12 October 2023
Member Update
Dear Families ACT members,
It’s Mental Health Month and we hope you looking after yourselves while enjoying the warmer weather! In this update: Reminder about FACT AGM on 24 October, FACT supports the Uluru statement from the Heart, a short Commissioning update, Call for EOIs for ACT’s new Therapeutic Support Panel, the CYP Amendment Bill Stage 2 consultation, nominations now open for 2023 Yogies and the registration for our last JCR for the year on 8 November 2023!
REMINDER: Families ACT AGM on 24 October 2023
Families ACT’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 24 October, from 12-1pm at our office at 46 Clianthus St, O’Connor. You can attend in person or join online.
All are welcome, but if you intend to join us please RSVP both for catering and to ensure we have a quorum to comms@familiesact.org.au.
Families ACT supports the Uluru statement from the Heart
Families ACT published a statement on its website supporting of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. We encourage our members, friends and stakeholders to inform themselves about the upcoming referendum on the First Nations Voice on 14 October 2023 and how to vote via the following links and resources:
www.ulurustatement.org/the-statement
www.reconciliation.org.au/support-a-voice-to-parliament
www.yes23.com.au
https://www.niaa.gov.au/indigenous-affairs/referendum-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-voice
The SBS Voice Referendum portal at www.sbs.com.au/voicereferendum
Call for EOIs for ACT’s new Therapeutic Support Panel
Support Canberra’s at-risk young people
Are you or someone you know passionate about supporting young people? Do you have qualifications and expertise in areas like psychology, education, disability, criminology or social work? Are you experienced in working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families?
Applications are now open for the ACT Government’s new Therapeutic Support Panel. The panel is being formed to support the raising of the minimum age of criminal responsibility in the ACT from 10 years to 12 years (and then 14 years in 2025) this year.
The role of panel members will be to facilitate therapeutic support for children and young people, instead of going through the criminal justice system. The panel will become operational by no later than 27 March 2024. For more information, visit the Diversity Register here. Applications close 5pm Monday 30 October 2023.
Commissioning
Central Intake and Referral Service commissioning underway
Families ACT attended the first Central Intake and Referral Service workshop at Nature Conservation House last month. Based on the feedback received, CSD has decided to postpone the second workshop to allow internal discussions to further consider the scope, and service delivery requirements across housing, homelessness, children, youth and family services. This includes consideration of other intersecting work that may impact on delivery solutions such as legislative changes and improved coordination across the service system to allow for these reforms. More information can be found on the Central Intake Service webpage on the Commissioning website.
Other ongoing Commissioning cycles
There are currently over 30 active sub-sector commissioning cycles across the human service system. Each cycle moves along the commissioning phases of discover, strategise, design, invest, deliver & integrate. Regular updates on each cycle are provided on the Commissioning website.
Children & Young People Amendment Bill Stage 2 consultation opens
The public consultation on stage 2 of the proposed changes to the Children and Young People Act 2008 is now open. An information paper summarises the changes aimed to strengthen families and keep children and young people safe and connected. The ACT Government is interested in your comments and feedback on the proposals in the paper. Submissions can be made via the ‘Have your say’ website with the consultation closing on 14 November 2023. For more information on changing the CYP Act, please click here.
Nominations open for the Annual YOGIE Awards 2023
The Annual Yogie Awards (the Yogies) recognise, celebrate, promote and reward outstanding practice in working with young people in the ACT and surrounding area. They also highlight the exceptional commitment, talent and innovation that exist in the youth sector. In 2023, the Youth Coalition of the ACT will be celebrating twenty years of the Yogies.
Nominations close 30 October 2023.
For more info and to nominate visit: www.youthcoalition.net/yogies
Mental Health Month in the ACT
Mental Health Month takes place over October, and includes the United Nation’s World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The Mental Health Community Coalition ACT organises Mental Health Month on behalf of the ACT. The 2023 theme for ACT’s Mental Health Month is: Awareness, Belonging, Connection. Mental Health Month is a time to celebrate the work of our community in creating connection and belonging, fostering the mental health of all Canberrans. A range of events are held during October, for more information click here.
Register now for our last JCR in 2023
Please join us for our last Joint Case Review (JCR) for the year on Wednesday 8 November 2023 at 9.30am - 11.30am at our office. JCRs are communities of practice (CoPs) with structured group learning activities providing opportunities for problem solving, sharing knowledge & collaboration. For more information about JCRs, click here. To register for the November JCR, click here.
Best wishes,
Yvonne Gritschneder
comms@familiesact.org.au
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