CRR Broadcast
The CRR Broadcast is a digital newsletter that includes network updates, WACOSS policy and advocacy, and relevant national news. Click below to subscribe to the CRR Broadcast mailing list.
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The Community Relief and Resilience (CRR) Sector Hub provides information about the CRR Program and the support available to Western Australia’s emergency relief and support sector.
The CRR Forum meets monthly and provides a space for community services who deliver community and emergency relief to:
A list of resources available to community sector organisations and providers or volunteers is available below. For more information about each resource, expand the carousel by clicking the plus (+) button. The CRR Coordinator is available to assist organisations and individuals to use these resources. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Members of the CRR Forum have developed a resource which includes information about assistance that may be available to WA households with primary or secondary school aged children to help with educational costs.
The first 4-pages include services that can be shared directly with community members, whilst the final page outlines charities that may be able to assist your organisation with related resources or referral pathways.
The Australian Privacy Legislation prevents agencies from sharing client details and requesting information outside the ‘need to know’ principle. To address this, interagency networks have developed consent to share resources that enable information sharing across shared clients – these resources can be used at any time to contribute towards a seamless multi-agency response.
The following examples and template will assist both CRR workers and consumers of services to understand the privacy principles and what information can be shared when we coordinate across service delivery.
• Shared consent form – example
• Guidelines for using the consent form – example
• Consent form template
Several utility assistance schemes exist for people having difficulty paying their electricity, gas, and water bills in Western Australia. These schemes can be accessed via an Emergency Relief Agency or a Financial Counselling service. The following provides an overview of how the Synergy and Horizon Power Assist schemes work and guidelines on how to assist utility customers with their applications. The relevant forms are available for download via the links below.
Synergy Power Assist – The Synergy Power Assist Scheme is run for two days every month throughout the financial year. The purpose of the program is to prevent the disconnection of electricity supplies to Synergy customers who are experiencing financial hardship and difficulties in meeting their electricity payments.
Synergy Power Assist Allocation dates:
Synergy Power Assist Form 2023 available here.
Horizon Power Assist – The Horizon Power Assist Scheme can be applied for at any time and applications are processed at the end of each month.
Research tells us that for many people and families, the seeking of emergency relief may be the most valuable opportunity to build relationships and link them to services and supports. The community service sector is increasingly using outcomes within service delivery as a way to address the domain areas of a person’s life that may be contributing to an experience of hardship.
The CRR Program has several resources to assist providers to integrate outcomes within their assessment and referral processes. A shift towards outcomes-oriented service delivery will promote flexible services tailored to the needs and circumstances of consumers.
A free training workshop is also available to assist providers to implement outcomes in their practice. See ‘CRR Workshops‘ for further details.
In our society, being able to obtain food in socially acceptable ways is regarded as a human right found under international law (Article 25.1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
Consumers want consistency in how they are treated and expected to respond to, service providers. In the Food Relief Framework consultations, consumers expressed a strong desire for nutritious food and meals sourced or eaten under socially acceptable circumstances. They were unanimous in also saying that food services need to be inclusive and shared equally, and that even those making unhealthy lifestyle choices (for example through drug or alcohol addiction) are worthy of healthy food.
Within this context, the Consumer and Provider Charter was co-designed with input from people accessing food relief services, who are experts by experience. There is a need to empower both providers and consumers to enhance the appropriateness and effectiveness of food relief. Both need to have a shared understanding of what to expect from a service provider or consumer when accessing and distributing food relief. At its core, the Charter is aimed at addressing the stigma of the act of seeking, providing, and receiving food relief. It is also aimed at embedding accountability into this relationship. This has the potential to translate into more accepting and supportive communities, proactively involved in countering the social isolation caused by poverty.
There are opportunities and mechanisms available to support the widespread adoption of this Charter. This can include, for example, the Charter built into service contracts, local services encouraged to display the Charter, and so on.
Consumers are the recipients of the provision of food relief. Consumers are also referred to as service users and clients. Consumers may include an individual, couple, family, or household.
In partnership with providers and consumers, we identified what good practice for services looks like. We designed a set of attributes that consumers can expect across service provision. A set of collectively identified good practice principles emerged during the engagement with providers around the state. These principles were further tested and formulated as they were refined with sector stakeholders. The product is a codesigned baseline of what constitutes good practice. These principles connect with the expectations outlined in the Consumer and Provider Charter.
Food insecurity is responsible for a growing social, health and economic burden in Australia, largely driven by poverty and inadequate income and/or financial hardship.
Lotterywest funded the Western Australian Council of Social Service to auspice the Food Relief Framework Project in 2017. The need for a framework came from the community sector after it was recognised that improvements to the service system can be made to better respond to need.
The food relief sector collaborated to map the issue and identify solutions to address gaps in the State’s food security system. A Working Group was established and extensive stakeholder and community consultation across regional and metropolitan areas was undertaken, engaging service providers, government, consumer groups, and the corporate sector.
The culmination of this work is a Framework that can and will be adapted to address food insecurity in Western Australia, and can be used across the country, and in many jurisdictions to identify and map gaps, so that people can be food secure.
This webinar was hosted by WACOSS, with presentations from Water Corporation, Horizon Power, Kleenheat, Synergy and Alinta Energy. This webinar details some of the utility assistance programs that exist for people in Western Australia, who are having difficulty paying their gas, electricity and water bills.
The recording of this webinar took place on Thursday 18 May 2023, 1:00pm – 3:00pm AWST and all detail within the presentation was current at that time.
A copy of the presentation slides is available for download here.
Many districts across metropolitan and regional WA have established inter-agency networks focused on coordinating responses to issues of poverty and inequality at the local level. If you are interested in establishing a network or would like further information or support, contact [email protected]
For more information about each network, expand the carousel by clicking the plus (+) button.
Geographical area: Shire of Albany
Agencies: Anglicare WA, The Salvation Army, St John’s Emergency Relief, Foodbank, St Vincent de Paul, Pivot Support, Shalom House, Albany Community Foundation, Southern Aboriginal Corporation
Meetings: Bi-monthly
Contact: Rod Pfeiffer, Branch Manager at Foodbank Albany – [email protected]
Geographical area: City of Bayswater, Western Australia.
Contact: Julie-Ann Gray, Manager Community Development City of Bayswater – [email protected]
Geographical area: Bunbury
Agencies: Intown Centre, Relationships Australia, Anglicare, APM, Cahoots, Outcare, Department of Communities, APU, YouthCare, Advocacy WA and Wanslea
Services: Financial Counselling, emergency relief, utility assistance, disability and employment support and advocacy.
Contact: Leanne Gibbs, Manager Intown Centre – [email protected]
Geographical area: City of Busselton
Purpose: To provide a forum that builds capacity and empowers community organisations and groups to collaboratively shape a healthy, happy and thriving community in the City of Busselton.
Agencies: AccordWest, Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Advocacy WA, Advocare, Anglicare WA, APM Communities, Bendigo Bank, Busselton Dunsborough Alliance Against Depression, Busselton Hospice Care Inc., Cam Can, Cancer Council WA, Carealot, Citizens Advice Bureau, Department of Education, Freedom State (WA AIDS Council), GP Down South, Headspace, Interlife, Just Home, LAMP Inc., Playgroup WA, Radiance South West, Richmond Wellbeing, Roses in the Ocean, Rotary Club of Busselton-Geographe Bay, Services Australia, South Regional TAFE, South West Autism Network, South West Community Alcohol & Drug Service, South West Counselling, South West Women’s Health & Information Centre, The Paperbark Wellness Project, The People Place, The People Place Busselton, WA Country Health Service, WA Primary Health Alliance, Waratah, YouthCARE.
Meetings: Bi-monthly
Contact: Jessica Watts, Community Development Officer – City of Busselton on [email protected]
Geographical area: West Kimberley
Agencies: Broome CIRCLE, Australian Red Cross (Broome), Centacare, Men’s Outreach Service, Feed the Little Children, Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Marnja Jarndu
Services: Information sharing, coordination of services, joint advocacy.
Contact: Broome CIRCLE
CURRENTLY INACTIVE
Geographical area: Geographical area: Fremantle, Cockburn, Melville
Agencies: Cockburn Financial Counselling, Assisting Your Life to Achieve, Portcare, St Patrick’s, United Care West, Ottey Family Centre, Anglicare, City of Fremantle, Murdoch Student Guild, St Vincent de Paul, Red Cross
Services: Emergency Relief, financial counselling, accommodation, referrals
Meetings: Quarterly
Contact:
Geographical area: Geraldton and Mid West
Agencies: Regional Alliance West, Carnarvon Family Support Services, Centacare, Sun City, Dept of Human Services, St Vincent de Paul
Services: Review and plan for coverage of ER in the region
Meetings: Every 2-3 months
Contact: Leeanne Robertson – [email protected]
CURRENTLY INACTIVE
Geographical area: Perth CBD, Town of Vincent, Town Victoria Park
Agencies: UnitingWA, Red Cross, Foodbank WA, Eco Pay it Forward, Australian Asian Association, Lotterywest, Hope Inc Community Services, Financial Counselling Hotline, Salvation Army, Perth Homeless Support
Contact: City of Perth
Geographical area: Joondalup/ Wanneroo
Agencies: Australian Red Cross, Salvation Army, No Limits, Vinnies, Street Chaplains, Orange Sky, Food Bank, Anglicare, Beneath the Surface, Centre Care, City of Joondalup, City of Wanneroo, City of Stirling, Department of Communities, Department of Housing, Foundation Housing, Handor, Mercy Care, Northern Suburbs Legal Centre, Rainbow Community Church, Relationships Australia, Sacred Heart College, Outcare Thrive Program, Patricia Giles Centre, Dream Life Church, WACOSS, Youth Futures, The Spiers Centre, Quinns Baptist Community Care, Home Hub, Fortuna Foundation, APM, At Work Australia
Meetings: Every 2-3 months
Contact:
Chair, Emma White – [email protected]
City of Joondalup – [email protected]
City of Wanneroo – [email protected]
Geographical area: Shire of Northam
Agencies: Share and Care, Salvation Army, Faith Christian Fellowship, Seventh Day Adventist & Catholic Churches, Avon Youth
Contact: Share & Care Community Services
Geographical area: Peel region
Agencies: City Mandurah, Passages, Westaus, Salvation Army, CPFS, Disability Services, Anglicare, Church of the Way, Palmerston, DSS, Peel Community Kitchen, Pat Thomas House, Peel Development Commission, Peel Youth Service, Peel Mental Health, Salvation Army, Street Chaplin’s
Meetings: Quarterly
Contact: City of Mandurah
Geographical area: Rockingham and Kwinana
Agencies: City of Rockingham, City of Kwinana, Coastal District Care, Anglicare, GROW Mental Wellness Program, WAHA Rockingham, Salvation Army Cooloongup, The Crew, Vinnies Rockingham, Youth on Fire, ADRA Cafe, Happy Pantry, St Brendan’s Homeless Respite, Feed it Forward.
Meetings: Quarterly
Contact: City Rockingham – [email protected]
Geographical area: South East Corridor
Agencies: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Anglicare, All Saints’ Weekend Food Hampers, Champion Lakes Christian Church, City of Armadale, City of Gosnells, Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale, City of Canning, Town of Victoria Park, Crossways Community Services, Communicare, Entrypoint (Communicare), Foodbank WA Inc, Gosnells Community Legal Centre, Hope community services, Jacaranda Community Centre, Linc Church Services Network, Lotterywest, Minnawarra House Roberta Jull Community Care Assoc. Inc, Mission Australia, Multicultural Communities Council of WA, Police Armadale WA, Real Life Church, Red Cross, Ruah Community Services, Save the Children Australia, Services Australia, St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Starick Services, Sussex Street Community Law Service Inc., St Vincent de Paul Society (WA) Inc, Thornlie Baptist Church Emergency Food Hampers, Thornlie Conference Member, The Hub Armadale, Western Australian Police and Community Youth Centres (PCYC), Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, William Langford Community House, Armadale Senior High School, Champion Project, Rotary Armadale, Department of Communities
Meetings: Bi-monthly
Contact: Asha Kalai, City of Armadale – [email protected]
Geographical area: City of Swan
Agencies: Indigo Junction, People who care, Foodbank WA, SVDPS, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, Swan View Salvation Army
Geographical area: Victoria Park, Belmont
Agencies: Manna Inc, Star Street Church, Foodbank WA, First Nations Homelessness Project, Riverview Community Services, St Vincent de Paul, Sussex Community Legal Centre, Ruah, Salvation Army, Jacaranda Community Centre
Meetings: Quarterly
Contact: Bev Fabb, Star Street Uniting Church – [email protected]
WAConnect is a directory of community service providers managed by the DropIN team at the Western Australian Council of Social Service. It contains real time search results of emergency relief services, with phone numbers, operating hours, and directions on the services available. WAConnect was originally called ERConnect. We changed our name to better reflect what we offer in mid 2020.
The CORE portal will assist businesses and charities to coordinate surplus product, items, and infrastructure at a local level, by listing items of scale for use of and distribution by community-based services and organisations.