Redfern-Waterloo Human Services E-Newsletter – Issue Three - May 2005

IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Cluster groups
Human Services Advisory Committee
CEO Steering Committee
Integrated Service Delivery
What next? 

Welcome

Welcome to the third edition of the Human Services E-Newsletter for Redfern-Waterloo.  The aim of the E-Newsletter is to ensure that interested members of the Redfern-Waterloo community and service providers are kept informed about current events relating to the development of the Human Services Plan for the area.

Throughout April and May, intensive planning has been taking place around service provision in Redfern-Waterloo.  Cluster groups and the Human Services Advisory Committee have been meeting regularly to progress the development of the plan.  A CEO Steering Committee has been established and service providers have been looking at opportunities for improved integration in the area.  More information about this work is set out below.

Cluster groups

In early April 2004, groups of service providers were set up in the priority areas of youth, families and children, health, and services for Aboriginal people.  The groups have met during the weeks beginning 11 April, 25 April, 2 May, and 9 May 2005.

The cluster groups have been asked to develop strategies for improving service delivery in their priority areas.  In order to encourage free and frank discussion, working papers have been circulated to cluster members to progress members' thinking, but have not been publicly distributed. 

Once the cluster have finalised their strategies, this information will be provided to the Human Services Advisory Committee for incorporation into the Human Services Plan. 

Meeting with community members
Meetings have been scheduled during the weeks of 2 May and 9 May 2004 to provide an opportunity for service providers to meet with interested community members to discuss ideas for improving local services. 

The meeting regarding health services was held on Tuesday 3 May from 1-3pm.  The meeting regarding youth services was held on Thursday 5 May from 4-6pm and the meeting regarding families and children's services was held on Friday 6 May from 1-3pm. 

The meeting regarding services for Aboriginal people will be held on Thursday 12 May from 1-3pm at the Redfern Community Centre, 29-53 Hugo Street, Redfern.

Human Services Advisory Committee (HSAC)

Since its inception, the HSAC has continued to meet regularly to progress the development of the Human Services Plan.  The Committee met twice in April * on 7 April and 21 April 2005 - to discuss a range of issues including:

•  the creation of the cluster groups
• principles to guide the development of the Human Services Plan
• the format and content of the Plan
• evaluation of the Plan
• the relationship between the Human Services Plan and the Redfern-Waterloo Plan; and
• models of integrated service delivery in Redfern-Waterloo. 

The next meeting of the HSAC is scheduled for 18 May 2005.  At that meeting, it is expected that members will consider the strategies developed by the cluster groups, for incorporation into the Human Services Plan. 

Some residents have sought clarification about the role of the community members on the HSAC.  Community members were appointed to the committee, following a call for Expressions of Interest.  A panel of four people (two community representatives, and the co-chairs of the HSAC) assessed the answers provided in response to the following criteria:

• Commitment to support the development of a Human Services Plan for Redfern-Waterloo and willingness to champion the plan and the process
• Willingness to work collaboratively and respectfully alongside other members of the HSAC
• Willingness to challenge both non-government and government organisations to address barriers and challenges in the service system which impact adversely on the achievement of outcomes
• Openness to examining new approaches to service delivery and to services working collaboratively
• Willingness and capacity to actively contribute to the implementation of the plan and to work towards changing the service system to make it more effective for service users and community members 
• Commitment to regular attendance at HSAC meetings, workshops and training sessions. 
  

Three community members were chosen through this process and were appointed as individuals to the Committee.  Given the limited resources available to community members to disseminate information or respond to queries, residents are encouraged to seek information about the HSAC from the Secretariat on 9202 9100. 

CEO Steering Committee

The Minister with responsibility for Redfern-Waterloo has established a CEO Steering Committee to oversee the development of the Human Services Plan.  The CEO Steering Committee will advise the Minister on the content of the Human Services Plan. 

The CEO Steering Committee is chaired by Mr David Richmond, Chair of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority.  The draft Plan will be provided to the CEO Steering Committee once it is finalised by the Human Services Advisory Committee.  The CEO Steering Committee will then consider the funding implications of the Plan. 

The CEO Steering Committee includes representatives from the following agencies:

• Redfern-Waterloo Authority
• The Department of Community Services
• Department of Health
• Department of Aboriginal Affairs
• Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
• Department of Education
• Ministry for Science and Medical Research.
  

Representatives from the Department of Housing and NSW Police will also attend future meetings. 

Integrated Service Delivery

The NSW Government considers integration to be a key element of a sustainable human services system in Redfern and Waterloo.  For this reason, cluster groups have been asked to develop models of integrated service delivery for inclusion in the Human Services Plan. 

Integration can occur at different levels * from networking and information sharing to formal collaborations and merging.  Integration may occur within agencies, across agencies, across sectors, across levels of governments, and across governments and community structures. 

Service providers working in Redfern-Waterloo have met twice to discuss integrated service delivery and consider appropriate models for Redfern-Waterloo.  The workshops have been focused on:

• building a common understanding of the concepts and practice of integration and integrated service delivery
• exploring ways of developing integrated approaches to service delivery
• learning about the skills and knowledge required to work in integrated models; and
• examining the cultural change required for genuine integrated practice. 

The workshops were held on 18 April 2005 and 2 May 2005 and involved over 100 participants. 

What next? 

The HSAC will finalise the Human Services Plan and hand it over to the CEO Steering Committee for consideration. 

At this stage, it is expected that the Human Services Plan will be released for public consideration and input in July/August 2005. 

It is intended that Part Two of the Redfern-Waterloo Human Services Plan will be developed in the first half of 2006.  The second stage will address the priority areas of services for people who are ageing, people with disabilities and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.