. We need to present the sector to young people as a vibrant and exciting context in which to work and one which provides a great sense of fulfillment.

What strategies the sector could develop to address these issues?

There are a number of strategies needed including:

§ The proposed NCOSS/FONGA Industry Plan
§ Establishment of minimum qualifications for the sector with a phasing in period – I believe that values are the most important determinant for the capacity of people to work in our sector so do not wish to exclude anyone with the right values. We could give them a two year period in which to gain vocational qualifications after they enter the sector if they demonstrate the qualities we need.
§ Success in the current wage claim being conducted by the ASU
§ Effective marketing of the sector such as the campaign undertaken in Victoria by VCOSS.
§ More effective relationships between Government and the sector

What is your advice to the Community Sector that could be helpful to face these issues?

As a sector, we need to take responsibility in addressing these issues. We need to ensure we work in and develop organizations of the highest quality with respect to governance, management and human resources development. We need to be professional and articulate in how we present our organizations.

It is an enormous joy and privilege to work in the sector and we need to communicate this.