The Communications team will lead a discussion on:

• Advocacy and why it’s important
• Using the media to your advantage
• Effective communication with Government
• Maximising the impact of social media

We first shared our Advocacy Toolkit in 2018, offering insights into how you can advocate for outcomes and action on issues that matter.

Fast forward to 2024 and the toolkit has had a whole new refresh. The toolkit has new and updated content as well as templates that will assist you to write letters to Ministers, and meeting agendas that will help you nail those key messages when meeting with decision-makers.

With advocacy at our core, WACOSS has a long history of driving change for those experiencing disadvantage and hardship throughout Western Australia. This experience is reflected in this toolkit which will help you create an inclusive, just and equitable society.

Speaking at the webinar will be:

Lucy Morrison, Advocacy Lead, to discuss why advocacy is important and introduce the new toolkit. Lucy is the Advocacy Lead at WACOSS with a range of experience in political and community-based campaigns.

Laurene Coller, Communications Officer, to discuss social media applications in advocacy. Laurene is a communications specialist with more than 15 years’ experience working in the health, education and social services sectors.

Rachel Siewert, Acting CEO, to discuss how to effectively communicate with Government. Rachel has worked in many areas requiring communication and advocacy to Government; and,

Fraser Beattie, Communications Officer, to discuss utilising the strategies in the toolkit to use the media to your advantage in advocacy. Fraser is a former finance journalist and has worked in public relations for the past six years.

We hope that this Advocacy Toolkit helps you to feel enabled and empowered to make change within your communities for the better.

Webinar 2: Women’s Economic Security

Despite high levels of education, women in Western Australia continue to face barriers to workforce participation, a highly gendered labour market and widespread undervaluing of care work. This inequity has far reaching impacts, and can lead to entrenched disadvantaged, financial insecurity and poverty.

This webinar provides a space to discuss women’s economic security, including the economic value of feminised work, the gender wage gap, employment structures, new approaches to measuring productivity, and the disproportionate impact increased cost-of-living has on women. During the webinar you will hear from three leading thinking in this space, including:

Melinda Cilento
Melinda is a company director, economist and experienced senior executive. She is currently CEO of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), is a Non-Executive Director of Australian Unity and Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia. Melinda is also a member of the Parliamentary Budget Office panel of expert advisors.

Associate Professor Astghik Mavisakalyan
Astghik is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre at Curtin University. Astghik’s research has focused on employment, education, health, wellbeing and preference formation, seeking to understand the role of the family, institutions, culture and external shocks in these areas.

Professor Alison Preston
Alison is an Australian economist, Winthrop Professor of Economics at the University of Western Australia. She is an expert on wage determination and wages policy, the gender pay gap and segmentation and labour market structures.

Each speaker will provide an overview of their work before joining a panel discussion based on the question: What is the role of the community service sector in supporting women’s economic security and increasing women’s social and economic participation? Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and join the discussion.

This webinar will be hosted by Rachel Siewert, Deputy CEO at the Western Australian Council of Social Service.

Webinar 1: Supporting Young Women to Thrive

For many young women in WA, life circumstances such as poverty, trauma, lack of services or unmet needs, lead to poor social, economic and health outcomes. These outcomes can have far reaching impacts and may lead to entrenched disadvantage.

The community service sector play a significant role in developing positive social determinants that enable young women and act as protective factors against the ongoing impacts of social and public health issues, such as gender-based violence, racism, discrimination, inequality, poverty and social exclusion. Importantly, these protective factors also support young women to live empowered, happy, safe, and secure lives.

This webinar provides a space to discuss how we enhance work to support and enable young women in WA, through investment in positive social determinants that support positive life outcomes. During the webinar you will hear from three innovative programs working with young women, including:

• Brave Foundation – an Australian not-for-profit that equips expecting and parenting young people with resources, referral, and education opportunities to facilitate happy, healthy, and skilled families over time.
• Shooting Stars – an initiative of Glass Jar Australia which empowers Aboriginal girls and women across Western and South Australia to make informed choices about their education and employment journey, helping them shoot for the stars.
• Sexual Health Quarters – The HERS Project – (Hura, Empowered, Resilient, Sisters) program is a peer-education program for young women aged 16-29 years from migrant and refugee backgrounds, that builds knowledge, confidence and skills in sexual rights, consent and respectful relationships, and sexual health.

A representative from each program will provide an overview of their work and share learnings about supporting young women to build supportive and nurturing environments. Representatives will then join a panel discussion based on the question: How can the community service sector support young women through investment in positive social determinants that prevent poor social, economic and health outcomes, and promote positive ones?  Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and join the discussion.

This webinar will be hosted by Alison Evans, CEO of the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.