NESB Housing Taskforce NSW

NESB Housing Taskforce minutes

Wednesday 4 October 2006

Attendance

Mark Lack, Jasmina Bajaraktarevic-Hayward, Carmen Jaurejui, Salwa Alhag, Maureen Kingshott, Cheryl Webster, Mary Perkins

Apologies

None

NSW Department Multicultural Forum

Discussion ensued about the multicultural forum the Department wants to establish. There was some discussion about the terms of reference as well as membership of the forum.

Terms of reference

Mary Perkins spoke about the development of the Terms of Reference. The function of the forum was to provide the Department of Housing with input from services who work with NESB on the DOH’s policies and procedures in relation to the NESB tenants.

The group decided that overall the terms of reference seemed OK. A concern was raised about the definition of migrant being more than newly-arrived migrants and refugees and that to seek clarification of the meaning of the last paragraph.

Membership of the forum

It was relayed that the Department of Housing wanted a core group of participants to attend the Forum on a regular basis.

There was discussion about who we could put forward for the Department to consider contact to participate in the forum.

The following is a group of people who could be interested:

• The MRC Forum be asked to nominate 4 services and highlight the work that Auburn MRC, MSN and CBMRC already do with the NESB Taskforce
• NESH
• Arab Workers Network (Arabic Council of Australia)
• African Workers Network (Clement Merou – Fairfield MRC)
• IHSS:  Anglicare - Arnjaliee, ACL/Resolve – Mark Lack, St Vincent De Paul – Sky
• TU
• Shelter NSW
• MDAA
• STARTTS
• Refugee Council
• ECC (Nicole who can fill the role of the Western Sydney Rep)
• Immigrant Women’s Speakout
• Small and emerging communities – Cheryl Webster

Training and resources

There was very positive feedback from the last training session that was organised by the taskforce. People were interested in getting more training and resourcing.

The group brainstormed some possible training sessions that included:

• Broader training on the Housing Appeals Committee
• Reforms of the Department of Housing and the banding system
• How to get into the private rental market(brokerage system, Resolve FM)/what your roles and responsibilities are for tenants, plain English understanding of tenancy
• Advocacy skills

Some possible presenters of each of the sessions include:

• Housing Appeals Training – HAC
• Reforms to the Department of Housing – Shelter NSW
• How to get into the Private Rental Market and beyond – TU/Shelter NSW
• Advocacy Skills – MDAA will look at their core training workers within the taskforce to contribute knowledge

Mary, Carmen and Maureen agreed to commence some preparatory work and report back to the next meeting. At the next meeting we hope to be able to set a program for next year.

General business

Shelter NSW is holding a seminar in November on the Building Blocks of the Housing System

Next Department of Housing Multicultural Forum 29 November 2006

Next meeting

6 December 2006 at ACL 3 Mary Street, Auburn

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Updated 05-Oct-2006