OCTOBER 2022

Welcome to the latest news from the BSL Social Policy and Research Centre (SPARC).

Adapting the vocational education and training system to support a green, circular economy is the subject of our webinar on 27 October. 

Also featured in this issue are our Anti-Poverty Week webinar on tackling child poverty through family payments, policies to support combining work and care, and participant insights about online platforms for disability support services.

You can read more about our current work at www.bsl.org.au/research and also browse our policy submissions. 

Please share this policy and research update with your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe.

WEBINAR: Enabling a Green Transition

Thursday 27 October 2022, 1 pm to 2 pm

The recent Jobs and Skills Summit placed a renewed focus on the role of the vocational education and training system in the response to the climate crisis. While jobs in clean energy were highlighted, they are not the only jobs that will contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation.

Many states and territories are already developing their own strategies to support circularity (processes which reduce waste and increase reuse). The skills and training system must be supported to pivot across all industries and occupations. At this OctoberVET webinar, a panel of VET system leaders and green transition experts will discuss the role of VET in enabling national capability to mitigate and adapt to climate change. 

OctoberVET is a season of discussions and workshops coordinated by AVETRA, the Australasian VET Research Association.

WEBINAR: TACKLING CHILD POVERTY THROUGH POLICIES AND PAYMENTS

During Anti-Poverty Week, BSL’s Dr Dina Bowman will facilitate a panel including Professor Miranda Stewart, National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds and an expert by experience, who will explore the current family payments system and its impacts on child and family poverty. 

WEBINAR: Tackling child poverty through policies and payments

Thursday 20 October 2022, 12 noon to 1 pm

POLICY: BALANCING WORK AND CARE

People with unpaid care responsibilities – mainly women – are not adequately supported to enter the workforce or to balance work and care. We recommend steps to ensure systems better support the combination of work and care, and improve the wellbeing of carers and those they care for.

Read our submission to the Senate Select Committee on Work and Care (PDF, 255 KB)

PRESENTATION: ONLINE APPS FOR DISABILITY SPPORT SERVICES

How do online platforms for disability support services affect conditions for workers, and choice and control for people using the supports? Preliminary findings from our Support online project were shared at the recent Virtual Disability Conference, Raising Expectations.

View the presentation by Deborah Warr, Georgia Katsikis and Andrew Thies, Support online, (PDF, 678 KB)

​The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) is a social justice organisation that works to prevent and alleviate poverty across Australia. You are receiving this email as you have previously subscribed to the BSL Social Policy and Research Centre e-newsletter. To unsubscribe, please click on the link below.