Update, Issue 93, June 2021: Celebrating and supporting the ACT’s community sector workforce

This edition of the ACTCOSS Update journal celebrates the contribution of the community sector workforce and looks at ways we can ensure its ongoing success. It highlights ways that we can protect our mental health and wellbeing and provides examples of good practice in our organisations. It also shares work being done across the community sector to ensure that we build a sustainable, professionalised and respected workforce.

Contents include:

• Editorial – By Dr Emma Campbell, CEO, ACTCOSS
• Community sector workforce at a crossroads – By the Industry Strategy Steering Group (ISSG) Chair
• Professionalisation is the path to sustainability for the sector – By Natalie Lang, Branch Secretary, Australian Services Union (NSW & ACT Services Branch)
• Attracting and retaining the right workforce: Creating a winning formula in the early education and care sector – By Communities@Work
• Mental health on the frontline: Protecting the mental wellbeing of community sector workers – By Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT)
• Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation: Supporting our workforce and community through COVID – By Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation
• Celebrating the contributions of queer Canberran volunteers to the community sector – By Megan Watts, President, Diversity ACT Community Services
• Reflections on working in the community sector: Getting more people involved with the right skills – By Lee-Ann Akau’ola, Associate Member of ACTCOSS.