October 2012 Minutes

Next Meeting

Thursday 1stNovember 2012

10am to Midday

Murrenda Aboriginal Community Care.

410 Torquay Rd.

Grovedale. 3216

AGENDA

Welcome / BATForce Exec
Attendance / Around the Room
Murrenda / Presentation
White Lion / Presentation
Brokerage Update / Greg Hansen/Mel Taylor
General Business

Minutes of the Meeting – October 2012

ATTENDANCE
Dave Moar / Chair/DEECD / Leigh Bartlett / BATForce
Lynn Longworth / BATForce / Alishea Harling / CoGG
Jayde Mulder / Headspace / Tom Mullane-Grant / Golden Plains
Heather Ashenhurst / Youth Justice – DHS / Fiona Lorimer / MacKillop
Lindi Dietzel / Barwon Medicare Local / Mary Kotev / Diversitat
Alana Webb / Diversitat / Ria Bua / Time 4 Youth
Apologies
Greg Hansen / BATForce / Mel Taylor / BATForce
Clare Barrett / Catholic Care / CR Jan Farrell / CoGG
Jill Meade / Barwon Youth / Cathryn Hastie / Vic Police

Diversitat – Job Services Australia – Youth Employment

Alana Webb & Mary Kotev

Diversitat Youth Employment specialises in clients who are under 25 years of age.

The Australian Government’s employment services are now known as Job Services Australia.
Diversitat Job Services Australia is the only Youth Specialist Provider in the Geelong region. We support and encourage young people into employment or further education. Access to services is dependent on the Eligibility Criteria listed below.

Services include:

  • Referral to accredited Training and Education
  • Pre-employment preparation and job-searching courses

Support Services include:

  • Counselling
  • Drug & Alcohol
  • Accommodation
  • Family Mediation
  • Indigenous Employment Advisor

Eligibility

To be eligible for Diversitat Job Services Australia - Youth Employment, you must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Be receiving either Newstart, Youth Allowance, Disability Support Pension or Parenting Pension
  • Be working less than 15 hours a week
  • Be a recently redundant worker
  • Be a ‘Vulnerable Youth’ or ‘Vulnerable Youth Student’ aged 15—25 years

Diversitat focuses on assisting job seekers to gain the skills and training they need to find employment. Job seekers will have greater access to training, skills development and other flexible assistance at times better suited to their individual needs.
Services include:

  • Creating a quality resume
  • Developing an Employment Pathway Plan which will help you work towards finding and keeping a job
  • Personally assigned Employment Advisor
  • Career planning and goal setting
  • Access to job search facilities and internal job club programs
  • Work experience opportunities
  • Short courses & accredited training
  • Links to employment vacancies

With a team of experienced and dedicated consultants, we cater for young people aged 15 – 25 who are in receipt of Centrelink benefits. Clients who are aged 20 and under may also participate in our program voluntarily if they are not eligible for Centrelink benefits.

  • We are part of JOB futures, a significant provider of employment, training and support services across Australia since 1997. With over 160 offices nationally, we have the expertise to deliver a service that is beneficial for job seekers and employers alike.
  • We are one of the top job network agencies in Geelong and being the only youth specialist provider have a great understanding of issues that may face both young people and the employers of these young people.
  • We are committed to assisting with any underlying issues our clients may face in order to ensure they become work ready.
  • Finding a quality work placement benefiting both job seeker and employer is of utmost importance to Diversitat and we track the progress of our clients for 6 months after employment to ensure a correct fit for both client and employer.

All employment programs are built on the philosophy of Respect; respect for SELF, for OTHERS and ENVIRONMENT.

Young people accessing our employment services and programs are encouraged to explore their own interests, needs and choices in a safe, yet challenging atmosphere. These practical youth-oriented programs are designed to support, guide, encourage and empower each individual into sustainable, achievable further education and employment based on their own interests and needs. Diversitat is committed to promoting independent learning and
self confidence to young job seekers through the application of exploration, investigation and evaluation of themselves and the world around them.

Alana – Job Services Australia Youth Site Manager
Michelle – Senior Employment Consultant working with job seekers who are 12 months + registered as an active job seeker.
Angela – Employment Consultant
Mary – Employment Programs Consultant

Leigh Bartlett – Youth Partnership Forum

A general around the room discussion on the Youth Partnership forum was held. For more information contact Leigh Bartlett on 0438558204 or 03 5221 4339 or email

GENERAL BUSINESS

An opportunity to discuss new initiatives, introduce new workers, general youth agency news, trends in youth activities, raise issues of concern, ask questions, raise issues for the Policy & Planning Process.

Ria Bua – Time for Youth Management Team Re-location

The Management team at Time for youth have re located to Fenwick Street. Geelong. All telephone & email addresses remain the same. For more information Tel 5246 7500 or email

Fiona Lorimer – MacKillop Family Services – Changes

Fiona has recently had a role change, which now comes under Pilot Leader; this incorporates working at MacKillop Education 2 days involving Job preparation, Education and Outreach services.

Jayde Mulder – heaspace – Wellbeing Walk

Local identities will be pounding treadmills in Westfield Geelong next month, in a bid to raise awareness of mental health.The inaugural Wellbeing Walk is the key feature of this year's Barwon Mental Health Week program, which is celebrated annually from 7 – 13 October.

The aim of the week is to improve community awareness and knowledge about mental ill-health and reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems.

The three-day walk will be held at Westfield Geelong Shopping Centre from midday on Saturday, 6 October and will see five treadmills set up outside Big W, highlighting the fact one in five Australians will be affected by a mental health problem in any one year.

This is an opportunity for the Geelong community to become more involved in Mental Health Week and to support people affected by mental health problems.

Mental illness is common and we all need to look after our mental health.

It is important for all of us to recognise signs and symptoms of mental health problems and to seek professional help at an early stage.

This is even more critical for young people, as the first onset of mental health problems are often in adolescence and early adulthood," he added.

The event is supported by Westfield Geelong Shopping Centre and organised by the Barwon Mental Health Week committee, in conjunction with MadCap Café.

The treadmills have been generously provided by Rentasaur Rentals.

Individuals or organisations interested in participating can register by emailing

Meeting Closed 11.30am