Background to the Tasmanian Association of Community Houses The Tasmanian Association of Community Houses Inc. (TACH) is the sector peak body for Neighbourhood Houses in Tasmania. There are 34 TACH member Houses, 33 of which receive their core funding through the State Government’s Department of Health and Human Services. The TACH mission is to strengthen the capacity of Neighbourhood Houses to meet their community’s needs. The TACH vision is for highly effective Neighbourhood Houses to be contributing to creating supportive and flourishing communities. (NB. TACH network members are referred to as Community Houses, Community Centres, Neighbourhood Houses and Neighbourhood Centres. Within the Workforce Development Plan they will be referred to collectively as Houses.) Houses work at the grass roots within Tasmania’s most disadvantaged communities, with community development as their core business. They are guided in practice by the Tasmanian Government’s Neighbourhood House Program Strategic Framework 2013-2018. Within the Strategic Framework the following characteristics are identified as essential for the operation of a House: it operates with an ‘open door’ policy where all community members are welcomed and treated equally and with respect it increases life opportunities and pathways to enrich the quality of life in the local community by facilitating the social, cultural, learning and creative development of individuals and families in either an informal or formal atmosphere it fosters family support, community advancement and adult learning opportunities Houses are required to report annually to the Department, addressing the 4 key goals of the Neighbourhood House Program and their individual strategic plans. These key goals are: Build community Support people and families Enhance participation choices Local governance and management Houses provide and create opportunities for people disengaged from their community to make connections through a wide variety of social and volunteer opportunities: playgroups, community gardens, festivals, markets, non-accredited training sessions, volunteer community services etc. For many people in these communities formal education was a bad experience, and Houses play a vital role in bridging the gap back into formal education and learning environments.
1.2 Prioritise training needs of House staff and volunteers based on survey information, including the routine, recurring training needs such as First Aid and Safe Food Handling. Identify the key training needs of House staff and volunteers based on survey information. Identify the recurring, short term training needs - ‘the basics’ - such as First Aid and Safe Food Handling. Establish with Houses how ‘the basics’ training needs are currently being met, and if they would prefer different training delivery options. Prioritise the identified training needs according to numbers, duration of training, availability of training, required training, etc. Identify and resource training delivery options to meet these needs such as group purchasing First Aid to be delivered across Houses over a 12 month period; potential options for accessing food safety training. TACH House coordinators Required Immediate and ongoing 2014 1.3 Inform staff so that they have the skills to work with the training system and support other staff and volunteers undertaking training. Identify the steps involved for a participant engaging with an RTO and signing a training contract, such as identifying their rights and responsibilities, what to expect from the RTO and trainer, the induction process, contract details, communication channels, etc. Document these steps. Create a checklist that supporters/mentors of those undertaking training can utilise to ascertain that all required information is covered prior to contracts being signed, and participants are supported through the process. This will enable TACH and Houses to have the tools and checklists to prepare and forearm themselves to engage with training organisations and get a better deal. TACH Required 1.4 Identify Community Research different Community Development training TACH Required Ongoing
Development training that can be delivered at different levels for House coordinators, staff and volunteers. options available, both accredited and non-accredited. Identify the most appropriate method of delivering this training to each of the three different identified groups. 2014 1.5 Build the training capacity of the existing network workforce so it can deliver training internally and support to its own members through the training experience. Contact Houses to gauge the interest of suitably qualified and/or experienced individuals within the network to undertake Certificate IV Training and Education, or units of. Negotiations held with RTOs identified in Action 2.3 to contract suitably qualified individuals from within the network to deliver training and assessment. TACH Houses Required Ongoing 2014 1.6 Identify and prioritise community training needs further to Project survey. Through community consultation develop an understanding of employment issues and skill shortages specific to local communities, and where employment opportunities are (or aren’t) emerging. Identify what training potential learners want to engage in. Identify what local industry needs in terms of skills in potential employees. TACH Houses JSAs DESs Local employers Industry associations Required Long term 2014/15 1.7 Establish and maintain a coordinated communications strategy within the TACH network to gather ongoing information of training opportunities and share this information with Houses. The information will be shared on a regular basis via the TACH website, fortnightly e-news, quarterly newsletter and direct House email. The subject of workforce development will be a standing agenda item at regional meetings. TACH Formalise and expand on what is currently in place