 Enriching the professional development of Mosman’s volunteers
Mosman Municipal Council has over 500 volunteers involved in a wide variety of programs. Volunteering is given a high profile by Council and is recognised as a vital and important component of this community.
Advancing your career options at SCU *
If you’re considering academic qualifications to improve your future career options, several programs offered through the School of Social and Workplace Development at Southern Cross University are worth a look. These degrees are tailored in terms of content, design and delivery to address the existing and potential needs both of industry and of students wishing to position themselves well within modern organisations.
Performance or intervention - The UK Experience by Malcolm Morley *
The pressure is on for English Local Government as Central Government seeks to achieve a step change in performance for poorly performing Councils. Comprehensive Performance Assessment is being introduced in phases to publicly illustrate individual Council performance in a range of poor to excellent. Incentives and penalties are also being introduced to provide a pressure for change.
Rural and city staff exchange program
The Staff Exchange Program between Pine Rivers and Bulloo Shire Councils has proven to be a worthwhile program. It has enabled staff from both Councils to gain job skills and an insight into each others communities. Pine Rivers, population 124,000, is located on Brisbane’s northern fringe while Bulloo Shire, with 600 residents, is situated 1,000 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Innovative CD assists medical practitioners with employment related assessments
Clarence City and Glenorchy Councils in Tasmania have developed an innovative CD that is hoped will assist medical practitioners to understand the requirements of work activities, leading to better pre employment medical assessments and return to work programs.
Honing bushland management skills at Lord Howe Island
A two week stint working on a bushland management project at Lord Howe Island has provided Brad Curtis, from Melbourne’s Maroondah City Council, with skills that will enhance his work at Council. From late June to early July this year, Maroondah City Council’s Bushland Coordinator and Team Leader Parks and Gardens, Brad Curtis, worked on a bushland management project at Lord Howe Island, located 700 kilometres north east of Sydney.
Training solutions with insight *
A recent census of Australia’s Councils identified cost, lack of time as well as the inability to release staff as the major barriers facing Local Government organisations in relation to training and development. Also of concern was the failure of some training providers to clearly identify needs and develop workable solutions which are of value to the whole organisation.
LG endorses benefits of NSW supply contract
Last year, the Local Government and Shires Association of NSW (LGSA) and the NSW Department of Public Works and Services (NSW Supply) joined in a strategic alliance to benefit all Councils in NSW. Full details are available on the LGSA website at www.lgsa.org.au. The alliance allows Councils to tap into the buying power of NSW Supply, the biggest purchasing organisation in the State.
Playford makes the finals for Employer of the Year
The City of Playford is one of three finalists in the South Australian Training Awards – Employer of the Year. The other finalists are Kimberley-Clarke and Ausbulk. The award sponsored by Channel Nine recognises employers who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and excellence in the provision of employee training programs.
Manage your future with a Monash Masters in Management *
Local Government managers can enhance their professional skills and qualifications through Monash University’s Department of Management. Supported by over 80 academic staff, the Department has the experience and resources to help managers further their capabilities, with programs that stress strong industry relevance and provide a sound theoretical and practical base for developing and assessing management options. This year alone, over 1,100 managers have taken the exciting step of choosing one of the many graduate programs available in the Department of Management.
Mastering the art and science of pavements *
The Centre for Pavement Engineering Education (CPEE) provides value added higher education programs for the pavement industry. By facilitating the transfer of information between academic institutions, road authorities, private companies, research organisations and others involved in the pavement industry, CPEE ensures its graduates possess the high level of practical knowledge and skills demanded by the industry.
District Advisory Networks improve communications
Victoria’s Wellington Shire has established District Advisory Networks (DANs) to improve Councillor to community communication and consultation. With 43,000 people across 11,000 square kilometres of diverse communities, the Shire suffers from the tyranny of distance. Volunteers act as a channel between Council and the community to bring people together.
Change Manual
With change being a constant presence in Local Government, the development of a Change Management Manual by Gold Coast City Council is helping to guide staff and Council through dynamic changes. A staff survey in 1999 identified concerns regarding change, including communication and consultation and its coordination, planning and monitoring. As a result Council established a project team to address these concerns. This team worked with a consultant to develop a Change Management Manual. Council staff were involved at every stage of its development.
Australia’s only tertiary level course for prospective Councillors
Intending candidates for the March 2004 quadrennial Local Government elections in Queensland will have the opportunity to obtain a detailed insight into the role and responsibilities of being a Councillor before deciding whether to nominate for the elections. From October this year, the Open Learning Institute (OLI) of TAFE will offer Australia’s only tertiary level course for prospective Councillors.
Port Adelaide Enfield’s interactive training for road workers
Using Transport SA’s CD-ROM titled The Road to Worker Safety, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield is providing training of parks and road maintenance staff covering statutory obligations and safe practices. The CD-ROM is being used by all who work on roads in SA inclusive of Local Governments.
New Centre for Regional and Rural Development in western Victoria
RMIT University’s Centre for Regional and Rural Development (CRRD) has recently been established in Hamilton, western Victoria. A substantial initial donation from locals Helen and Geoff Handbury, who wanted to see a university set up in Hamilton, led to RMIT winning a grant of $3.125 million from the Victorian Government’s Regional Infrastructure Development Fund to establish the University presence, including the CRRD.
Australian WorkPlace
The WorkPlace website is an entry point to every aspect of employment information. The site assists all Australians by providing information on employment, government assistance, labour markets, working condition, careers, training and volunteering. The site is broken down into topics that will take you straight to the information
you need.
Maintaining the momentum of Best Value
Principles and examples of best value, continuous improvement and benchmarking, were just some of the topics covered at this year’s LGPro Vision 2005 – Maintaining the Momentum Conference. Held in Melbourne on 15 and 16 August, delegates heard from a number of keynote speakers who provided their expertise on the topic of Best Value.
Workshops on youth issues
Understanding issues impacting on young people and making decisions best able to address these is not easy. To assist Councillors in this role, the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) will stage a series of one day seminars titled ‘Young People and Local Government Workshops’. The workshops aim to raise awareness and enhance Councillors’ understanding of opportunities, best practice examples and resources available to assist their Council in engaging with young people.
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