In December 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to introduce a national standard chart of accounts (SCOA) for the not-for-profit sector in July 2010. The national SCOA will be used to guide the way government agencies ask a not-for-profit group to report basic financial information.

The NSW Better Regulation Office is inviting the sector to comment on the proposed national SCOA during February. 

For more information, click here.

The Committee handed its report to the Australian Government on 30 September 2009. We are still waiting on a response and to see whether or not the Australian Government will enact a Human Rights Act.

To find out what is happening, see the Australian Human Rights Group website: http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/ahrg  

The NSW Parliament General Purpose Standing Committee No. 2 recently commenced a new inquiry into the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs.

With our 75th Anniversary approaching this year, NCOSS – the Council of Social Service of New South Wales – is keen to acquire items of historical interest which will assist us in celebrating our achievements since our establishment in 1935.

In general we are looking for:

• early NCOSS publications, especially from pre-1960s and the 1930-40s in particular;
• documents and papers relating to Council activities such as meetings, forums and “talk-ins”;
• photographs of NCOSS staff, board members and the work environment/former offices;
• newspaper and magazine articles reporting Council initiatives and activities;
• sound or video recordings of media (radio/television) engagements;
• related paraphernalia; and
• personal stories and memories of Council work.

If you or a family member had involvement with the Council and have any such items that you are willing to donate or loan to us we would be very grateful. Our greatest interest is in material from before the 1980s however all items offered will be greatly appreciated.

To discuss donating or loaning items to NCOSS, please contact:

Stephen Crowley
NCOSS Communications Officer
phone: 02 9211- 2599 ext 115
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Call for Expressions of Interest
Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service (NSCCAHS) is inviting applications from not for profit Non Government Organisations to provide vocational training and employment opportunities to people with mental health problems and disorders, in the North Shore Ryde and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Mental Health Service, which is part of NSCCAHS.

The funding available for this service is an amount of $310,000 per annum that would be administered under the NSW Health NGO Grant Program.

The aim of the program is to provide opportunities for mental health consumers to acquire training and employment experiences that will enable them to transition into the available competitive market at the end of the period. The successful NGO will be required to operate two businesses at two locations, one within the North Shore Ryde area and one in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai area.

Packages will be available from 18 January 2010.

To obtain an application package please contact:

Simone
phone: 9926 5470
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Applications are to be submitted no later than 5.00pm Monday 15 February 2010.

An e-update of transport news and articles received at NCOSS.

How to ease a women’s fear of transportation environments

Mineta Transport Institute (US) 7 December, 2009 | The relationship between women's fear and the built environment has been the subject of research with clear findings that women feel unsafe in many public spaces including transportation environments.
website: apo.org.au/research/how-ease-womens-fear-transportation-environments

Web Site: Social Research in Transport (SORT) Clearinghouse

The Institute of Transport Studies (ITS) at Monash University, Australia, have developed a free web based international research clearinghouse to increase knowledge and learning in the transport profession about research relating to social issues in passenger transport. The clearinghouse collates research reports focussing on social issues such as disadvantage and inequality. Researchers can use the search the database to find and access reports, sign up to a newsletter providing updates on new research reports or submit research to be included on the system.
website: www.sortclearinghouse.info

Articles from the Australian Senior

Access the Senior Newspaper online: www.thesenior.com.au/publications.asp
(Under NSW click on Digital Paper. To enlarge the article click on it directly)

• p.6 Crossings get smart to improve safety (Timed Pedestrian Crossings)
• p.7 New permit to end confusion (Disability parking)
• p.8 War widows get fee relief (Free photo ID for pensioners and war widows)

COAG Communiqué – 7 December 2009: Transport Regulation

COAG has taken several further steps towards a truly national transport system that will reduce transport costs and help lift national productivity without compromising safety.

COAG agreed that South Australia will host the national rail safety regulator. This follows COAG’s agreement in July that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority will be the national regulator for maritime safety. It will continue to be headquartered in Canberra.

National Partnership Agreements for single national heavy vehicle and maritime regulators will be considered in the first half of 2010. The National Partnership Agreement for the single national rail regulator will be considered in 2011. COAG also agreed to establish a strengthened national regulators’ panel to provide better national harmonisation of rail safety regulation in the period in which the national regulator is being established. COAG further agreed to resolve a number of policy, legislation, governance and funding issues in the implementation stage, including the role of State Ministers.

A detailed work plan for delivery of the pricing elements of the COAG Road Reform Plan was also agreed. Under the plan, a feasibility study for alternative models of road pricing and funding will be completed by December 2011, which should include specific consideration of mass-distance location pricing. The outcomes of the feasibility study will help determine whether direct pricing is feasible.

COAG also agreed to release the report of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Review and the Australian Transport Council. Adoption of the recommendations will strengthen NTC’s capacity to focus on transport regulatory reform.

Investigating Transport Disadvantage, Social Exclusion and Well Being in Metropolitan, Regional and Rural Victoria

Short Context and Summary
Urban sprawl and sparse rural living are pervasive in Australia. Travel is thus a big yet essential part of Australian life. When transport is scarce, access to activities is hard and life prospects inhibited.

This problem is growing as fuel costs rise, the population ages and fringe/coast migration continues. Internationally transport disadvantage and social exclusion links are now a major study field, however Australian research is limited despite these pervasive and growing problems. This gap is filled using top world researchers in the field to investigate how transport problems impact on life opportunities and community well being. Knowledge developed will better focus Australias approach to this significant growing problem. This project is undertaken by the Institute of Transport Studies Monash University in association with the Department of Social Work and the Department of Psychology, Monash University, the Centre for Public Policy, Melbourne University, The Urban Transport Institute, The University of Westminster (UK) and the University of Ulster (UK). Project sponsors include the Australian Research Council, the Department of Infrastructure, The Bus Association of Victoria, The Brotherhood of St Laurence, and The Interface Councils Forum of Melbourne

Call for Expressions of Interest
Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service (NSCCAHS) is inviting applications from not for profit Non Government Organisations wishing to establish or expand drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation services to people with drug and alcohol problems who reside within the NSCCAHS catchment.

The grant funding available under this expression of interest is recurrent and would be administered under the NSW Health Non Government Organisation Grant Program.

The service to be provided will consist of 10 residential rehabilitation beds (formally the Phoenix Unit at Manly Hospital), half way housing and clinical support for drug and /or alcohol clients utilising 2 half way houses on the Northern Beaches and outpatient groups for people who have completed rehabilitation. The service must have the capacity to accept clients with co-morbidity issues. Consideration will be given towards alternate locations for the delivery of these services.

Application packages will be available from 11 January 2010.

To obtain a package please contact:

Melinda
phone: 9926 5217
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Applications are to be submitted no later than 5 pm Monday 8 February 2010.

Registrations open for Arts-Activated Conference Registrations are now open for Accessible Arts’ Arts-Activated Conference at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney over 25-26 March 2010. A range of national and international speakers from the arts and disability sectors will come together to explore the themes of Arts – Access – Excellence through a series of workshops, panels and performances.

A strong program has been announced with the major highlight being keynote speaker Jenny Sealey, MBE, Artistic Director Graeae Theatre Company (UK) and Artistic Advisor to Unlimited, the UK’s largest ever disability arts program, launched by the 2012 Cultural Olympiad as part of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, planned for July – September 2012.

A selection of international and local speakers will be presenting including: Sue Williams, Arts Council England (UK), Tony McCaffrey, Artistic Director of Different Light Theatre Company (NZ), Rachel Gadsden, Visual Artist (UK), Majella Flanagan, Coordinator Any Bright Ideas (UK), Rafael Bonachela (NSW), Artistic Director Sydney Dance Company, Philip Channells, Artistic Director Restless Dance Theatre (SA) and Camilla Connolly, Australian Director of the Asperger Women Association (NSW).

The conference is intended for artists with and without a disability, arts workers, disability service providers, policy makers, funding bodies, festival organisers and volunteers, cultural institutions, venues and anyone interested in arts and disability.

Early-bird registrations are open until 18 December.

For more information:

website: www.aarts.net.au
contact: Jane Pollard, Education and Training Manager
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
phone: 02 9251 6499

The December issue of our newsletter NCOSS News (vol 36, #11) has now been posted out to members, affiliates and politicians. Our last issue for the year, it includes the following articles:

• ASU launches Equal Pay case
• Tenancy reform Bill released for comment
• NCOSS Says: Capacity building - by the sector, for the sector
• A State Election
• Area Assistance to Community Builders
• ACOSS @ Work: Some taxing challenges for the Henry Review
• Keep Them Safe: Keeping Accountable
• NSW Health review of the NGO Grants Program
• New model to help keep Aboriginal children safe
• Lawyers provide practical help for people with a mental illness
• Insurance FAQs

You can subscribe to NCOSS News by becoming a member of NCOSS.