MyLink - Port Stephens Community Information Hub

Read the latest Newcastle Community Sector E-News here

The Port Stephens Council Funding Program launched this week. As you many know, our traditional grants program was put on hold earlier this year due to the impacts of COVID-19. Because of the significant changes that the recent and ongoing pandemic has brought to our streets and to our lives, we have re-imagined our grants program for 2020/21 to be relevant to what community and business need right now.

This year there is over $500,000 in funding to help support our community respond to the impacts of COVID-19, as well as to reinvigorate our streets and neighbourhoods, support local businesses and build community wellbeing.

Not-for-profit organisations, community, environmental and volunteer groups, schools, sporting clubs, artists, and business are eligible for one or more funding streams.

We have put together an easy to read guide that contains all the necessary information on how to apply for one of our 11 funding streams on offer.

We're looking for projects and ideas that will activate public spaces, bring life to our streets, and help our most vulnerable. If you have a little or big idea that needs funding and Council support please talk to us- we'd love to hear from you.

For helpful tips and tricks, we’re hosting an online grants webinar on Wednesday 5^th August from 10am. To book, simply email pscgrants@portstephens.nsw.gov.au.

For further information on all funding opportunities, help sheets and the grants webinar, please head to our website or telephone Council on 4988 0255.

Take care and good luck with your applications

The University of Newcastle's third year Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) students will be working in project teams this semester to create group work programs for human service agencies on the Central Coast and in the Hunter region.

This learning and practice activity fosters the development of various forms of social work knowledge and skills for our students, particularly in group work, working in teams, project management and organisational practice.

The project builds on existing partnerships between the social work program at The University of Newcastle and partner human service agencies, and is an opportunity for us to reciprocate the support provided by our generous field educators and host agencies.

You do not have to be supervising a social work student this semester to submit an expression of interest, and you do not have to be a social worker to express interest in working with our students to develop a group program.

Since 2010, our students have developed 56 FREE group programs for around over 30 different agencies.

Please note the due date of Friday, 14 August 2020.

Please contact wendy.foote@newcastle.edu.au for more information.

Impact of COVID-19 on Domestic and Family Violence & Front Line Workers
QUT Ethics Approval Number: 2000000404
A team of researchers from the QUT Centre for Justice, Queensland University of Technology are inviting you to participate in a national survey which aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic and family violence and front-line workers and their clients in Australia. This includes a wide range of services in housing, NGO, family support and community services.

THE PROJECT
We know that domestic and family violence increases during and after disasters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns were raised by the domestic and family violence sector about the vulnerability of victims/survivors, isolated and less able to access support (Allen-Ebrahiman 2020). Australian healthcare professionals also predicted an ‘impending increase’ in cases (Hegarty & Tarzia 2020). We are conducting this nation-wide survey of workers in the field to assess what impacts COVID-19 had on their services, and their clients. As a professional in the field your views are valuable and we are asking you to participate in this nation wide survey (QUT ethics approval number 2000000404).

PARTICIPATION
You are invited to participate in this survey if you work or volunteer in any sector in Australia that intersects with adult or child victims/survivors of domestic and family violence or perpetrators of domestic and family violence.

The survey should take around 10 minutes and asks you questions about your background. The remainder of the survey is designed to capture the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your work.

This survey is voluntary. A refusal to participate will in no way disadvantage your relationship with QUT or the project researchers. You can withdraw from the study prior to submitting your responses and any incomplete surveys will not be included in the final data set.

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
This survey is anonymous. No individually identifying information is required in any of the responses or recorded by the survey instrument. Any data collected as part of this research project will be stored securely as per QUT’s Management of research data policy

RISKS
There are no risks beyond normal day-to-day living associated with your participation in this research project. It will not focus on personal information. It should be noted that if you do agree to participate you can withdraw from participation in the research project without comment or penalty prior to submitting your answers.

Follow this link to the Survey:
Take the Survey

View online here

Welcome to Semester 2 – 2020

Update on New Career Pathway Courses

• Certificate II - Introduction to the Community Sector (Newcastle)
• Certificate II - Introduction to Joinery / Building Finishes / Construction (Newcastle)

These courses focus on the essential including employability skills specific to each career area and include students' individual pathway planning.

For early school leavers (not completed yr 10 & under 17 years of age) please make contact prior to attending an information session to ensure you have access to the required documentation prior to attending an information session.

For all other interest, please feel welcome to attend an information session & if possible use the Registration link below or call to assist us ensuring social distancing is managed.

Please register your interest to attend an information/enrolment session Here .

Or call Nadene: 49237 410

These Information sessions are now located at Newcastle TAFE (Tighes Hill)

10.00 am, M Block, Ground Floor, Room 02 (M.G.02)

• Tuesday 21st July 2020 or
• Thursday 23rd July 2020 or
• Tuesday 28th July 2020 or
• Thursday 20 July 2020

Course details will be confirmed during the information/enrolment session.

All students will require a Unique Student Identifier (USI) number to finalise enrolments during the information/enrolment session.

USI’s are obtained at: www.usi.gov.au or TAFE NSW can assist at the information/enrolment session (a Driver’s Licence, Medicare Card or Birth Certificate is required to obtain a USI).

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/research-projects/idtwo-intellectual-disability-trial-for-wellbeing-online/?edmid=190298109