Author: Naish Nand
TASC Attends FestABLE 2023 Disability Event in Hervey Bay
FestABLE is an annual event designed, managed and rolled out by people living with disability for people living with disability.
TASC’s dedicated disability advocates were on hand at our stand to connect with the community and let people know about how our disability and mental health advocacy services can help them navigate the systems they rely on and services which impact them.
It was a privilege to be part of FestABLE 2023, a fun, inclusive and community driven event.
#FestABLEHerveyBay #InclusionMatters #TASCAdvocates
TASC awarded $149,967 to help combat domestic violence
MEDIA RELEASE 6 July, 2023
TASC awarded $149,967 to help combat domestic violence on Western Downs
The Western Downs will be the focus for a new pilot project aimed at breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
TASC National, a legal and social justice centre which offers legal and advocacy services across southwest Queensland has been awarded $149,967 from the QLD Government to design, develop and implement the innovative program.
TASC CEO, Frances Klaassen OAM said they will initially work with mothers.
“The statistics around intimate partner violence are alarming,” she said.
“Nationally, more than one in three women over 18 have been subjected to violence or abuse in their relationships during their lifetime.”
A woman’s childbearing period has been identified as high-risk for domestic violence, with 22% of women who are pregnant being subjected to intimate partner violence.
“Of these women, for a quarter of them the first time they encounter violence in the relationship is during pregnancy,” Ms Klaassen said.
“What we’ve seen and what the research shows is that violence during and after pregnancy is not only an appalling denial of human rights, it also has a lasting, damaging impact across the entire community.”
TASC aims to break this cycle through an intervention and educational approach based on research showing the impact violence has on parent-child attachment and how that negatively affects children throughout their lives.
Fractured attachments impact the way children grow up to see themselves and the world around them. Unfortunately, it carries into adolescence, impacting their early partner relationships, resulting in adults who may repeat the patterns they grew up with.
The pilot program will focus on increasing the agency of women who are of childbearing age.
“Society in general has tended to devalue the impact and work of mothers and caregivers, which in turn leads to increased vulnerability for those women when it comes to gender based violence,” Ms Klaassen said.
“We will combat this by increasing the agency and connectedness of women through group work, community connection and demonstrating the importance and impact of the mother – child relationship across a person’s life.”
This is a new approach to domestic violence and program design is still underway, with rollout expected in early 2024.
“Our goal is to work with women, families and communities to help heal some of the trauma behind the violence and bring lasting change. While the initial focus will be on women and their supports, we will also build an education program for men we hope to roll out in the area.”
While this will be preventative program, through their existing legal and social justice connections TASC is also able to refer women currently experiencing violence to legal and support services.
Housing a hot topic at QCOSS town hall
Yesterday TASC CEO, Frances Klaassen OAM was at the QLD Council of Social Services town hall meeting in Toowomba where she caught up with QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh.
The town hall was a chance for community and social service organisations to discuss existing and emerging issues facing the Toowoomba and South West QLD communities.
The housing crisis was a key topic of conversation. Apart from the immediate impact it’s having on vulnerable people across the country in terms of a place to live and feel secure, a key take away was the opportunities for employment and community growth which are being lost due to lack of housing impacting people’s ability to relocate.
Other emerging issues discussed included funding inconsistencies and gaps in rural and regional areas and the difficulties faced by the Community Sector in finding workers for those communities. Possible solutions to help overcome these challenges were also discussed and include suggestions such as programs to upskill local people in rural and remote areas.
These events are fantastic opportunities to connect with others in the sector and see if their experiences reflect our own and foster cooperation across the Community Sector.
Social Justice Advocate David Boden Celebrates 5 Years with TASC
CONGRATULATIONS David!
Our Social Justice Advocate David Boden has reached a significant milestone in his journey with TASC: five years of unwavering dedication, passion, and commitment in the pursuit of a fairer, more equitable world.
In these five years, David has spearheaded impactful initiatives, engaged with communities, and collaborated with organisations that share his passion for social justice. His ability to inspire others and build powerful coalitions has been instrumental in creating lasting change that touches many lives.
We are grateful to have you on our team, David.
Come talk with TASC during NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week celebrations are kicking off next week across the region with the theme of For our Elders.
For a chance to win this lovely gift basket with items from local business Red Sand Sisters and artwork from some talented community members at Sunrise Way, we’d love to see you at the Toowoomba Community Fun Day on Monday at the Goods Shed on Victoria Street from 10am.
Just pop into the TASC stand for a chat and free raffle ticket.
For the most up-to-date information on the Toowoomba Region’s NAIDOC celebrations check out the Toowoomba NAIDOC 2023 Facebook page.
If you’re in Ipswich, TASC will be at the Ipswich NAIDOC Family and Cultural Celebration on Thursday 6 July at the Briggs Road Sporting Complex from 10am – we’d love to see you there too. We’re also running a free raffle at the Ipswich celebration. For a chance to go in the draw for a $100 gift card or one of four $25 gift cards, come to our stand for a chat to get your free ticket.
Both the raffles will be drawn on the day towards the end of the events.
TASC Wins SILVER at the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA) 2023
🎉 Big News! 🥈🏆
We’re thrilled to announce that TASC National has won SILVER at the prestigious Australasian Reporting Awards! 🌟✨ It’s a tremendous achievement for our organization, and we couldn’t be prouder of our team.
This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and expertise of every member at TASC National. We’re incredibly grateful for their unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding reports that make a real impact.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Australasian Reporting Awards committee for this honour. It’s truly humbling to be acknowledged among the top performers in the industry.
We also want to express our gratitude to our clients and partners for their continued trust and support. You are instrumental in our success, and we value the strong relationships we have built along the way.
This silver award is a reminder of our commitment to excellence and motivates us to push the boundaries even further. We will continue to raise the bar, innovate, and strive for greater achievements in our reporting endeavours.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees at the Australasian Reporting Awards. Let’s celebrate our collective accomplishments and continue making a positive impact in the reporting world.
#AustralasianReportingAwards #SilverWinner #Proud #TASCNational
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Week
This week it’s Tourette Syndrome Awareness Week. Did you know that about 1% of our population experience Tourette’s?
But, what is Tourette Syndrome? Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a condition that causes involuntary motor/vocal tics. These include: repetitive movements, unwanted sounds (tics), speaking offensive language, etc. Diagnosed at the early stages of childhood, this syndrome is 3-4 times more common in boys than girls.
This year’s campaign focuses on ‘What’s your first response?’. Let’s work together to change the way Tourette syndrome is viewed by society to be more inclusive.
Senior Solicitor Allana Janke Celebrates 11 Years with TASC
Congratulations to our awesome Senior Solicitor Allana Janke, celebrating another work anniversary with us.
Allana joined TASC in 2012 and works primarily in the area of Family Law. In her role, Allana provides people in the Ipswich community with free legal advice about parenting matters, divorce and domestic violence and family violence. She is also on the roster as Domestic Violence Duty Lawyer in the Ipswich Magistrates Court; and provides advice through the Family Relationship Centre as part of its partnership with TASC in Ipswich.
Allana supervises a team of Solicitors across TASC’s network of offices in Ipswich, Toowoomba and Roma. She also represents TASC on groups including the Regional Legal Assistance Forum in Ipswich.
Allana has a Bachelor of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, both from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). In 2008 she was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and to the High Court of Australia.
TASC Legal Support
TASC is a long-standing provider of community legal, social justice and advocacy services across a large geographic area in Queensland.
Our solicitors, social workers and advocates can help you to understand and take action about common legal problems or other matters that relate to your human rights, such as abuse and discrimination, but are currently working to capacity, please understand our high appointment demand if you have difficulty or a delay in booking an appointment.
If you or somebody you know are looking for legal or advocacy support but doesn’t have the resources to pay for it call TASC on 07 4616 9700 or visit www.tascnational.org.au to see how we can help you.
*Eligibility criteria apply.
