We are thrilled to share with you the highlights of our recent All Staff Meeting, which took place last week in Mission Beach. Our entire staff gathered together for two days to reflect on the past year and plan for the future. Despite some wet weather that meant our teams didn’t have as much beach time as they would have liked, the event was a great success. This annual event is especially important for our QIFVLS family because our team is spread out across eight offices around Queensland, and it’s rare for us all to be in one place at the same time.
To begin the meeting, we had the privilege of being welcomed to country by Leonard Andy, a Djiru Traditional Owner. The Djiru traditional lands are breathtaking, with lush forests, coconut-lined beaches, and tropical islands. Some of our team even had the opportunity to spot a cassowary and chicks! The event was hilariously MC’d by the always-jovial Yodie Batzke, who kept the energy high and ensured the sessions didn’t become too serious.
Wynetta Dewis, our CEO, and National FVPLS Forum Chair, delivered a warm welcome and update to our team. Four members of the Board who were also able to join us for the festivities: Adrian Gear – Chairperson & Community Engagement; Rose Malone – Central QLD Director; Gavin Power – South East QLD Director, and Justin Welfare – Deputy Chair & Service Delivery. A significant part of having members from our Board there was being able to have frank discussions around service delivery and the operations of QIFVLS. This feedback is crucial for the Board and The Executive Team to make informed decisions.
Yodie Batzke, our event host, presented an inspiring session titled “Let’s Dream”, which encouraged our team to brainstorm new and exciting ways for QIFVLS to better meet the needs of our communities. This exercise gave the Board and executive team valuable insights into the challenges faced by our different teams across Queensland. Each community is unique, requiring a tailored approach to deliver the best outcomes.
Karen Horn, our Human Resources Manager, presented the results of a recent staff survey that provided some interesting insights into staff sentiments at QIFVLS. This survey was conducted externally and the results showed that generally we’re a pretty positive bunch about our work and future. It also highlighted areas where we can focus on to make QIFVLS a more attractive option for potential employees. Attracting staff has been a challenge for QIFVLS, as it has been both sector wide and across many industries. Attracting potential staff is a priority for QIFVLS.
Each office delivered presentations were informative and highlighted the specific challenges faced by each region in delivering services. A special shoutout to the Townsville office, who went above and beyond with their video showing the beautiful country where they deliver services.
Thelma Schwartz and Kulumba Kiyingi provided a Legal update, showing how busy they have been with Law and Policy Reform. Last year 19 Law Reform Submissions were made to different Committees and Commissions, however, they have already delivered an astonishing 18 submissions this year!
Kulumba Kiyingi and Esther Tambo, Senior Policy Officers, presented an engaging session titled “The Voice,” which provided a deep dive into the upcoming Referendum and the proposed Voice to Parliament.
Out of all the sessions over the two days, many said that the session on The Voice was considered the best of the event, and now our staff now have a better understanding to make a more informed decision on this Referendum. Esther and Kulumba delivered a measured and honest look into this topic which is turning more and more into a political football.
Michael Stubley, a mental health social worker with extensive experience in leadership consultation and crisis management, presented an insightful session on managing workplace stress. His session provided various ways of managing workplace stress and different methods for looking out for your team.
Tanya Robinson, an artist and social worker, presented an engaging session on the importance of journaling for mental health and peace of mind. Her session provided practical tips on how to start journaling and the benefits of making it a regular practice. We believe that investing in the mental health and wellbeing of our team is essential, and these sessions were a great reminder of the importance of taking care of ourselves and each other.
We also had time to let our hair down and strap on the dancing shoes with the Awards Night. A special shoutout goes to Aunty Bino and Steve Graham for keeping the dancefloor pumping.
Congratulations to winners of the different awards on the night:
Advocacy Award – in recognition of a solicitors noteworthy performance in legal work and advocacy.
-Karina Andrew, DPLO TSV.
Community Services Award – in appreciation of an employee’s outstanding service to communities.
-Andrew Adidi, CMO CNS.
Support and Services Award – in honour of an employee’s exceptional support in administration and dedication to our service.
-Angela Bullio, AO Head Office.
Deadly Award – in recognition of the most outstanding employee of QIFVLS.
-Natashia Hill, AO ISA
Highest Achieving Office Award – in recognition of the most outstanding office of QIFVLS.
-Corporate Services, HO
Volunteer Awards – in recognition of our amazing volunteers.
The All Staff Meeting was a fantastic opportunity for our team to come together, share insights, and plan for the future. The work our teams do can be extremely stressful, so having an event where we can all come together to talk, laugh, and bond is vital for keeping our team strong. We look forward to continuing to provide the vital service to our communities and supporting the growth and development of our staff.
We’re pleased to announce that we have produced a new video showcasing a program of ours – the Bama Healing Ples Partnership. This partnership is a Health Justice Partnership (HJP), which is an agreement between two community organisations to collaboratively address the needs of our community.
A Health Justice Partnership (HJP) is a collaboration between health care providers and legal services as a way to better address the needs of a client, as it’s clear that better outcomes are achieved if a more holistic approach is taken. For healthcare, many health issues are a result of social determinants, like poverty, housing insecurity, employment discrimination, and access to health care. If an individual improves the social determinant then their overall health outcomes will be much better. For the Legal services, it is far better for a community and an individual to have help to prevent small legal issues from developing into larger issues with consequences.
This partnership has better outcomes for the individual because the approach is more holistic to a person’s needs – Through early intervention, the community member can address social and legal issues before they develop into larger criminal issues which ultimately results in better health outcomes. This all leads to happier and healthier communities.
AFL Cape York Donation
We would like to give a massive thank you to AFL Cape York for the their ongoing support with this most recent donation. The have kindly donated $3250 to QIFVLS and 4 other FVPLS organisations.
AFL Cape York Ltd is an Not-for-Profit that strives to improve the life skills of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people and promote their engagement in sports, particularly through AFL.
Isabella Copetti Nomination
We are thrilled to share that Isabella Copetti, our Cairns-based Team Leader and Solicitor, has been named a finalist for the Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30 – Pro Bono / Community Lawyer of the Year! This is fantastic news and a testament to Isabella’s exceptional work.
Please join us in wishing Isabella luck! The winner of the award will be revealed in June later this year.
The Inquiry into the Support provided to Victims of Crime
Thelma Schwartz, QIFVLS Principal Legal Officer (PLO), recently addressed the Inquiry into Support provided to Victims of Crime. Thelma submitted QIFVLS’s viewpoint to this Inquiry, drawing on our experience as a Family Violence Prevention Legal Service (FVPLS) and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organization (ACCO).
Thelma Schwartz – ABC The Drum
If you didn’t manage to catch this, Thelma Schwartz, the Principal Legal Officer at QIFVLS, joined the panel of ABC’s The Drum. She discussed various topics, including The Voice and also a United Nations Pacific Resolution. This resolution is seeking the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to determine the legal consequences that countries should face if they contribute to climate change. Pop over to their website to have a watch.
Please consider making a personal or corporate donation to help our teams deliver the services that are so vital to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Watch the video below for one example of how some of the donations made to QIFVLS is utilised to make the lives of people in crisis better.
