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| Working Together for NSW |
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9 March 2010 In 1997, NCOSS proposed to the NSW Government that a statement outlining the shared objectives and the complementary roles of, and the principles of the relationship between, the NSW Government and the NSW non-for-profit human services sector be developed. New: Coordinating Minister for Human Services, Linda Burney, has recently announced a range of measures to begin to reduce the 'red tape' burden on the sector. These are detailed in the NSW Government's NGO Red Tape Reduction report. Working Together for NSW (WT4NSW) Working Together for NSW: an Agreement between the NSW Government and NSW non-government human services organisations This inititiative was informed by the establishment of a Compact between the United Kingdom (UK) Government and the UK non-government human services sector, the work of the Voluntary Sector Initiative in Canada and the interest in similar initiatives in other jurisdictions around Australia. In March 1999, the NSW Government made a commitment to "negotiate a Compact between the government and the community and voluntary sectors" as part of its Supporting Families and Strengthening Communities policy. On 21 June 2006, the NSW Government and the NSW non-government human services sector reached an historic agreement to implement the document, Working Together for NSW: An agreement between the NSW Government and NSW non-government human services organisations. WT4NSW: Good Funding Policy and Practice WT4NSW Good Funding Policy and Practice - NCOSS, July 2006 The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS), released its new funding policy in November 2005, at a time when other NSW Government human services departments are also engaged in reviewing and reforming their funding policies and practices. At the February 2006 meeting of the Forum of Non Government Agencies (FONGA), it was agreed that the NSW non government human services sector should engage in a cross government manner with the various departments that were reforming their funding policies and practices. NCOSS developed a funding policy and practices paper, the purpose of which was to establish fundamental principles and good practice guidelines that can be applied to funding policies across human services departments in New South Wales. NCOSS also sought to situate funding policy within the framework of WTFNSW: An Agreement between the NSW Government and NSW Non-Government Human Services Organisations - a negotiated framework that seeks to guide and build a stronger relationship between government and the community sector in the interests of disadvantaged people and communities. WT4NSW: Implementation Committee Working Together for NSW Human Services CEOs and FONGA Implementation Committee The inaugural meeting of the Human Services CEOs and FONGA Implementation Committee was held in June 2006. The meetings are held annually. Meetings are attended by the CEOs of NSW Human Services Departments, six elected FONGA representatives and the Director of NCOSS. A Communique was released after the 2007 meeting and the September 2009 Communique has now been released: download:
WT4NSW: Projects Red Tape Reduction for the Sector At the WT4NSW Implementation Committee meeting in September 2009, strategies to reduce the red-tape burden associated with funding arrangements, and support efficiencies in NGO operations were agreed as a priority. On 8 March 2010, Coordinating Minister for Human Services, Linda Burney, announced a range of measures to begin to reduce the red-tape burden on the sector. These include the implementation of the following initiatives by mid-year:
These, and further recommendations, are detailed in the NSW Government's NGO Red Tape Reduction report:
Good Practice Guide: NGO Participation in Regional Human Services Planning Processes The Good Practice Guide was endorsed by the Human Services CEOs / FONGA Committee overseeing the implementation of Working Together for NSW Agreement on 6 August 2007
New research on CompactsCompacts or 'written agreements' between governments and the community sector have been developed in several countries over the past decade. A literature review by John Casey provides valuable insights into some of the major ‘lessons’ learnt, within an international context. download:
The Rudd Government has committed to the introduction of a national compact with the community sector and is currently consulting with NGOs regarding the development of such an agreement by 2009. This report considers whether a formal agreement is the right way for the government and the community sector to go about building an on-going positive and constructive relationship download:
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