Page 252 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 2018
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types of issues that can arise in a person’s or a family’s life. This has been made clear by the community sector critical friends who have been supporting the development of this initiative. We certainly take that feedback on board.
The early intervention by design project builds on the significant previous work of the government in reform of the human services sector, including the human services blueprint. This work will also align with key ACT government priorities and policy initiatives. The long-term objective is to develop a more sustainable, flexible and responsive service system that better identifies vulnerabilities, responds early and effectively targets resources based on need. In doing so, the service system will be more cohesive and achieve better focused early intervention and prevention capacity. Intervening early, particularly identifying and working with at-risk children and their families early in the life of an issue, improves longer term life outcomes. It also prevents people escalating into crisis and thereby reduces demand on tertiary and specialist services over the longer term.
Undertaking policy and design work of this nature will necessarily require extensive engagement and partnership with community partners, stakeholders and service users. Particular focus will be given to establishing culturally appropriate mechanisms to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders. It is expected that phase 1 of this program of work will develop options to enhance early intervention and prevention capacity in the human services system, for advice to government in August 2018.
The ACT community services industry strategy 2016-26 sets out a 10-year vision for the community sector and is being implemented again with key industry partners. The workforce capability plan is the first implementation plan of the strategy and builds on workforce development projects already underway. The plan focuses on four themes: growing the workforce to support current and future needs; improving retention of the current workforce; strengthening capability and career development; and cultivating leadership and succession planning.
In 2017 we launched a refreshed ACT volunteering statement, presenting a vision for volunteering in the ACT that reflects a whole-of-government and community commitment to supporting and recognising volunteers. I am pleased to inform the Assembly that community consultation is currently underway on the volunteering action plan. This plan will drive a number of practical actions to ensure volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations are recognised and supported.
The recently established Multicultural Advisory Council will continue to work with the Canberra community and the ACT government to shape a multicultural summit to be held later this year. The summit will provide an important opportunity for the community to identify strategies to promote social cohesion, address barriers to equality and improve economic opportunities for Canberrans from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The ACT government will also continue to work together with our partners to improve the job and training opportunities available to refugees and humanitarian arrivals as they settle in to our community, including through the implementation of our election commitment to enhance English language programs and job-brokering services.
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