Prepare for work in the community Sector

The Community Service IndustryThe Community Service IndustryRecap Recap Week 4 6/8/2013

* Target groups* Different models of work in the CSI* Stakeholders

Target groups

• In the Community Service Industry many services or organisations work with particular groups of people called target groups

• A target group is a client group with a particular defining characteristic such as gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or cultural background.

• Services are often funded to work with specific target groups such as a women’s health program, a youth recreation service or a child care service.

Major target groups within CSI

• Children

• Women

• People with a disability

• Older mature people

• Young people

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

• People with HIV/AIDS related illnesses

• Gay and lesbian communities

• People who are sick

• People who have a mental illness

• People who are in receipt of welfare benefits

• People with alcohol and other drug related problems

• Some people may fit into a number of target groups while others will belong to just one.

• Some organisations will work with just one target group and are called specialist organisations (such as a child care service or alcohol and other drug service).

• Others work with a range of target groups and are called generalist services (such as a neighbourhood service).

Different models of work in the CSI

• Services work in different ways to meet their target group. These include:-

• Prevention: Service works to prevent problems from occurring – For example education programs aimed at

reducing child abuse or domestic violence

• Crisis Intervention: these services work at supporting and helping people in crisis. – For example, people who have lost their homes

through fire or financial hardship

• Direct service: these services provide support and assistance directly to the target group.– For example, meals on wheels, counselling and

alcohol and other drug rehabilitation

• Centre Based Service: these services are provided at a centre where people come to receive the service.

• For example, long day care centre or preschool.

• Centre Based Service: these services are provided at a centre where people come to receive the service. – For example, long day care centre or preschool

• A Client-centred Approach: with a client-centred approach it’s important to see the client as the central part of a situation or issue, rather than as being the end result of a problem to be solved.

• Clients may have needs that relate to health care, diet and nutrition, safe housing, personal safety and security, general welfare or the early diagnosis and assessment of problems.

• By ensuring that a range of basic needs are being considered and met, a client is better able to focus upon resolving other pressing issues. For example, Community health – disability & aged care...

• Participatory: is an active involvement of people in making decisions about implementation of processes, programs and projects which affect them.

• A participatory approach can be used in facilitating community development.

• Projects where stakeholders are able to participate in the process tend to have a higher success rate than top-down structures.

– For example, Byron Youth Service

• Community education: is defined as learning and social development work with individuals and groups in their communities using a range of formal and informal methods.

• A common defining feature is that programmes and activities are developed in dialogue with communities and participants.

• The purpose of community learning and development is to improve quality of life.

– For example, ACE, the Black Dog Institute (deliver education seminars on mood disorders and wellbeing), North Coast Area Health Service

• Case Management: is a strategy that actively mobilises, coordinates and maintains a diversity of services for the individual and their family (Stroul & Friedman, 1986).

• It has been described as the ‘glue that holds the system together’, or the ‘lynchpin for an effective interagency system’

• It has been used in the health and aged care sectors as a means of improving efficiency in resource allocation to clients with complex (health) care needs that could not be met through existing services (Fisher & Fine, 2002).

• Similarly, case management has been used for unemployed job-seekers, in early intervention, child protection & out-of- home care.

– For example, Biripi Aboriginal Corp Medical Centre, Community Services, Tursa & Barnardos

• Outreach services: these services go into the community to work with people in their homes or local area.

– For example, mobile child care service or home visiting program

• Advocacy: these services advocate (stand up) for the rights of particular target groups:

– For example, Intellectual Disability Rights Service and Welfare Rights Services

• Community development: these services work to identify unmet needs of the community and then plan and develop new services to meet those needs.

– For example most local councils have community development workers

• Peak bodies: these services provide support, training and policy development for non-government services.

– For example, the NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) and KU Children’s Services (NSW)

Stakeholders

• Stakeholders describe the key people associated with an organisation or client the stakeholders of a service may include clients, workers (staff), funding bodies, families or the community in which the service is based

Who is a stakeholder in a children's service or preschool?

Stakeholders in a preschool

• Could include:-

– Children families using the centre

– Staff

– Department of Education and Communities

– The Family Assistance Office

– Groups that manage the centre like a parent committee

– The community in which the

centre is based

Week 5 13/8/2013

Careers in the CSIIndustrial RelationsThe Role of Unions

Careers in the CSI

• The CSI is a dynamic, flexible workplace where individuals can give back to their local communities while achieving their personal career goals.

• Employment prospects in the CSI are above average.

• Demographic changes predict increasing demand for CS.

• It’s expected maternal health, childcare & aged care services will continue to rise.

• Fastest growing occupations: personal care & nursing assistants, nurse managers, childcare workers, welfare & community workers.

Careers in the CSI

• Based on statistics from the ABS 2011, the following link provides information in relation to the 1) growth of employees in the children's services industry in recent years 2) the difference between male and female workers and 3) the age of workers in the industry.

• http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features30Sep+2011

Careers in the CSI

• ACTIVITY 1 Using the Breakdown of the the CSI printout from week 3 (p18 training package), students are the break into pairs. With the butcher paper provided, you are to choose 2 of the areas within the breakdown and list all the occupations you can find for these areas i.e. 1. Indigenous services and centrelink;

2. Youth services and legal/corrective services;

3. Alcohol and other drugs/ health services;

4. Aged services and family services;

5. Children's services and generalist community services

6. Culturally and linguistically diverse services.

Industrial Relations

• 'Industrial relations' refers to laws dealing with the arrangements that are made between workers and employers.

• These laws are developed by Federal & State Governments

• Other key players: Employers: focus on goods, services & profits Unions: focus on fair conditions for workers

Industrial Relations

• Activity 2

• Students are to use their iPads to find out about NSW industrial relations using the following link -

http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/

• The laws cover different aspects of work including:

• Setting conditions about workers rights, such as pay rates, leave entitlements and dismissal rules.

• Guidelines and rules in relation to Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) issues.

• Handling workplace disputes or infringements of the Industrial Relations Law

The Fair Work System

• Fair work system started on the 1st July 2009.

• It’s Australia’s new national (Federal) workplace relations system.

• The Fair Work Act 2009 covers a majority of workplaces in Australia

The Fair Work System

• There are now 2 new organisations that regulate the system -

• FAIR WORK AUSTRALIA and

• FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

Key elements of the fair work system

• A legislated safety net of 10 National Employment Standards that apply to all employees within the federal system

– Includes: maximum weekly hours, requests for flexible working arrangements, parental leave and related entitlements, annual leave, personal/carer's leave and compassionate leave, community service leave, long service leave, public holidays, notice of termination and redundancy pay.

• New modern awards

• Enterprise bargaining arrangements

• Protection against discrimination and unfair dismissal

Unfair dismissal

• Activity 3 Read the fact sheet in your handouts

• In what instances is immediate dismissal permissible?

• In a process that may lead to dismissal, what must an employer ensure happens?

• In discussions where dismissal is possible, who should an employee take to the meeting?

Unions

• Unions can help employees in many ways:

– Training about industrial issues

– Preserving & improving wages & conditions

– Better health & safety at work

– Job security

–Workers compensation help

– Protection from discrimination

– Lobbying governments on workers’ behalf

Unions

Activity 4

• As per activity 2, using their iPads, students are to locate the union that is relevant for their industry -