Day One 26^th March - Policy Advocacy - will focus on Ending Poverty and Inequality and the development of a Fairer Queensland Action Plan, seeking to promote a proactive approach to addressing the most harmful aspects of poverty. The day will commence with an overview of the success of anti-poverty strategies in the international context, in other states, and here in Queensland, showing what can be achieved.

Throughout the day we will consider the key elements of an anti-poverty plan for Queensland and  how we can successfully advocate for the needs of the most disadvantaged with training sessions around systemic advocacy.

The day will finish with action based sessions enabling participants to contribute to the development of QCOSS policy across a range of key issues.  

Day Two 27^th March - Sector Development - will look at creating a positive future for the community services sector. We will start by looking ahead to visualise the role of the not-for-profit community services sector in 10-20 years andidentifying the threats and opportunities we face.

Throughout the day we will examine what are our key priorities in building a stronger community sector that is the underpinning of a civil society and what are our essential strengths in doing so.

The day will also focus on what we need to actualise this vision – a skilled workforce and viable organisations – by providing practical sessions and skills development sessions.

The day will finish with action focused sessions where we will work together to plan and develop the next steps in building a positive future for the community services sector. This will inform QCOSS’s sector development activities over the next year.

ConferenceKeynote speakers include:

·        

·         Robin Hanan (Co-ordinator, European Anti Poverty Network Ireland)

·         Robert Fitzgerald (Australian Productivity Commissioner and Founding Chair, National Roundtable of Non Profit Organisations)

·          Lizzie Adams (Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council)

·         SherylLawton (Deputy Chair, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council)

 ·         Muriel Bamblett (Chairperson, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care)

      Dr David Adams (Victorian Department of Communities)

Workshop Topics:

Workshop topics on Day 1 will include:

• ‘How to do it’ advocacy workshops covering how to influence government and the bureaucracy.
• Participatory discussion sessions around topics including prevention and early intervention, responses to homelessness, and spatial poverty.
• Examples of best practice addressing poverty in Aboriginal Australia.
• Policy development sessions to enable conference attendees to input into QCOSS’s policy positions on a range of issues.
• A field trip in the afternoon ‘Poverty in the Brisbane landscape’ bringing poverty in Brisbane out of the shadows.

Workshop topics on Day 2 will include:

• ‘How to do it sessions around client participation in services, peer support networks, organisational development, and community asset building
• Practice examples of collaborative models of service delivery and Indigenous organisational models.
• Participatory discussion sessions around how we can create a strong and sustainable community services sector and what are our essential strengths in doing so.
• SAAP network sessions providing an opportunity for networking and capacity building in the SAAP and homelessness services sector.  
• Sessions to enable conference attendees to input into some of QCOSS's key strategies for building a stronger community sector. 

What’s in it for me?  

• The conference will balance the ‘big-picture’ view with stories from those working ‘on the ground.’
• Theoretical frameworks and models from Australia and overseas will be presented alongside examples of local best practice.
• Hear from a range of experts from Australia and overseas as well as participating in discussions and forums.
• ‘How to do it’ training sessions to upskill workers and their organisations on a range of topics acrosspolicy advocacy and building sector capacity.
• Participate in QCOSS policy development session to ensure our policy positions reflect the needs of the most disadvantaged.
• Contribute to some of QCOSS’s project work around strengthening the position of the Community sector, ensuring the sector’s viability, and clarifying the relationship between government and the sector.

To Download a Conference Brochure and Registration form for the conference click here. 

To Download the Sponsorship/Exhibitor's Kit click here. and sponsorship registration form click here.

QCOSS Conference DINNER & DANCE 

Monday 26th March 2007 (7.00pm) Held at: Riverside Reception Centre, 50 Oxlade Drive, New Farm, Brisbane

Conference Dinner & Dance is Proudly sponsored by: The Public Trustee

To Download the Conference Dinner & Dance Registration form click here.

Subsidised Attendance at the Conference

QCOOS is offering three subsidy programs for conference attendance:

SUBSIDY FOR PEOPLE FROM REGIONAL AND REMOTE AREAS 

The Department of Communities has sponsored the QCOSS Conference Subsidy for people from Regional and Remote areas to assist people from regional and remote areas to attend the 2007 QCOSS Conference. 

Applications through this program have now closed.

DISABILITY SUBSIDY PROGRAM

A disability subsidy program is provided to assist people with a disability in meeting the costs for attending the Conference.

Applications through this program have now closed.