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Sexual Violence Awareness Month

Sexual Violence Awareness Month (SVA Month) is held during October each year to raise community awareness about sexual violence, promote the support options available to people affected by sexual assault and sexual abuse, and uphold  a clear message that sexual violence will not be tolerated in our communities.

Sexual violence can happen to anybody, regardless of age, gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status, ability, sexual orientation or location. First Nations women and girls, and women and girls with disability, are especially vulnerable.

  Sexual violence is a violation of human rights and is unacceptable.  All of us have the ability to look out for each other’s safety and play a role in preventing this form of abuse in our communities.

If you have been impacted, or know someone who has been,  our Legal Service provides legal advice for matters relating to domestic violence which can often involve sexual violence.

For persons who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse we may be able to assist  through our Redress Support Service . Go here to find out more https://www.tascnational.org.au/redress-scheme-support/.

TASC announced as Redress Scheme Support Service

TASC National, a community legal, advocacy and social justice organisation which services Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and Maranoa has been announced as the Redress Support Service for people in the region seeking support to engage with the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme).


Redress Support Services offer free, confidential, practical and emotional support to people applying, or considering applying to the Scheme.


The Scheme is in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which estimated over 60,000 people in Australia have experienced such abuse.


TASC CEO, Frances Klaassen OAM said while the Scheme began on 1 July 2018, the recent announcement of TASC as a support service means engaging with the Scheme is now more accessible to the local community.


“The National Redress Scheme is an important step in gaining recognition, acknowledgement, support and healing for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse and in holding institutions accountable,” she said.


The Scheme can provide access to counselling, a Redress payment, and the option to receive a direct personal response, such as an apology, from the responsible institution.


Delving into deeply personal and emotionally sensitive issues can be confronting. TASC understands this and has a focus on meeting each individual applicant’s need around how they can be best supported through their application process.


“Through our work in the community we understand accessing schemes like Redress is often difficult both from an emotional perspective as well as having to navigate complex systems,” she said.


“Using a person-centred approach for clients engaging with the Redress Scheme, our case workers will be there to provide support, information and advice based on a person’s circumstances so they’re able to make informed choices about which areas of Redress to pursue.”


“Clients can also choose whether to pause or progress their application at any stage,” she said.


Ms Klaassen said the scope of institutional child sexual abuse uncovered by the Royal Commission means people engaging with the Scheme will come from a wide cross section of the community.


“If you believe you’re eligible or know someone who might be eligible for redress but are unsure I would encourage you to talk with us or to visit our website to find out more information.”


For more information about the Scheme, eligibility and support services visit tascnational.org.au/redress or nationalredress.gov.au .

Talk with TASC during Mental Health Week

Catch up with the team at TASC on Tuesday 11 Oct for cuppa, a chat and the chance to do some wellbeing activities. Did you know TASC offers a Mental Health Advocacy Service? If you or someone you know experiences mental health challenges and needs advocacy assistance please contact TASC on (07) 4616 9700 or visit tascnational.org.au for more information.

Fathers Day

This Sunday, many Australian men will wake up to handmade cards, craft and, maybe, a new electronic gadget. But beyond the traditional BBQ celebration, it’s a time to acknowledge the role of fathers in our society.

Fatherly love helps us develop a sense of our place in the world, which helps our social, emotional and cognitive development and functioning. In fact, children who receive more love from their fathers are less likely to struggle with behavioral or substance abuse problems. Research has shown that children who spend quality time with their fathers are 80% less likely to be incarcerated or engage in criminal activities.

Our team at TASC help men with family law issues, such as parenting, property settlements and divorce. Our goal is to help them maintain happy, healthy and meaningful involvement in their children’s lives. If you live in Toowoomba, Ipswich or South West Queensland or know men in those areas who are experiencing family law issues, contact TASC Legal and Social Justice Services on 07 4616 9700.

#fathersday2022

Celebrating Indigenous Cultures

Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous peoples of Australia. They are not one group, but rather comprise hundreds of groups that have their own distinct set of languages, histories and cultural traditions. The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated globally on 9 August. On this day, people from around the world are encouraged to promote and promote the rights of indigenous peoples.

This year’s theme is “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge”. Indigenous women are the backbone of indigenous peoples’ communities and play a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of traditional ancestral knowledge. They have an integral collective and community role as careers of natural resources and keepers of scientific knowledge. The reality, however, remains that indigenous women are widely under-represented, disproportionately negatively affected by decisions made on their behalf, and are too frequently the victims of multiple expressions of discrimination and violence.

TASC is funded by the Queensland Government to deliver legal advice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women living in or around Toowoomba, Ipswich or Roma. To access this service simply visit https://www.tascnational.org.au/services/ or call 07 4616 9700 for a confidential discussion with one of our legal team.

TASC scoops up Silver Award for reporting

Transparency and clarity represent core aims for most businesses and organisations.  For organisations in the Not for Profit space and which rely on government funding it is vital.

TASC  is no exception and earlier last month (July 2022)  was rewarded for walking the talk on transparency and clarity in their corporate communications with a Silver award at the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA) for their 2020/21 Annual Report.

Other organisations to receive a Silver award in 2022 included: CSIRO, DFAT, Mission Australia and Australian Red Cross Society among others.  To be included with so many high profile and large organisation puts in context the level TASC’s achievement.

What are the ARA?

The ARA have been operating for over 70 years and were introduced to improve the quality of annual reporting in Australia and raise awareness of the purposes of organisations and their achievements.  The awards have been expanded and are open to organisations in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.   More information is available at About the Australasian Reporting Awards — Australasian Reporting Awards (arawards.com.au)

How are they judged?

According to the ARA:

“Reporting, the annual report especially, is an essential mechanism of accountability, a vital element in the governance process….  Good reporting requires an open willing attitude, attention to detail and accuracy, a sensitivity and responsiveness to stakeholders, a willingness to put in the effort to communicate effectively and a commitment to achieving and improving upon standards.”

Reports are assessed on six criteria:

  • Overview of the organisation, its context and objectives
  • Review of operations or activities with a focus on progress towards achieving objectives
  • Coverage of the organisation’s governance approach and its effectiveness
  • Coverage of the organisation’s human resources management approach and effectiveness
  • Details and analysis of financial performance and financial statements
  • Presentation and navigation

Congratulations to everyone at TASC who contributed to the Annual report. Pictured are current Marketing and Communications Coordinator Naish Nand with former colleague and report editor Amy Clark with a copy of the annual report.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children dreams

On 4 August, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, all Australians have the opportunity to show our support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, as well as learning about the crucial impact that culture, family and community play in the life of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child.

This year’s theme ‘My Dreaming, My Future’ refers to the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born into stories of their family, culture, and country. They carry with them the song lines of their ancestors and culture, passed down by generations. Their Dreaming is part of our history, while their futures are their own to shape. 

TASC is funded by the Queensland Government to deliver legal advice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families living in or around Toowoomba or Ipswich. To access this service simply visit https://www.tascnational.org.au/services/ or call 07 4616 9700 for a confidential discussion with one of our legal team.

#NATSIChildrensDay2022

#TASCnational

Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training

Coinciding with NAIDOC week in the first week of July, Strategic Indigenous Awareness training was presented by Gooreng Gooreng Man, Grant Sarra to the team at TASC. The day delivered some powerful and at times confronting insights for attendees to take with them into their work and daily lives. To understand our present, we must understand our past.

Charter of Rights for parents involved with the child protection system

Interacting with the child protection system can be an intimidating experience for children, parents and carers so knowing what your rights and responsibilities are is vital.

In June Queensland launched a Charter of Rights for parents involved with the child protection system in Queensland, becoming only the second state in Australia to do so.

The Charter recognises that parents have the right to:

• Life-long relationships with their children connected to community, Country and culture

• Self-determination and autonomy over decisions that impact their children and families

• Natural justice and the time and space to respond to the concerns made about their parenting

• Support services that decrease the need for departmental intervention.

The full document is available here: https://www.cyjma.qld.gov.au/…/charter-of-rights-for…

TASC Legal and Social Justice Services offers free legal services including family law matters. As we are Government funded some eligibility criteria apply. To book an appointment or find out more please visit tascnational.org.au or phone 07 4616 9700.

Five years service awards for TASC team members

Congratulations to Principal Solicitor and Legal Services Manager, David Manwaring and Social Justice Advocate, Simone Rodgers on their 5 Years of service at TASC.  Over the past 5 years David and Simone through their roles at TASC have positively impacted the lives of many people across the community.  A hearty and well deserved thank you to you both.

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