Community Care News Digest - Resources & Services - Western Sydney Community Forum

RESOURCES & SERVICES

Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) Translated Self-Advocacy Toolkit

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) has developed a simple toolkit to improve self-advocacy for older people living at home or in residential care. The toolkit also includes information about aged care options when leaving hospital, and advice for making complaints. The toolkit is available in 15 languages including Arabic, Korean, Sinhalese and Vietnamese.

Toolkit: Complaints, Feedback and Whistleblower Protections

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has developed a complaints, feedback and whistleblower communication toolkit. The toolkit details methods for providers to communicate with older people, and their families and carers about their rights regarding complaints and whistleblower disclosure.

ARIIA First Nations Hub

Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) has launched a First Nations Hub, which aims to improve aged care services for First Nations older people through culturally safe and evidence-informed practice. The First Nations Hub includes knowledge exchange visits, community-led case studies, practical examples of successful initiatives and other information and resources about recruitment, training and support; with the aim to spotlight Indigenous knowledge systems and community-led approaches. The resources included in the First Nations Hub were developed for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care organisations.

Call for Abstracts: MDAA Voices, Choices and Futures National Conference 2026

Submissions for abstracts for the Voices, Choices and Futures National Conference 2026 to be held on Tuesday 19 May 2026 are currently open. The conference, run by Multicultural Disability Advocacy Australia (MDAA), will host people with disability, families, advocates, educators, researchers, community leaders, and sector professionals. The conference will provide a place to share knowledge and lived experience to improve disability rights and inclusion. Submissions for abstracts close on 23 March 2026. Submissions can be sent to [email protected].

Expression of Interest (EOI): SaferSeniors Professional Development Program

SaferSeniors, a project delivered by Elder Abuse Action Australia, is a professional development program which aims to improve understanding of elder abuse for workers who support older people, the short course outlines the causes, signs, and impacts of elder abuse as well as develop practical skills to recognise, respond to, and prevent mistreatment. The course is designed to educate carers about trauma-informed and culturally sensitive approaches of care for older people. Expressions of interest for the course are open.

ELDAC Diversity in Aged Care Downloadable Resources

End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) has updated its resources for guiding aged care staff and services in responding to and supporting inclusive practice for diverse needs. These resources identify the diverse groups of older people in Australia, offer practical information for careworkers and nurses about communication and culturally responsive care, and contain fact sheets to train staff in inclusive end of life care.

Emergency Leave Provisions Extended

Emergency leave provisions have been extended for residential aged care until 31 December 2026. This leave can be used for a range of emergencies including COVID-19, floods and fires, and can replace social leave in emergency cases for permanent residents wanting to stay with family. Subsidies will continue for providers, and residents will continue paying their usual fees and accommodation costs.

Fact sheet for residents

Fact sheet for providers

PDCN Advocacy & Information Services in NSW

Physical Disability Council of NSW (PDCN) has developed a list of systemic and individual disability advocacy providers and initiatives including the National Disability Gateway, Disability Australia Hub, Council for Intellectual Disability, Disability Advocacy NSW, and more.

Western Sydney Community Forum 2026 Community Care Forum Calendar

Throughout the year, Western Sydney Community Forum delivers a range of events to support organisations and their staff to engage with others in the sector and stay up to date with reforms, training, and best practice. These include Community Care Forums tailored to those on the front line of the aged care, disability and community care sectors, and Community Care Leaders Forums to provide leaders, managers and CEOs with the latest resources, collaboration and training opportunities across Western Sydney. To get ahead on these events, as well as access information on related forums convened by others in the Western Sydney region, see our 2026 Community Care Forum Calendar.

Policy and Practice Support and Advisory Service

Western Sydney Community Forum provides a support and advisory service to disability advocacy organisations, CHSP providers and other community organisations. This service provides assistance with enquiries relating to policy, governance and operations and on a range of areas including sector reform and impact on operations, evaluation and measurement, leading consultation, engagement and inclusive practices, and much more.

First Nations CHSP Support Advisory Service

A First Nations CHSP support advisory service is offered to providers by Gilgai Aboriginal Centre. This is to support First Nations organisations and CHSP providers who work with First Nations older people. For more information, contact Gilgai on 02 9832 3825 or at [email protected].

Gilgai Volunteer Workforce Advisory Service

Gilgai Aboriginal Centre provides a CHSP Volunteer Workforce Advisory Service to organisations and CHSP providers that work with First Nations older people. For more information or to access the service, contact Gilgai on 02 9832 3825 or at [email protected].

Customised Training and In-House Facilitation

Western Sydney Community Forum can deliver customised training and in-house facilitation services to the human services industry. The facilitators’ areas of speciality include (but are not limited to) strategic and business planning, project planning and development, and review and evaluation sessions. And training can be tailored and delivered at a venue of your choosing, and can cover areas such as governance, leadership and evaluation. Our members are also entitled to subsidised services.

Customised training

In-house facilitation

Western Sydney Community Forum Affordable Translation Services

Western Sydney Community Forum offers a trusted document translation service for small and large organisations and businesses. We use NAATI-accredited translators with expertise in translating a range of documents to assist with your service delivery, from simple brochures to complex and sensitive publications. Members can access this service at a subsidised cost.

For more information, contact [email protected].

Community Care News Digest Feedback Survey

The News Digest is primarily focused on disseminating information about aged care and older people, and disability and disability advocacy. It also shares information that is useful to people working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, LGBTIQA+ communities, and people with disability, and other areas that may intersect with aged care and the older population. We welcome feedback on how you use the News Digest, whether the information distributed has been valuable for your work, and if there is anything else you would like to see added into the Digest. The survey will remain open for ongoing feedback.

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My Aged Care consumer resources

The My Aged Care website features a range of resources for you to share with consumers about how to get started with My Aged Care.

These resources include case study videos for:

people who speak languages other than English
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
You can view or download all of these resources from the My Aged Care website.

Free guide: Adding value to governance in aged care

The Governance Institute of Australia has a free guide, ‘Adding value to governance in aged care’ to help providers manage their governance responsibilities.

The free guide addresses a broad range of issues including: