• Welcome to the Tasmania Together eNews
• Featured Goals
• Tasmania Together at the Fairer Futures Conference
• Career Specialist Investigations – 2008 Pilot Series
• Horticulture and Sustainable Living Industries
• Anti-Poverty Week
• Partner News
• Carers Tasmania
• Volunteering Tasmania

This issue of the Tasmania Together eNewsletter has a social justice theme to tie in with our Auslan sponsorship of the TasCOSS Fairer Futures Conference. The conference theme focuses on a vision for a fairer Tasmania, in which we as a community, eliminate disadvantage and foster a vibrant and inclusive civil society.

Social justice can be defined as the typically Australian notion of a ‘Fair Go’ for all. It is a multifaceted term covering equality and equity across a range of areas including income, employment, education, health, lifestyle and standard of living.

To read more about social justice follow this link to the UN website to download a copy of the publication: Social Justice in an Open World

In November, Tasmania Together releases its annual report card on Tasmania – the 2008 Snapshot of Progress. The snapshot shows how the State is going on key Tasmania Together indicators. So keep an eye out for this in your letterbox or newspaper. Remember that up-to-date benchmark information is always available at www.ttbenchmarks.com.au

Most of Tasmania Together’s goals have one or more benchmarks related to social justice, whether concerning employment, health, aboriginal rights, or social inclusion. Goals 1, 3 and 5 have a particular focus in this area and when combined promote ‘social justice’.

Go to the Tasmania Together website www.tasmaniatogether.tas.gov.au to find more information about these goals.

The Fairer Futures Conference 29 – 31 October 2008

The Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCOSS) Fairer Futures Conference will be held at the Hobart Grand Chancellor. The conference, themed: People, Place, Policy, and Practice addresses some of the key challenges the community faces for eliminating disadvantage and fostering a vibrant and inclusive civil society.

To find out more, go to the conference website

The Tasmania Together Progress Board is providing Auslan sponsorship for the event and is exhibiting during the 3 day conference. The exhibition booth will provide an opportunity for delegates to speak to Board members and will offer Tasmania Together information and promotional items.

The Board will take this opportunity to demonstrate its Online Benchmark Reports to delegates. It provides the most up-to-date information for all benchmarks and generates a range of reports.

At the conference, TasCOSS and Tasmania Together will confirm their commitment to work towards increasing social justice by re-signing their partnership agreement.

Career Specialist Investigations (CSI) started its pilot series in 2008.

The program, coordinated by SCOPE Local Community Partnerships, is designed to give high school and pre-tertiary students the opportunity to experience real, hands-on concepts and activities involved in professional careers which mostly need a university degree to enter.

Two programs were run in 2008, with 140 students from schools and colleges in Southern Tasmania given the opportunity to select three preferred professions from an exciting list, which included Microbiologist, Hydrologist, Spatial Scientist, Forensic Scientist, Sports Scientist, Meteorologist, Human Resources Management, Mathematician, Pharmacist, Communications Engineer and Environmental Health.

All professions generated a lot of interest, with students (and teachers) getting involved with activities and hearing about pathways into those professions and others related to them. It was noticed that Pharmacy was a popular career choice, particularly toward the end when word got around that participants were making blister packs of M&Ms and sweets, following a prescription.

These programs will continue in 2009, as well as the very popular WorldSkills Try’a Trade Event, which is run annually for Year 9 students. This program promotes Tasmania Together Goal 3: High-quality educations and training for lifelong learning and a skilled workforce.

Scope is a community based partnership between Colony 47 and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – both partners of Tasmania Together.

Twenty-two Y9-Y12 students from seven schools and two colleges attended a three day pilot: Industry Introduction Program for Horticulture and Sustainable Living Industries, jointly facilitated by SCOPE and Rural Skills Australia.

Industry stakeholders provided a high quality experience designed to provide career pathway information in an informative and interactive manner about the sector which has difficulty recruiting people at all levels.

Students spent the first day at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens where they leaned about seed collection, conservation and propagation, the Tasmanian and subantarctic plant collections, displaying plants in the Conservatory and what goes on at the Botanical Resources Centre. They got to see the ABC filming Peter Cundall’s regular vegie garden segment for Gardening Australia. The highlight of the day was the tree climbing experience supervised by the Gardens’ Arborist.

Follow this link to the SCOPE website to find out more.

This program promotes Tasmania Together Goal 3: High-quality educations and training for lifelong learning and a skilled workforce.

Scope is a community based partnership between Colony 47 and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – both partners of Tasmania Together.

  

Anti-Poverty Week was held 12 – 18 October 2008

Anti-Poverty Week was established in Australia as an expansion of the UN's annual International Anti-Poverty Day on October 17.

The main aims of Anti-Poverty Week are to:

• strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia; and
• encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments.

To find out more about what went on in your area follow the link to the Anti-Poverty website.

In 2009 Anti-Poverty Week will be from 11 – 17 October – check out the website for ideas on how to get involved.

This promotes Tasmania Together Goal 1: A reasonable lifestyle and standard of living for all Tasmanians.

Carers Tasmania

Carers Week 19 – 25 October 2008

Carers Week is an awareness week held during October each year right across Australia. The event was established to promote and raise awareness of the valuable role that carers play in our community and to generate discussion about carer issues. Carers Week also provides an opportunity for carers to come together, support one another and share ideas and information.

Go to the following website to find out more information: www.carersweek.com.au

Volunteering Tasmania

Volunteering Tasmania has a number of up-coming events including:

• International Volunteer Managers Day on 1st November 2008; and
  
• International Volunteer Day on 5th December.

To find out more, go the Volunteering Tasmania website.

Volunteering Tasmania and Carers Tasmania promote Tasmania Together Goal 5: Vibrant, inclusive and growing communities where people feel valued and connected.

For more Tasmania Together Partner events, newsletters and news check out the new section on our website Tasmania Together News.