Work with the Indigenous Mining Services (IMS)

Indigenous Mining Services (IMS) is an aboriginal business owned by the Traditional Owners of Innawonga, Banyjima and Nyiyparli country. IMS is looking for aboriginal workers looking for work, particularly in the mining industry. If you are interested call IMS on 08 9140 2575 or email IMS at IBN or see the IMS ad on the Wangka Maya website

WACOSS Hardship Utilities Grant Scheme (HUGS)

WACOSS is offering a Hardship Utilities Grant Scheme which provides financial assistance to people to pay their electricity accounts to avoid being disconnected. This service is available to people who have been referred to financial counselling by Synergy or Horizon and are in danger of having electricity cut off. The grant is between $100 and $500, depending on level of debt and remoteness of location.
For more detail see WACOSS information sheet, a pdf will open in your browser, or contact Western Australian Council of Social Service Inc. (WACOSS)
Telephone: (08) 9420 7222 Freecall: 1300 658 816 Fax: (08) 9486 7966
email WACOSS

What if I don’t use the whole of your Gumala Purchase Orders?

Purchase Orders (including food or fuel vouchers) can only be used for one purchase. For example if the purchase order is for food to the value of $200 and you only spend $150, the purchase order will be closed off at $150. It cannot be used again. Please send in your receipts and GAC will adjust your balances.

Ambulance cover -cards are on their way

St Johns will be sending out Membership Cards within the next six weeks to all members. They are running behind time this year. If you need to use the Ambulance service please go ahead and do so – you are covered. Send any bills you receive to us and we will pass them on to St Johns.

Autumn Newsletter is out, call for contributions

The Autumn edition of the newsletter has just been sent out. If you don't receive one in the next few days please let us know and we will send you one. We may need to update your address.

The newsletter comes out once every three months. If you have anything that you would like to say in the next newsletter please contact us and have a chat with Cate. We would like to use your story with photos. If you don't know how to say what you want to say, then have a chat to Cate and she can write something up for you to approve.

Turn around times have greatly improved

Our new computer system is in, we are processing funding applications much quicker, though please be patient as we make sure all of your information is transferred correctly. Allow 3-5 working days for Health and Well Being goods, though food and fuel vouchers are done the same day. If you have changed your address or would like to supply your phone number and email address please email the Gumala office.

We are addressing problems in service delivery

With the new administration, the amount of funds that are being distributed to members has increased greatly, particularly with the introduction Health and Well Being funds for all members (who don't already receive Pensioner Health and Wellbeing).

With the vast number of applications coming in every day we are flat out doing the daily food vouchers, and do have a backlog with a 5-10 day turn around on other goods. This means we are not always able to return phone calls about the status of your application. Rather than calling you back while the application is being processed, we will call you if there is a problem, or when your application is finalised and you can pick up your goods.

We realise people would like to know how their application is going and would like to pick up their goods as soon as possible. To address this situation we have:
-put on more staff in the Member Services Unit.
-developed a new computer system that will be in place in the next week or two so that we can answer your queries and process your applications more quickly.

Gumala is YOUR organisation

At the AGM concerns were raised as to whether Gumala was representing the members and the problems with service delivery.

This is just a reminder that their are many changes happening at Gumala. The new board was just elected in November 2008, and all directors are indigenous Gumala members elected by Gumala members. The board directs the Executive Officer and the GAC administration, so no major decisions are made by staff without the consent of the Directors, who represent the members.

If you have any concerns or ideas your committee member would like to hear from you.

Get your membership application in early

Membership applications need to be approved by the committee to make sure that you do qualify to be a Traditional Owner.
Applications need to be received 2 weeks before the meeting to give the committee time to consider your case. Depending on the timing of your application approval may take 6 weeks.

One committee meeting was conducted 16/17th Feb. The next meeting will be in about a month, we will notify you of the exact date in this blog.

Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Presenters wanted

Local Traditional Owners are wanted to present Cultural Awareness at the Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Brockman and Marandoo mine sites.

-Ongoing delivery support is offered.

Interested persons please email Tuesday or Norm or call the GAC office for phone numbers.

Changes to CDEP

On 19 December 2008, the Government announced reforms to the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program and Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) which will be implemented on 1 July 2009.

The Government says that these reforms are a key element in meeting the target of halving the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.
The CDEP program will be restructured to:

• build individual skills and capacity to take up work where opportunities arise 
  
• provide on-the-job work experience 
  
• provide voluntary mobility assistance 
  
• build capacity of communities including through supporting priority projects 
  
• build capacity of local Indigenous organisations to deliver a range of services, including other employment services such as the Indigenous
  
• Employment Program (IEP) and make sure community members undertaking similar activities have the same income and participation requirements. 
  
• CDEP positions that have supported the delivery of government services will be converted to properly paid jobs, with ongoing funding to be available for those jobs to ensure sustainability, including in the Northern Territory. 
  
• A new remote workforce strategy will be introduced creating 400 traineeships in government service delivery and 60 additional positions in land and sea management.
  
• New participants in reformed CDEP will access the program while on relevant income support payments rather than be paid CDEP wages.
  
• Existing CDEP participants will be eligible to receive CDEP wages until 30 June 2011 to allow for an adjustment period, subject to allowable breaks of two weeks. 
  
• Funding agreements for reformed CDEP will be offered for a three year period.
  

Jobs at Gumala

We are always looking for members to work at the GAC Office, GEPL and Karijini. Please let us know if you are interested. Some jobs require experience and some do not, with on-the-job training or traineeships.

• We regularly need admin staff at the GAC office. Please check the Tom Price Coles notice board.
  
• At GEPL we need drivers and maintenance people.
• At Karijini we need hospitality staff and tourist guides.
• We have just employed an indigenous mentor for the trainees, and plan to employ another in May. 

Health and Well Being 2009

The Health and WellBeing Program is running again this year. Remember to include a quote from your supplier: 

• please be patient as we have many, many applications all coming in at once. 
  
• food vouchers are usually processed at the end of the same day. 
  
• PLEASE allow 5-10 working days for your other orders to go through, we are getting through them as fast as possible.
  
• please do not ring to see how your application is going unless it is a food voucher. It won't make the process any faster, we don't have time to ring you back to say how it is going. 
• we WILL call you if there is a problem with your application. 
• we WILL ring you as soon as your application has been processed.
  

Apology Anniversary, 13 February 2009

Sharing stories, taking the next steps …
The Apology to the Stolen Generations delivered by PM Kevin Rudd on February 13th 2008

To acknowledge the importance of this event, PLEASE JOIN US for a Lunchtime Sausage Sizzle in Tom Price at the Gazebo (outside Coles).

 

FRIDAY 10.30am until 2.30pm We will be releasing balloons at 2.30pm

Please pass this information onto GUMALA Members and the wider community EVERYONE is welcome. 

These events are registered on the Reconciliation Australia. 

Related links: The National Sorry Day Committee and the Stolen Generations Alliance.