The community services sector is a key government partner in the delivery of services and a significant contributor to economic growth, employment and community wellbeing, particularly for vulnerable Western Australians.
On 26 March 2020 the Supporting Communities Forum program was temporarily suspended while the State Government focussed its efforts on the COVID-19 response and recovery.
The State Government continued to engage with the Supporting Communities Forum throughout 2020 for valuable input into the WA Recovery Plan and Impact Statement including through the Ministerial Roundtable discussions. The Supporting Communities Forum played a key role in guiding and informing the State Government’s approach to recovery.
More information on the Forum is provided in the sections below.
Communiques and Papers
Show moreCommunique and Meeting Notes are released following each quarterly meeting of the Supporting Communities Forum.
2023 Meeting Notes
2021 Meeting Notes
2023 Communiques
Forum priorities and workplan
Show moreDuring the extended six-months until 31 December 2023, the Forum will advise and focus on:
- Implementation of the National Principles in Child Safe Organisations;
- Implementation of the State Commissioning Strategy for Community Services;
- How NGOs and agencies without statutory reporting obligations under the Carers Recognition Act 2004 can better identify, and support staff and/or clients who are unpaid carers (as defined under the Carers Recognition Act 2004); and
- Federal Policy Opportunities.
Additionally, during the six-months, the Forum Secretariat will run an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process to appoint members to the next iteration of the Forum.
More information for applicants on the EOI will be available in August 2023.
The four key work priorities for the Forum to address for the remainder of its term ending on 30 June 2023 are:
- Implementation of the 10-year Strategy on Homelessness 2020 - 2030;
- Monitoring the further development and implementation of the State’s Community Services Outcomes Measurement Framework;
- Building capacity and capability to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations; and
- Roll-out of COVID-19 Vaccinations to Vulnerable People and the Community Services Sector Workforce.
Additionally, within the context of the Forum’s Terms of Reference, the Forum will continue to work with and support the Aboriginal Advisory Council of WA (AACWA) and Ministerial Multicultural Advisory Council (MMAC) as required, to help strengthen ties and ensure the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as the interests of culturally and linguistically diverse and multicultural communities, are appropriately addressed.
Forum Membership - 2021- 2023
Show moreThe Forum was Co-Chaired by Ms Michelle Scott, Director of the McCusker Centre for Citizenship at the University of Western Australia, and Ms Jodi Cant, Acting Director General, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, WA. The Deputy Chairperson is respected Aboriginal leader, Ms Kate George.
Membership consisted of 10 Director Generals and Commissioner’s from government agencies and 13 senior leaders from the community services sector.
Information on the 23 members of the Forum.
Working Groups
Show moreAll Forum working groups were co-chaired by a community sector member of the Forum and a Government sector Directors General or Commissioner member of the Forum.
The Forum working groups will comprise of Forum members and co-opted participants. Co-opted participants may be asked to join as a working group member by the working group Co-Chairs, Forum Co-Chairs or members on a voluntary basis because of their specialist knowledge, diverse skills and expertise relevant to a working group project.
Working groups will meet more frequently (than the quarterly meetings of the Forum) as required, and will provide regular progress updates at each quarterly Forum meeting through the Working Group Co-Chairs.
Priority 1: Implementation of the 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030 Working Group (wound up in September 2022)
Terms of Reference
The priority Terms of Reference outlines information on the objectives, key questions and deliverables for the working group to address.
Working Group Co-Chairs
Debra Zanella – CEO, Ruah Community Services
Mike Rowe – Director General, Department of Communities
Tina Pickett – Director, Noongar Mia Mia
Working Group Secretariat
Andrea Knox Lyttle – A/Principal Policy Officer, Department of Communities
Regular progress updates will be provided following each quarterly Forum.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Supporting Communities Forum Secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au
| Working Group Members: | Organisation: |
|---|---|
| Debra Zanella (Co-Chair) SCF Member | Ruah Community Services |
| Mike Rowe (Co-Chair) SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Tina Pickett (Co-Chair) Non-SCF Member | Noongar Mia Mia |
| Jennifer McGrath SCF Member | Mental Health Commission |
| Kate Chaney SCF Member | Anglicare WA |
| Emma Jarvis SCF Member | Palmerston |
| Julie Waylen SCF Member | Diversity South |
| Sandy McKiernan SCF Member | Youth Affairs Council WA |
| Lorna Pritchard Non-SCF Member | Lotterywest |
| John Berger Non-SCF Member | WA Alliance to End Homelessness |
| Michelle Mackenzie Non-SCF Member | Shelter WA |
| Salim Youssef Non-SCF Member | Ministerial Multicultural Advisory Council (MMAC) |
| Samantha Drury Non-SCF Member | WA Council on Homelessness |
| Mark Petrich Non-SCF Member | Department of Health |
| Julia Prior (WG Secretariat) Non-SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Andrea Knox Lyttle (WG Secretariat Support) Non-SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Martin Clery Non-SCF Member | Department of Education |
| Amity Hudson Non-SCF Member | WA Police Force |
| Nicole Matthews Non-SCF Member | WA Local Government Association |
Priority 2: Monitoring the further development and implementation of the State’s Community Services Outcome Measurement Framework
Terms of Reference
The priority Terms of Reference outlines information on the objectives, key questions and deliverables for the working group to address.
Note: This priority of the Forum will be progressed by an existing working group led by the Department of Finance and as part of implementing the State Commissioning Strategy for Community Services (August 2022).
Regular progress updates will be provided following each quarterly Forum meeting.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Supporting Communities Forum Secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au.
Priority 3: Building Capacity and Capability to Implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations Working Group
Terms of Reference
The priority Terms of Reference outlines information on the objectives, key questions and deliverables for the working group to address.
Working Group Co-Chairs
Tricia Murray – Consultant (previous CEO, Wanslea Family Services and Early Learning and Development)
Lanie Chopping – Director General, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Working Group Secretariat
Amanda Furnell – Manager, Department of Communities
Regular progress updates will be provided following each quarterly Forum meeting.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Supporting Communities Forum Secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au
| Working Group Members: | Organisation: |
|---|---|
| Tricia Murray (Co-Chair) SCF Member | Consultant |
| Lanie Chopping (Co-Chair) SCF Member | Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries |
| Melissa Perry SCF Member | Communicare |
| Caron Irwin (Delegate for Mike Rowe) Non-SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Audrey Lee Non-SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Chris Twomey Non-SCF Member | WACOSS |
| Sandy McKiernan SCF Member | Youth Affairs Council WA (YACWA) |
| Andrea Creado Non-SCF Member | Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Centre |
| Natalie Hall Non-SCF Member | Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP) |
| Matt Fulton Non-SCF Member | SportWest |
| Nicole Matthews Non-SCF Member | WA Local Government Association (WALGA) |
| Fran Haintz Non-SCF Member | Shooting Stars |
| Fiona Cafferty Non-SCF Member | Children and Family Association WA (CAFAWA) |
| Laurel Sellers Non-SCF Member | Yorgum |
| Deb McElhinney Non-SCF Member | CREATE Foundation |
| Pauline Roberts Non-SCF Member | Early Childhood Australia |
| Debra McElhinney Non-SCF Member | CREATE Foundation |
| Amanda Furnell (WG Secretariat) Non-SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Kait McNamara Non-SCF Member | Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries |
Priority 4: Roll-Out of COVID-19 Vaccinations to Vulnerable People and the Community Services Sector Workforce (wound up in March 2022)
Terms of Reference
The priority Terms of Reference outlines information on the objectives, key questions and deliverables for the working group to address.
Working Group Co-Chairs
Louise Giolitto – CEO, WA Council of Social Services
Chris Dawson – Vaccine Commander, WA Police
Working Group Secretariat
Deborah Hegarty, Program Director, COVID-19 Vaccine Command, WA Police
Regular progress updates will be provided following each quarterly Forum meeting.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Supporting Communities Forum Secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au
| Working Group Members: | Organisation: |
|---|---|
| Louise Giolitto (Co-Chair) SCF Member | WACOSS |
| Chris Dawson (Co-Chair) SCF Member | WA Police |
| Dan Minchin SCF Member | Chorus WA |
| Maria Osman SCF Member | Ministerial Multicultural Advisory Council |
| Denver D'Cruz SCF Member | Consultant |
| Felicite Black SCF Member | Women's Health and Family Services |
| Kelda Oppermann SCF Member | Zonta House Refuge Association |
| Kate Chaney SCF Member | Anglicare WA |
| Julie Waylen SCF Member | Diversity South |
| Emily Roper SCF Member | Department of the Premier and Cabinet |
| Amanda Pickerell Non-SCF Member | Department of the Premier and Cabinet |
| Rachael Green Non-SCF Member | Department of Communities |
| Sue Kiely Non-SCF Member | Department of Health |
| Glenn Pearson Non-SCF Member | Telethon Kids Institute |
| Dr. Marianne Wood Non-SCF Member | Aboriginal Health Council of WA |
| Deborah Hegarty (WG Secretariat) Non-SCF Member | WA Police |
Meetings and work plan till 31 December 2020
Show moreThe Supporting Communities Forum met late in August 2020 to discuss the recovery process from COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and to add value to WA’s recovery efforts in a timely manner.
The Forum focused on shaping outcomes in digital inclusion, social housing and homelessness, outcomes measurement and young people. The Forum also worked closely with other key advisory bodies including the Aboriginal Advisory Council of WA and Multicultural Advisory Group.
The following meetings were held in 2020:
| Meeting | 2020 Meeting dates | Time and mode | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monday 5 October | 4:00pm–5:00pm MS Teams Meeting | Learnings from COVID-19 and next steps (including outbreak preparedness) |
| 2 | Monday 12 October | 3:00pm–4:00pm MS Teams Meeting | Digital Inclusion (consultation on the draft blueprint) |
| 3 | Tuesday 13 October | 9:00am–10:00am MS Teams Meeting | Young People Priority Framework (developed by Mental Health Commission) |
| 4 | Monday 19 October | 10:00am–12:30pm Dumas House | Homelessness Strategy, Social Housing and standing item updates |
| 5 | Monday 23 November | 10:00am–1:00pm Dumas House | WA Recovery, Care Economy and standing item updates |
Supporting documents from meetings 1 to 4 held in October 2020
Supporting documents from a meeting held in November 2020
Meeting papers will be circulated to Forum members a week before each meeting. For more information or questions, please contact the Forum Secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au
Communiques
SCF Communique from November 2020
SCF Communique from meetings 1 to 4 held in October 2020
If you would like to be added to the Communique distribution list, please email the secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au.
For more information or questions, please contact the Forum Secretariat at SCF@dpc.wa.gov.au
