the emergency relief handbook

Upload: fred-mednick

Post on 03-Apr-2018

225 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    1/149

    %MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    !'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSnRD%DITION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    2/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    4HE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    #OPYRIGHT!USTRALIAN#OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE)NC!#/33

    0UBLISHEDBY!#/33ANDAVAILABLEFROM!#/33

    !#/33,OCKED"AG3TRAWBERRY(ILLS.37

    0H

    &AX

    EMAILACOSSACOSSORGAU

    HTTPWWWACOSSORGAU

    0RODUCEDBYTHE!USTRALIAN#OUNCILOF3OCIAL

    3ERVICEWITHlNANCIALASSISTANCEFROM

    #ENTRELINKANDSUPPORTFROMTHE#OMMONWEALTH

    $EPARTMENTOF&AMILYAND#OMMUNITY3ERVICES

    4HISWORKISCOPYRIGHT!PARTFROMANYUSEAS

    PERMITTEDUNDERTHE#OPYRIGHT!CTNO

    PARTMAYBEREPRODUCEDBYANYPROCESS

    WITHOUTWRITTENPERMISSIONFROM!#/33

    %DITEDBY6ICKI7AGNER

    ,AYOUTBY!RTRIX

    .ATIONAL,IBRARYOF!USTRALIA

    #ATALOGUINGIN0UBLICATIONINFORMATION

    4HE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK!'UIDE

    FOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERS2EVED

    "IBLIOGRAPHY

    )3".

    #HARITIESn!USTRALIAn(ANDBOOKSMANUALS

    ETC0UBLICWELFAREn!USTRALIAn(ANDBOOK

    MANUALSETC$ISASTERRELIEFn!USTRALIAn

    (ANDBOOKSMANUALSETC!SSISTANCEIN

    EMERGENCIESn!USTRALIAn(ANDBOOKS

    MANUALSETCL!USTRALIAN#OUNCILOF3OCIAL

    3ERVICE

    $EWEY$ECIMAL.O

    $ISCLAIMER

    !LLEFFORTHASBEENMADETOENSURETHAT

    INFORMATIONINTHIS%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    ISACCURATEANDUPTODATE!TTHESAMETIME

    !#/33CANNOTTAKERESPONSIBILITYFORTHEWAY

    YOUUSEMATERIALINTHISMANUAL9OUSHOULD

    CHECKINFORMATIONTOMAKESUREITISCORRECT

    BEFORETAKINGACTIONWHICHCOULDLEADTOLEGAL

    PROBLEMS)FYOUAREINANYDOUBTYOUSHOULD

    SEEKCOMPETENTADVICEONISSUESWHICHCOULD

    HARMYOUYOURORGANISATIONITSMEMBERSCONSUMERSWORKERSORTHECOMMUNITYIN

    GENERAL

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    3/149

    #OT

    ENTS

    I !CKNOWLEDGMENTS

    II 4ERMSANDDElNITIONS

    III )NTRODUCTIONIV???? (OWTOUSETHIS(ANDBOOK

    V ???? 7HATSNEWINTHISEDITION

    0ART'ENERAL)NFORMATION

    7HATIS%2

    ???? 7HYDOPEOPLENEED%2

    ???? !TTITUDESANDAPPROACHESTOPOVERTY

    ???? 7HOPROVIDES%2

    ???? &UNDING

    ???? 4YPESOF%2

    ???? 7HO5SES%2

    ???? 3TATE!DVISORY#OMMITTEES

    ?? )SSUESFORSERVICES

    0ART!'UIDEFOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTEERS

    /RIENTATION

    ?? !NOVERVIEWOFHOWYOURAGENCYWORKS

    ?? /RIENTATION4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? 4RAINING

    ?? 9OURORGANISATIONS%2POLICIESAND

    PROCEDURES

    'UIDINGPRINCIPLESANDSTANDARDS

    ?? 7HYSTANDARDS

    ?? 6ALUESANDATTITUDES4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? 5NDERSTANDINGYOURCLIENTSRIGHTS

    4HEROLEOFTHE%2WORKER

    ?? #LIENTS%27ORKERSAND%MPATHY

    4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? 0RIVACY

    ?? !SSESSING#LIENTS

    ?? #LIENT!SSESSMENT)4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? $ISCRIMINATION4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? %2AND$IVERSITYIN#OMMUNITY

    ?? 7ORKINGWITH)NDIGENOUSANDOTHERCLIENTS

    4RAININGEXERCISES

    ?? !SSISTINGNON%NGLISHSPEAKINGCLIENTS

    ?? !SSISTINGPEOPLEWITHCOMMUNICATION

    DISABILITIES

    ?? )NTERVIEWS

    ?? )NTERVIEWS4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? #LIENT!SSESSMENT))4RAINING%XERCISES

    ?? 7HEREDOES%2STARTANDEND

    ?? 2EFERRAL)4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? (OMEVISITS

    ?? .ETWORKINGFORWORKERS

    ?? 2EFERRALS

    ?? 2EFERRALS))4RAINING%XERCISE

    ?? !DVOCACYBYWORKERS

    2ECEPTIONSTAFF

    2EGIONALANDREMOTEPROVIDERSOF%2

    3AFETYISSUESANDDIFlCULTINTERVIEWS

    ?? 3TAFFMEETINGS

    0ART!'UIDEFOR-ANAGERS

    !GENCY0OLICIES

    ?? 0HILOSOPHY

    ?? 0OLICIES

    ?? #LIENTSRIGHTS

    ?? !GENCYRESPONSIBILITIES

    ?? %20OLICY

    ? -ODELOFSERVICE

    ? $ESIGN)SSUES

    ? !DVOCACY

    ? 0ERSONNELISSUES

    ? 4RAINING

    ? 2EVIEWINGYOURSERVICES

    0ART2ESOURCE)NFORMATION

    4HE#OMMONWEALTH%MERGENCY2ELIEF

    0ROGRAM%20

    ? !DMINISTRATIVEOBLIGATIONSOFAGENCIES

    ? "ECOMINGAN%20!GENCY

    #ENTRELINKPAYMENTSANDSERVICES

    ? 4HEPAYMENTS#ENTRELINKDELIVERS

    ? !DVANCE0AYMENTS

    ? !PPEALSPROCEDURESPRIVACYANDFREEDOM

    OFINFORMATION

    ? $EDUCTIONSFROM#ENTRELINKPAYMENTS

    ? #ONCESSIONCARDS

    ? (ELPTORETURNTOWORKEDUCATIONOR

    TRAINING

    ? %XTRAHELPFROM#ENTRELINK

    ? #ENTRELINKSCONTACTSANDMAILINGLIST

    SYSTEM

    ? #ENTRELINKPUBLICATIONS

    4ELSTRA"ILL!SSISTANCE0ROGRAM

    /THER'OVERNMENTPROGRAMS

    2EFERENCES 9OUR3TATE4ERRITORY#ONTACTS

    .OTES

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    4/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    5/149

    !CKNOWLEDGMENTS

    *USTASTHEINITIALWRITINGANDPRODUCTIONOFTHElRST(ANDBOOKINVOLVEDEXTENSIVE!USTRALIAWIDECONSULTATIONSOTOOHASTHEREVISIONWORKFORTHISRD%DITION4HEPROJECTALSOINVOLVED

    CONTRIBUTIONSANDFEEDBACKFROMALL3TATEAND4ERRITORY#OUNCILSOF3OCIAL3ERVICEANDVARIOUS

    NATIONALMEMBERORGANISATIONSINCLUDINGCONTACTINFORMATIONINCLUDEDINTHE3TATE4ERRITORY

    SPECIlCSECTIONSOF0ART0ARTICULARTHANKSAREDUETO

    N ,ANIE#HOPPING0ROJECT/FlCER7!#/33

    N 2HONDA4URLEY0ROJECT/FlCER,OW)NCOME3UPPORT0ROGRAM3!#/33

    N ,INDA&ROW3ENIOR0OLICY/FlCER.#/33

    N *ILL$AVIS%MERGENCY2ELIEF4RAINING0ROJECT.#/33

    N !NGELA3AVAGE0OLICYAND2ESEARCH/FlCER6#/33

    N *ANE!LLEY$IRECTOR.4#/33

    N %MMA#ARLIN.4#/33AND.43HELTER

    4HANKSTO6#/33ANDTHE,OCAL#OMMUNITY3ERVICES!SSOCIATIONFORPERMISSIONTOADAPTAND

    REPRODUCEMATERIALIN0ART3ECTIONSANDFROMTHEPUBLICATIONS3TRESSED3TRAINED

    AND-AIMEDA(ANDBOOKFOROCCUPATIONALHEALTHANDSAFETYINNONGOVERNMENTCOMMUNITYAND

    SOCIALWELFAREWORKPLACESANDTHE.37#OMMUNITY-ANAGEMENT+IT4RAINERS

    !SSISTANCEHASALSOBEENPROVIDEDBYANUMBEROFSTAFFWITHINTHE$EPARTMENTOF&AMILYAND

    #OMMUNITY3ERVICES&A#3AND#ENTRELINKINPARTICULAR

    N

    #OLLEEN'IBBSAND*OY2USSO#OMMUNITY3ERVICES3ECTION&A#3N -ARCIA7ILLIAMS.ATIONAL-ANAGER#OMMUNITY3ECTOR2ELATIONSHIPS#ENTRELINK

    N ,EE$ICKSON#ENTRELINK

    %XTRATHANKSTO&A#3FORFUNDINGTHElRSTEDITIONOFTHE(ANDBOOKONWHICHTHISEDITIONISBASED

    ANDFORSUPPORTPROVIDEDINPREPARINGTHISEDITIONINCLUDINGMEETINGSOMEOFTHECOSTS

    ASSOCIATEDWITHAMEETINGOFKEYSTAKEHOLDERSPROVIDINGANDCHECKINGRELEVANTINFORMATIONAND

    SUPPORTFORDISTRIBUTION

    !NUMBEROFOTHERINDIVIDUALSCONTRIBUTEDTOSPECIlCSPECIALISTAREASOFTHE(ANDBOOKWITHTHEIR

    EXPERTISEAND!#/33WOULDALSOLIKETOSINCERELYTHANKALLAGENCYSTAFFANDMANAGERSFORGIVING

    SOGENEROUSLYOFTHEIRTIMEANDEXPERTISEANDFORTHEIRCONTINUEDWORKINTHISDEMANDINGAREA

    4HANKSALSOTOTHE.ATIONAL7ELFARE2IGHTS.ETWORK

    4HANKSTO6ICKI7AGNER!#/330OLICY/FlCERFORMANAGEMENTOFTHEPROJECTANDEDITINGTHETEXT

    AND0HILIP/$ONOGHUE!#/33$EPUTY$IRECTORFORSOMEEDITINGVALUABLEDIRECTIONADVICEAND

    MANAGEMENTSUPPORTTHROUGHOUTTHEPROJECTASWELLAS'ILL7HANFORASSISTANCEINPROOFREADING

    4HANKSTO0HILLIP"RIGGSOF!RTIXFORTHEDESIGNASPECTOFTHISEDITION

    &INALLYASPECIALTHANKSTO#ENTRELINKFORSPONSORINGTHISEDITIONWITHOUTWHICHITWOULDNOTHAVE

    BEENPOSSIBLE

    I

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    6/149

    4ERMSANDDElNITIONS

    &ORTHEPURPOSESOFTHE(ANDBOOKTHEFOLLOWINGTERMSANDDElNITIONSHAVEBEENUSED

    #ENTRELINK

    N )NCOMESUPPORTPAYMENTSFORMERLYMADE

    BYTHETHEN!USTRALIAN'OVERNMENT

    $EPARTMENTOF3OCIAL3ECURITYARENOW

    MADEBY#ENTRELINKCREATEDIN

    0OLICYDEPARTMENTSLIKE&AMILYAND

    #OMMUNITY3ERVICESAND%MPLOYMENTAND

    7ORKPLACE2ELATIONSPAY#ENTRELINKTO

    DELIVERPAYMENTSANDSERVICESONTHEIR

    BEHALFTHROUGHCONTRACTUALARRANGEMENTS

    #LIENT

    N !NYPERSONSEEKINGEMERGENCYRELIEFFROM

    ANEMERGENCYRELIEFAGENCY

    #!,$

    N 4ODESCRIBEPEOPLEFROM#ULTURALLYAND

    ,INGUISTICALLY$IVERSEBACKGROUNDS

    %2

    N %MERGENCY2ELIEF

    %2/RGANISATIONS!GENCIESN /RGANISATIONSINVOLVEDINTHEPROVISIONOF

    EMERGENCYRELIEFWHICHMAYRECEIVE

    FUNDINGFROMTHE&AMILYAND#OMMUNITY

    3ERVICES

    %20

    N 4HE%MERGENCY2ELIEF0ROGRAMWHICH

    PROVIDESFUNDINGTOORGANISATIONSTO

    DISTRIBUTEEMERGENCYRELIEF

    %23!#S

    N !DVISORY#OMMITTEESINEACH3TATEAND

    4ERRITORYESTABLISHEDBY&AMILYAND

    #OMMUNITY3ERVICESTOASSISTWITHTHE

    ADMINISTRATIONOFTHE%MERGENCY2ELIEF

    0ROGRAM

    &A#3

    N !USTRALIAN'OVERNMENT$EPARTMENTOF

    &AMILYAND#OMMUNITY3ERVICESTHE

    DEPARTMENTRESPONSIBLEFORTHE%MERGENCY

    2ELIEF0ROGRAM!NNUALFUNDINGISSUBJECT

    TOTHE"UDGETPROCESSANDBASEFUNDINGIS

    LINKEDTOMOVEMENTSINTHE#ONSUMER

    0RICE)NDEX%ACHYEARSAPPROPRIATION

    BECOMESTHENEWYEARSBASELEVELOF

    FUNDING

    !

    N 4HE&INANCIAL#OUNSELLING3ERVICEOF

    !USTRALIA

    .!!4)

    N 4HE.ATIONAL!CCREDITATION!UTHORITYFOR

    4RANSLATORSAND)NTERPRETERS

    .),3

    N .O)NTEREST,OAN3CHEME

    .00SN .ATIONAL0RIVACY0RINCIPLES

    3!!0

    N 4HE3UPPORTED!CCOMMODATION

    !SSISTANCE0ROGRAMA#OMMONWEALTH

    3TATE4ERRITORYAGREEMENTADMINISTEREDBY

    THE$EPARTMENTOF&AMILYAND#OMMUNITY

    3ERVICES

    4)3

    N 4RANSLATINGAND)NTERPRETING3ERVICE

    PROVIDEDBYTHE!USTRALIAN'OVERNMENT

    $EPARTMENTOF)MMIGRATIONAND

    -ULTICULTURALAND)NDIGENOUS!FFAIRS

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    II

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    7/149

    )NTRODUCTION

    %MERGENCY2ELIEF%2ISTHEPROVISIONOFASSISTANCETOPEOPLEINNEED)TCONSISTSOFTHEPROVISION

    OFlNANCIALANDMATERIALAIDTOMEETANIMMEDIATENEEDANDAREFERRALSERVICETOLINKPEOPLEWITH

    SPECIALISTCOMMUNITYSERVICES

    %2PROVISIONHASFORMANYYEARSBEENPERCEIVEDASBEINGMERELYABANDAIDANDNOTALEGITIMATE

    COMMUNITYSERVICE(OWEVERTHISMISCONCEPTIONISBEINGTACKLEDWITHACOMMITMENTTOPROVIDING

    AHIGHQUALITYSERVICERECOGNITIONOFTHERIGHTSOFTHECLIENTANDABETTERUNDERSTANDINGABOUTTHE

    CAUSESOFPOVERTY

    4HE(ANDBOOKHASBEENDESIGNEDTOASSISTTHISPROCESS)TPROVIDESANINFORMATIONBASEFROM

    WHICHAGENCIESCANDEVELOPTHEIRINDIVIDUALPOLICIESPROGRAMSANDSERVICEDELIVERYPRACTICE

    4HE(ANDBOOKATTEMPTSTOADDRESSTHEINFORMATIONNEEDSOFAWIDEDIVERSITYOFAGENCIESACROSS!USTRALIAWHICHEXPERIENCEVARYINGRESOURCELEVELSANDOFFERDIFFERENTTYPESOFSERVICEDELIVERY

    !PPROXIMATELYAGENCIESOPERATINGALMOSTOUTLETSARECURRENTLYFUNDEDUNDERTHE

    %MERGENCY2ELIEF0ROGRAM%20

    )TISDESIGNEDNOTASA@BLUEPRINTBUTASAGUIDEWHICHCANBEADAPTEDTOTHEINDIVIDUALAGENCIES

    CIRCUMSTANCESTOASSISTAGENCIESTOBETTERMEETTHENEEDSOFTHEIRCLIENTS

    )TISIMPORTANTFORAGENCIESANDTHEGENERALCOMMUNITYTORECOGNISETHESIGNIlCANTROLEPLAYEDBY

    %2ORGANISATIONSWHICHDESPITEOFTENLIMITEDFUNDSANDDIFlCULTCONDITIONSDOTHEIRVERYBESTTO

    ASSISTPEOPLEINNEED

    4HETHIRDEDITIONOFTHE%2(ANDBOOKISAPRACTICALHANDSONRESOURCEFORPAIDANDUNPAID%2SERVICEWORKERSWHOAREENGAGEDINTHEDELIVERYOF%2TOCLIENTS-ANAGERSANDCOORDINATORSOF

    COMMUNITYORGANISATIONSAND!USTRALIAN'OVERNMENTDEPARTMENTSWILLALSOlNDUSEFUL

    INFORMATIONABOUTTHEDESIGNANDEVALUATIONOF%2SERVICES

    !TTHETIMEOFPUBLICATIONTHEOPERATIONANDFUTUREDIRECTIONOFTHE%20ISBEINGREVIEWED4HE

    $EPARTMENTOF&AMILYAND#OMMUNITY3ERVICES&A#3DISTRIBUTEDADISCUSSIONPAPERIN-ARCH

    TOSEEKINPUTFROMTHENONGOVERNMENTSECTORAND%2PROVIDERSTOASSISTINPOSITIONINGTHE

    PROGRAMFORTHEFUTURESOITREMAINSRELEVANTRESPONSIVEANDEFFECTIVEINMEETINGTHE

    COMMUNITYSEXPECTATIONSANDNEEDS4HEREHASBEENAGRADUALPROCESSOFCHANGEWITHINTHE

    0ROGRAMOVERRECENTYEARSAGAINSTABACKDROPOFSIGNIlCANTCHANGESINOTHERCOMMUNITYAND

    !USTRALIAN'OVERNMENTPROGRAMS/FCOURSE'OVERNMENTSAREONLYONESOURCEOFSUPPORTFOR%2MANYNOTFORPROlTAGENCIESCONTRIBUTEOUTOFTHEIROWNFUNDSCOMMUNITYMEMBERSMAKEVALUABLE

    DONATIONSANDSOMEPHILANTHROPICSOURCESAREALSOVERYIMPORTANT

    4HE%20WASORIGINALLYDESIGNEDTOSOLVESHORTTERMlNANCIALPROBLEMS(OWEVERTHEVIEWNOWIS

    THATMANYCLIENTSARE@LOCKEDINlNANCIALCRISISTHROUGHANINABILITYTOCONNECTWITHTHEWORKFORCE

    ANDENGAGEWITHBROADERCOMMUNITYSUPPORTS/NEOFTHECHALLENGESFORTHESECTORISTOHELP

    PEOPLEMOVEFROMISOLATIONTOAGREATERCONNECTIONWITHANDPARTICIPATIONINALLFORMSOF

    COMMUNITYLIFE

    III

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    8/149

    (OWTOUSETHIS(ANDBOOK

    0ART'ENERALINFORMATION

    4HISSECTIONANSWERSBASICQUESTIONSABOUT%2)TEXAMINESTHECAUSESOFPOVERTYANDINCLUDESSOMEDISCUSSIONONSOCIETYSATTITUDESTOWARDIT)TALSORAISESARANGEOFISSUESPERTINENTTOTHE

    PROVISIONOF%2

    4HISSECTIONPROVIDESAGOODSTARTINGPOINTFORTHEORIENTATIONOFNEWWORKERSANDVOLUNTEERS!GENCY

    MANAGERSWILLALSOlNDITUSEFULBOTHFORTHEISSUESITRAISESFOREXAMINATIONANDASBACKGROUND

    INFORMATIONFORUSEINSTAFFORIENTATIONORINSERVICETRAININGSESSIONS!GENCYMANAGERSSHOULDREFER

    TOTHEINFORMATIONBELOWFORADVICEONHOWTOUSE0ARTFORTHEPURPOSESOFTRAINING

    0ART!GUIDEFORWORKERS

    (EREWESPEAKDIRECTLYTOPAIDANDUNPAID%2WORKERSWHOAREENGAGEDINSERVICEDELIVERYTO

    CLIENTS)TCANBEUSEDASAHANDSONRESOURCEANDINFORMATIONREFERENCEBYWORKERS

    4RAININGEXERCISESAREINCLUDEDTHROUGHOUTTHISSECTION4HEYHAVEBEENDESIGNEDTOSTIMULATE

    WORKERSTOTHINKTHROUGHTHEISSUESRAISEDANDTORELATETHEINFORMATIONTOTHEIRWORKSITUATION

    !GENCYMANAGERSMAYWISHTOREFERTHEIRWORKERSTOTHESECTIONSWITHIN0ARTTHATAREMOST

    RELEVANTTOTHEIRAGENCYORTOTHESPECIlCWORKERSROLE

    "ECAUSEMANYAGENCIESHAVELIMITEDTRAININGRESOURCESANDSMALLSTAFFNUMBERSTHEEXERCISES

    HAVEBEENDESIGNEDSOWORKERSCANCOMPLETETHEMALONEORPREFERABLYTHROUGHDISCUSSIONSWITH

    THEIRMANAGER

    (OWEVERWHILETHE(ANDBOOKWILLBENElTWORKERTRAININGEVENIFUSEDSIMPLYASANINFORMATION

    REFERENCEITWILLOBVIOUSLYOFFERSUBSTANTIALBENElTSIFTHEMATERIALBECOMESTHEBASISFORAMORE

    COMPREHENSIVETRAININGPROGRAM

    0ART!GUIDEFORMANAGERS

    4HISSECTIONPROVIDESINFORMATIONTO

    N THOSEONTHEEXECUTIVEBODYOFAN%2PROVIDERORGANISATION

    N THOSECHARGEDWITHTHEOVERALLMANAGEMENTOFTHEORGANISATION

    N THOSESPECIlCALLYCHARGEDWITHTHEMANAGEMENTOFTHE%2SERVICEANDSTAFF

    4HEINFORMATIONINTHISSECTIONCANBEUSEDASTHEBASISFORTHEDEVELOPMENTOFTHE

    ORGANISATIONSPOLICIESANDSERVICEPRACTICEANDASACHECKLISTFORTHEAGENCYSRESPONSIBILITIES

    4HISSECTIONOFTHE(ANDBOOKADDRESSESTHEORGANISATIONALINFORMATIONNEEDSOFAWIDEDIVERSITY

    OF%2AGENCIESACROSS!USTRALIA)TISTHEREFORENEITHERA@MEASUREOFANORGANISATIONSSUCCESS

    ORFAILURENORISITA@BLUEPRINTOFHOWTOPROCEED)TISINSTEADANINFORMATIONRESOURCEWHICH

    SHOULDBEUSEDTOASSISTINDIVIDUALAGENCIESTOBETTERMEETTHENEEDSOFTHEIRCLIENTSWITHINTHE

    lNANCIALANDHUMANRESOURCELIMITATIONSOFAGENCIES

    0ART2ESOURCEINFORMATION

    4HISSECTIONLISTSRESOURCESFROMWHICHTOOBTAINDETAILEDINFORMATIONANDASSISTANCE%VERY

    EFFORTHASBEENMADETOENSURETHATTHECONTENTSARECORRECTATTHETIMEOFCOMPILINGTHIS

    (ANDBOOK!GENCIESSHOULDNOTETHATTHISINFORMATIONISSUBJECTTOCHANGEANDSHOULDBEUPDATEDREGULARLY7HEREPOSSIBLELINKSTOINFORMATIONSOURCESHAVEBEENPROVIDEDnEITHERBY

    PHONECONTACTORWEBSITEADDRESSES!USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    IV

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    9/149

    7HATSNEWINTHISEDITION

    3INCETHELAST(ANDBOOKWASPUBLISHEDINTHEREHAVEBEENANUMBEROFCHANGESAND

    MEASURESINTRODUCEDTHATWILLBEOFINTERESTTO%2WORKERS4HESEAREDETAILEDTHROUGHOUTTHE(ANDBOOKANDNOTEDHERE4HEYINCLUDE

    N THE.O)NTEREST,OANS3CHEME.),3

    N ADVANCEPAYMENTSOFUPTOFORRECIPIENTSOFINCOMESUPPORTPAYMENTS

    N BREACHPENALTIESANDSUSPENSIONOFINCOMESUPPORTPAYMENTSFORFAILURETOMEETACTIVITYAND

    ADMINISTRATIVEREQUIREMENTS

    N THEINTRODUCTIONOF4ELSTRABILLVOUCHERS

    N #ONTACTDETAILSUPDATEDFORSERVICESANDAGENCIESINYOUR3TATE4ERRITORY

    )NADDITIONTHISVERSIONOFTHE(ANDBOOKHASEASYTOUSETRAININGEXERCISES

    V

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    10/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    VI

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    11/149

    0AR

    T'ENERAL)NFORMATION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    12/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    7HATIS%2

    %2ISTHEPROVISIONOFlNANCIALASSISTANCETOTHOSEPERSONSWHOlNDTHEMSELVESINlNANCIALCRISIS%2CANBEFORA@ONEOFFEPISODEORANONGOINGlNANCIALPROBLEM

    4HISASSISTANCEISUSUALLYPROVIDEDINTHEFOLLOWINGWAYS

    4HEPROVISIONOFlNANCIALANDORMATERIALAIDTOMEETANIMMEDIATENEED&OREXAMPLETHIS

    COULDINCLUDEFOODVOUCHERSCASHASSISTANCEASSISTANCEWITHUTILITYBILLSFOODPARCELS

    CLOTHINGORHOUSEHOLDGOODS

    4HEPROVISIONOFASERVICEWHICHASSISTSPEOPLETOIDENTIFYTHEOPTIONSAVAILABLETOTHEMIN

    RESPONSETOTHEIRNEEDSANDWHICHMAYADVOCATEONTHEIRBEHALFORPROVIDELINKSTOSPECIALIST

    COMMUNITYSERVICESTOADDRESSTHECAUSEOFTHEIRPROBLEMS

    &AMILYAND#OMMUNITY3ERVICESADMINISTERSTHE%20VIAONGOINGCONTRACTUALAGREEMENTSWITHAPPROVEDAGENCIES#URRENTLYTHEREAREOVERWELFAREANDOTHERCOMMUNITYAGENCIES

    DISTRIBUTING%2RESULTINGINAPPROXIMATELYOUTLETSINTOTAL!GENCIESALSODISTRIBUTEFUNDS

    THATAREFROMSOURCESOTHERTHANTHE!USTRALIAN'OVERNMENT4HESEINCLUDEDONATIONS3TATE

    4ERRITORYANDLOCAL'OVERNMENTFUNDINGSPECIALISTSERVICEFUNDINGANDCHARITABLETRUSTFUNDING

    4ODAYWITHOURMUCHCLEARERUNDERSTANDINGOFTHEREASONSUNDERPINNINGPOVERTYORGANISATIONS

    THATPROVIDESERVICESFORTHOSEONLOWINCOMESANDEXPERIENCINGDISADVANTAGEARENOTONLY

    STRIVINGTOPROVIDEESSENTIALSHORTTERMASSISTANCEBUTAREATTEMPTINGTOADDRESSTHESYMPTOMS

    OFPOVERTYANDINITIATESOLUTIONS

    4AKEFOREXAMPLEANAGENCYTHATDISTRIBUTESBOTHlNANCIALANDMATERIALASSISTANCE!SWELLAS

    PROVIDINGASSISTANCETOADDRESSANIMMEDIATENEEDFORTHECLIENTTHEYAREALSONOTINGVIADATA

    COLLECTIONORANECDOTALEVIDENCETHEREASONSBEHINDTHECLIENTSDIFlCULTIES4HROUGHREGIONAL

    STATEORNATIONALNETWORKSTHISAGENCYCANPLAYAVITALROLEINFORMINGPOLICYMAKERSOFTHEROOT

    CAUSESOFPOVERTYANDDISADVANTAGE

    7HYDOPEOPLENEED%2

    0EOPLENEED%2BECAUSETHEYHAVEINSUFlCIENTMONEYORRESOURCESTOMEETTHEIRMOSTBASICOFNEEDS

    -ANYPEOPLEIN!USTRALIAMISUNDERSTANDTHECONCEPTOFPOVERTYBECAUSETHEYTENDTOTHINKOFITIN

    ABSOLUTETERMSFOREXAMPLEINTHIRDWORLDCOUNTRIESWHEREPEOPLEOFTENEXPERIENCEEXTREME

    DEPRIVATION(OWEVERPOVERTYIN!USTRALIAISBESTUNDERSTOODASARELATIVELEVELOFDEPRIVATION

    0OVERTYISALACKOFRESOURCESWHICHISSOSERIOUSLYBELOWSOCIETYSAVERAGETHATPEOPLEARE

    EXCLUDEDFROMEFFECTIVELYPARTICIPATINGINEVERYDAYLIFE0EOPLELIVINGINPOVERTYDONOTONLYHAVEA

    LOW@lXEDLEVELOFINCOMETHEYALSOEXPERIENCEALACKOFCHOICEACCESSANDPOWER4HEYMISS

    OUTONOPPORTUNITIESANDRESOURCESTHATMOSTOFUSTAKEFORGRANTEDSUCHASANADEQUATE

    STANDARDOFHEALTHCAREEDUCATIONEMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIESFOODANDRECREATION

    4HEPOVERTYLINEWHICHWASESTABLISHEDBY0ROFESSOR(ENDERSONINANINQUIRYINTOPOVERTYINTHE

    SISTHEGUIDESTILLUSEDTOASSESSTHEABSOLUTEMINIMUMAMOUNTOFMONEYREQUIREDFOR

    BASICLIVINGCOSTSSUCHASFOODCLOTHINGANDHOUSING(OWEVERTHE(ENDERSON0OVERTY,INE

    PURELYANECONOMICMEASUREDOESNOTTAKEINTOACCOUNTPEOPLESSOCIALANDEMOTIONALNEEDS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    13/149

    0AR

    T'ENERAL)NFORMATION

    4HEEXTENTOFPOVERTYIN!USTRALIA

    0OVERTYCANBEDElNEDSIMPLYAShALACKOFSOCIALLYPERCEIVEDNECESSITIESv1/THERDElNITIONS

    APPROACHPOVERTYASAFORMOFMULTIPLEDEPRIVATIONAGAINSTARELATIVELIVINGSTANDARD 2ORAS

    RELATINGNOTONLYTOALACKOFNECESSITIESBUTALSOPEOPLESCAPACITIESTOACHIEVEADEQUATEFUNCTIONING3

    4WOKINDSOFNEEDSAREIMPLIEDINTHESEDElNITIONSBUTWEAREPRIMARILYCONCERNEDWITH

    3UBSISTENCEPOVERTYRELATINGTOTHECAPACITYFORPHYSICALSURVIVALANDBASICCOMFORTAND

    0ARTICIPATIONPOVERTYRELATINGTOTHECAPACITYTOPARTICIPATEINSOCIALANDECONOMICLIFE

    4HIRTYYEARSAFTERTHE(ENDERSON)NQUIRYEVIDENCESUGGESTSTHATPOVERTYISNOWMOREWIDESPREAD

    ANDEXISTSAGAINSTABACKDROPOFDEEPLYENTRENCHEDSOCIALDIVISIONS

    N -ORETHANOFTHEWORKFORCEISOFlCIALLYUNEMPLOYEDCOMPAREDWITHINTHES7HEN

    HIDDENUNEMPLOYMENTISTAKENINTOACCOUNTTHElGUREDOUBLES(IGHLEVELSOFHIDDEN

    UNEMPLOYMENTHAVEEMERGEDASPEOPLEBECOMEDISCOURAGEDINTHEIRJOBSEARCHANDDROPPEDOUTOFTHELABOURMARKETORMOVEDFROMUNEMPLOYMENTALLOWANCESTOOTHERFORMSOFINCOMESUPPORT

    N 4HENUMBEROFLONGTERMUNEMPLOYMENTRECIPIENTSTHOSERECEIVINGPAYMENTSFORMONTHS

    ORLONGERHASGROWNFROMNEGLIGIBLELEVELSINTHESTOIN

    N OFCHILDRENLIVEDINJOBLESSHOUSEHOLDSINAlGUREINCONCEIVABLEINTHES

    N OFPEOPLEOFWORKINGAGEWERERELIANTONSOCIALSECURITYPAYMENTSINCOMPARED

    WITHIN

    N 4HENUMBEROFHOMELESSPEOPLEINTHE#ENSUSWASESTIMATEDAT

    N (OUSINGCOSTSARECONSUMINGINCREASINGPROPORTIONSOFHOUSEHOLDINCOMESANDAFFORDABLE

    HOUSINGISBECOMINGIMPOSSIBLETOlND

    &ORUPTODATEQUARTERLYPOVERTYlGURESANDTODOWNLOADQUARTERLYPOVERTYLINESVISITTHEWEBSITE

    FORTHE-ELBOURNE)NSTITUTEOF!PPLIED%CONOMICAND3OCIAL2ESEARCH-ELBOURNE5NIVERSITYn

    WWWECOMUNIMELBEDUAUIAESRWWWMIESIPOVERTYHTML &OR!#/33SMOSTRECENTWORKON

    POVERTYCHECKTHE!#/33WEBSITEATWWWACOSSORGAU

    4HE!#/33PUBLICATION@)MPACTCONTAINSREGULARPOVERTYUPDATESANDPOVERTYLINEANALYSIS&OR

    THOSEINTERESTEDINKEEPINGUPWITHACADEMICRESEARCHONPOVERTYANDSOCIALISSUESTHE

    !USTRALIAN*OURNALOF3OCIAL)SSUESALSOAVAILABLETHROUGH!#/33ISAVALUABLERESOURCE

    )TISEXTREMELYDIFlCULTTOBREAKTHEPOVERTYCYCLE4HEINEQUITYINSOCIETYMAKESITHARDFORTHOSE

    CHILDRENBROUGHTUPINPOVERTYTOHAVETHEOPPORTUNITYFORADEQUATEEDUCATIONANDLIFERESOURCES

    TOBREAKOUTOFTHECYCLEANDEARNANADEQUATEINCOMEASANADULT

    /FTENPEOPLEWHOAREFROMADIFFERENTBACKGROUNDANDCIRCUMSTANCESEXPERIENCEADDITIONAL

    DISADVANTAGEANDSOCIALEXCLUSION)FYOUAREAN)NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSOMEONEFROMACULTURALLY

    ANDLINGUISTICALLYDIVERSEBACKGROUND#!,$FROMAWORKINGCLASSBACKGROUNDHAVEADISABILITY

    ORLIVEINARURALORREGIONALAREAYOUHAVEANINCREASEDCHANCEOFLIVINGINPOVERTY

    4HEGROUPSMOSTLIKELYTOBEINPOVERTYIN!USTRALIATODAYINCLUDE

    N )NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSnREmECTEDBYHIGHLEVELSOFJOBLESSNESSLOWLEVELSOFFORMAL

    EDUCATIONPOORHEALTHINADEQUATEHOUSINGTHEEXPERIENCEOFDISPOSSESSIONANDRACISM

    ANDTHETENUOUSNATUREOFTHESOCIALSECURITYSAFETYNET

    &OOTNOTES-ACKAND,ANSLEY24OWNSEND33EN

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    14/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    N 5NEMPLOYEDPEOPLEANDTHEIRFAMILIESnHOUSEHOLDSWHERENOONEISEMPLOYEDMAKEUP

    OFPEOPLEININCOMEPOVERTY

    N 3OLEPARENTFAMILIESnTHEREARESTILLOVERONEINlVESOLEPARENTFAMILIESLIVINGIN

    INCOMEPOVERTY

    N 9OUNGPEOPLEINLOWINCOMEHOUSEHOLDSFACEAMUCHHIGHERRISKOFPOVERTYTHANMIDDLEAGED

    OROLDERPEOPLEBECAUSEOFHIGHYOUTHUNEMPLOYMENTANDLOWSOCIALSECURITYPAYMENTS

    N 0EOPLEWITHDISABILITIESCARERSANDOTHERSOFWORKFORCEAGEWHOSEMAINSOURCEOFINCOMEIS

    SOCIALSECURITYPAYMENTSARECONSISTENTLYFOUNDTOBEATGREATERRISKOFPOVERTY

    ,ABOURMARKETANDSOCIALINSTITUTIONSCANLARGELYEXPLAINTHEEXTENTOFPOVERTYIN!USTRALIA-ANY

    PEOPLEHAVEBEENLEFTBEHINDANDEXCLUDEDFROMSECUREFULLTIMEEMPLOYMENTDUETOTHECHANGING

    NATUREOFTHELABOURMARKETANDITSFAILURETOGROWENOUGHSECUREFULLTIMEJOBSOVERRECENTYEARS

    !HIGHERINCIDENCEOFLIMITEDEDUCATIONWORKEXPERIENCEANDDISABILITIESINTHEWORKINGAGE

    POPULATIONALSOPROVIDESPARTOFTHEEXPLANATIONANDTHESEFACTORSARECOMBININGTOPOLARISE

    COMMUNITIES/THERMAINCAUSESOFPOVERTYAREILLHEALTHANDDISABILITYPOORACCESSTOSERVICES

    ANDORLIVINGINDISADVANTAGEDCOMMUNITIESANDLOCALITIES

    %DUCATION

    0EOPLEWHOHAVENOTCOMPLETEDSECONDARYSCHOOLHAVEANUNEMPLOYMENTRATEOF

    COMPAREDWITHOFPEOPLEWITHA"ACHELORDEGREE/NAVERAGECOMPLETINGYEARRAISES

    PEOPLESINCOMESBYAROUNDANDTERTIARYQUALIlCATIONSBOOSTEARNINGSBY

    (OUSING

    (OUSINGPLAYSACRUCIALROLEINDETERMININGWHETHERORNOTPEOPLELIVEINPOVERTYANDTHEIRABILITYTO

    PARTICIPATEINEMPLOYMENTEDUCATIONANDTRAININGANDTOMAINTAINGOODHEALTHANDWELLBEING4HE

    DECREASINGAMOUNTOFWELLLOCATEDAFFORDABLEHOUSINGTOBUYORRENTTHATISAVAILABLEFORPEOPLE

    ONLOWINCOMESISASIGNIlCANTCAUSEFORCONCERN4HEDECLINEOFSOCIALHOUSINGIEPUBLICAND

    COMMUNITYHOUSINGISPUSHINGPEOPLEINTOTHEPRIVATERENTALMARKETWHERERENTSHAVE

    SKYROCKETEDINRECENTYEARSANDOFTENINLOCATIONSWHERETHEREISHIGHUNEMPLOYMENT#URRENTLY

    ALMOSTLOWINCOME!USTRALIANSINTHEPRIVATERENTALMARKETAREPAYINGMORETHANOF

    THEIRINCOMEINRENT4HISINCLUDESOLDERPEOPLEONAPENSIONPEOPLEWITHADISABILITYSOLE

    PARENTSUNEMPLOYEDPEOPLEANDTHEIRFAMILIES

    5NEMPLOYMENT

    *OBLESSNESSISAMAJORUNDERLYINGCAUSEOFPOVERTYANDTHELENGTHOFTIMEPEOPLEAREUNEMPLOYEDDIRECTLYCORRELATESWITHTHEIRLIKELIHOODOFLIVINGINPOVERTY$OWNSIZINGOFPRIVATEANDPUBLIC

    ENTERPRISESAREDUCTIONININTENSIVEEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCEANDREGIONALDECLINEHASCONTRIBUTED

    TOAFAILURETOCONVERT!USTRALIASSOLIDECONOMICGROWTHTOSTRONGEVENLYDISTRIBUTEDJOBSGROWTH

    4HETOTALLEVELOFUNEMPLOYMENTINCLUDINGTHEHIDDENUNEMPLOYEDWASESTIMATEDATAROUND

    IN

    5NDEREMPLOYMENT

    !CCORDINGTOLATESTAVAILABLEDATA!USTRALIAHASUNDEREMPLOYEDWORKERS4HATISPEOPLE

    WORKINGPARTTIMEWHOWANTTOWORKMOREHOURS!NINCREASEINTHENUMBEROFPEOPLEINWORKWHO

    AREALSOLIVINGINPOVERTYISADEEPCONCERN2ECENTDATASHOWSTHATTHEREARENOW!USTRALIANSLIVINGIN@WORKINGPOORHOUSEHOLDS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    15/149

    0AR

    T'ENERAL)NFORMATION

    )NCOMESUPPORT

    $ESPITESOMEPROGRESSOVERTHELASTYEARSMANYHOUSEHOLDSINCOMESUPPORTPAYMENTSARE

    SIGNIlCANTLYLOWERTHAN!USTRALIANINCOMEPOVERTYBENCHMARKS4HEWORSTAFFECTEDBYPAYMENT

    ANOMALIESARESINGLEUNEMPLOYEDPEOPLEYOUNGUNEMPLOYEDPEOPLEANDSTUDENTS

    )MPACTSOFPOVERTY

    0OVERTYTAKESMANYFORMS

    N !NINSUFlCIENTANDOFTENINADEQUATEDIET

    N )NADEQUATEACCOMMODATION

    N 2ECURRINGILLNESSESANDINADEQUATEHEALTHANDDENTALCARE

    N .OTRANSPORT

    N 0ERSONALORFAMILYSTRESSCONSTANTLYJUGGLINGlNANCESANDORBEINGINDEBTNOSPAREMONEY

    TOCOVERUNEXPECTEDEXPENSESNEVERBEINGABLETOGETAHEADN )SOLATIONNOSCHOOLEXCURSIONSOREXTRAMATERIALSNOHOLIDAYSBEINGHOUSEBOUNDLACKOF

    LEISUREACTIVITIESBECAUSEPEOPLECANTAFFORDTOGOOUT

    N 3OCIALPRESSUREMISSINGOUTONTHOSENORMALTHINGSTHATPEOPLEINOURSOCIETYDOANDTAKE

    FORGRANTED

    N 3OCIALEXCLUSION

    !TTITUDESANDAPPROACHESTOPOVERTY

    -ANY!USTRALIANSHAVEONLYAFUZZYUNDERSTANDINGOFWHATPOVERTYMEANSINTHISCOUNTRYIN

    CONTRASTTOTHESTARTLINGLYCLEARTELEVISIONIMAGESOFPOVERTYOVERSEAS-ANY!USTRALIANSARENOT

    AWAREOFTHEDAILYDEPRIVATIONANDHARDSHIPEXPERIENCEDBYMORETHANTWOMILLION!USTRALIANS

    CURRENTLYLIVINGINPOVERTY

    !TTITUDESTOWARDSPOVERTYCANBECATEGORISEDINTWOWAYS

    4HEINDIVIDUALISTICAPPROACHWHEREINDIVIDUALSARESEENASBEINGPRIMARILYRESPONSIBLEFORTHEIR

    SITUATION

    h4HEYCOULDWORKIFTHEYWANTEDTOv

    h0EOPLEAREONLYPOORBECAUSETHEYDONTKNOWHOWTOMANAGEMONEYPROPERLYv

    h7ECOPEDDURINGTHE'REAT$EPRESSIONYOUNGPEOPLETODAYGETITTOOEASYv

    h4HEYPROBABLYSPENDALLTHEIRMONEYONDRUGSANDGROGv

    4HESTRUCTURALAPPROACHnTHEWAYSOCIETYISORGANISEDISPRIMARILYRESPONSIBLEFORPEOPLE

    EXPERIENCINGPOVERTYDISCRIMINATIONORPOWERLESSNESS

    h-OSTPEOPLEAREINPOVERTYBECAUSEOFCIRCUMSTANCESBEYONDTHEIRCONTROLv

    h4HERICHAREGETTINGRICHERTHEPOORGETTINGPOORERv

    h4HEREARENOTENOUGHJOBSTOGOAROUNDv

    4HEREAREAVARIETYOFFACTORSWHICHCONTRIBUTETOSOMEONELIVINGINPOVERTYANDCHANGINGTHESE

    ISOFTENNOTWITHINTHEPOWEROFTHEINDIVIDUAL/NTHEWHOLETHECAUSESOFPOVERTYARESTRUCTURAL

    RATHERTHANRELATEDTOTHEBEHAVIOURORMOTIVESOFPOORPEOPLE4HISISNOTTOARGUETHAT

    BEHAVIOURALCHANGEISNOTPARTOFTHESOLUTION"EHAVIOURANDMOTIVATIONGENERALLYFOLLOWFROMTHECIRCUMSTANCESINWHICHPOORPEOPLElNDTHEMSELVESRATHERTHANADRIVEROFTHEM

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    16/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    N ,ACKOFEMPLOYMENTISONEOFTHEMAINCAUSESFORTHEINCREASEINPOVERTYIN!USTRALIAWITH

    MOREANDMOREPEOPLEUNABLETOOBTAINFULLTIMEEMPLOYMENT-ANYPEOPLELIVINGINPOVERTY

    SUCHAS)NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSANDPEOPLEWITHADISABILITYFACEDISCRIMINATIONIN

    EMPLOYMENT0ARTTIMEWORKCANNOTPROVIDEASUFlCIENTINCOMEPARTICULARLYINAFAMILYSITUATION&ORINCOMESUPPORTRECIPIENTSWHOWORKPARTTIMETHERECANBEALOSSOF

    SUBSEQUENTCONCESSIONSAVAILABLETOLOWINCOMEFAMILIES

    N #LOSETOOFALL%2APPLICANTSAREONA#ENTRELINKPENSIONORALLOWANCEMANYSTRUGGLETO

    SURVIVEONLOWERRATESOFPAYMENTEGDUETOABREACHPENALTYORINSOMECASESWHENA

    THIRDBREACHISAPPLIEDTHEYARETRYINGTOLIVEWITHOUTPAYMENTFORTWOMONTHS

    N !LARGENUMBEROFPEOPLEWHOAREONLOWINCOMESDONOTHAVEACCESSTOADEQUATEAND

    AFFORDABLEHOUSING0EOPLEONLOWINCOMESINTHEPRIVATERENTALMARKETAREOFTEN

    DISCRIMINATEDAGAINSTINFAVOUROFPEOPLEWITHHIGHERINCOMESAND2ENT!SSISTANCEIS

    INADEQUATETOASSISTWITHHOUSINGAFFORDABILITYPARTICULARLYINHIGHRENTAREASWHICHAREOFTEN

    ALSOAREASOFHIGHEMPLOYMENTLOWUNEMPLOYMENT

    N 0EOPLEONLOWINCOMESHAVETOSPENDAGREATERPROPORTIONOFTHEIRINCOMESONESSENTIAL

    SERVICESSUCHASGASELECTRICITYTELEPHONEANDWATER)NCREASESINENERGYCONSUMPTIONARE

    PARTLYDUETOTHEIMPACTOFPRIVATISATIONANDPOORHOUSINGCONDITIONSEGLACKOFINSULATION

    ANDOLDAPPLIANCESINCREASEENERGYBILLS

    N %XTENUATINGCIRCUMSTANCES4HESECOULDINCLUDEILLNESSHAVINGTORELOCATEEGREFUGEES

    PERSONALCRISESORLARGEUNFORESEENEXPENSES

    4HESEFACTORSAREMOSTLYOUTSIDETHECONTROLOFTHEINDIVIDUALANDITISIMPORTANTTOREALISETHAT

    INDIVIDUALSlNDITEXTREMELYDIFlCULTTOESCAPEPOVERTYSOLELYTHROUGHTHEIROWNEFFORTSBECAUSEOF

    LACKOFRESOURCESANDTHEBARRIERSTHEYFACE/FTENWHATISNEEDEDTOBREAKTHEPOVERTYCYCLEIS

    FULLTIMEEMPLOYMENTADDITIONALMONEYASSISTANCEFORHOUSINGORTOENABLEAPERSONTOACCESSFURTHEREDUCATIONOPPORTUNITIES4HESEMEASURESCOUPLEDWITHSUPPORTMAYHELPTOBRINGABOUTA

    CHANGEINTHEPERSONSLIFECIRCUMSTANCES

    )NRELATIONTO%2WESHOULDREMEMBERTHATTHEREAREANUMBEROFBASICRIGHTSWHICHEVERYPERSON

    INOURSOCIETYISENTITLEDTO%VERY!USTRALIANSHOULDHAVETHERIGHTTO

    N !NADEQUATEINCOMEORINCOMESECURITYTOCOVERBASICNEEDS

    N ,IVEINSAFESECUREAFFORDABLEHOUSING

    N ,IVEAPHYSICALLYANDMENTALLYHEALTHYLIFE

    N $EVELOPINTELLECTUALCAPACITIESANDSKILLS

    N 2AISECHILDRENINASAFEANDSECUREENVIRONMENTWITHSUPPORTFROMFAMILYFRIENDSANDTHECOMMUNITY

    N 0ARTICIPATEINTHECOMMUNITYFREEOFDISCRIMINATIONONTHEGROUNDSOFRACESEXAGEDISABILITY

    ORMARITALSTATUS

    N (AVEACCESSTOAPPROPRIATEINFORMATIONANDRESOURCESTOENABLETHEMTOMAKETHEIROWN

    DECISIONSANDTOWORKOUTORCHOOSESOLUTIONSTOTHEIROWNPROBLEMS

    N 7ORK

    )TISESTIMATEDTHATAROUNDONEIN!USTRALIANFAMILIESLIVEINPOVERTYANDHAVEINSUFlCIENT

    INCOMETOMEETTHEIRDAILYNEEDS!USTRALIAISASIGNATORYTOTHE5NITED.ATIONS)NTERNATIONAL

    #OVENANTON%CONOMIC3OCIALAND#ULTURAL2IGHTSYETWHILETHESEMAYBETHERIGHTSTOWHICHALL

    !USTRALIANSAREENTITLEDTOITISABUNDANTLYCLEARTHATMANYPEOPLEAREMISSINGOUTINOURSOCIETY

    ONEVENTHEIRMOSTBASICRIGHTS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    17/149

    0AR

    T'ENERAL)NFORMATION

    7HOPROVIDES%2

    %2ISDISTRIBUTEDBYADIVERSERANGEOFORGANISATIONSANDITISESTIMATEDTHATOFTHEMAIN

    RELIEFOUTLETSAREVOLUNTARYORGANISATIONS&A#3CURRENTLYFUNDSOVERORGANISATIONSWHICHPROVIDE%2IN!USTRALIA4HEREAREANUMBEROFCATEGORIESOF%2INCLUDING

    N #HARITABLE

    N 3TATE4ERRITORY'OVERNMENT

    N ,OCAL'OVERNMENT

    N )NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANS

    N #!,$

    N #OMMUNITYBASED

    4HEREAREAGENCIESWHICHPERFORMAVARIETYOFFUNCTIONSSUCHAS#OMMUNITY(EALTH#ENTRESAND

    &AMILY3UPPORT!GENCIESANDTHEREARETHOSEWHERETHEPROVISIONOF%2ISAPRIMARYFOCUS3OMEPROVIDERSARESOLEWORKERSINOUTPOSTSINREMOTEREGIONSWHILEOTHERSAREMAJORCHARITABLE

    WELFAREPROVIDERSSUCHAS

    N 3ALVATION!RMY

    N 3OCIETYOF3T6INCENTDE0AUL

    N !NGLICAN#HURCH

    N 5NITING#HURCH

    N 4HE3MITH&AMILY

    #OMMUNITYBASEDPROVIDERSSOMETIMESSMALLERORGANISATIONSINCLUDE

    N #OMMUNITYAND.EIGHBOURHOOD#ENTRES

    N #ITIZENS!DVICE"UREAUS

    N #OMMUNITY(EALTH#ENTRES

    N &AMILY2ESOURCE#ENTRES

    N 9OUTH3ERVICES

    N %MERGENCY!CCOMMODATION#ENTRES

    N 7OMENS2EFUGES

    &UNDING

    4HEMAJORSOURCESOFFUNDSFOR%2ARE

    $ONATIONSANDFUNDRAISINGBYCHURCHANDCHARITABLEORGANISATIONS4HESEFUNDSAREDISPERSED

    ACCORDINGTOTHEPOLICIESOFTHEORGANISATION

    4HE!USTRALIAN'OVERNMENTTHROUGHTHE%20ADMINISTEREDBY&A#3

    3TATEAND4ERRITORY'OVERNMENTSPARTICULARLY7ESTERN!USTRALIA1UEENSLAND.EW3OUTH

    7ALESASWELLAS#OURT&UNDSIN6ICTORIA

    ,OCAL'OVERNMENTS

    &ORFURTHERINFORMATIONONFUNDINGREFERTO0ART!'UIDEFOR-ANAGERS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    18/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    4YPESOF%2

    4HEREARESEVENBASICWAYS%2ISPROVIDEDALTHOUGHNOTALLAGENCIESPROVIDETHEFULLLISTASBELOW

    N CASHnUSUALLYINTHEFORMOFACHEQUEMADEOUTTOCASHANDCASHABLEATABANKCLOSETOTHEAGENCY

    N ACHEQUEORVOUCHERSMADEOUTTOTHECREDITORONBEHALFOFTHECLIENTFORRENTORAUTILITYBILL

    EG4ELSTRAVOUCHERS

    N FOODVOUCHERSnSOMETIMESWITHRESTRICTIONSSUCHASNOALCOHOLORCIGARETTES3UCH

    RESTRICTIONSAREBASEDONAGENCYDECISIONSNOTONTHEADVICEOF&A#3

    N FOODINKIND

    N TRANSPORTASSISTANCE

    N MATERIALAIDEGCLOTHESHOUSEHOLDGOODSANDINFANTNEEDS

    N INFORMATIONANDREFERRALDEBTNEGOTIATIONORADVOCACYSERVICES

    &A#3PREFERSFUNDINGPROVIDEDTHROUGHTHE%20TOBEDISTRIBUTEDASCASHCHEQUEORFOODVOUCHERONLY

    3EE@4YPESOF!IDIN0ARTFORANANALYSISOFTHEADVANTAGESANDDISADVANTAGESOFEACHMETHOD

    7HO5SES%2

    4HE.ATIONAL%2$ATA#OLLECTION0ROJECT2EPORTn@0EOPLEIN&INANCIAL#RISIS)))!#/33

    PROVIDESAPROlLEOFPEOPLESEEKINGCRISISASSISTANCEANDPROVIDEDSOMEINFORMATIONABOUTTHE

    CIRCUMSTANCESWHICHLEADPEOPLEINTOlNANCIALCRISIS+EYlNDINGSOFTHEREPORTINCLUDE

    N OF%2APPLICANTSAREOFWORKFORCEAGEWITHTHESINGLELARGESTAGEGROUPBETWEENAND

    YEARSOFAGE

    N OF%2CLIENTSARERECEIVINGINCOMESUPPORT

    N -OREWOMENTHANMENSEEKCRISISlNANCIALASSISTANCEnAPPROXIMATELYOF%2APPLICANTS

    AREFEMALEANDAPPROXIMATELYMALE

    N 9OUNGPEOPLEBETWEENANDYEARSOFAGEMAKEUPOF%2APPLICANTS

    N 4HEVASTMAJORITYOF%2APPLICANTSMORETHANAREBORNIN!USTRALIA

    N OF%2APPLICANTSHAVESOUGHT%2BEFORE

    N )NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSAREOVERREPRESENTEDASAPERCENTAGEOF%2APPLICANTS

    COMPAREDTOTHEIRNUMBERSINTHEGENERALPOPULATION

    N "ETWEENANDOF%2APPLICANTSAREFROM#!,$

    N 3INGLEUNEMPLOYEDPEOPLEARETHELARGESTCATEGORYOF%2APPLICANTSFOLLOWEDBYSOLE

    PARENTS

    N 0EOPLELIVINGINRENTALACCOMMODATIONBOTHPUBLICANDPRIVATEAREOVERREPRESENTEDAMONG

    %2APPLICANTSCOMPAREDTOTHEIRNUMBERSINTHEGENERALPOPULATION

    N 4HECOSTOFACCOMMODATIONFOR%2APPLICANTSISRELATIVELYHIGHWITHPAYINGOVERPER

    FORTNIGHT

    N !PPROXIMATELYOF%2APPLICANTSINEACHSURVEYPERIODREPORTEDHAVINGNOREGULARSOURCE

    OFINCOME4HEMOSTCOMMONREASONGIVENISTHATTHEYAREWAITINGFORTHEIRlRSTSOCIAL

    SECURITYPAYMENT

    N

    &ORMOST%2APPLICANTSTHEIRFORTNIGHTLYINCOMEWASINTHERANGEOFnPERFORTNIGHTN -OST%2APPLICANTSSAYTHATTHEREASONTHEYARESEEKINGASSISTANCEISDUETOATEMPORARY

    RISEINEXPENSESTYPICALLYAQUARTERLYUTILITYBILL

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    19/149

    0AR

    T'ENERAL)NFORMATION

    3TATE!DVISORY#OMMITTEES

    &A#3HASESTABLISHED%MERGENCY2ELIEF3TATE!DVISORY#OMMITTEES%23!#STOASSISTWITHTHE

    ADMINISTRATIONOFTHE%20INEACH3TATEAND4ERRITORY

    4HEPRIMARYROLEOFTHE%23!#SISTOPROVIDEADVICEONTHEPOLICIESPROCEDURESANDOPERATIONOF

    THE0ROGRAM3OMEOFTHEMOREIMPORTANTEXAMPLESOFTHESEWOULDBETOMAKE

    RECOMMENDATIONSON

    N THEPRINCIPLESWHICHSHOULDBEAPPLIEDTOTHEALLOCATIONOFFUNDSTOINDIVIDUALAGENCIESWITHIN

    &A#3REGIONSBUTNOTONTHEAMOUNTSOFFUNDINGTOBEALLOCATEDTOINDIVIDUALAGENCIESWHICH

    ISTHERESPONSIBILITYOFTHE$EPARTMENT

    N THEPRINCIPLESWHICHSHOULDBEAPPLIEDTOTHEREDISTRIBUTIONOFFUNDSWHICHMAYBECOME

    AVAILABLEWITHINTHElNANCIALYEAR

    N CLIENTNEEDSINCLUDINGACCESSIBLESERVICEDELIVERYINFORMATIONANDSUPPORTNEEDEDBY%2

    AGENCIES

    N NATIONALAND3TATE4ERRITORYFUNDINGFORMULAS

    )TISALSOALEGITIMATEROLEFOR%23!#STOPROVIDEADVICEONTHEMERITSOFPROPOSEDNEWAGENCIES

    TRANSFEROFSPONSORSHIPANDTHESTANDINGINTHECOMMUNITYOFEXISTINGAGENCIES

    #ONTACTYOUR%20ROGRAM#OORDINATORIN&A#3ORYOUR3TATE4ERRITORY#OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICETO

    lNDOUTHOWYOUCANACCESSTHE%23!#SPROCESS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    20/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    )SSUESFORSERVICES

    "ROADLY%2PROVISIONINCLUDESTWOIMPORTANTFORMSOFSERVICESnDIRECTASSISTANCEPROVIDING

    SOMEIMMEDIATERELIEFANDINFORMATIONANDREFERRALTHATCANPROVIDEACCESSTOSOLUTIONSTOTHEUNDERLYINGPROBLEMCONTRIBUTINGTOTHENEEDFORRELIEFEGAREFERRALTOFAMILYSUPPORTSERVICESOR

    AlNANCIALCOUNSELLOR)TISRECOGNISEDTHATTHISISNOTALWAYSPOSSIBLENORWILLCLIENTSALWAYS

    TAKEUPTHEOPTION

    2EGARDLESSOFTHEOPTIONSCHOSENBYCLIENTS%2AGENCIESSHOULD

    N 0ROTECTTHERIGHTSANDDIGNITYOFCLIENTS)TMUSTALWAYSBEACKNOWLEDGEDTHATCLIENTSHAVETHE

    RIGHTTOMAKETHEIROWNDECISIONANDREFUSEANYASSISTANCEORREFERRALSOFFERED

    N %NSURETHEREISREASONABLECOVERAGEFORALLPEOPLETO%2WITHINTHEIRLOCALAREA4HISREFERSTO

    ELIGIBILITYREQUIREMENTSBETWEENAGENCIESPHYSICALLOCATIONANDHOURSOFOPERATING&OR

    EXAMPLEENSURINGTHATALLSERVICESINANAREADONOTCONCENTRATEONASSISTINGTHESAMEAGE

    GROUPANDTHATACCESSTOTHESERVICEISAVAILABLEBYPUBLICTRANSPORT

    N $EVELOPSERVICESWHICHAREAPPROPRIATEANDDONOTDUPLICATEOTHERSERVICES4HISCANBE

    DONEBYNETWORKINGANDLIAISINGWITHOTHER%2AGENCIES!CTIVEPARTICIPATIONINCOMMUNITY

    SERVICENETWORKSANDORANTIPOVERTYFORUMSCANBEBENElCIAL

    N "ECLEARANDUPFRONTABOUTTHEIROWNPHILOSOPHYANDELIGIBILITYREQUIREMENTS)FITISA

    REQUIREMENTTHATCLIENTSCANONLYRECEIVEASSISTANCEEVERYTHREEMONTHSORHAVEAWORKER

    VISITTHEIRHOMETHISSHOULDBESTATEDCLEARLYTOTHECLIENTBEFORETHE%2PROCESSBEGINSAS

    WELLASBECLEARLYOUTLINEDINSERVICEINFORMATIONANDORPROMOTIONALMATERIALANDDISPLAYED

    INTHEWAITINGROOMRECEPTIONAREA

    4HEROLEOFTHE%2AGENCYPROVIDERISTOENSURETHATTHESERVICEISAPPROPRIATEANDDESIGNEDTO

    SUPPORTBOTHTHECLIENTANDTHESTAFF4HISISDEALTWITHINMOREDETAILIN0ART&A#3IN

    CONSULTATIONWITH%2AGENCIESHASDEVELOPEDGUIDINGPRINCIPLESANDSTANDARDSnCONTACTYOUR

    LOCAL%20ROJECT/FlCEROR#OORDINATORIN&A#3FORACOPY

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    21/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    ART!'UIDEFOR7ORKERSAND6OLUNTEERS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    22/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    /RIENTATION

    /RIENTATIONISESSENTIALTOHELPYOUTOWORKEFFECTIVELYFROMTHEVERYBEGINNING4HISSECTIONPROVIDESYOUWITHCHECKLISTSWHICHCANBEUSEDTOIDENTIFYANYGAPSINYOURUNDERSTANDINGOFYOURAGENCYS

    POLICIESORYOURROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES(OPEFULLYYOURAGENCYWILLHAVETHESEPOLICIESANDPROCEDURES

    WRITTENDOWN

    )FAFORMALORIENTATIONISNOTAVAILABLETAKETHETIMETOASKYOURSUPERVISORORFELLOWWORKERSANY

    QUESTIONSYOUMAYHAVEABOUTCURRENTPRACTICESANDDOCUMENTTHEMASYOUGOnTHISWAYYOUWILL

    HAVEAWRITTENRECORDTOCONSULTLATER!SAGENERALRULEBOTHANNUALREPORTSANDTHEAGENCYS

    CONSTITUTIONWILLBEAGOODSOURCETOGETYOUSTARTEDONlNDINGOUTABOUTTHEAGENCY

    3EE0ART!'UIDEFOR-ANAGERSFORDETAILEDINFORMATIONONORGANISATIONALISSUESINCLUDING

    ADVICETOAGENCYADMINISTRATORSONPOLICYDESIGN

    !NOVERVIEWOFHOWYOURAGENCYWORKS

    &IRSTLYYOUNEEDTOENSURETHATYOUUNDERSTANDTHEAGENCYSVALUESANDHOWTHEYAFFECTPOLICIES

    &OREXAMPLEYOUSHOULDBEABLETOEXPLAINTOTHECLIENTIFPROVISIONOFAIDISDEPENDENTONTHEM

    ATTENDINGAlNANCIALCOUNSELLINGSESSIONORWHYTHEYCANONLYRECEIVEASSISTANCEFROMYOUR

    ORGANISATIONEVERYTHREEMONTHS

    #HECKLISTn0OLICIES0ROCEDURES

    4YPEOFSERVICE

    N 7HOTHEAGENCYSERVESEGISTHESERVICETARGETEDTOYOUNGPEOPLEFAMILIESOR)NDIGENOUS

    ORGENERALPOPULATIONINASPECIlCAREA

    N 7HATASSISTANCEISPROVIDEDEGCHEQUEFOODVOUCHER

    N !PPROXIMATEAMOUNTORDEGREEOFASSISTANCE

    N 7HATSERVICEISOFFEREDINTHEABSENCEOFFUNDSVOUCHERSETC

    N (OWOFTENCANACLIENTRECEIVEAID

    N )FPROVISIONOFAIDISDEPENDENTONCLIENTATTENDINGCOUNSELLINGORANYOTHERCONDITIONS

    N 0RIVACYANDCONlDENTIALITY

    N #LIENTGRIEVANCEPROCEDURES

    N $ATAANDREPORTINGREQUIREMENTSBYYOURORGANISATIONORFUNDINGPROVIDER

    N !DVOCACYONBEHALFOFYOURCLIENT

    N 5SEOFINTERPRETERS

    -ODELOFSERVICE

    N !PPOINTMENTWAITINGROOMBASED

    N !SSESSMENTDELIVERYBYINTERVIEWFROMRECEPTIONBYHOMEVISITORCOMBINATION

    N $UTYROSTER

    N (OURSOFOPERATION

    N .ETWORKINGARRANGEMENTSLOCALANDPEAKBODIES

    N 2EFERRALPROCEDURES

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    23/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    /THER

    N -EDIAPUBLICITY

    N 'IFTGUIDELINESACCEPTINGGIFTSFROMCLIENTS

    N 3TAFFSUPPORTANDTRAINING

    /2)%.4!4)/.42!).).'%8%2#)3%

    &INDOUTASMUCHASYOUCANOFTHEABOVELISTWRITEITDOWNINYOUROWNFOLDERANDTHENASK

    ANOTHERWORKERORYOURCOORDINATORTOQUIZYOUANDSEEHOWMUCHYOUCANREMEMBEROREVENIF

    YOUCANREMEMBERWHEREYOUlRSTFOUNDTHEINFORMATIONWORKERS(ANDBOOKETC4RYTHESAME

    EXERCISEAGAINAFTERWORKINGINYOURORGANISATIONFORTHREETOSIXMONTHS

    4RAINING

    4RAININGISPROVIDEDFREETO%2WORKERSANDVOLUNTEERSTHROUGHTHE.ATIONAL4RAINING5NITIN&A#3

    ANDISALSOFUNDEDTHROUGHOUTSEVERAL3TATE4ERRITORYOFlCESOF&A#3ANDMANAGEDBY

    ORGANISATIONSSUCHAS.#/33IN.37AND7!#/33IN7!4HEREAREALSOTRAININGPACKAGES

    PRODUCEDBY,UTHERAN#OMMUNITY#AREIN3!#HECKFORCONTACTDETAILSINTHE2ESOURCE3ECTIONOF

    THISMANUAL

    -ANYAGENCIESPROVIDEFREEINHOUSEOREXTERNALTRAININGCOURSESFORPAIDANDUNPAIDSTAFFASPART

    OFTHEIRORIENTATIONPROGRAM4HISCANINCLUDETRAININGACROSSAWIDEVARIETYOFSKILLAREASSUCHAS

    N RECEPTIONBOOKKEEPINGGENERALADMINISTRATIONREFERRALSKILLSOCCUPATIONALHEALTHANDSAFETY

    WELFAREINTERVIEWINGCOMMUNICATIONSCONmICTRESOLUTIONAPPROPRIATEASSERTIVENESSDRUG

    ANDALCOHOLISSUESADVOCACYANDCROSSCULTURALSKILLSTONAMEAFEW

    9OUSHOULDTALKTOYOURSUPERVISORABOUTTRAININGOPPORTUNITIESPARTICULARLY

    N )FYOUAREANUNPAIDWORKERVOLUNTEERBECAUSETHEWELFAREOFYOURCLIENTSDEPENDSONIT

    READ@MOREHARMTHANGOODINTHISMANUAL

    N 4RAININGSHOULDBEPROVIDEDTOIMPROVEYOURSKILLS4HEROLEOFAN%2WORKERCANBEAVERY

    STRESSFULONEWITHALLTHEPROBLEMSTHATCLIENTSCANPRESENTTOYOU4RAININGSHOULDINCREASE

    YOURKNOWLEDGEANDCONlDENCEANDWILLPERHAPSLEADTOPROVIDINGOPPORTUNITIESFORPERSONAL

    GROWTHANDGREATERUNDERSTANDINGOFWHATPEOPLEEXPERIENCEWHENFACINGPOVERTY)TCANALSO

    HELPIFYOURAIMISPAIDEMPLOYMENT

    N )FYOUHAVENOTYETRECEIVEDTRAININGTHEREARETRAININGEXERCISESTHROUGHOUTTHISSECTIONTO

    TARGETAREASINWHICHYOUWILLNEEDTOGAINKNOWLEDGEANDSKILLSTOBEANEFFECTIVE%2WORKER

    VOLUNTEER

    N #ONCENTRATEONONETOPICATATIMEANDWORKYOURWAYTHROUGHTHEM

    N 7HENYOUHAVECOMPLETEDATOPICANDARESATISlEDWITHYOURCOMMENTSYOUCANTHENASKFOR

    FEEDBACKFROMYOURCOORDINATORORPAIDWORKERS

    N 9OUCOULDPERHAPSALSOASKYOURCOORDINATORIFTHETEAMCOULDWORKTHROUGHANEXERCISEPER

    TOPICATASTAFFMEETINGWHICHCANALSOACTASAREFRESHERFORTHEOTHERWORKERSVOLUNTEERS

    ANDACTASANINFORMATIONSHARINGACTIVITY

    N &URTHERSELFDEVELOPMENTORREFRESHERTRAININGOPPORTUNITIESSHOULDBEAVAILABLEONAN

    ONGOINGBASISANDSHOULDALLOWYOUTHEOPPORTUNITYTOTRAINFORGREATERRESPONSIBILITYINYOURORGANISATION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    24/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    9OURORGANISATIONS%2POLICIESANDPROCEDURES

    9OUSHOULDBECLEARABOUT

    N YOURAGENCYS%2SERVICEDELIVERYPOLICYANDPROCEDURES

    N YOURROLEANDRESPONSIBILITIES

    N HOWYOURROLERELATESTOOTHERSINTHEAGENCY

    N THESORTSOFDECISIONSANDACTIONSWHICHYOUHAVETHEAUTHORITYTOTAKEONYOUROWNAND

    THOSEFORWHICHITISEXPECTEDYOUWILLCONSULTANOTHERPERSONORAUTHORITYYOUMAYNEEDTO

    GETTHEMANAGERCOORDINATORSAPPROVALTOPROVIDESERVICEUSERSWITHCHEQUESOVERACERTAIN

    AMOUNT

    N GENERALINFORMATIONABOUTPRACTICEISSUESORGENERALLYHOWOTHERWORKERSDEALWITHSITUATIONS

    9OURJOBDESCRIPTION

    7HETHERYOUAREAPAIDORUNPAIDWORKERYOUSHOULDHAVEAJOBDESCRIPTIONWHICHACCURATELYSETSOUTYOURRIGHTSANDRESPONSIBILITIESINCLUDING

    *OB4ITLE

    N )DENTIlCATIONOFTHEPOSITION

    #ONTEXT

    N "RIEFSTATEMENTOFTHEAIMSANDOBJECTIVESOFTHEORGANISATIONITSHISTORYCURRENTSITUATION

    ANDENVIRONMENT

    N ,OCATIONOFTHEWORKPLACE

    N (OWTHEJOBlTSINTOTHEORGANISATION

    0ERIODOFAPPOINTMENT

    N #ASUALPERMANENTTEMPORARYORPROJECTUNPAIDWORKERSSHOULDDISCUSSTHEPROJECTEDPERIOD

    OFTHEPROJECT

    (OURSOFWORK

    N &ULLTIMEPARTTIMECASUALJOBSHARE

    &UNDINGSOURCE

    N 'OVERNMENTNONGOVERNMENT

    !CCOUNTABILITYN 7HOTHISPOSITIONREPORTSTOHOWANDWHEN

    N 7HOISACCOUNTABLETOTHISPOSITION

    N ,IAISONANDINTERACTIONINTHEORGANISATION

    N 7HOISTHEEMPLOYINGBODY

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    25/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    $UTIES

    N SPECIFYTASKSTOBECARRIEDOUTBEGINNINGWITHTHOSEMOSTCENTRALTOTHEPOSITION

    N LISTTASKSWHICHARETHESOLERESPONSIBILITYOFTHISPOSITION

    N IDENTIFY@SHAREDTASKSEGADMINISTRATIVETASKS

    N INCLUDEACLAUSESTATINGhOTHERDUTIESCONSISTENTWITHTHEPOSITIONASDIRECTEDBYv

    N IDENTIFYTHOSETASKSFORWHICHTHEWORKERISULTIMATELYRESPONSIBLEEGEDITINGTHENEWSLETTER

    MAINTAININGFOODAID

    N STOCKS

    N OUTLINETHELEVELOFAUTHORITYHELDEGSIGNINGCHEQUESMANAGINGSTAFF

    3ALARYANDCONDITIONS

    N NAMEAPPROPRIATEAWARDIFAPPLICABLEEMPLOYMENTAGREEMENTAWARDCLASSIlCATIONAND

    SALARYRANGE

    N LISTABOVEAWARDCONDITIONSGRANTEDBYYOURORGANISATION

    N MENTIONORIENTATIONANDTRAININGOPPORTUNITIESUNPAIDWORKERSSHOULDBEPROVIDEDWITH

    INFORMATIONONSPECIALCONDITIONSSUCHASREIMBURSEMENTOFTRAVELEXPENSESANDINFORMEDOF

    THECORRECTVOLUNTEERINSURANCECOVERWHICHISQUITEDIFFERENTFROMPAIDSTAFFANDPUBLIC

    LIABILITYINSURANCE

    4HEBENElTS

    N 5NPAIDWORKERSSHOULDBEGIVENALISTOFTHEBENElTSRESULTINGFROMTHEWORKSUCHAS

    OPPORTUNITYTOIMPROVESKILLSMEETPEOPLEANDCONTRIBUTETOTHECOMMUNITYINAMEANINGFUL

    WAY

    2EVIEW

    N $ATETHEJOBDESCRIPTIONWASWRITTEN

    N $ATEFORREVIEWANDUPDATE

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    26/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    'UIDINGPRINCIPLESANDSTANDARDS

    7HYSTANDARDS

    0EOPLEWHOAPPROACH%2AGENCIESAREFREQUENTLYVULNERABLEANDINCRISIS

    0RINCIPLESOFACCESSDIGNITYRESPECTANDCULTURALLYAPPROPRIATESERVICEPROVISIONNEEDTOBE

    UNDERSTOODANDEMBRACEDBYSERVICESANDTRANSLATEDINTOPRACTICE

    4HEAIM

    4HATEACHINDIVIDUALANDFAMILYISRESPONDEDTOWITHRESPECTCONSIDERATIONANDASSISTANCEINA

    WAYTHATMAINTAINSTHEIRDIGNITYANDENHANCESTHEIRSELFRELIANCE

    )NPRACTICETHISSHOULDMEANTHEPROVISIONOFSHORTTERMEMERGENCYlNANCIALANDORMATERIAL

    ASSISTANCEASWELLASACOMMITMENTTOLINKPEOPLETOOTHERSERVICESPROGRAMSANDSUPPORTSAS

    APPROPRIATE

    4HEWAYTHISISDONEANDTHEENVIRONMENTINWHICHSERVICESAREPROVIDEDARECENTRALTOAGOOD

    QUALITYOFSERVICEANDEACHPERSONSEXPERIENCEOFRECEIVING%2

    4HESESTANDARDSAREAFRAMEWORKFOREACHORGANISATIONTOIMPROVETHEIRSERVICEQUALITYWITH

    @GOODOR@BESTPRACTICEIDENTIlEDANDTOlNDNEWANDBETTERWAYSTOASSISTPEOPLE

    0URPOSEOFSTANDARDS

    N 4OPROVIDECLEARGUIDELINESTOALLPARTIESONWHATCANBEEXPECTEDFROMAN%2SERVICE

    N

    4OENSURECLIENTSKNOWWHATTHEYCANEXPECTFROMAN%2SERVICEANDTOENSUREPEOPLEEXPERIENCINGlNANCIALCRISISRECEIVECONSISTENTQUALITYSERVICE

    N 4OHAVEINFORMEDPRACTICESANDINCREASEUNDERSTANDINGOFCLIENTNEED

    N 4OASSISTINIDENTIFYINGTRAININGANDSUPPORTNEEDSOFVOLUNTEERSANDOTHERSTAFF

    N 4OASSISTINIMPROVINGQUALITYOFSERVICEPROVISIONWHICHASSISTSPEOPLETODEALWITHTHEIR

    CRISISSITUATIONINAWAYWHICHMAINTAINSDIGNITYANDENCOURAGESSELFRELIANCE

    N 4OPROVIDEATOOLWHICHSERVICESCANUSEFORSELFEVALUATIONREVIEWANDIMPROVEMENTSEETHE

    &A#3%27ORKBOOK

    N 4OINCREASEAWARENESSOFTHEWORKANDWORTHOF%2PROVISIONINLOCALCOMMUNITIESANDFACILITATE

    LINKSANDNETWORKSWHICHWILLBEINTHEBESTINTERESTSOFPEOPLEACCESSING%2SERVICES

    %2PRINCIPLESANDSTANDARDS

    4HESEPRINCIPLESAREREPRODUCEDFROMTHE&A#3'UIDING0RINCIPLESAND3ERVICE3TANDARDS%27ORKBOOK

    0RINCIPLE!CCESSANDEQUITY

    !GENCIESMAXIMISEACCESSFORALLPEOPLEEXPERIENCINGlNANCIALCRISISANDENSUREEQUITYINTHE

    DELIVERYOFSERVICE

    3ERVICE3TANDARD

    9OURSERVICE

    N DISTRIBUTES%2FROMACCESSIBLESETTINGSANDATCONVENIENTTIMES

    N OFFERSCLEARANDACCURATEINFORMATIONREGARDINGITSSERVICES

    N HASCLEARGUIDELINESANDCONSISTENTPRACTICESFORTHEEQUITABLEPROVISIONOF%2

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    27/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    0RINCIPLE#LIENTDIGNITYRESPECTANDRIGHTS

    !GENCIESRESPECTANDUPHOLDTHEDIGNITYANDRIGHTSOFEACHPERSONORFAMILYREQUESTING%2

    3ERVICE3TANDARD

    9OURSERVICE

    N RESPONDSTOEACHPERSONFAMILYWITHRESPECTANDINANONJUDGEMENTALWAY

    N ACKNOWLEDGESEACHPERSONSINDIVIDUALITYCIRCUMSTANCESANDNEEDSANDENCOURAGESSELF

    RELIANCE

    N OFFERSCLIENTSTHEOPPORTUNITYTOPARTICIPATEINDECISIONMAKINGANDCHOICEOFASSISTANCE

    WITHINTHECAPACITYOFTHEAGENCY

    N UPHOLDSCLIENTRIGHTSWITHINTHE%2SERVICE

    0RINCIPLE#ULTURALAPPROPRIATENESS

    !GENCIESEMBRACEANDRESPONDAPPROPRIATELYTOCULTURALDIVERSITY

    3ERVICE3TANDARD

    9OURSERVICE

    N ISACCESSIBLETOPEOPLEFROMDIVERSECULTURALRELIGIOUSANDLINGUISTICBACKGROUNDS

    N ISSENSITIVETOCULTURALLINGUISTICANDRELIGIOUSBACKGROUNDSANDDEMONSTRATESRESPECTFUL

    CULTURALLYCOMPETENTPRACTICE

    0RINCIPLE!GENCYCULTUREANDPRACTICE

    !GENCIESPROVIDEASAFEANDDIGNIlEDENVIRONMENTFORTHEPROVISIONOF%2

    3ERVICE3TANDARD

    9OURSERVICE

    N PROVIDESFACILITIESANDWAYSOFWORKINGWHICHAREWELCOMINGAND@USERFRIENDLY

    N PROVIDESFORTHESAFETYANDWELLBEINGOFCLIENTSVOLUNTEERSANDOTHERSTAFF

    N ISCOMMITTEDTOINDUCTIONTRAININGANDSUPPORTFORVOLUNTEERSANDOTHERSTAFF

    0RINCIPLE#OMMUNITYRELEVANCEANDRESPONSIVENESS

    !GENCIESARERELEVANTANDRESPONSIVETOTHENEEDSOFTHELOCALREGIONALCOMMUNITY

    3ERVICE3TANDARD

    9OURSERVICE

    N ISAWAREOFTHENEEDSOFPEOPLEEXPERIENCINGlNANCIALCRISISINTHELOCALREGIONALCOMMUNITY

    N WORKSINACOORDINATEDANDCOLLABORATIVEWAYWITHOTHERSERVICESINTHELOCALREGIONALAREA

    N DEVELOPSANDMAINTAINSREFERRALANDSUPPORTLINKSWITHRELEVANTSERVICESINTHELOCALREGIONAL

    COMMUNITY

    0RINCIPLE!CCOUNTABILITY

    !GENCIESAREACCOUNTABLEANDOFFERMAXIMUMCHOICEANDBENElTTOPEOPLEREQUESTING%2WITHIN

    PROGRAMANDBUDGETLIMITATIONS

    3ERVICE3TANDARD

    9OURSERVICE

    N MAINTAINSANEFFECTIVESYSTEMSTODISTRIBUTE%2ACCORDINGTOLOCALREGIONALNEED

    N THEAGENCYDEMONSTRATESACCOUNTABILITYTOCLIENTSFORSERVICESRECEIVEDANDTHEWAYINWHICH

    THEYAREPROVIDEDN THEAGENCYISACCOUNTABLETOTHE!USTRALIAN'OVERNMENTANDTHELOCALREGIONALCOMMUNITYFOR

    FUNDSRECEIVEDANDSERVICESPROVIDED

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    28/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    6!,5%3!.$!44)45$%342!).).'%8%2#)3%

    0LEASEREADTHEFOLLOWING

    h0EOPLETODAYDONTKNOWWHATITSLIKETOBEPOOR)TSNOTLIKETHE$EPRESSIONORTHE

    STARVINGCHILDRENIN!FRICAv

    h4HEYRENOTPOORTHEYVEGOTANEWTELEVISIONAND$6$v

    h9OUNGGIRLSGETPREGNANTDELIBERATELYOVERANDOVERJUSTTOGETTHEBENElTv

    h9OUNGPEOPLEJUSTDONTWANTTOWORKv

    h0EOPLEAREONLYPOORBECAUSETHEYCANTBUDGETnTHEYREJUSTBADMONEYMANAGERSv

    h0EOPLEAREJUSTRIPPINGOFFTHESOCIALSECURITYSYSTEMv

    h4HEYWOULDNTBEPOORIFTHEYDIDNTBUYCIGARETTESANDTAKEAWAYFOODv

    [*UDGEMENTSADAPTEDFROM!USTRALIANSIN0OVERTY"ROTHERHOODOF3T,AURENCE]

    $OYOUAGREEORDISAGREEWITHTHESTATEMENTSABOVE

    N &OREACHOFTHESTATEMENTSABOVECHOOSEFROMASCALEOFTO)FYOUSTRONGLYAGREEWITH

    THESTATEMENTPUTAANDSOON)FYOUSTRONGLYDISAGREEPUTA

    N &OREACHANSWERALSOWRITEDOWNTHEREASONSWHYYOUCHOSETHATNUMBER

    N )FYOURFEELINGSLAYSOMEWHEREINBETWEENANDCHOOSETHENUMBERWHICHINDICATESHOW

    YOUDOFEEL

    %G3TATEMENT

    h0EOPLETODAYDONTKNOWWHATITSLIKETOBEPOOR)TSNOTLIKETHE$EPRESSIONORTHE

    STARVINGCHILDRENIN!FRICAv

    !NSWERBYSELECTINGBELOWTHENUMBERTHATBESTREmECTSTHEDEGREETOWHICHYOUAGREEORDISAGREEWITHTHISSTATEMENT

    3TRONGLY!GREE !GREE $ISAGREE 3TRONGLY$ISAGREE

    $ISCUSSYOURANSWERSWITHYOURCOORDINATOR#ANTHERESULTSBEMATCHEDWITHYOUR/RGANISATIONS

    0OLICYANDTHE0RINCIPLESAND3TANDARDSOF3ERVICEFROM&A#37HATCANBEDONEIFYOUR

    PERSONALFEELINGSORBELIEFSDIFFERFROMTHEAPPROACHOFYOURSERVICE

    [!DAPTEDFROMTHE,UTHERAN#OMMUNITY#ARE3!%24RAINING0ACKAGE]

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    29/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    !NILLUSTRATIONOFTHEPRINCIPLESOFSERVICE

    FROMYOURCLIENTSPERSPECTIVE

    4HE!GENCY/FFERS-E

    -AXIMUM#HOICE

    "ENElT7ITHIN0ROGRAM

    "UDGET,IMITATIONS

    %2PROVISIONISBASEDONACLIENTCENTREDAPPROACH4HE

    $IAGRAMABOVEDEMONSTRATESWHATTHISMEANSFROMTHE

    CLIENTSPERSPECTIVEANDINCLUDESTHESIX"ASIC0RINCIPLESOF-INIMUM3ERVICE3TANDARDSFROM&A#3

    )HAVETHERIGHTTO

    EXPECTx

    !CCESS%QUITY

    4HE!GENCYTOBE

    2ELEVANT2ESPONSIVE

    TO-Y#OMMUNITY

    -Y$IGNITY2IGHTSTO

    BEUPHELD

    !3AFE$IGNIlED

    %NVIRONMENT

    #ULTURAL

    !PPROPRIATENESS

    2ESPECT

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    30/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    4HEROLEOFTHE%2WORKER

    4HEROLEOFTHE%2WORKERISTOPROVIDEASSISTANCETOPEOPLEINNEEDINTHEMOSTRESPONSIVEAND

    DIGNIlEDMANNERPOSSIBLE

    4HE%2WORKER

    N PROVIDESlNANCIALANDMATERIALAIDTOADDRESSTHEMOSTPRESSINGlNANCIALPROBLEMSANDOR

    EXPLORESOTHERWAYSOFRESOLVINGTHESEEGNEGOTIATINGWITHALANDLORDONLYIFWITHTHECLIENTS

    PERMISSIONTOREPAYRENTOVERTIMEORBASICNEGOTIATIONSWITHOTHERCREDITORS

    N ENSURESTHATTHECLIENTISRECEIVINGALLTHEBENElTSANDCONCESSIONSTOWHICHTHEYARE

    ENTITLEDEGSOCIALSECURITYENTITLEMENTSENERGYANDTELEPHONECONCESSIONS

    N PROVIDESOPTIONSTOTHECLIENTONARANGEOFISSUESSUCHASBUDGETINGORHOUSING

    N DETERMINESIFTHEREAREANYADDITIONALPROBLEMSWITHWHICHTHECLIENTREQUIRESASSISTANCEEG

    lNANCIALCOUNSELLING

    N ENSURESTHATPROPERREFERRALSAREMADETOANOTHERSERVICEIFTHECLIENTREQUESTSFURTHER

    ASSISTANCE

    %2WORKERSWILLEITHER

    N PROVIDE%2ASPARTOFAN%2SERVICEOR

    N PROVIDE%2ASPARTOFTHEIRDUTIESINABROADERROLEASAlNANCIALCOUNSELLORHEALTHOROTHER

    WELFAREWORKER

    )-0/24!.4./4%

    )NAN%2SERVICEANYWORKERWHOISAVOLUNTEERORANUNQUALIlEDWELFAREWORKERISNOTAPERSONALCOUNSELLORSOCIALWORKERDRUGANDALCOHOLCOUNSELLORORPSYCHOLOGIST2EFERRALSTOSPECIALIST

    SERVICESCANBEOFFEREDTOCLIENTSIFREQUIREDASPARTOFARANGEOFOPTIONSFORFURTHERASSISTANCE

    5NDERSTANDINGYOURCLIENTSRIGHTS

    %VERYONEHASADIFFERENTSETOFVALUESBASEDONTHEIROWNBELIEFSEXPERIENCESANDIDEAS9OUR

    VALUESMEANTHATYOURATTITUDESTOCLIENTSMAYVARYANDWILLAFFECTTHEWAYYOUHELPPEOPLE4HE

    OLDIDEAOFTHE@DESERVINGPOORISANEXAMPLEOFTHIS!LLCLIENTSAREEQUALLYDESERVINGALTHOUGH

    EACHPERSONHASDIFFERENTNEEDSATTITUDESANDBELIEFS)TISIMPORTANTFORYOUTOUNDERSTANDTHAT

    WEALLMAKEDIFFERENTASSUMPTIONSABOUTWHATISACCEPTABLEBEHAVIOURANDITISIMPERATIVETHAT

    THESEASSUMPTIONSDONOTCOLOURYOURJUDGEMENTABOUTWHETHERSOMEONENEEDS%2

    &OREXAMPLETHEFOLLOWINGAREDIFFERENTVALUESWITHWHICHYOUMAYORMAYNOTAGREEHOWEVER

    THEYARETHEVALUESUPONWHICHAPERSONMAKESTHEDECISIONSABOUTTHEIRLIFE

    h)THINKITSMOREIMPORTANTTOSTAYHOMEANDLOOKAFTERMYKIDSRATHERTHANWORKEVENIFWERE

    STRUGGLINGWITHMONEYv

    h)TSMOREIMPORTANTTOGETTHEMONEYSO)CANGIVETHEKIDSAGOODEDUCATIONv

    h)DRATHERSENDTHEKIDSOFFTOSCHOOLDRESSEDNICELYSOPEOPLEDONTKNOWWEREPOOREVENIFIT

    MEANSGOINGWITHOUTFOODv

    h)KNOWTHEKIDSHAVENTHADENOUGHTOEATBUTIF)DONTHAVECIGARETTES)LLGOCRAZYv

    7ITHHOLDINGASSISTANCEORTRYINGTOMAKEPEOPLECHANGETHEIRBEHAVIOURINORDERTOGET%2IS

    UNPROFESSIONALCOUNTERPRODUCTIVEANDGENERALLYLEADSTO

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    31/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    N PEOPLELYINGTOGETASSISTANCE

    N DETERRINGTHEMFROMSEEKINGHELP

    N MAKINGTHEMTURNTOOTHERSnWHOMAYNOTBEABLETOHELPTHEMASEFFECTIVELY

    N PEOPLENOTSEEKINGHELPUNTILITSTOOLATEANDTHEIRLIVESAREINDEEPERCRISIS

    N CLIENTSDISCREDITINGYOURAGENCYANDTHEWELFARESECTORINGENERAL

    9OURROLEISTOASSISTINTHEDISTRIBUTIONOF%2ACCORDINGTOYOURAGENCYSPOLICY9OURAGENCYWILLHAVE

    WRITTENPOLICIESORESTABLISHEDPRACTICEPROCEDURES)TCANHELPIFASIMPLECODEOFCONDUCTFOR

    CLIENTSISDISPLAYEDVISIBLYINTHERECEPTIONAREATHISMAYASSISTINADDRESSINGMISUNDERSTANDINGS!

    WRITTENCODEOFCONDUCTFORWORKERSASPARTOFYOURORIENTATIONPACKAGEISALSOIMPORTANT

    )TISNOTUPTOYOUTOJUDGEYOURCLIENTSACCORDINGTOYOUROWNPERSONALIDEALSORBELIEFS4OPUT

    THESEASIDEANDTOASSISTSOMEONESOLELYONTHEIRLEVELOFPRESENTINGNEEDANDTHERESOURCES

    YOURAGENCYHASAVAILABLEISADIFlCULTEXERCISEYETONCEMASTEREDITWILLMEANBETTEROUTCOMES

    FOR%2CLIENTSANDAGREATERSENSEOFPROFESSIONALISMFORYOUASAWORKER

    (OWDOCLIENTSFEEL

    )NASOCIALACTIONANDRESEARCHPROJECTBYTHE"ROTHERHOODOF3T,AURENCEPEOPLEDESCRIBEDTHE

    STRESSANDANXIETYASSOCIATEDWITHTHELACKOFAVAILABLECASH4HIRTEENOFTHEPARTICIPANTSOF

    THE#HANGING0RESSURESPROJECTSTATEDTHATTHEYUSED%2SERVICESFORFOODCLOTHINGAND

    ASSISTANCEWITHBILLS4HEYEXPLAINEDHOWCRUCIALTHESESERVICESWERETOTHEIRSURVIVALBUT

    DESCRIBEDTHEDISCOMFORTTHEYFELTINHAVINGTOACCESSTHE%2AGENCIES

    )-0/24!.4./4%

    )NTHElRST#HANGING0RESSURESBULLETINTHEAUTHORSSTATEDTHATTHEPARTICIPANTSWERE hPARTICULARLY

    SENSITIVETOANYCRITICISMSORJUDGEMENTSABOUTTHEIRLIFESTYLESBYSERVICEPROVIDERSv

    %XAMPLESOFCLIENTVIEWS

    "ELOWAREANUMBEROFQUOTESFROMTHE#HANGING0RESSURESPROJECTDESCRIBINGPARTICIPANTS

    THOUGHTSON%2

    h)USETHESERVICESFORFOODMAINLYANDGASANDELECTRICITY;BILLS=JUSTOCCASIONALLYWHEN)MREALLY

    ONTHEDOWNS;4HESERVICEIS=VERYHELPFULOTHERWISE)WOULDHAVELOSTMY;ELECTRICITY=COUPON

    THEN)WOULDHAVEHADTOPAYTHEAMOUNTINFULL;!SKINGFORHELPIS=EMBARRASSINGITREALLYISVERY

    EMBARRASSINGv

    h)CANTPRAISETHEM;THESERVICE=ENOUGH4HEYHAVEBEENABSOLUTELYFANTASTIC)F)VEGOTA

    PROBLEMTHATISNOTlNANCIALOR)AMEMOTIONALLYUPSET)LLJUSTRINGUPTHEREANDTHEYLLPUTME

    ONTOSOMEONETOTALKTO;!BOUTANOTHERSERVICE=4HEYARETHERETOHELPTOOBUTTHEYSHOULDGET

    PEOPLETHATAREABITMOREUNDERSTANDINGABOUTWHATISGOINGONOUTTHERE-AYBETHEYARENOT

    GOINGTHROUGHITBUTJUSTHERWHOLEATTITUDEREALLYITISSHOCKING)TJUSTMADEYOUFEELLIKEA

    PIECEOFDIRTv

    h4HEYAREGOODSERVICESTHEYDOHELPBUTTHEYHAVEALOTOFCONDITIONSONTHEM;/NE

    ORGANISATION=THEYONLYCOMEONCEAMONTH4HEYGIVEYOUTHESAMETHINGEVERYTIMEnTOILET

    PAPERISNOTANYGOODTOEATIFYOUASKFORAFOODVOUCHERYOUDONTWANTTOILETPAPERTHEREARE

    SOMANYPACKETSOFTOOTHBRUSHESANDTOOTHPASTEENOUGHFORSIXORSEVENMONTHSv

    h4HEY;%2PROVIDERS=HAVEBEENREALLYHELPFULBUTTHEYMAKEYOUFEELAWKWARDFORBEINGTHERE

    9OUVEGOTTOEXPLAINWHYYOURETHEREYOUVEGOTTOPROVETOTHEIRSATISFACTIONTHATYOUREALLYDONEEDTHEHELP4HATSNOTREALLYEASYTODO)MEANYOUCANTAKESOMEOFYOURRECEIPTSTOSHOW

    HOWMUCHRENTYOUPAYYOUCANTAKETHERECEIPTTHATSHOWSYOUREBEHINDINYOURRENTBUTTHAT

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    32/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    STILLDOESNTREALLYPROVETHATYOUVEGOTNOMONEYFORFOOD9OUCANTAKEYOURPENSIONPAPERWORK

    THATSHOWSHOWMUCHYOURINCOMEISANDHOWMUCHYOUPAYOUTBUTITSTILLDOESNTREALLYPROVE

    ANYTHINGANDITSORTOFMAKESYOUFEELUNCOMFORTABLE4HATSTHEONLYPROOF)VEGOTSO)DONTGO

    THEREUNLESS)REALLYHAVETOv[!DAPTEDFROM#HANGING0RESSURES4HE"ROTHERHOODOF3T,AURENCE-ARCH]

    #,)%.43%27/2+%23!.$%-0!4(942!).).'%8%2#)3%

    4HEFOLLOWINGCASEEXAMPLESAREDESIGNEDTOHELPYOUTHINKABOUTHOWCLIENTSFEEL2EADCAREFULLY

    ANDANSWERTHEQUESTIONSFOLLOWING9OUCANALWAYSASKYOURCOORDINATORFORASSISTANCEIFYOURE

    NOTSUREOFTHEANSWERS

    #ASE3TUDY*OHNAND#HRIS

    *OHNAND#HRISAREACOUPLEWITHTWOSCHOOLAGEDCHILDREN4HEYWENTTOANAGENCYIN0ERTH7!

    FORTHElRSTTIMESHOCKEDATWHATHADHAPPENEDTOTHEMAFTER*OHNLOSTHISJOB

    h)DBEENEMPLOYEDWITHTHESAMElRMFORTHEPASTNINEYEARS-ANAGEMENTDECIDEDTOmATTEN

    THEORGANISATIONALSTRUCTURE!SALOWERPARTOFTHEMANAGEMENTTEAM)WASONEOFTHElRSTTOGO

    )LOSTMYJOBSEVENMONTHSAGOAND)THOUGHT)DGETANOTHERQUICKLY)MEAN)WASPREPAREDTODO

    ANYTHINGWITHINREASON

    -YREDUNDANCYPAYWENTONTHEMORTGAGEANDWEMADEENDSMEETFORAWHILEBUTWHENNOWORK

    CAMEUP)HADTOAPPLYFORA#ENTRELINKPAYMENT)VENEVERHADTODOTHISBEFORE)CANTREALLY

    BELIEVEITSALLHAPPENINGWEHAVENTGOTENOUGHFOODTOGETUSTHROUGHTOTHENEXTPAYMENTDAY

    AND)CANTPAYTHECARREGISTRATION)REALLYNEEDTHECARBECAUSETHENEARESTBUSSERVICEISlVE

    KILOMETRESAWAYANDWEVEGOTNOOTHERWAYTOGETOURSHOPPINGORFORMETOTRYANDlNDWORK

    &ORPEOPLEWHOAREEXPERIENCINGTHEIRlRSTMAJORlNANCIALCRISISCOMINGTOTERMSWITHHAVINGTOASKFORHELPANDGRADUALLYADJUSTINGTOBIGCHANGESINTHEIRLIFESTYLESAREONLYTWOOFTHEHURDLES

    THEYHAVETOFACE.EGOTIATINGACCESSINTOTHE@WELFARESYSTEMCANBEACLIENTSlRSTEXPERIENCE

    OFPOWERLESSNESS)N*OHNSCASEHECANOBVIOUSLYSEETHATHISPRESENTSITUATIONISNOTHIS

    hFAULTvANDHESTILLBELIEVESTHATTHINGSWILLIMPROVE

    1UESTIONS

    -AKEALISTOFALLTHElNANCIALCHANGESTHATYOUTHINKARELIKELYTOHAVEOCCURREDTO*OHNAND

    #HRISIFTHEYRETURNTOYOURAGENCYFORAIDINMONTHSTIME

    ,ISTSOMECHANGESTHATMAYHAVEOCCURREDINHOWTHEWHOLEFAMILYISCOPING

    $ESCRIBEINSHORTHOWYOUTHINK*OHNWILL@FEELINMONTHSTIMEASARESULTOFHISBEINGUNEMPLOYEDIFHERETURNSTOYOURAGENCYFORASSISTANCE

    $ISCUSSYOURlNDINGSWITHYOURCOORDINATOR

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    33/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    #ASE3TUDY+ERRY

    +ERRYFROM'EELONGIN6ICTORIAISASOLEPARENTWITHTHREECHILDRENAGEDNINESEVENANDFOUR

    3HEHASBEENTOTHEAGENCYNINETIMESINTHELASTTHREEYEARS;THEMAXIMUMNUMBEROFTIMES

    ALLOWED=&ROMPREVIOUSVISITSWEKNOWTHAT+ERRYHADHERlRSTCHILDATANDWASTHEVICTIMOFDOMESTICVIOLENCEFROM0ETERTHEFATHEROFHERCHILDRENWHOLEFT+ERRYWHENTHEYOUNGESTCHILD

    WASSEVENMONTHSOLD+ERRYPAYSTWOTHIRDSOFHERPENSIONONRENT 1

    h)MFOURWEEKSBEHINDINMYRENTANDTHEAGENTSAYSTHATIF)DONTPAYUPBY3ATURDAYHESGOING

    TOSTARTEVICTIONPROCEEDINGS)MSORRYTOBEBACKASKINGFORHELPAGAINBUT)JUSTDONTSEEMTO

    BEABLETOBUDGETMYMONEYNOMATTERWHAT)DO

    0ETERISBACKFROM!DELAIDEHESGOTAJOBDRIVINGTRUCKSBETWEENHEREAND-T'AMBIER(E

    WANTSMEANDTHEKIDSTOMOVEBACKINWITHHIMWHENHESETTLESIN)DONTKNOWWHATTODO)

    THINKMAYBEITCOULDWORKBETTERNOWTHATWEREABITOLDERESPECIALLYIF)DONTNAGHIMSOMUCH

    ANDTHEKIDSAREOVERTHECRYINGSTAGE)TWOULDBEGOODFORTHEKIDSTOHAVEAFATHERAGAINv

    )TISCOMMONFORPEOPLEWHOEXPERIENCELONGTERMPROBLEMSSUCHASABUSEORCHRONICPOVERTYTO@BLAMETHEMSELVESFORTHEIRSITUATION5NLIKE*OHN;#ASE3TUDY=+ERRYSEESBOTHHERPERSONAL

    ANDlNANCIALPROBLEMSASSTEMMINGFROMHERFAILINGSANDFEELSGUILTYABOUTHAVINGTOASKFORHELP

    AGAIN!FTERREPEATEDNEGATIVELIFEEXPERIENCES+ERRYHAS@LEARNEDHELPLESSNESSBELIEVINGTHATNO

    ACTIONSHETAKESWILLCONTROLTHEOUTCOMES

    [!DAPTEDFROM*AMES'"ARBER"EYOND#ASEWORK]

    1UESTIONS

    !RETHEREANYFACTORSBEYOND+ERRYSPERSONALCONTROLTHATHAVECONTRIBUTEDTOHERCURRENT

    CRISIS,ISTTHESE;IFANY=

    +ERRYSLOWSELFESTEEMISOBVIOUS#ANYOULISTANYPOSITIVETHINGSTHAT+ERR YHASACHIEVED )FYOUWEREHELPING+ERRYWITH%2WHATWOULDYOUDO

    $ISCUSSYOURlNDINGSWITHYOURCOORDINATOR

    0RIVACY

    0RINCIPLESPOLICIESANDPRACTICESOUROUTLINEDBELOWTOGUIDECOLLECTINGSTORINGANDUSING

    PERSONALANDCONlDENTIALINFORMATION4HISISBASEDONREQUIREMENTSUNDERTHE.370RIVACYAND

    0ERSONAL)NFORMATION0ROTECTION!CT4HAT!CTISBROADLYSIMILARTOTHE&EDERAL0RIVACY!CT

    ASAMENDEDIN$ETAILSONTHE&EDERAL!CTISPROVIDEDIN0ARTTHATFOLLOWS

    9OUSHOULDCHECKTOSEEIF3TATE4ERRITORYSPECIlCLEGISLATIONISINPLACETHATYOUNEEDTOCOMPLY

    WITH0RIVACYISANIMPORTANTRIGHTnBYASSURINGCLIENTSTHATINFORMATIONTHEYGIVEYOUWILLBE

    TREATEDASPRIVATEYOUIMPROVETHELIKELIHOODTHATTHEYWILLGIVETOYOURELEVANTINFORMATION'OOD

    SERVICEPROVISIONSHOULDENSURECLIENTSHAVETHERIGHTTOPRIVACYWHETHERORNOT&EDERALOR3TATE

    4ERRITORYLAWREQUIRESTHISFROMYOUASAWORKERANDSERVICE

    1!ANALYSISBY!#/33AND.ATIONAL3HELTERFOUNDTHAT2ENT!SSISTANCERECIPIENTSPAYMORETHANOFTHEIR

    INCOMEONRENT4HISISWELLABOVEINTERNATIONALBENCHMARKSOFAFFORDABILITYGENERALLYCONSIDEREDTOBEBELOWATLEASTOF

    INCOME

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    34/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    0RINCIPLES

    4HE!CTSETSOUTASERIESOF)NFORMATION0ROTECTION0RINCIPLESTOGUIDETHECOLLECTIONANDUSEOF

    PERSONALINFORMATION0ERSONALINFORMATIONMUSTBECOLLECTED

    N FORLAWFULPURPOSESDIRECTLYRELATEDTOAFUNCTIONORACTIVITYOFTHEAGENCYANDWHERETHECOLLECTIONISNECESSARYFORTHATPURPOSE

    N FROMTHEINDIVIDUALTOWHOMTHEINFORMATIONRELATESUNLESSOTHERWISEAUTHORISEDORTHE

    INFORMATIONISCOLLECTEDUNDERANAPPLICABLEEXCEPTION

    N INCIRCUMSTANCESWHERETHEINDIVIDUALFROMWHOMITISCOLLECTEDISMADEAWAREOFTHEFACT

    THATITISBEINGCOLLECTEDTHEPURPOSEFORCOLLECTINGITINTENDEDRECIPIENTSOFTHEINFORMATION

    WHETHERTHESUPPLYISMANDATORYORVOLUNTARYRELEVANTRIGHTSTOACCESSANDTOCORRECTTHE

    INFORMATIONANDTHENAMEANDADDRESSOFTHECOLLECTINGAGENCYANDANYHOLDINGAGENCYAND

    N TAKINGREASONABLESTEPSTOENSURETHEINFORMATIONISRELEVANTACCURATENOTEXCESSIVEANDUP

    TODATEANDTHATTHECOLLECTIONDOESNOTUNREASONABLYINTRUDEONTHEINDIVIDUALSPERSONAL

    AFFAIRS

    7HEREAGENCIESSTOREPERSONALINFORMATIONTHEYMUST

    N ENSURETHATITISKEPTNOLONGERTHANNECESSARYANDDISPOSEDOFAPPROPRIATELYISPROTECTEDBY

    REASONABLESECURITYSAFEGUARDSANDPROTECTEDFROMUNAUTHORISEDUSEORDISCLOSUREWHEN

    MADEAVAILABLETOATHIRDPARTYFORPROVISIONOFASERVICETOTHEAGENCY

    N PROVIDEINDIVIDUALSWITHSUFlCIENTINFORMATIONABOUTTHEAGENCYSHOLDINGSOFPERSONAL

    INFORMATIONTOENABLETHEINDIVIDUALTOEXERCISERELEVANTRIGHTS

    N PROVIDEINDIVIDUALSWITHACCESSTOPERSONALINFORMATIONABOUTTHEMSELVESWITHOUT

    UNREASONABLEDELAYANDEXPENSEAND

    N COMPLYWITHINDIVIDUALREQUESTSTOAMENDTHEIRPERSONALINFORMATIONTOENSURETHATITISRELEVANTUPTODATECOMPLETEANDNOTMISLEADING

    !GENCIESPROPOSINGTOUSEORDISCLOSEPERSONALINFORMATIONMUST

    N TAKEREASONABLESTEPSTOENSUREITSACCURACYBEFOREUSE

    N USEITONLYFORTHEPURPOSEFORWHICHITWASCOLLECTEDFORADIRECTLYRELATEDPURPOSEFORA

    PURPOSETOWHICHTHEINDIVIDUALHASCONSENTEDWHERETHEUSEISNECESSARYTOPREVENTOR

    LESSENATHREATTOLIFEORHEALTHORSUBJECTTOANAPPLICABLEEXCEPTION

    N ONLYDISCLOSEITFORAPURPOSEDIRECTLYRELATEDTOAPURPOSEOFCOLLECTIONANDWHERETHE

    INDIVIDUALISUNLIKELYTOOBJECTWHERETHEINDIVIDUALHASBEENPUTONNOTICETHATINFORMATIONIS

    USUALLYDISCLOSEDTOTHERELEVANTPERSONORBODYWHERETHEDISCLOSUREISNECESSARYTO

    PREVENTORLESSENATHREATTOLIFEORHEALTHORSUBJECTTOANAPPLICABLEEXCEPTION

    N NOTDISCLOSEPERSONALINFORMATIONABOUTAPERSONSETHNICORRACIALORIGINPOLITICALOPINIONS

    RELIGIOUSORPHILOSOPHICALBELIEFSORTRADEUNIONMEMBERSHIPUNLESSDISCLOSUREISNECESSARY

    TOPREVENTORLESSENATHREATTOLIFEORHEALTHORISSUBJECTTOANAPPLICABLEEXCEPTIONANDONLY

    DISCLOSEINFORMATIONTOINDIVIDUALSORORGANISATIONSOUTSIDE.37UNDERAPPROVED

    CIRCUMSTANCES

    -ANAGERIALRESPONSIBILITIES

    )TISTHERESPONSIBILITYOFTHEMANAGERSOFTHEORGANISATIONTOADOPTPROCEDURESTOENSURETHAT

    THESEPRINCIPLESAREOBSERVEDINTHECOLLECTIONUSESTORAGEORDISCLOSUREOFPERSONAL

    INFORMATION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    35/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    %MPLOYEERESPONSIBILITIES

    3TAFFMEMBERSSHOULDALSOOBSERVETHESEPRINCIPLESWHENDEALINGWITHPERSONALINFORMATIONIN

    THECONDUCTOFCLIENTINFORMATIONCONDUCTINGRESEARCHORUNDERTAKINGCONSULTATIONORADVOCACY

    WORK3TAFFMEMBERSAREENCOURAGEDTORAISEANYCONCERNSTHEYMAYHAVEREGARDINGPRIVACYISSUESINTHECONDUCTOFTHEIRWORKANDTOREPORTANYBREACHESOFPRIVACYTHATTHEYMAYOBSERVE

    #ONlDENTIALITY

    -OSTORGANISATIONSYOUWILLWORKFORHAVEAPOLICYONPRIVACYANDCONlDENTIALITYANDMAYASKYOU

    TOSIGNAFORMABOUTCONlDENTIALITYWHICHASKSYOUNOTTODISCLOSEINFORMATIONTOANYONEABOUT

    THECLIENTSOFTHATSERVICE

    7HENWEDOANINITIALASSESSMENTWEHAVETOHAVETHECLIENTSPERMISSIONTOREFERTOANOTHER

    AGENCY/THERWISEWECANTSPEAKTOTHEMABOUTTHATPERSON

    7EONLYGATHERENOUGHINFORMATIONABOUTTHEPERSONTOMAKEANASSESSMENTTOPROVIDETHEM

    WITHASERVICE.OTHINGMORE)FWEASKEDABOUTTHEIRRELIGIONORTHEIRPOLITICSWHENASSESSING

    THEMWOULDTHATBE/+.OTHATISINFORMATIONWEDONTNEEDTOASSESSTHEIRELIGIBILITYFOR

    SERVICE

    4HEYDONTHAVETOANSWERQUESTIONSABOUTTHEMSELVES4HEYCANWITHHOLDINFORMATIONFORPRIVACY

    REASONS-UCHOFTHISISENSHRINEDIN0RIVACYLEGISLATION)FMYNEIGHBOURWORKSFORTHEBANKAND

    LOOKSUPMYBANKBALANCEOUTOFINTERESTTHENTHEYWOULDBEBREACHINGTHE0RIVACY!CT

    9OUSHOULDNEVERDISCLOSEINFORMATIONABOUTAPERSONWITHOUTTHEIREXPRESSPERMISSION9OU

    CANNOTTELLANYONEOUTSIDEOFYOURORGANISATIONANYTHINGABOUTYOURCLIENT4HISINCLUDESOTHER%2

    SERVICEPROVIDERSWITHINOROUTSIDEOFYOURAREA4HISISOFPARTICULARIMPORTANCEFORORGANISATIONS

    WANTINGTOCHECKTOSEEIFCLIENTSARESOCALLEDhDOUBLEDIPPINGv9OUCANTASITISABREACHOFPRIVACYFORYOURCLIENTANDISUNETHICALASAWORKERINAN%2SITUATION

    4HEREISAGENERALEXPECTATIONANDLEGALRESPONSIBILITYFORALLWORKERSINACOMMUNITYSERVICES

    ENVIRONMENTTOWORKATALLTIMESWITHTHECLIENTSBESTINTERESTASTHEMOSTIMPORTANT

    CONSIDERATION

    7HENDUTYOFCARECANOVERRIDECLIENTCONlDENTIALITY

    4HESERVICEANDITSWORKERSHAVEADUTYOFCARETOTHECLIENTSWHOMAYBEAFFECTEDBYAWORKERS

    ACTIONORAFAILURETOACT7ORKERSHAVEALEGALOBLIGATIONTOTAKEREASONABLECARETOPREVENTA

    CLIENTACLIENTSCHILDOTHERWORKERSOTHERSERVICEPROVIDERSORTHEGENERALCOMMUNITYFROMBEING

    HARMED

    %XAMPLESOFTHISINCLUDE

    !CHILDATRISK

    !WORKERNOTICESSIGNSTHATACHILDMAYBEBEINGABUSEDEGMARKSINDICATINGSOMEONEMAYHAVE

    BEENHITTINGTHEM3HOULDTHEYIGNOREIT.O3UCHANOBSERVATIONMUSTBEREPORTEDTOA

    SUPERVISOROTHERWISEITISABREACHOFDUTYOFCARE

    !NOBLIGATIONNOTTOCONCEALACOMPLETEDORINTENDEDCRIME

    !CLIENTREVEALSTHATTHEYROBBEDTHELOCALPIZZARESTAURANTWHERETHEMANAGERGOTSTABBED

    $ISCLOSUREMAYBEREQUIREDWHENINTHEPERSONSINTEREST

    7HERETHEPERSONISSUICIDAL4HEREMAYBEADUTYTOWARNATHIRDPARTYWHOISINDANGER

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    36/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    9OUREFERACLIENTONTOANOTHERSERVICEAFTERHEHASBEENINYOUROFlCEANDSHOUTEDINA

    THREATENINGWAYTOCOMEBACKANDHURTTHEVOLUNTEERWHOCOULDNTGIVEHIMANYMATERIALAID

    BECAUSEHEHADREACHEDTHELIMITOFTHENUMBEROFTIMESYOURPOLICYSTATESHECOULDBEASSISTED

    INONEYEAR(EHADSCAREDEVERYONEINTHEOFlCEANDYELLEDTHATTHENEXTPLACEHADBETTERGIVEHIMSOMETHINGORTHEYWOULDCOPIT9OUTHOUGHTYOUCOULDNTTELLTHEAGENCYYOUREFERREDHIMON

    TOBECAUSEOFCLIENTCONlDENTIALITY9OUMUSTINFORMTHEMOFTHESITUATION

    )-0/24!.4./4%&/26/,5.4%%23

    !LWAYSREFERANYOFTHEABOVESITUATIONSTOYOURSUPERVISORFORFURTHERACTIONASSOONASYOU

    PRACTICALLYCAN"EAWAREOFYOURDUTYOFCARERESPONSIBILITY

    &OLLOWINGISANEXAMPLEOFTHETYPEOFFORMNEEDEDFORYOUTORELEASEINFORMATIONREGARDINGYOUR

    CLIENTWITHTHEIRCONSENT)TISGOODPRACTICETOGETTHECLIENTTOREADTHROUGHTHEINFORMATIONYOU

    WILLBERELEASINGANDTHENTOSIGNTHEAGREEMENT

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    37/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    3AMPLE,ETTEROF!UTHORITYTO2ELEASE)NFORMATION

    !GENCY,ETTERHEAD

    !UTHORITYTO2ELEASE#ONlDENTIAL#LIENT)NFORMATIONTO!NOTHER!GENCY

    .AMEOF!GENCY2EFERREDTO

    !DDRESS

    4ELEPHONE

    #ONTACT0ERSON

    )GIVEMYPERMISSIONFORxxxxxxxxxxOFTHExxxxxxxxxxx%MERGENCY2ELIEF

    3ERVICETOFORWARDTHECONlDENTIALINFORMATIONINMYlLE)BELIEVETHATTHEINFORMATIONISTHE

    MINIMUMREQUIREDFORYOUTOFURTHERASSISTMEFORTHESERVICESOUTLINEDBELOW

    .AMEOF#LIENT 3IGNATUREOF#LIENT

    .AMEOF7ORKER 3IGNATUREOF7ORKER

    !DDRESS

    4ELEPHONE

    .AMEOF/RGANISATION

    $ETAILSOF3ERVICE2EQUIREDFROM!GENCY

    /THER2ELEVANT)NFORMATION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    38/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    !SSESSING#LIENTS

    #HECKLISTn!SSESSMENT

    4HECHECKLISTBELOWPROVIDESASUMMARYOFTHEPOLICYAREASUSEDINANASSESSMENT

    #HECKLISTOF0OLICIESTO(ELPYOUIN-AKING!SSESSMENTS

    N 7HOISELIGIBLEFORTHESERVICEONLYPEOPLEFROMWITHINTHELOCALGOVERNMENTAREAORPEOPLE

    FROMAPARTICULARTARGETGROUP7HATABOUTPEOPLEFROMOUTSIDEYOURGUIDELINESLIKETHOSE

    FROMANOTHERAREAWHERETHE%2PROVIDERHASRUNOUTOFFUNDS/RPEOPLEWHOHAVETRAVELLED

    FROMANOTHERLOCATIONOUTOFYOURREGION

    N 4HETYPEANDAMOUNTOFAIDTOPROVIDE

    A 3OMEAGENCIESHAVEASETFORMULAOFASSISTANCEWHICHISWORKEDOUTONTHEBASISOFA

    CERTAINDOLLARAMOUNTPERPERSON)TMAYINCLUDEOTHERVARIABLESSUCHASPUBLICPRIVATE

    HOUSING

    &AMILYCOMPOSITIONWILLDETERMINETHELEVELOFPAYMENTYOUGIVETOCLIENTS

    7HATISTHEAMOUNTGIVENINYOURAGENCYFORA

    3INGLEPERSON

    #OUPLE

    #OUPLECHILDCHILDRENCHILDRENx

    N (OWOFTENTHECLIENTCANBEASSISTEDFOREXAMPLETHREETIMESPERYEARORMOREFREQUENTLYAS

    DETERMINEDBYTHEAGENCY

    N 7HATOTHERASSISTANCEYOURAGENCYRECOMMENDSYOUPROVIDEEGHELPWITHACCESSTO

    BENElTSCONCESSIONSADVOCACYANDREFERRAL

    !SWEHAVESEENFROMTHEEARLIERSECTIONSPEOPLEINTHEIRlRSTMAJORlNANCIALCRISISTHROUGHTOTHOSEWHOHAVEKNOWNPOVERTYOVERALONGPERIODEXPERIENCEVARYINGDEGREESOFFRUSTRATIONGUILT

    LOWSELFESTEEMANDPOWERLESSNESS

    "YTHETIMETHEYSEEK%2THEYAREOFTENINDESPERATECIRCUMSTANCESlNDINGTHEMSELVESFOR

    EXAMPLEWITHOUTFOODPOWERHOUSINGOROTHERESSENTIALSERVICES

    "YVIRTUEOFYOURROLEASASERVICEPROVIDERTOPEOPLEINSUCHVULNERABLECIRCUMSTANCESYOUARE

    SEENTOBEINAPOSITIONOFPOWER"EMINDFULOFTHIS!SSISTTHECLIENTTOREGAINTHEIRSENSEOF

    POWERBYLETTINGTHEMMAKEDECISIONSABOUTWHATISBESTFORTHEM"YGIVINGTHEMARANGEOF

    OPTIONSWHICHWILLBESTSUITTHEIRNEEDSYOUAREGIVINGTHECLIENTTHECHOICEANDHENCEASENSEOF

    CONTROLOVERTHEIROWNLIFE

    $ECISIONSONASSISTANCESHOULDBEMADEACCORDINGTOTHECRITERIAOUTLINEDINYOURAGENCYSPOLICY

    (OWEVERDESPITETHECLEARESTGUIDELINESTHEREAREOFTENAREASWHEREYOUWILLBEREQUIREDTOUSE

    YOUROWNJUDGEMENT4HESEDECISIONSAREOFTEN

    N HOWMUCHMATERIALAIDTOGIVE

    N THEEXTENTTOWHICHYOUWILLHELPTHEMWITHFURTHERAIDORINFORMATION

    N ADVOCATINGONTHEIRBEHALFORARRANGINGAREFERRALWITHTHECLIENTSPERMISSION

    )TISESSENTIALTHATHELPISNOTDENIEDBECAUSEYOUDONTAGREEWITHTHESORTOF@CHOICESTHATTHE

    CLIENTHASMADEINTHEPASTORTHINKTHEYMAYMAKEINTHEFUTURE

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    39/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    )TMAYSEEMEASIERORMOREAPPROPRIATETOHELPACLIENTWHOSEVALUESANDBELIEFSARECLOSETO

    YOUROWN(OWEVERYOUMUSTRECOGNISETHATEVERYPERSONHASTHERIGHTTOMAKEDECISIONSABOUT

    THEIROWNLIVESANDEVERYCLIENTSHOULDBETREATEDEQUALLY9OUSHOULDBEAWARETHATTHEREISA

    DIFFERENCEBETWEENADVISINGCLIENTSOFSERVICESTHATEXISTWHICHMAYBEOFBENElTTOTHEMANDTELLINGCLIENTSWHATTHEYSHOULDDOBASEDONYOUROPINION

    )-0/24!.4./4%

    2EMEMBERTHATYOURPERSONALJUDGEMENTSMAYBEDIFFERENTTOTHOSEOFYOURCLIENTS9OUR

    PROFESSIONALJUDGEMENTSMUSTREmECTTHOSEOFYOURAGENCYSPOLICIES4HISISAKEYCOMPONENTTO

    YOURUNDERSTANDINGOFWHATMAKESAGOOD%2WORKER

    #,)%.4!33%33-%.4)42!).).'%8%2#)3%

    4HINKABOUTTHEFOLLOWINGCASESANDUSEYOURAGENCYSPOLICIESINTHEFOURAREASOUTLINEDINTHE

    CHECKLISTABOVETOMAKEANASSESSMENTOFTHECLIENTSNEEDANDHOWYOUWOULDASSISTTHEM4HENANSWERTHEQUESTIONSBELOW

    #ASE3TUDY-ARY

    -ARYISASOLEPARENTWITHTHREECHILDRENAGEDANDLIVINGINPUBLICHOUSINGINANOUTER

    SUBURB9OURAGENCYHASRECEIVEDAREQUESTFORYOUTODOAHOMEVISITAS-ARYHASNOCASHFOR

    TRANSPORTANDSHEISSHORTONFOOD7HENYOUGETTO-ARYSHOUSESHEASKSYOUINFORACUPOF

    TEA4HEHOUSEISAMESS9OUNOTICEANEW46ANDVIDEOPLAYERINTHELOUNGEALTHOUGHMOSTOF

    THEOTHERFURNITUREISOLDANDWORN-ARYSAYSTHATTHEREASONSHESSOSHORTONCASHISTHATSHE

    BOUGHTTHE46ANDVIDEOONHIREPURCHASETHREEMONTHSAGOANDSHECANTKEEPUPTHEPAYMENTS

    #ASE3TUDY+EN

    +ENVISITSTHEAGENCYFORASECONDTIME(EISHOMELESSANDREQUESTSCASH9OUKNOWFROM

    THELASTVISITTHATHELEFTHOMEATANDHASBEENLIVINGONTHESTREETSEVERSINCE(EMOSTLY

    TRAVELSAROUNDBYTRAINANDONLYHASAFEWMATES/NTHELASTVISITYOUOFFEREDTOHELPWITHA

    REFERRALTOAYOUTHREFUGE+ENREJECTEDALLYOUROFFERSHETHINKSWORKISAhLOADOFCRAPv(E

    ADMITSTHATHEhDOESTHEROUNDSOFWELFAREvMOSTLYPLACESWHEREHECANGETAHOTMEALORABED

    FORTHENIGHTWHENITSREALLYCOLD!FTERYOUARRANGEDAFOODVOUCHERFORHIMLASTTIMEYOU

    LATERSAWHIMSITTINGINTHESTREETDRINKINGTINNIES

    #ASE3TUDY,YN

    ,YNISAN)NDIGENOUS!USTRALIAN3HEISASOLEPARENTWITHFOURCHILDRENAGEDAND,YN

    LIVESINPUBLICHOUSING3HECOMESTOYOURAGENCYEVERYTHREEORFOURWEEKS3HEOFTENSUPPORTS

    UPTOSIXOTHERMEMBERSOFHEREXTENDEDFAMILY,YNWOULDLIKETOHAVEABREAKFROMTHEKIDSBUTCANNOTLEAVETHEMWITHFAMILYORFRIENDS

    #ASE3TUDY*IMMYAND'RETA

    *IMMYAND'RETAAREINVALIDPENSIONERSWITHTWOGROWNCHILDRENNOWLIVINGAWAYFROMHOME

    *IMMYHASASEVEREKIDNEYPROBLEM'RETAISDIABETIC4HEYHAVEBEENHELPEDINTHEPASTWITHA

    LARGEAMOUNTOFMONEYRAISEDTHROUGHACOMBINEDEFFORTWITHOTHERAGENCIESFORREPAIRSTOTHEIR

    CARWHICHISNECESSARYFORTHEMTOGETTOMEDICALTREATMENT4HEYHAVELARGEHIREPURCHASE

    DEBTSYETTHEYHAVEVERYFEWPOSSESSIONS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    40/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    1UESTIONS

    &OREACHOFTHECASESLISTHOWYOUWOULDRESPONDTOTHEPROBLEMSIFYOUWERETHECLIENT

    #OMPARETHISWITHYOURAGENCYSRECOMMENDEDASSISTANCE

    )FYOUONLYHADENOUGHMATERIALAIDTOHELPTWOOFTHECASESWHICHONESWOULDYOUCHOOSE

    ANDWHY7HATWOULDYOUDOFORTHEOTHERCASES

    $ISCUSSYOURRESPONSESWITHINTHETRAININGGROUPORWITHYOURCOORDINATOR

    !CCESSANDEQUITY

    #HECKTOSEEIFYOURAGENCYSCODEOFETHICSINCLUDESAPOLICYONDISCRIMINATION!NEXAMPLEIS

    THATNOCLIENTWILLBEDISCRIMINATEDAGAINSTONTHEBASISOFGENDERRACEAGERELIGIONSEXUAL

    PREFERENCEMARITALSTATUSORDISABILITY

    4HEFOLLOWINGTRAININGEXERCISESRAISEDAILYEXPERIENCESINVOLVINGDISCRIMINATIONISSUES

    )TISIMPORTANTTOCONSIDERTHELIKELYRANGEOFFEELINGSOFPEOPLEWHOAREREQUESTINGYOURHELPWITH

    %2'ENERALLYPEOPLEAREOVERWHELMINGLYUNCOMFORTABLEANDPOWERLESS4HEYAREOFTEN

    EMBARRASSEDABOUTHAVINGTOASKFORHELPORTHEYBELIEVEPEOPLEAREMAKINGJUDGEMENTSABOUT

    WHYTHEYNEEDASSISTANCE

    2ESEARCHSHOWSTHATPEOPLETENDTORELYONTHEIROWNRESOURCESORTURNTOFRIENDSANDRELATIVES

    BEFOREAPPROACHINGWELFAREAGENCIESFORASSISTANCEBECAUSEOFTHESTIGMAATTACHEDTOASKINGFOR

    CHARITY/FTENTHECLIENTSREQUESTFORASSISTANCEISTHEIR@LASTRESORTFORHELP

    0EOPLESEEKINGASSISTANCEAREINAVULNERABLESTATE)NMANYCASESTHEYDONTKNOWHOWTHEYWILL

    GETTHEIRNEXTMEALORWHERETHEYWILLSLEEP4HEYAREUNSUREABOUTWHETHERORNOTYOUAREGOINGTOPROVIDEASSISTANCEORIFYOUWILLMAKETHETYPICALJUDGEMENTSOURSOCIETYMAKESABOUTPEOPLE

    WHOAREONLOWINCOMESANDCANNOTCOPE

    $)3#2)-).!4)/.42!).).'%8%2#)3%

    1UESTIONS

    )NATRAININGGROUPORSTAFFMEETINGDISCUSSWHATTHEPOLICYONANTIDISCRIMINATIONMEANS

    INPRACTICE

    7HATAREYOURLEGALRESPONSIBILITIESUNDERTHEANTIDISCRIMINATIONANDEQUALOPPORTUNITIES

    LEGISLATION

    9OUMIGHTINVITEALAWYERFROMYOURLOCALLEGALAIDSERVICETOADDRESSTHEGROUPONTHISISSUE

    TOANSWERANYQUESTIONSYOUMAYHAVE&OREXAMPLEh)F)DONTGIVElNANCIALASSISTANCETOA

    CLIENTCOULD)ORTHEAGENCYBETAKENTOCOURTv

    #ASE3TUDY&RANK

    &RANKAPPROACHES+ATHYTHERECEPTIONISTATYOURAGENCYnHEHASSLOWLOUDSPEECHANDIS

    DIFlCULTTOUNDERSTAND(ESTARTSTOTALKTOTHEPEOPLEINTHEWAITINGROOM+ATHYCANTMAKE

    MUCHSENSEOFWHAT&RANKWANTSnBUTEVERYONEISSTARTINGTOLOOKUNCOMFORTABLE+ATHY

    SAYSh)MSORRYBUTWEONLYHELPFAMILIESHERE9OULLHAVETOGETHELPFROMDOWNTHEROADv

    &RANKPROTESTSh.O)MSORRYWECANTHELPYOUv&RANKLEAVESANDTHERECEPTIONISTGIVES

    THEPEOPLEINTHEWAITINGROOMACONSPIRATORIALWINK

    $ISCUSSWHETHER+ATHYHASDONETHERIGHTTHINGBY&RANKANDTHEAGENCY7ASTHIS

    DISCRIMINATION

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    41/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    $ISCUSSTHESEFOLLOWINGEXAMPLESOFWHEREAN%2WORKERHASREFUSEDASSISTANCEOR

    REFERREDTHECLIENTELSEWHERE!RETHEYEXAMPLESOFDISCRIMINATION

    hx)CANTINALLCONSCIENCEHELPSOMEONELIKEHERnSHESLIVINGWITHANOTHERMANNOWv

    hxHESAIDHISFAMILYCOULDNTEATTHEFOODBECAUSEOFSOMERELIGIOUSCUSTOMn)THINKTHATIFYOUREHUNGRYYOUEATANYTHINGSO)SAIDTHATSALLWEVEGOTIFYOUDONTWANTITYOULLHAVE

    TOGOSOMEWHEREELSEFORHELPv

    hxSHEDIDNTEVENTRYTOSPEAK%NGLISHANDSHESBEENHEREFORYEARS)CANTBEBOTHERED

    WITHALLTHEINTERPRETINGARRANGEMENTSSO)SAID)THOUGHTSHEDBEBETTEROFFGOINGTOxv

    hxSHES!BORIGINALANDTHEREISALOCAL!BORIGINAL%2PROVIDERWHOWOULDBEBETTERATHELPING

    HERTHATSWHYITSTHEREISNTIT

    hx)MSUREHESBEENGOINGAROUNDUSINGOTHERSERVICES7HYSHOULDHEBEABLETO@DOUBLE

    DIPv

    )-0/24!.4./4%2EMEMBERTHATTHEAMOUNTSOFASSISTANCEGIVENOUTAREMOREOFTENTHANNOTVERYSMALLAND

    INFREQUENTTOEACHCLIENTPERAGENCY

    %2AND$IVERSITYIN#OMMUNITY

    4HISISANIMPORTANTAREATOUNDERSTANDHOWTOPROPERLYPERFORMASAWORKERVOLUNTEERINTHE

    PROVISIONOF%24HEBOTTOMLINEISRESPECTFORCLIENTSDIFFERENCESANDITGOESBEYONDTHEACCESS

    ANDEQUITYLAWSANDYOURAGENCYSPOLICIESINTHISREGARDWHICHSHOULDBEINPLACE

    )TALSORELIESONYOURUNDERSTANDINGTHATTHEENVIRONMENTANDSERVICETRIESITSBESTATALLTIMES

    NOTTOEXCLUDEPEOPLEEVENUNINTENTIONALLYFROMYOURSERVICE

    /NESTRATEGYISTOHAVEMATERIALSSUCHASmYERSPAMPHLETSPOSTERSWHICHREmECTTHELOCAL

    COMMUNITY9OUR,OCAL#OUNCILAND#ENTRELINKWILLPROVIDETHEINFORMATIONYOUNEEDREGARDINGTHIS

    2EMEMBERTHATJUSTBECAUSEYOUDONTSEEACERTAINCLIENTGROUPUSINGYOURSERVICEITDOESNT

    NECESSARILYMEANTHATTHEYARENTOUTTHEREPERHAPSINNEEDOF%2BUTNOTUNDERSTANDINGTHATIT

    EXISTS7ORSESTILLISTHATTHEYKNOWITEXISTSBUTHAVEFELTUNCOMFORTABLETRYINGTOACCESSTHE

    SERVICEINTHEPASTBECAUSEOFLANGUAGECULTURALORRELIGIOUSDIFFERENCESORPERCEIVEDDIFFERENCES

    ANDATTITUDESFROMSTAFF

    !WARENESSOFMULTICULTURALISM

    4HE!#/33REPORTONTHEUSEOFEMERGENCYRELIEFSERVICES @0EOPLEIN&INANCIAL#RISIS)))!#/33

    FOUNDTHATPEOPLEFROM#!,$BACKGROUNDSCOMPRISEDBETWEENANDOFALL%2

    SERVICEUSERS

    $ESPITE'OVERNMENTBOTH3TATE4ERRITORYAND&EDERALPOLICIESONETHNICAFFAIRSAND

    MULTICULTURALISMPEOPLEFROMCULTURALLYANDLINGUISTICALLYDIVERSE#!,$BACKGROUNDSCONTINUETO

    EXPERIENCEAGREATERDEGREEOFDISADVANTAGEANDPOVERTYTHAN!USTRALIANBORNPEOPLEAND

    MIGRANTSFROM%NGLISHSPEAKINGBACKGROUNDS

    0EOPLEFROM#!,$BACKGROUNDSSHARETHESAMEDISADVANTAGESASOTHER!USTRALIANSPARTICULARLY

    IFTHEYARESOLEPARENTSONLOWINCOMESHAVEHIGHHOUSINGCOSTSANDOREXPERIENCEDIFlCULTIES

    WITHHEALTHEDUCATIONANDCHILDCARE"UTTHEREAREADDITIONALFACTORSWHICHCANCAUSEANDCOMPOUNDTHISDISADVANTAGESUCHAS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    42/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    N ,ACKOF%NGLISHLANGUAGEANDLITERACYSKILLS&ORSKILLEDMIGRANTSTHISCOULDBETHELACKOF

    WORKRELATED%NGLISHSKILLSSUFlCIENTTOBEEMPLOYABLEINPOSITIONSHELDINTHEIRCOUNTRYOF

    ORIGIN

    N ,ACKOFTRAININGOPPORTUNITIES-ANYHAVETODOEXTRATRAININGAT4!&%OR5NIVERSITIESTOUPGRADETHEIRQUALIlCATIONSWHICHTAKESMONEYANDTIME

    N ,ACKOFRECOGNITIONOFOVERSEASQUALIlCATIONS%GLAWYERSWHOHAVESTUDIEDADIFFERENTLEGAL

    SYSTEMTHANIN!USTRALIAWHICHISBASEDONTHE"RITISHSYSTEMOFLEGALJUSTICERATHERTHANFOR

    EXAMPLETHE&RENCHSYSTEMHAVETOFULLYRETRAIN-EDICALTEACHINGACCOUNTINGANDMANY

    TYPESOFENGINEERINGANDTECHNICALTRAININGAREAREASTHATCANREQUIRESOMEFURTHERTRAININGTO

    GAINRECOGNITIONOFOVERSEASQUALIlCATIONSIN!USTRALIA

    N $IFlCULTYACCESSINGADEQUATEINCOMESUPPORT-ANYRECENTLYARRIVEDMIGRANTSTO!USTRALIA

    MUSTSERVEATWOYEARPRECLUSIONPERIODDURINGWHICHTHEYAREUNABLETORECEIVEANYINCOME

    SUPPORTVIA#ENTRELINKnOBVIOUSLYTHISCANCONTRIBUTETODEMANDFOR%2

    N )SOLATIONWITHNOSUPPORTFROMFAMILYANDFRIENDS

    N 0REIMMIGRATIONSTRESSESANDTHEHIGHCOSTOFRESETTLEMENTWHICHHASBEENCOSTEDAT

    APPROXIMATELYTOFORACOUPLEWISHINGTOMIGRATE

    N 2EFUGEESMAYALSOSUFFERTHEEFFECTSOFTORTUREANDTRAUMABEFORERESETTLEMENTANDTHE

    ANXIETYWHICHACCOMPANIESFORCEDMIGRATION4HISISQUITEDIFFERENTANDAPARTFROMMIGRANTS

    WHOCHOOSETOGOFORWARDINTOANEWLIFE4HISCANCONTRIBUTETOANINABILITYTOREADJUSTAND

    PROGRESSINAMORENATURALFASHIONFOREXAMPLELEARNING%NGLISHCANBEMOREDIFlCULTFOR

    THEMTHANFOROTHERMIGRANTS

    N &EAROFINSTITUTIONSANDORGANISATIONSTHATREPRESENTPOWERBECAUSEOFTHEPREVIOUS

    EXPERIENCEOFABUSEINTHISAREA

    N #ULTURALGENDERDIFFERENCESCULTURESHOCK

    N 3TEREOTYPINGORRACISMEITHERINTENTIONALORUNINTENTIONALFROMTHEGENERALCOMMUNITYMEDIA

    ETC

    !GREATERDEGREEOFSENSITIVITYANDEMPATHYAREREQUIREDBYTHE%2WORKERWHENWORKINGWITH

    #!,$CLIENTSINPARTICULARTHOSEWHOARERECENTLYARRIVEDMIGRANTSREFUGEESANDASYLUMSEEKERS

    &ORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACTYOURNEAREST-IGRANT2ESOURCE#ENTRE$EPARTMENTOF)MMIGRATION

    OR#ENTRELINK-IGRANT3ERVICES5NIT

    !WARENESSOF)NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANS

    4HE!#/33REPORTONTHEUSEOFEMERGENCYRELIEFSERVICES@0EOPLEIN&INANCIAL#RISIS)))!#/33FOUNDTHAT)NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSCOMPRISEDOFALL%2SERVICEUSERSALTHOUGHMAKING

    UPAROUNDOFTHETOTAL!USTRALIANPOPULATION

    4HEREAREDISTINCT!BORIGINALAND4ORRES3TRAIT)SLANDER)NDIGENOUSCULTURESEVENINAREASWHERE

    COMMUNITIESHAVEBEENAFFECTEDBYWESTERNCULTUREFORALONGTIME4HEREISACONTINUUM

    BETWEENTHEOLDERCULTURALANDSOCIALWAYSTHATLINKSPROFOUNDLYWITHTHEMODERN)NDIGENOUS

    COMMUNITY-OSTNON)NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSDONOTUNDERSTANDSUCHHISTORYWHICHHELPSEXPLAIN

    WHYPEOPLEOFMIXEDDESCENTSOMETIMESEVENOFTENIDENTIFYWITHTHEIR)NDIGENOUSRATHERTHAN

    THEIR%UROPEANANCESTRY

    -ANYPEOPLEMAYlNDITDIFlCULTTODElNE!BORIGINALITYBUTTHISDOESNOTMEANITISANYLESSREAL

    ORVALID)NTHISCONTEXT!BORIGINALMEANSAPERSONWHOIDENTIlESHIMHERSELFASAN!BORIGINAL4ORRES3TRAIT)SLANDEROR#APE"ARREN)SLANDER0EOPLEWHOWORKWITH)NDIGENOUSPEOPLEMUSTBE

    AWAREOFTHEIRDIFFERENTCULTURALBACKGROUNDASTHEYWOULDWITHANYOTHERPERSONANDTHEIMPACT

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    43/149

    0AR

    T!'UIDE

    FOR7ORKERS

    AND6OLUNTE

    ERS

    ITCANHAVEONTHEPROCESSESINVOLVEDINTHE%2SITUATION4HEWAYINWHICHYOUOPERATEMIGHTWELL

    MEANTHATTHE)NDIGENOUSPERSONSVALUESYSTEMANDCULTURALTRAITSAREOVERLOOKEDAND

    DISCOURAGEDQUITEUNINTENTIONALLY

    4HEFOLLOWINGCULTURALISSUESMAYASSISTTODEEPENYOURUNDERSTANDING

    +INSHIPVALUES

    )NDIGENOUSPEOPLEHAVESTRONGKINSHIPTIES4HISMEANSTHATTHEYHAVEFAMILYANDEXTENDEDFAMILY

    COMMITMENTS!SINTRADITIONALTIMES)NDIGENOUSPEOPLEFEELGREATOBLIGATIONTOTHEIRKINSHIPTIES

    4HEEXTENDEDFAMILYUNITWILLALWAYSCOMElRSTOVERALLOTHERCOMMITMENTSIFTHEREISACRISISOR

    EVENASLIGHTPROBLEM&OREXAMPLEAN)NDIGENOUSWOMANMAYSEEKASSISTANCEWITHFOOD

    VOUCHERSBECAUSESHECURRENTLYHAVINGTOLOOKAFTERALARGENUMBEROFHEREXTENDEDFAMILYASWELL

    ASHERIMMEDIATEFAMILY

    #OOPERATIVESOCIETY

    -ANY)NDIGENOUSCOMMUNITIESFUNCTIONINHIGHLYCOOPERATIVEWAYSANDTHEREFORESHAREALLRESOURCESCOMMUNALLY3HARINGAMONG!BORIGINALPEOPLETODAYGOESONTOANEXTENTVIRTUALLY

    UNKNOWNTONON!BORIGINALFAMILIESWHOHAVEADIFFERENTATTITUDETOPOSSESSIONS4HISCANIMPEDE

    ANYUPWARDSOCIALMOBILITYBYEMPHASISINGTHEWELFAREOFTHEEXTENDEDFAMILY

    $IFFERENTLANGUAGEPATTERNS

    4HEREAREDISTINCT)NDIGENOUS%NGLISHFORMSOFLANGUAGETHATDIFFERENTCOMMUNITIESUSETO

    COMMUNICATE)TMAYNOTNECESSARILYBEAN)NDIGENOUSLANGUAGEHOWEVERITMAYINCORPORATE

    SPECIlCWORDSORPHRASESFROMTHEIRTRIBEORLOCAL)NDIGENOUSLANGUAGE-OST)NDIGENOUSPEOPLE

    CANSWITCHFROMTHIS)NDIGENOUS%NGLISHTO!USTRALIANSTANDARD%NGLISHQUITEEASILYHOWEVERTHERE

    MAYBETIMESWHENTHEYDONT!SWITHANYCLIENTITISIMPORTANTNOTTOCORRECTACLIENTONTHEIR

    SPEECHRATHERBEAWAREANDASKTHEMTOCLARIFYWHATTHEYMEAN4RYTOSEEKOUTTHECONTENT

    WITHOUTJUDGEMENTONTHEMEANSOFCOMMUNICATION

    "ODYLANGUAGE

    %VENINTODAYSSOCIETYTHEREAREANUMBEROF)NDIGENOUSPEOPLEWHOWILLNOTMAKEDIRECTEYE

    CONTACTWHENTHEYARESPEAKING4HISISNOTTHEMBEINGRUDEORUNINTERESTEDINWHATYOUSAYITIS

    ACULTURALBELIEFTHATRELATESTOELDERS)TISTHOUGHTTOBEDISRESPECTFULTOGIVEDIRECTEYECONTACTTO

    CERTAINELDERSANDORPEOPLEWHOHOLDAUTHORITYWITHYOU

    )TWOULDBEPREFERABLEFORYOURORGANISATIONOR%2NETWORKTOINVITEALOCAL%LDERORREGIONAL

    !BORIGINAL,IAISON/FlCERTOSPEAKATATRAININGSESSIONTOFURTHERYOURUNDERSTANDING

    !SWITHOTHERCLIENTSWHOCOMEFROMNON%NGLISHSPEAKINGBACKGROUNDSITISIMPORTANTTOBE

    AWAREOFTHEFACTTHATTHEADVERTISINGOFYOURAGENCYPOLICIESIN!USTRALIAN%NGLISHORYOURHOURSOR

    METHODOFOPERATIONMAYNOTMAKETHESERVICEACCESSIBLETO)NDIGENOUSCLIENTS#ONSULTWITHYOUR

    LOCAL!BORIGINAL,IAISON/FlCERASTOTHEMOSTAPPROPRIATEWAYSTOENSUREEQUITABLEACCESS

  • 7/28/2019 the Emergency Relief Handbook

    44/149

    !USTRALIAN

    #OUNCILOF3OCIAL3ERVICE%MERGENCY2ELIEF(ANDBOOK

    n!'UIDEFOR%MERGENCY2ELIEF7ORKERSRD%DITION

    7/2+).'7)4().$)'%./53!.$/4(%2#,)%.4342!).).'%8%2#)3%3

    4HISACTIVITYCANBEUSEDFORANYCOMMUNITYGROUPS*USTCHANGETHEFOCUSINTHEACTIVITY

    &INDOUTTHEFOLLOWINGINFORMATIONWITHTHEHELPOFYOURCOORDINATORANDTHELASTANNUALREPORT

    FROMYOURORGANISATION9OUCANALSOSOURCESOMEOFTHISINFOFROM#ENTRELINKTHE!USTRALIAN

    "UREAUOF3TATISTICS!"3ANDLOCAL#OUNCIL#OMMUNITY0ROlLES4HISWILLBEAFAIRLYROUGHGUIDE

    FORYOUBUTITMAYHELPINDECIDINGHOWYOUCANIMPROVEYOURSERVICETOINCLUDEALLPOSSIBLE

    CLIENTS

    )NDIGENOUS!USTRALIANSAREOFTENANINVISIBLEPOPULATIONYETAREGENERALLYMORElNANCIA