Media Release: Unsung Heroes – Stories from Dubbo DVD launch

Mission Australia, together with the Dubbo Koori Interagency Network, will launch Unsung Heroes – Stories from Dubbo, a DVD documenting the lives of Dubbo’s Aboriginal Unsung Heroes, on Wednesday the 1st of June at 11am at Western Plains Cultural Centre, 76 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo.

Unsung Heroes is a unique project and important resource for the Dubbo region, with students from the Dubbo College Senior Campus’ Aboriginal Studies class interviewing the Elders who share their personal experiences of their past and growing up in an Australia where Aboriginal people didn’t have citizenship rights.

According to Dale Towns, Service Manager for Mission Australia services in Central and Far West NSW, this project was the brainchild of the Dubbo Koori Interagency Network (DKIN) who realised after the death of two well loved local Elders that not only did the community lose two well respected Elders but also their history, life experience and stories.

“This project will provide information of cultural significance & reflects the personal experiences of the Elders growing up as an Aboriginal person,” Ms Towns said.

“In this way, others, particularly our children, can learn about the past from a personal perspective of what it was like to grow up as an Aboriginal person in times past, not just what is written in history books.”

Ms Towns said that originally, the plan for the project was for the Elders to record their experiences.

“However, as the project progressed, the students who did the interviewing as well as the Mission Australia support staff were so moved by what they heard, that it was decided that their reactions to the Elders’ experiences would also be recorded on the DVD,” she said.

Unsung Heroes was filmed and edited by Mission Australia’s CreativeYouth Initiatives (CYI), based in Sydney. This is a service that provides disadvantaged young people in the Sydney area the opportunity to access TAFE-accredited art and music courses. Staff from CYI travelled to Dubbo for a week from in November last year to assist the students from the Dubbo College Senior Campus to complete the filming.

At the launch, a 10 minute trailer of the DVD will be screened, and copies of the full DVD – about two hours in length – will be distributed for people to watch in their own time.

The 10 minute trailer will be displayed on the Dubbo Koori Interagency Network website – http://www.dubbokin.com.au/ – providing the opportunity for the Unsung Heroes – Stories from Dubbo DVD to be viewed by anyone interested in Aboriginal history from around the world.

Media contact: Leanne Budd 0457 505 342

Craigie passes on smart gambling message

Mission Australia has teamed up with former NRL player Owen Craigie to present a series of two-day workshops aimed to help NSW Aboriginal health and community workers fight problem gambling.

The former Rabbitohs and Knights player is delivering a series of 20 intensive workshops with Mission Australia’s Training Coordinator Sheree Drylie as part of Gambling Smart Project, which is funded by the NSW Government through the Responsible Gambling Fund.

Having experienced the detrimental effects of gambling personally, Owen feels strongly about helping to educate frontline workers about the warning signs of problem gambling:

"It's always good to try and get people in the early stages of gambling because the long-term effects are family break downs, divorces, mental abuse and even suicide,” said Owen.

"A lot of people take their lives each year, which is related to problem gambling. So suicide is probably a major factor there and we just trying to steer people in the right direction so we can help save lives."

He said gambling had become a major issue around the country, not just in rural NSW: “Our program is out there reaching people that have got problems. We're not trying to tell them to stop gambling, just be smart about it.”

This month Owen and Sheree will run two-day workshops at the Awabakal Newcastle Aboriginal Co-Operative in Hamilton (6 to 7 June) and Lismore Workers Sports Club (15 to 16 June). A further 12 workshops will be held throughout NSW in the second half of 2011.

These two-day workshops will cover a range of issues associated with gambling such as forms of gambling activity, signs and symptoms of problem gambling, risk and protective factors, impacts on health and relationships, types of therapeutic interventions and treatment programs, the role of gambling counsellors, assessments and where to find help.

Participants will receive a certificate and resource manual, and food and beverages will be supplied.

To find out more call Sheree Drylie or Owen Craigie on (02) 40334941 or email drylies@missionaustralia.com.au If you or someone you know needs support to overcome a gambling addiction visit www.triplerservices.com.au.

Further reading:

• ‘Online gambling causing real problems’ - ABC.net.au
• Previous MA news - gambling

Media coverage - The Punch: Have you even met an Aboriginal person?

When my parents arrived in the 1950s as ’10 pound Poms’, Australia was a brave new world. Their street in Melbourne’s Glen Waverley bustled with fellow European migrants eager to create a life for their families.

But while our neighbourhood was a snapshot of multicultural Europe there wasn’t a lot of mixing. My parents socialised with others from the old country while their Italian and Greek neighbours went to their own churches and started their own small businesses.

The ‘poms’ and ‘wogs’ in the street lived together quite happily, but separately.

The walls only started to come down when their kids – my generation – began attending school with the children of other migrant families.

Or when parents like mine began venturing into the local restaurants run by their Southern European neighbours.

During National Reconciliation Week, I’ve been thinking about the parallels between their experiences and the way Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians relate to each other.

It seems to me that the vast bulk of non-Aboriginal Australians are living quite happily, but separately, from the first Australians – much the same way as the different European groups did in suburban Melbourne all those years ago.

It leads me to ask, why are the majority of Australians not engaging with Aboriginal people? Is it disinterest? Is it apprehension or fear? Is it lack of opportunity? Is it all the above?

If it’s disinterest, would knowing that Aboriginals lag behind non-Aboriginal Australians across almost every important social indicator – health, housing, employment, imprisonment, education – motivate us?

If apprehension or fear, does this reflect our own insecurities or guilt? That we don’t know what to say and are afraid of causing offence?

And as for lack of opportunity?

I’ve heard it said that more than 80% of non-Aboriginal Australians have never even met an Aboriginal person.

If that’s true it would suggest an almost insurmountable gulf in terms of opportunities for genuine reconciliation between the two groups.

How can we expect reconciliation to take place if our experiences and beliefs are formed from media reports and hearsay from others, rather than a genuine engagement?

The numbers don’t lie.

Alarmingly, more than half of Australians believe the relationship between the two communities is poor.

Close to 75 per cent of Aboriginal Australians believe they hold high levels of prejudice toward non-Aboriginals Australians. It’s a little over 70 per cent going the other way.

What a depressing situation.

In my view the path to genuine reconciliation runs through Australia’s workplaces.

Aboriginal employment not only means greater prosperity for individuals and communities but an opportunity for both non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal alike to really see each other, face-to-face, and the potential for prejudice and misunderstanding to be overcome.

But getting more Aboriginal Australians into work requires a concerted commitment from government, businesses and the community service sector.

For Australia’s business that means the purchasing – where possible – of products and services from Aboriginal suppliers; providing opportunities for Aboriginal trainees and apprentices; and hiring Aboriginal employees.

For governments and community organisations, that means making sure that Aboriginal Australians have the skills they need to take advantage of the opportunities provided.

There’s no doubt people are making an effort.

We’ve recently seen Andrew Forrest’s Aboriginal Employment Covenant bear some fruit but so far the obstacles to progress have proven hard to overcome.

But dare I say Australian business could do more.

This week Mission Australia hosted a dinner for more than 250 leaders from Victoria’s business and Aboriginal communities to discuss practical measures to address poverty and disadvantage among Aboriginals.

It’s early days but I’m hopeful we’ll see some real progress from the discussions that took place.

Virtually all Australians can think of an Aboriginal person who sets an example for others in sport; half can nominate an example in the arts, politics and government and community service.

However, less than 5% can think of an Aboriginal person who sets an example in business.

I dream of a time when that figure – and those revealing the deep levels of mistrust and prejudice that still exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians – can be reversed.

And we can all make a contribution to that process – not just in National Reconciliation Week – but throughout the year.

Even if it’s just starting a conversation about it with your friends and family and refusing to let the issue be forgotten or marginalised.

And faced with the chasm of understanding that exists between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians your participation is needed now more than ever.

Paul Bird is Mission Australia's State Director for Victoria. This article was published in The Punch on 31 May 2011

Further reading:

• MA Aboriginal resources page
• Previous MA news - Reconciliation

Government Media Release: Tackling problem gambling in Australia

The Australian Government today took another step forward in its efforts to address problem gambling in Australia.

The Government is concerned that the promotion of live odds during sports coverage can significantly influence vulnerable people, particularly young people, and normalise negative gambling behaviour.

That’s why the Government will work with the sporting and betting industries to reduce and control the promotion of live odds during sports coverage through amendments to their existing industry codes.

If satisfactory amendments are not in place by the end of June 2012, the Australian Government will consider the need for legislation, noting that the measures would not apply to pre-existing contracts for the promotion of live odds during sports coverage as of 1am today.

The Government will also undertake a review of the operation of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, including examining how harm minimisation measures can be improved for online gambling services.

The Australian Government will consult widely with key stakeholders, states and territories, and the broader community in undertaking the review. Terms of Reference for the review will be announced shortly.

These moves are in addition to the progress made at the Council of Australian Government’s Select Council on Gambling Reform today on pre-commitment.

Ministers agreed to support the required infrastructure for pre-commitment technology in all jurisdictions, to be available to all players in all venues.

The Australian Government supports a full pre-commitment scheme starting in 2014, with small venues (gambling venues with 15 or less machines) to have an additional four years to implement the changes.

Our preference remains for the states and territories to deliver these changes and we will continue discussions with the states and territories, through the Select Council, over the next year.

The Government will also begin work on Commonwealth legislation, as agreed with the Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie.

We know that problem gambling destroys Australian families and ruins lives.

Bringing in these changes is no easy task but it is necessary if we are to provide the duty of care we owe thousands of individuals and families whose lives are being ruined by problem gambling.

Media release originally issued on the 27 May 2011 by the Hon Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Familes, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Further reading

• Media Release: MA joins campaign to advance poker machine reform
• Getup: Petition for Pokie Reform
• Yesterday's news: Rise in betting on the net a concern
• All gambling related stories from MA
  

Taste of Reconciliation dinner

Mission Australia kicked off Reconciliation Week last Wednesday, with our second annual Taste of Reconciliation dinner, held at the Sofitel Melbourne.

The night provided a chance for Melbourne's business community to celebrate Aboriginal culture, discuss ways to provide real opportunities for Aboriginal Australians and sample the native flavours of Charcoal Lane – our social enterprise restaurant in Fitzroy.

The event, held on the eve of Reconciliation Week was a huge success, attracting over 250 attendees including Elders and members of Victoria's Aboriginal community and leaders from government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

Throughout the evening guests heard from Hon Minister Jeanette Powell, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Stephen Roberts, Chief Country Officer and CEO Institutional Clients Group, Citi Australia and New Zealand, who provided keynote speeches.

In addition, Rueben Berg from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria coordinated a 'Thought Leaders' panel, which included a speech from Toby Hall, CEO of Mission Australia.

Guests were also entertained during the event by the music of James Williams, CEO of 3KnD Radio – Melbourne’s first Indigenous radio station.

Mission Australia would like to thank the Victoria Government (Aboriginal Affairs Victoria), Reconciliation Australia, Sofitel Melbourne, Accor, Citi and Red Letter Management.

Mission Australia encourages all its supporters, staff and volunteers to participate in this important week by taking part in activities in your community or simply reflecting on what this week is all about.

Visit Mission Australia's Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island resources page for our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the latest indigenous news, current affairs and policy updates.

Further reading:

• Previous MA news - Charcoal Lane
• Previous MA news - Reconciliation

Minister launches our new southern base in SA

Mission Australia’s new southern headquarters in Old Reynella, SA, was officially launched on Wednesday by the Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers and the Minister Assisting the Premier in Social Inclusion, Grace Portolesi, and the City of Onkaparinga Mayor, Lorraine Rosenberg.

Mission Australia State Director Phillip Leslie said the move to 165 Old South Road was an extremely positive one, offering opportunities to work with local communities in the “often-forgotten” corners of the state’s south.

Mission Australia has provided services to young people, families and communities in the southern region since 1999. The move will allow an improvement of existing services and the introduction of some new, locally relevant, initiatives.

Among the services and programs currently offered -- and soon to be augmented by other locally relevant initiatives -- are Reconnect, which supports young people at risk of homelessness; the Southern Outreach Team, who assist young people to stay in school and with drug, alcohol and mental health issues; and a Parent Education Program, supporting young mothers and fathers to overcome parenting challenges.

“With a cluster of community and support services based in the Noarlunga area, Mission Australia sees this move as an important contribution to making services accessible across the entire southern region,” Mr Leslie said.

“Given Mission Australia’s recent Youth Survey findings -- where young people highlighted stress and family conflict as a major concern -- it is important to Mission Australia that these services remain available and increase in this rapidly expanding region.

“We have begun the process of engaging the community in conversation about the needs, capacity and opportunities in the region in order to identify the gaps in services.

“Mission Australia intends to increase its presence all the way down to Victor Harbor and touch upon the significant and currently unmet needs of more isolated communities.”

Reconciliation Week

Today is National Sorry Day, which heralds the start of Reconciliation Week. This year’s theme is recognition.

Reconciliation Australia wants us to think about what it means to feel recognised, and how valuable that is for our self-esteem and our ability to recognise the best in others.

Recognition is important to all of us, of course. It is crucial for Indigenous Australians, whose existence and rights as traditional owners have been overlooked in history – and who continue to struggle for justice and equality today.

As the first Australian charity to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan, this is a topic close to our heart as an organisation and this vital national conversation will help us create a fairer Australia for all.

The theme of recognition is also timely. The Federal Government recently established a panel to consider amending the Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within it, and we may all have the chance to vote in a referendum on this issue in the near future.

Mission Australia kicked off Reconciliation Week last night with our second annual Taste of Reconciliation dinner, held at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. The night provided a chance for Melbourne's business community to celebrate Aboriginal culture, discuss ways to provide real opportunities for Aboriginal Australians and sample the native flavours of Charcoal Lane - our social enterprise restaurant in Fitzroy.

Mission Australia encourages all its supporters, staff and volunteers to participate in this important week by taking part in activities in your community or simply reflecting on what this week is all about.

Further reading:

• Previous MA news - Charcoal Lane
• Previous MA news - Reconciliation
  

Everybody inhale

I remember standing behind one of these vehicles as a boy and taking a deep breath as the freshly laid tarmac was compressed. These shots were taken in Sydney Road, Manly, in circa 1960. I don't know what the correct name for the vehicle is - is it a road-roller? - or who the manufacturer was. But I bet you could hear it from a hundred yards away.

Former Idol shares experiences and music at CYI

Students from Mission Australia’s Creative Youth Initiatives were recently treated to a visit from singer Hayley Warner, the 2009 Australian Idol runner-up.

Earlier this month the 19-year old Sydney singer, who built up a strong following for her high-energy performances on Idol, took the time to chat to CYI students, hang out and hear their music.

Based in Sydney’s Surry Hills, CYI is a unique service that provides free creative programs for young people aged 16 to 25 who are facing challenges such as homelessness, mental health issues, substance abuse, family breakdown, unemployment and poor educational experiences. The Sounds of the Street (SOTS) and Artworks! programs help develop the young person’s creativity through visual arts and music.

Hayley talked to the students about the ups and downs she has experienced along the way, and spoke of the inner-strength and resolve required to realise her dreams.
CYI students and staff were also treated to a beautiful performance by Hayley, who also spent time in the music studios giving advice. She was introduced to the service through her work as Social Services Partner for Telstra, a longstanding Mission Australia partner.

“It was an amazing opportunity for the students to hear another young person’s experience and the confidence for them to follow their dreams,” said Sera Harris, CYI Service Manager. “She was truly inspiring and we hope to see her in February when we launch the next Sounds of the Street (SOTS) CD.

SOTS is a 20-week TAFE-accredited course that gives students the opportunity to compose, perform and record their own music and learn an instrument. At the end of the program the students’ music is professionally mixed and mastered onto a CD and students perform their music at the annual CD launch.

Later in the day, Hayley also revealed that she was inspired by the visit: “Had a really inspiring time this morning hanging out and chatting to Mission Australia kids,” she Tweeted yesterday afternoon. “Epic stories of overcoming situations.”

Aboriginal jobs and development on the menu at VIC's premier reconciliation event

More than 250 of Victoria's business and Aboriginal leaders will meet to consider ways to tackle Aboriginal disadvantage and enhance reconciliation at the Taste of Reconciliation event on May 25th.

The event, which will examine business solutions to alleviate the inequality experienced by Aboriginals, will feature Victorian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Jeanette Powell and Chief Country Officer and CEO Clients Institutional Group, Citi Australia and New Zealand, Stephen Roberts.

Mr Roberts, who is Chair of the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council, a group which provides purchasing links between corporate Australia, government agencies and indigenous-owned businesses, will advise how businesses can get involved in reconciliation.

Mission Australia Victorian State Director Paul Bird said Taste of Reconciliation, the state's premier celebratory reconciliation event, primarily provides corporate and indigenous Victoria an opportunity to come together to talk about practical ways to overcome Aboriginal disadvantage

"Victoria's businesses can play a hugely significant role in furthering reconciliation by promoting job growth, skills development and boosting individual self-confidence," said Mr Bird.

"Purchasing, where possible, products and services from Aboriginal suppliers, providing opportunities for Aboriginal trainees and apprentices and hiring Aboriginal employees are all ways in which corporate Australia can make a real difference," he said.

According to Mr Bird, while the Victorian Government has made progress through its funding of Reconciliation Victoria, the Indigenous Honour Roll initiative and supporting leadership and mentoring programs for Aboriginal youth, more can be done by government, business and community service organisations to renew their commitment to reconciliation.

"That's what Taste of Reconciliation is about - assisting in that renewal by providing an event where business leaders and the Aboriginal community can meet to discuss ways forward," said Mr Bird.

And leading by example, Mission Australia, through its own Reconciliation Action Plan, exceeded its goal for increasing the number of employees who identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander with 120 staff members, almost five per cent of their total workforce, coming from these backgrounds.

Taste of Reconciliation - Wednesday, 25 May 2011

• Time: 6.30pm to 10pm
• Place: Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, 25 Collins Street, Melbourne
• For more information, visit www.tasteofreconciliation.org

Click here to browse past Taste of Reconciliation news

Get active and make a difference

The winter running season is almost here, with a host of marathons, fun runs and half-marathons planned across the country over the coming months.

There’s the Gold Coast Marathon on the weekend of 2-3 July, Run Melbourne on 17 July, the Sydney City2Surf on 14 August and the Perth City to Surf on 28 August, with more events planned in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney during September.

These events not only offer a great chance to get healthy and take on a challenge, but also the opportunity to help raise funds for Mission Australia’s work with disadvantaged Australians.

Simply follow one of the links below to your chosen event, register online and select Mission Australia as your charity of choice. We can help you set up your own unique fundraising page to share with your friends and family so that you can start fundraising to transform lives.

If you’re planning to take part in the Sydney City2Surf or the Gold Coast Marathon you’ll have to move quickly as earlybird registrations (with a discounted entry fee) for both events close on 1 June.

So why not get moving to make a difference this winter?

Events

• Gold Coast Marathon, 2-3 July, goldcoastmarathon.com.au
• Run Melbourne, 17 July, runmelbourne.com.au
• City2Surf (Sydney), 14 August, city2surf.com.au
• City to Surf (Perth), 28 August, citytosurf.activ.asn.au
• Bridge to Brisbane, 1 September, bridgetobrisbane.com.au
• City-Bay (Adelaide), 18 September, city-bay.org.au
• Sydney Running Festival, 18 September, sydneyrunningfestival.com.au

Big Heart Bellambi bounces back!

Good news for op shoppers in the Illawarra. Mission Australia’s Big Heart store at 16 Bellambi Lane, Bellambi, is back in action!

Today’s re-opening signals a major turning point for the store since it was damaged in a devastating fire in March of this year.

As well as being the site of Mission Australia’s Soft Landing mattress recycling social enterprise, the Bellambi Big Heart retail store acts as a sorting and distribution depot for the six other Big Heart stores in the region as well as a bulk sales outlet.

As a result of the fire, much of the Big Heart stock as well as the mattresses were either destroyed by fire, smoke or water damage caused by sprinklers triggered during the blaze.

This necessitated a major drive for donations of goods suitable for sale at the Big Heart shops.

“We are so happy to finally re-open our doors,” Bill Dibley, NSW Operations Manager for Social Enterprise, said.

“The local community have been extremely supportive and our volunteer team have been unbelievable in cleaning up after the fire.”

“I thank them all for their comment and dedication.”

Clothing sold from Bellambi outlet is still only $7 a kilo, shoes $2 a pair and books can be purchased 5 for $2.

As ever, the Mission Australia is calling out for volunteers at all of its Big Heart sites in the Illawarra region – Warilla, Dapto, Wollongong or Thirroul – or even the Nowra and Campbelltown outlets. According to Mr Dibley, there are several volunteering opportunities available at some of the retail outlets including retail assistants, drivers, offsiders and sorters.

To find out more about volunteering opportunities, please call 1800 110 578 or email volunteering@missionaustralia.com.au.

Further reading

• ‘Big Heart rises from the ashes’
• ‘Big Heart cleans up after weekend fire’
• Soft Landing - a Mission Australia social business working towards sustainability
• Find the location of the Belambi store at the Google map below.
  

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Help a family stick together

The theme of National Families Week - ‘Sticking together: families in good and tough times’ - encourages us to think about the things that make families strong in both good and tough times whatever their circumstances.

As part of Families Week, which ends on Saturday, Australians have been asked to all take time to explore ways we can support each other - in our families and communities - through all the ups and downs of daily life.

Mission Australia would like to thank the many generous people who have responded to our story about struggling families like Gracie’s and donated to our Winter Appeal.

Like so many, the family found themselves homeless due to a series of unfortunate incidents that began when Gracie’s father lost his job. Within months they were spending cold nights huddled in the family car.

We’re now at the halfway mark of our 2011 Winter Appeal, but still have to raise a further $300,000 to reach our target and help bring more homeless Australians in from the cold and back on track.

If you’d like to support an Australian family who has hit hard times, you can donate online or call us on 1800 88 88 68.

And for everyone who has already got behind our appeal, thanks for making a difference!

Further reading:
‘Families in Australia 2011: Sticking together in good and tough times’

NT Urban Questers top Triple J charts

Jack and Sam Weaver, who were runners-up in Mission Australia’s 2011 NT Urban Quest, are at the top of the 2011 Triple JJJ Unearthed High punk charts with their Skarlett bandmates..

Their entry, ‘Hey Georgia’, is also at number three on the national competition’s overall chart.

In April Jack, aged 14, and Sam, 17, were named equal runners-up with Peter Rautoka, at the Urban Quest Finals Concert in Darwin. By taking part the brothers helped to raise funds for Mission Australia’s youth homeless services across the Top End.

The teenagers from Wagaman narrowly missed taking out the Urban Quest Finals Concert performing ‘Hey Georgia’.

Winners of the 2011 Triple JJJ Unearthed High competition score a concert with The Living End at their school and recording time at Triple J Studios in Sydney.

If you’d like to support the Weaver brothers, who did their bit to support young homeless people in the Territory, vote for Skarlett at Triplejunearthed.com/Artists/View.aspx?artistid=38846

Further reading:
Urban Quest 2011

Getting back to nature

Did you know it takes as little as four minutes in a natural environment to reduce stress, improve mood and steady the vital signs?

This is just one of the findings Mission Australia’s National Director of Mission Australia’s Early Learning Services (MAELS) took home from last week’s World Forum on Early Care and Education.

With delegates representing 73 nations, the conference examined the natural world’s potential to reduce childhood obesity and have a positive impact on ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and learning.

Ms Howard said the conference reaffirmed Mission Australia’s plan to ‘naturalise’ the environment at its 29 MAELS centres through the addition of gardens, replacing plastic equipment with timber and using paint hues inspired by nature.

“We not planning to introduce natural environments into our centres because it’s ‘trendy’ or looks good, but because there is increasingly a real disconnect between children and nature,” she said.

“Today we have children growing up in developed countries who are afraid of wind, rain and snow. This is the generation we are handing society.”

Ms Howard said that initiatives such as vegetable gardens at MAELS Shell Cove (NSW) and Doveton (Victoria) centres were already making a difference to young lives:

“The children at those centres can’t wait to get outside when they arrive,” Ms Howards said. “It’s a small but important way we can start reconnecting children with nature.”

Further reading:

• Find out more about Education Week in Victoria
• ‘Families need adventure playgrounds and cities need families’
• Resources, photos, videos and more from the conference: will be shared at http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/upcoming-events/2011-world-forum

Media Release: Mission Australia to hold free families week community event at Miller Square

Mission Australia’s Miller Pathways will hold a free Community Fun Day to encourage families in the 2168 area to celebrate National Families Week 2011.

The Miller Families Week community event will be held at Miller Square, Lady Woodward Crescent, Miller from 11am – 2pm on Friday 20th May 2011.

Lucy Reggio, Community Development Project Officer for Miller Pathways says the Families Day aims to provide fun, safe family activities and information to the community.

“The Day aims to highlight the importance of families and provide information on how to best support children and provide parents or carers with information on how to access assistance if needed,” Ms Reggio said.

Highlights of the event will include a speech from our Mayor Wendy Waller; mobile play centre; free give away prizes and show bags, face painting; free sausage sizzle; local school performances; local singing groups; a roaming entertainer; stalls providing information on local family and children’s services and lots more.

Each year, National Families Week celebrates families’ contribution and role in our society and this year it is being held from 15-21 May, coinciding with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May. Hundreds of community groups, businesses and government departments register local events around the country.

The central aim of National Families Week 2011 is to celebrate the vital role that families play. This year’s theme is 'STICKING TOGETHER: families in good and tough times’.

“Mission Australia is encouraging everyone to think about the things that make their family strong in both the good and the hard times, whatever their circumstances, Ms Reggio said. “Let’s all take the time to explore ways we can support each other – in our families and communities – through all the ups and downs of daily life.”

Media contact: Leanne Budd 0457 505 342

Government Media Release: New report highlights Australian job opportunities

The Australian Jobs 2011 report was released today, highlighting opportunities and encouraging all Australians to participate in the workforce in Australia’s current strong economy.

Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care, Kate Ellis, released the 2011 edition of the annual publication at the Local Employment Coordinators Conference in Canberra.

“It is essential that job seekers, students and employment service providers have access to up-to-date information about what the opportunities are and where the jobs are now, and where opportunities and new jobs are likely to arise in the next five years,” Ms Ellis said.

“The Australian Jobs report is a key resource in helping job seekers to find employment opportunities in our nation’s dynamic job market, and for employment service providers to plan for the future.”

Australian Jobs, prepared by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, provides key information about Australian employment figures, helping job seekers and employment service providers alike.

This year’s report focuses on regional labour markets and contains useful information about occupations and industries and about state and territory labour markets.

“Australia’s economy is strong. More than 265 000 new jobs have been created over the past year and the national unemployment rate is 4.9 per cent,” Ms Ellis said.

“The Australian economy needs more skilled workers if we are going to successfully take advantage of the minerals boom and manage the challenges of our ageing population.”

“This presents a great opportunity for Australians who have previously had difficulty gaining employment to find and to keep a job.”

Australian Jobs supports the Australian Government’s focus on developing a highly skilled and educated workforce to meet Australia’s future needs, by highlighting the link between higher levels of education and training and better labour market outcomes such as lower unemployment and higher pay.

The report highlights that 4.1 million Australians are employed in regional areas, with regional employers experiencing particular difficulty recruiting skilled workers.

Ms Ellis said that this means there are sound opportunities for employment outside state capital cities.

“Improving labour market outcomes – putting more people into more jobs – benefits individuals, their families and communities but also the whole Australian economy,” Ms Ellis said.

“The 2011-12 Budget lays out a strong plan to make the most of current economic circumstances and get more Australians into work.”

“This report shows us that there are jobs available and that there has rarely been a better time in our nation’s history for people to enter the workforce.”

For more information and to view Australian Jobs 2011 www.deewr.gov.au/australianjobs or email AustralianJobs@deewr.gov.au

Media Contact: media@deewr.gov.au

Non-media queries: 1300 363 079

This media release originally issued on the 18 May 2011 by the Hon Kate Ellis MP, Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care

MA Housing offers new affordable rental housing in Victoria

MA Housing is currently looking for tenants for some exciting new affordable housing properties in Dandenong, Victoria.

The apartments will be offered to eligible households at 80% of market rent, under the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). At least one member of the household must be employed. (Therefore units are generally not suitable for those on the social housing waiting list).

Eligibility is determined partly on household earnings. Maximum annual earnings range from $42,718 for a single person to $101,561 for a couple with three children.

The properties
The properties are brand new one and two-bedroom apartments in Hutton St Dandenong. These high quality apartments all have balconies and one under cover car space each. Apartments are just metres from Dandenong Central Business District and Dandenong train station.

Weekly rents range from $200 to $276 per week.

If you know someone who is in need of low-cost rental housing, please encourage them to contact MA Housing for more information.

Contact
Ken Parkin, Senior Housing Manager
Phone: 0439 576 542
Email: ParkinKe@mahousing.com.au

This is a rare opportunity to obtain great accommodation at an affordable price. Units are available NOW and won’t last long.

New website for not-for-profits

Did you know that the value of volunteering in the not-for-profit sector is estimated at $14.6 billion per year?

This is just one of the fast facts on the new Office for the Not-for-Profit Sector website, which was launched last week.

The Australian Government website also includes a Sector Guide to the Budget, with measures of interest to not-for-profit organisations.

It features downloadable rich-text format (RTF) and PDF documents outlining broad reform measures such as the establishment of an independent regulator for charities and tailored support for job seekers, as well as a list of programs that not-for-profits can access.

The site also features information on the new Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission (ACNC), which aims to improve the accountability and transparency of the sector while removing reporting overlap for general reporting requirements at the Commonwealth level.

The Office for the Not-for-Profit Sector was established in October 2010 to drive and coordinate the not-for-profit sector policy reform agenda and the National Compact - working together.

Visit www.notforprofit.gov.au for more information.

Ashburner Street flats

Surveying the pasing scene, a boy perches on the gatepost outside Valentia Flats in Ashburner Street, Manly, in June 1936.

The photograph also shows The Checkers and The Astor flats. The verandahs of The Checkers are not closed-in, but heavy canvas blinds can be seen, which would have allowed for the verandah area to be used as a sleep-out.

Disruption to traffic and damage to the road surface caused by the Norfolk Island pine trees in the street was a problem for the Manly Council Engineer at this period. The photo was taken to indicate if there was a need to remove any of the trees.

John MacRitchie.

Thank you - blanket drive for Missionbeat

Last Thursday our Missionbeat service manager, Dan Petsalis, put out a desperate plea for blankets via his Twitter network.

Within only a few hours Dan’s plea was re-Tweeted by organisations and individuals – reaching thousands of supporters and reported by channel 10 and channel 7 in Sydney reaching thousands more.

Our Missionbeat service has received hundreds blankets with hundreds more en-route to Missionbeat headquarters.

I want to express our deepest thanks to all the people who have collected blankets from their friends, their communities and their colleagues – from large organisations and small. Your contributions make an active and tangible difference to a human life.

These blankets will be distributed to the rough sleepers in the Sydney area whilst the Missionbeat vans are on patrol. We will also respond to the calls for assistance and calls for blankets directly from those clients that will be sleeping on the street, where accommodation wasn’t secured, and we follow-up again the next day.

In the Sydney city area there are about 400 people sleeping rough on any given night. Blankets don't last a person all winter due to issues around keeping them secure, clean and dry.

Cheers and God bless,

Toby Hall
CEO of Mission Australia

To donate a blanket, please contact Missionbeat directly on 1800 306 461 or drop off your blanket directly to the Missionbeat office located at Unit 1/1 Brompton Street, Marrickville NSW 2204.

Dan Petsalis thanked the public today in a short film. Use the player below to view or visit Mission Australia's Youtube channel.

'Fantastic food and spirit of a fair go come together' at Charcoal Lane

There's been a lot of talk about Mission Australia's Charcoal Lane restaurant recently in the Melbourne press, with the Fitzroy social enterprise making the pages of The Age and Melbourne City newspaper.

This month the restaurant was the setting for the 'Lunch with…' column, with Peter Freier, the Archbishop of Melbourne, enjoying its native-flavoured dishes.

The Age's Danny Zwartz wrote that "The choice of Charcoal Lane is typical of his attention to detail and unerring political eye. It is a pleasant restaurant serving good food but he is also supporting disadvantaged young people - not least through the publicity he will bring - as well as deflecting possible criticism about the archbishop being seen doing something as frivolous as lunch."

He also noted that the restaurant, which trains young Aboriginal people and other local youth in hospitality, was a natural choice for the Archbishop, who had worked with Indigenous communities on Thursday Island an in Kowanyama and Yarrabar.

Dishes featured included saltbush lamb, pan-seared salmon, Sydney rock oysters with cider dressing and finger limes, yam fritters with bush tomato chutney, and flourless mandarin meringue cake and cheese were among the native-flavoured dishes that were highlighted.

Last month the restaurant also received a glowing review in the Melbourne City Newspaper.

Kimberly Yu wrote that "Fantastic food and the spirit of a fair go come together at Fitzroy's Charcoal Lane.

"The restaurant's innovative use of native meat and bush spices combines seamlessly with more familiar offerings, producing mouth-watering dishes like native peppered kangaroo fillet with a shallot and bush tomato tart, topped with a rosella flower jus," she added.

Head Chef Craig Hicks has been on a mission to bring "fresh tastes to the menu, incorporating his experience in some of the best kitchens in Asia, Europe and Australia into the new menu.

"I'm passionate about incorporating Australian Indigenous ingredients such as lilli pillies and quandongs with Asian flavours, which I don't think anyone else has achieved," he said, adding that kangaroo was the biggest drawcard.

Craig said he was looking forward to showing students the array of possibilities for a career in hospitality. Under his guidance, the trainees now make bread twice a day and also learning to make cheeses.

The restaurant - a partnership between Mission Australia, the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and William Angliss Institute - provides 30 traineeships and 12 apprenticeships a year.

Charcoal Lane staff and trainees are preparing to host another Taste of Reconciliation event on the 25 May. The event is the second annual corporate dinner and will feature keynote speakers such as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Jeanette Powell, and Chief Operating Officer and CEO Institutional Clients Group, Citi Australia and New Zealand, Stephen Roberts. Visit www.tasteofreconciliation.org for more information.

Charcoal Lane is at 136 Gertrude St, Fitzroy. Open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 3pm and 6pm to 10pm. Call (03) 9418 3400, email eat@charcoallane.com.au, or visit www.charcoallane.com.au

Further reading:

• Lunch with…Philip Freier at Charcoal Lane
• Previous Charcoal Lane news

Missionbeat nurse wins Nurse of the Year Award

Paul Esplin, a nurse who plays a vital role in our Missionbeat team, was honoured last Thursday at the Hesta Australian Nursing Awards.

Paul, who joined the team in 2008, won the Nurse of the Year Award at a gala dinner in Melbourne.

The Hesta Nursing Awards, now in their fifth year, acknowledge outstanding nurses, midwives, personal care attendants and assistants in nursing. As a finalist, Paul was judged on his exceptional contribution to improving care and outcomes for patients.

Paul is co-employed by St Vincent's Hospital and Mission Australia to provide frontline medical care for the many men and women who sleep rough in the city's streets.

He works alongside Missionbeat's Community Service Workers to help meet the medical, social, mental health and housing needs of homeless people - some who have been living on the streets for decades.

For Missionbeat Manager Daniel Petsalis, having Paul on the team has provided the perfect opportunity to engage with the city's rough sleepers.

"Paul has had a huge affect on the health and wellbeing of Sydney's rough sleepers," Daniel said. "The fact that he can address their health needs on the spot - whether it's by dressing a wound or organising a vitamin B or flu shot - has made such a difference."

Congratulations Paul on this fantastic award!

Above photo (L to R): Paul Esplin and Daniel Petsalis

A Vision for the Corso

The National Library's Trove database now includes issues of the Illustrated Sydney News, which are an excellent source of contemporary pictures. The drawing above comes from its issue of 15 March 1886, p20, and shows shops in course of erection for the Anglo-Australian M L & F Company at Manly. The development was on the west side of the Corso. The architects were a young Melbourne pair, Richard Loweish and Frederick Moorhouse. This would have been a significant commission for them, and an important development in the streetscape of the Corso. It is good to know when the scheme was completed and who the architects were.

With the exception of the two shops to the right of the group, the facades of the others and four of the original stone chimneys have survived, 125 years on. The shops have had a multitude of uses over the years. At time of writing, the surviving shops are occupied by clothing and surf stores: All, Diva, Cotton On, Platypus, Sportsgirl and Big Swim. The two shops to the left of the group were for many years occupied by the well-known estate agents, Robey, Hanson and Strong.

Help Sydney’s homeless – donate a blanket today

For the thousands of Australians who are homeless, winter is an unbearable time, and something as simple as seasonal change can have devastating affects on homeless people's health.

Last night the temperature in Sydney fell below eight degrees – it is unimaginable to have to be without a home in the cold and have no way to keep warm.

Due to this cold snap in Sydney, Missionbeat has depleted its supply of blankets and we are asking for your urgent help to donate clean and useable blankets in the next 48hours.

To donate a blanket, please contact Missionbeat directly on 1800 306 461 or drop off your blanket directly to the Missionbeat office located at Unit 1/1 Brompton Street, Marrickville NSW 2204.

Missionbeat patrols inner Sydney streets seeking out those in distress and offering them support. The iconic vans transport homeless men, women, children, families and intoxicated or drug affected men and women to services to meet their immediate needs, including safe accommodation, medical care or food and clothing.

To make a blanket donation or find out more about how you can help, please contact Missionbeat on 1800 306 461. Your simple gesture could save someone’s life.

Read more about Mission Australia’s homeless services, and follow Daniel Petsalis, Missionbeat's Service Manager on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DanMISSIONBEAT

Hotel refurbishment helps those in need

An Alice Springs hotel has generously donated 180 desks, 50 chairs and 180 televisions to support Mission Australia’s range of local community programs.

The Crowne Plaza, which is a national supporter of Mission Australia, saw the donation, as an opportunity to help out on a local level.

“We are currently refurbishing our guest rooms and replacing some of the furniture. It just makes sense to pass it on to someone else who can use it,” said General Manager Monique Harmer on Tuesday, when the shipping container of donated goods arrived.

“This is one way we can give back and say thank you to the community in which we operate.”

Mission Australia’s NT Operations Manager Community Services, Brad McIver, said that the furniture will make a valuable contribution to a number of support programs the organisation is establishing in Alice Springs and the surrounding region as part of the Australian Government initiative to help people who are either homeless or at risk of being so.

“There are so many things we take for granted in our daily live that are beyond the reach of others. These donations will really make a difference to individuals and families in the Alice Springs area,” said Mr McIver.

Photo (L to R): Monique Harmer, General Manager Crowne Plaza Alice Springs and Jeff Prossor, Mission Australia’s Alice Springs Services Manager.

Learning life lessons through Catalyst Clemente

When asked why she volunteers, Catalyst Clemente Learning Partner Sarah Carter has a simple answer – she loves helping people to help themselves.

A Reservoir Engineer with Woodside Energy, which is a strong corporate supporter of our services in Western Australia, Sarah has been involved with the Catalyst Clemente program since it was introduced to Mission Australia’s Wattle House two years ago.

Delivered in Perth in partnership with Edith Cowan University, this accessible program enables people who have experienced significant challenges in life, including homelessness, to participate in undergraduate level humanities education. It caters for the particular needs of students by combining education with social support.

Learning Partners like Sarah are recruited from corporate partners and the wider community, and play a vital role in the program. As a Learning Partner, Sarah supports and assists students at weekly study evenings during the semester and with essay writing, research and course material interpretation.

Team Leader Community Development and Catalyst Clemente Coordinator, Mario Gomes, said he has been impressed by Sarah’s unfailing commitment to the program over the past two years, despite the demands of her family and working life.

“She has been with us from the start and has renewed her commitment unit after unit,” he said. “On one occasion, she was very busy at work, but came all the way out to Maddington for the Catalyst learning evening, then went back to her office to complete her work! Sarah had her first baby last year, so we really appreciate the time she gives is valuable.

But for Sarah, the satisfaction she receives from volunteering at Wattle House make it worth the effort: “It is not difficult juggling volunteering with my paid work but I have found it more difficult to fit in spending time with my son, Henry,” she said. “Ultimately, I really enjoy my volunteering time and so try to fit this in around our family routine - my husband helps by picking up the slack at home!

“The most rewarding thing about volunteering is the opportunity to be involved in the greater community doing something that helps others and that is not just about me,” Sarah said.

“Also seeing students graduate from their four subjects as part of the program and move on to further university study or different challenges in their lives with so much more confidence and motivation. The students become great examples for their family and children and end up not just changing their lives but those around them as well.

Mario said its this positive attitude that makes Catalyst volunteers like Sarah an integral part of the program: “Our six Learning Partner volunteers are extraordinary. So often they tell me that they get more out of volunteering that the Catalyst Clemente students do,” he said. “I think that’s because it’s very tangible work. The volunteers help the students to get results and feel so proud to be a part of their success – it’s very interactive.”

For Sarah, student graduation ceremonies are the highpoints of her volunteering year. Seeing the sense of achievement on the faces of the students, she said, make her efforts worthwhile.

“There is so much to gain from getting involved in your community through volunteering activities and I’d recommend it to anyone,” she said. “It is also really important to use volunteering as a way to help people help themselves, which is what the Catalyst Clemente program is all about.”

Find out about current volunteering opportunities at Mission Australia’s Wattle House at our WA Volunteering Opportunities page.

Further reading:

• Woodside volunteers freshen up YASS for Christmas
• Promoting social inclusion: Emerging evidence from the Catalyst-Clemente program
• World opens up for WA Catalyst graduates
  

Media Release: MA welcomes budget focus on disadvantaged areas

Mission Australia has welcomed the Gillard Government’s budget focus on addressing disadvantage in particular areas around the country and helping people in those locations find jobs and better participate in the community.

Mission Australia’s CEO, Toby Hall, said the organisation also supported the budget’s aim of helping more long-term unemployed people back into work.

“We think it strikes the right balance between incentives and increased resources for jobseekers and Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients who have a reasonable capacity to work with measures that emphasise people’s reciprocal obligations – obligations we think are in line with community expectations,” said Mr Hall.

“There’s nothing in the government’s welfare-to-work changes that we think are particularly onerous. Our experience is that disadvantaged job seekers can respond positively to more rigorously applied compliance measures – if applied consistently and fairly. They provide a measure of order that may be lacking in their lives.

“In terms of DSP recipients who have a reasonable capacity to work, we think the budget changes are sensible and balanced.

“We have to get over the idea that reforming the DSP is an attack on disabled people – it’s not.

“There is no question that the majority of people in receipt of DSP are genuinely disabled and require significant levels of support.

“However, successive governments and a failing welfare system have allowed thousands of people without serious disabilities to move from the dole to receiving DSP where they are not engaged in looking for work. This is despite the fact they might have a capacity for employment and their issues could be overcome with intensive support.

“This group has genuine barriers to employment that they need support in overcoming. But they can be overcome – so let’s do it.

“One observation about the welfare package is that the government is placing a significant emphasis on Centrelink and its ability to help the sometimes vulnerable people the government is seeking to return to the workforce.

“We hope that buried in the detail is more funding to build Centrelink’s capacity to understand the often complex issues around these people.

“And while recognising the very substantial investment in mental health we think $201m over five years to help states/territories better coordinate and provide mental health services related to accommodation and admission/discharge from hospital isn’t enough. We also need more than just co-ordination – we need real housing.

“But overall a fair budget – a positive budget – for the people we help,” said Mr Hall.

Toby Hall is available for comment

Media inquiries: Paul Andrews 0409 665 495

Media coverage: Financial literacy helps disadvantaged youth

Moneymanagement.com.au, 6 May 2011 - Financial literacy helps disadvantaged youth

Improving financial literacy skills can help disadvantaged young people set goals and get on top of personal financial challenges, according to Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, David Bradbury.

ANZ’s MoneyMinded financial literacy program reached more than 125,000 people over the past six years through partner community organisations across Australia. An RMIT report into the program found that at-risk young people who received that education through Mission Australia saw vast improvements in attitudes towards money, Bradbury said at the paper’s launch last week.

“Many of the young people who received MoneyMinded financial literacy training through Mission Australia had very little income, high levels of debt and difficult personal circumstances,” he said.

“After participating in various Mission Australia programs, where these young people were taught basic financial literacy skills based on MoneyMinded, they began to set goals for their own future, set their own budgets and better understand where to go for help and information.”

The Government has also introduced a range of measures to boost Australians’ financial literacy, including launching the MoneySmart website, developed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Bradbury said.

The report also found that participants experienced a range of improvements around budgeting, spending less money on items such as take away food, cigarettes and illicit dugs. It also found that participants showed a greater understanding of shopping around for the best price, increased willingness to seek help in times of financial stress and improved saving and goal-setting behaviour.

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ABC Radio’s The World Today, 4 May 2011 - Making sense of dollars

The number of bankruptcies in the under-24 age group is increasing and disadvantaged young people are particularly vulnerable. However, the 2010 MoneyMinded Summary Report by RMIT University in partnership with Mission Australia and ANZ, has found that teaching young people how to manage money can turn that around.

Mission Australia's State Director for Victoria, Paul Bird, told The World Today that a lack of financial literacy is a major barrier to employment, especially amongst disadvantaged youth.

“It's as basic as being able to open a bank account, being able to pay bills and to be able to understand the use of credit cards, especially if a young person has come from a family that's never worked and they've never had their own accommodation,” he said.

Hear more about the year-long study into the impact financial literacy has on disadvantaged youth here: abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2011/s3207465.htm

Waratah Street

Waratah Street in Fairlight was first subdivided in the 1920 Golden Dawn Estate subdivision. Property owners in the street asked Manly Council for assistance with beautifying the street's nature strip in the late 1940s, and the result was the display of palms seen in this 1949 photograph.

Media coverage - The Newcastle Herald: System fails jobless on disability support

As we prepare for tonight’s Budget, Mission Australia’s CEO Toby Hall says it’s time to take the emotion out of the welfare reform debate and realise the need to offer disability support pension recipients who do have some capacity to work intensive assistance and incentives to encourage them back into the workforce. After all, he argues, a welfare system that continues to let people avoid participating in the community does them – and everyone in the community – a disservice.

Here’s what Toby has to say in today’s Newcastle Herald.

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There’s no doubt welfare reform is an emotive issue.

Last week I made some comments partly about the need for any such reforms in the government’s upcoming budget to look at re-engaging the large number of people on the disability support pension who have some capacity to work.

It was interesting how some immediately and misguidedly interpreted my comments as “welfare-bashing”.

It’s a shame that such strong emotions have got in the way of us openly discussing how the system has allowed the number of disability pension recipients to balloon to about 800,000 and has failed abysmally to look for potential solutions to the problem.

So let’s take the emotion out of it and look at the problem with a fresh set of eyes.

There is no question that the majority of people in receipt of disability pensions are genuinely disabled and require significant levels of support. In fact, we believe there is a case for greater levels of assistance for this group.

However, over the years, successive governments and a failing welfare system have allowed thousands of people without serious disabilities to move from the dole to receiving disability pensions when they are not engaged in looking for work. This is despite the fact they might have a capacity for employment and their issues could be overcome with intensive support.

The numbers are staggering. In 1982, almost 217,000 people were receiving disability pensions. By 2001 it had reached 578,000 and is now close to 800,000.

In those 27 years, Australia’s population has risen by 44 per cent, and yet the numbers on the disability pension increased 250 per cent.

We do not seek to stigmatise these people or blame them for being moved on to disability pensions – it is the system’s fault for letting this happen.

Disability pension recipients with the capacity for work are not malingerers. They are not “rorters”. We recognise this group of people have genuine barriers to employment that they need support in overcoming.

But they can be overcome. So what’s stopping us from trying it?

There is no doubt that a fair Australia must have an adequate safety net that provides unemployed, sick, disabled and vulnerable people with the support they need.

But let's not pretend that too much time spent on welfare – particularly for people who are physically and intellectually able to work – will not have a dramatic impact on a person's health and wellbeing.

And a welfare system that continues to let people capable of social, economic and community participation avoid such contact does them – and all of us – a disservice.

To illustrate the dramatic health impacts involved, the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine released a report last year which showed that long-term joblessness significantly increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and suicide.

Further still, suicide among young men out of work for six months or more increases dramatically.

We need to better assist job seekers to stem the flow of people moving on to disability pensions.

In a recent Mission Australia survey, almost one-third of our job seekers had been incorrectly assessed by Centrelink.

Poor initial assessment of job seekers can easily lead to individuals being incorrectly moved on to disability support pensions and from there it’s a quick path to entrenched joblessness.

We need to offer disability support pension recipients - those who do have some capacity to work – intensive assistance and incentives to encourage them back into the workforce.

One of our recommendations is to create a new stream in the employment service system to offer the specialised help required.

Recent studies show that up to 85 per cent of people experiencing serious mental health issues can return to work or study with the right help.

If we get in early enough and provide the right help we’re talking about setting people up for long-term, sustainable careers.

An unproductive life destroys a person and can spread like a cancer through their family and community.

We only need to look at the destruction and decay that passive welfare has created in some Aboriginal communities and suburbs on our city fringes.

We all know this – governments know it, community agencies know it, the public senses it – and with any luck tonight’s budget will be the start of doing something practical about it.

Story originally published 10 May 2011 in the Newcastle Herald.