Newsletter Number 50 - November 2007

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SCHOLARSHIPS FOR POST SECONDARY STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY

The following scholarships are available to assist students with varying disabilities to pay for fees, text books, computer requirements etc.

Alison Watson Memorial Award - educational assistance for young people with arthritis.

Gold Stave Educational Fellowship - for mobility, speech, computer equipment, fees books etc for people with spinal injury.

Quantum Technology/Freedom Scientific JAWS Scholarship - for people with vision loss who are pursuing further studies or currently enrolled in tertiary studies.

Kenneth W. Tribe Scholarship - The Deaf Society of NSW awards this scholarship to people who are deaf or hearing impaired for study leading to improved employment outcomes.

Further further information on these scholarships, and others, click here>>

2008 International Conference
DISABILITY, DISADVANTAGE & DEVELOPMENT
29-30 September 2008
National Museum of Australia - Canberra

For further conference announcements and information on the ADDC>> or contact:

Paul Deany, Convenor, ADDC, on 1800 678 069 or email pdeany@cbmi.org.au

Neva Wendt, ACFID, on (02) 6281 9232 or email nwendt@acfid.asn.au

INVITATION
Australian Apprenticeships NT's
EMPLOYER FORUMS
Human Service Industries

• DARWIN - 26 November 2007
  9.00am - 11.00am
  Australian Apprenticeships NT , 6 Searcy Street
  Your invitation>>
  

• ALICE SPRINGS - 28 November 2007
  10.30am - 12.30pm
  Australian Apprenticeships NT, 19 Hartley Street
  Your invitation>>

LEADING PRACTICE IN SKILLS RECOGNITION ASSESSMENT
Professional Development Workshops
Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane
November - December 2007

Community Services & Health Training Australia (the Industry Skills Council's commercial arm) is delivering a series of workshops on skills around delivering quality recognition assessment. They are specifically designed for employers and Registered Training Organisations in the community services and health industries.

For further information and registration>>

THE HUM @ HSTAC
from
Rachael Saywell, HSTAC's Office Trainee

As part of my training here at HSTAC, I have been given the opportunity to learn new skills as well as utilise other skills that go towards skills recognition to enable me to gain Certificate III in Business. I was given the opportunity of gaining skills recognition through funding from JobFind.

I was also lucky enough to spend some time at Dovaston Training, while new carpet was being laid at HSTAC a couple of weeks ago. This allowed me to meet other people who are also going through training or skills recognition with Dovaston Training and to get out and about and do something different.

I am still gathering all the evidence required for my skills recognition and am gaining more skills and knowledge - but with HSTAC and Dovaston Training behind me, things are all starting to come together!

from
Elisabeth Abbott, HSTAC's Admin Officer/Project Assistant

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by our communication systems being unplugged during the new carpet laying, which is now completed, looks lovely, and we are back online.

Although our office was briefly uninhabitable during 'the laying', HSTAC staff remained gainfully employed - Rachael did training at Dovaston Training, Michele Hughes (our Finance Officer) and Joan Kieboom (our Project Officer) took their laptops and worked elsewhere, and Barbara Pitman (our Executive Officer) and I attended the Industry Skills Council Conference 'Making a Difference...Unlocking Workforce Potential' in Sydney.

This two day conference was packed with inspiring speakers, innovative thinkers and practical, interesting presentations. To give you just a taste:

Day 1 - Drivers of Change
The tone was set perfectly with the Keynote Address entitled 'The New Era for Community Services and Health' by social commentator and futurist, Dr Keith Suter.

The day continued with many interesting subjects and speakers. To mention just a few: Dr Rory Truell and Justine Te Moananui from Te Kaiawhina Ahumahi - Social Services Industry Training Council in New Zealand who gave a joint presentation entitled 'Connecting Diversity'; Greg Mundy from Aged & Community Services Australia who spoke about 'Quality Service Delivery & Challenges of a Sustainable Workforce', and Jo Justo from Australian Services Union, whose subject was 'Building Social Inclusion in Australia'.

Day 2 - Implementation & Innovation
Again, the tone was set by a powerful presentation by the first speaker of the day, Father Chris Riley, founder and CEO of Youth Off the Streets, an organisation supporting chronically homeless and drug addicted young Australians. Their goal is that these young people leave their care drug free, with a high school education, living skills and employment.

Day 2 also included a series of short 10 minute sessions designed to stimulate discussion and inspiration; each delegate could choose 4 to attend in the time allowed.

HSTAC's Executive Officer, Babara Pitman, presented one of these 'bite sized' sessions entitled 'Telling Stories About Language - WELL and the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Qualifications', which was very well received.

Others included an inspiring presentation by Marina Gray and Rosaland Stiffle from Scalabrini Village Aged Care entitled 'WELL - What a Success!' ; and Kate Southall presented the MAGIC (Mature Aged Workers Giving in Care) process which has assisted 60 long term unemployed and mature aged people - some with a disability - to find jobs in the community services and health industries.