WESDARC Links

Sites for AOD and Community Workers: Key Agencies

Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia: www.adca.org.au

The Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) is the peak, national, non-government organisation representing the interests of the Australian alcohol and other drugs sector, providing a national voice for people working to reduce the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs.

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC): www.ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) is a premier research institution in Australia and is recognised internationally as a Research Centre of Excellence. The Centre is multidisciplinary and collaborates with medicine, psychology, social science and other schools of the University of NSW, as well as with a range of other institutions and individuals in Australia and overseas.

The overall mission of NDARC is to conduct high quality research and related activities that increases the effectiveness of Australian and International treatment and other intervention responses to alcohol and other drug related harm.
 

The Australian National Council on Drugs: www.ancd.org.au

ANCD is the principal advisory body to Government on drug policy and plays a critical role in ensuring the voice of the community is heard in relation to drug related policies and strategies. Includes research reports, funding information, government policy, statistics, drug information.

Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs: www.apsad.org.au

APSAD is Australia's leading multidisciplinary organisation for professionals involved in the drug and alcohol field. APSAD offers two major forms of professional development for health professionals. The first is the Society's scientific journal, the Drug and Alcohol Review. The second is the Annual Drug and Alcohol Conference.

Anti-Discrimination Board: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/adb

The Anti-Discrimination Board was set up in 1977 to administer the Anti-Discrimination Act.

• It investigates and conciliates complaints of discrimination, harassment and vilification. The Board is impartial in this process. It does not take sides. The Board tries to help both parties involved come to an agreement about how the problem can be resolved.
• It informs and educates the people of NSW, employers and service providers about their rights and responsibilities under anti-discrimination law.
• It makes recommendations to the government about amendments to anti-discrimination law.

Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre: www.damec.org.au

The Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre (DAMEC) is a state wide, non-profit, non-government organisation funded by South East Area Health Service. DAMEC's primary focusis to bridge the service gap by assisting and supporting Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (AT&OD) service providers to make a difference to the way they access and service Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (C&LD) client.

Management Services Online: www.managementsupportonline.com.au

MSO offers online access to the resources and advice your community organisation needs to effectively deal with the wide range of management issues you face daily. Designed for organisations of all sizes and for people with a variety of backgrounds and experience, this easy to use, always accessible service is committed to the viability of the community sector and not for profit organisations, and to an ideal of strong organisations supporting healthy communities.

Mental Health Association: www.mentalhealth.asn.au

The Mental Health Association NSW Inc is a non-government organisation and registered charity funded by Northern Sydney Area Health. Members are people who are interested in mental health issues. The Association’s major activities include provision of the Mental Health Information Service, support groups (including training and establishment of new groups), mental health promotion and advocacy.

National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction: www.nceta.flinders.edu.au

NCETA is a centre of excellence in the implementation and dissemination of research related to workforce development in the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) field. NCETA has been instrumental in introducing the concept of workforce development to the field. NCETA is undertaking a range of innovative projects to improve understanding of this relatively new and complex area.

National Welfare Rights Network: www.welfarerights.org.au

The purpose of the NWRN is to assist its member organisations, individual Welfare Rights services throughout Australia, in their work to reduce poverty, hardship and inequality in Australia by providing advice and assistance to individuals to ensure they can exercise their rights, fulfil their obligations and maximise their entitlements under the Australian Social Security system; and advocating for the maintenance of a Social Security system that has legal rights, obligations and entitlements detailed under, and protected by law.

Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies: www.nada.org.au

NADA is the peak representative organisation for the alcohol and drug non-government sector throughout NSW. Core functions include: Policy and planning advice to government through involvement in strategic state-wide committees; Taskforces and other government forums; Policy and planing advice to the membership; Information dissemination; Advocacy for the sector as a whole and for individual member agencies; Response to information requests from the membership and key stakeholders; and Hosting of an annual alcohol and drug conference.

Nonprofit Governance & Management Centre: www.governance.com.au

THE NGMC has been formed to support board and management towards high ethical and professional standards in the governance and management of charities and nonprofit organisations; improve the knowledge and skills of directors and managers of charity and nonprofit organisations; Provide governance and management expertise to charity and nonprofit organisations through consultation, education and other appropriate processes and programs; assist boards and management in their ongoing development.

Philanthropy Australia: www.philanthropy.org.au

As the peak body in the philanthropic sector, Philanthropy Australia offers a range of resource and information services to grantseekers.

Philanthropy Australia has a range of relevant and useful publications to aid grantseekers, including the best selling The Australian Directory of Philanthropy and its companion volume for the area of corporate philanthropy, The Directory of Corporate Community Involvement.

Philanthropy Australia also offers training for grantseekers in the form of half-day Grantseeker Workshops.

Psychotherapy in Australia: www.psychotherapy.com.au

Home of the Professional Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal 'Psychotherapy in Australia'. Psychotherapy in Australia also provides professional development training events, has a secure online bookstore, and a national guide to training programs.

Western Sydney Information and Research Service: www.westir.org.au

WESTIR is available to assist with the provision and availability of information and data for the community, public and private sectors throughout the Greater Western Sydney region.

Youth Action and Policy Association: www.yapa.org.au

The Youth Action & Policy Association NSW (YAPA) is the peak community group working in the interests of young people and youth services in NSW. YAPA strives to achieve social justice for young people, including the appropriate provision of services for young people.

Sites for AOD and Community Workers: Training

Allwood and Associates: www.allwoodassociates.com.au

Allwood & Associates offer a range of flexible services and customised strategies to address personal, professional and organisational development requirements.

The Centre for Community Welfare Training: www.acwa.asn.au/CCWT

The Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) is the learning and development arm of a NSW peak body, the Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies (ACWA) and provides professional development opportunities for staff employed across the community services industry.

Worker's Education Association: www.weasydney.nsw.edu.au

WEA Sydney is a voluntary, independent, not-for-profit adult education organisation. Our mission is to provide adults with stimulating and varied educational activities that develop their knowledge, understanding and skills. Within our program we place special emphasis on providing opportunities for the serious and objective study of the arts, humanities and sciences.

Working With Youth: www.workingwithyouth.com.au

Working with Youth is committed to providing needs based, 'real world' training for those working with youth. Their trainers are professionals who are currently working in the field ensuring workshops provide relevant, cutting edge ideas and information. Working with Youth also offers other services around funding and grant applications, supervision, and recruiting and employing new staff.

Sites for AOD and Community Workers: Resources

Gevers Goddard Jones: www.ggj.biz

GGJ can help you with reviews and evaluations; developing and implementing management systems; policy and procedures; business plans; community planning and development; financial management systems; training manuals; management committee and staff training; group facilitation; and social research.

Jesuit Social Services: www.jss.org.au

Jesuit Social Services is a progressive, vibrant organisation with an exciting vision of community service and social action that is founded in Christian values. Areas of human service include crime, addiction, mental illness, long-term unemployment and entrenched social disadvantage. They are also involved at the community level, with inner city neighbourhoods in high-rise public housing estates and have a particular involvement with the Vietnamese community. Jesuit Social Services, through its policy and research arm, is involved in work in the field of public policy, research and advocacy, on behalf of the disadvantaged members of our society.

RecoverOz: http://www.recoveroz.com.au

This online bookshop is completely searchable, which allows you to search for a title, author, code or ISBN of a product, and retrieving the results immediately. Topics include Alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse, recovery, 12 step material, eating disorders, gambling issues and self help. They continuously expand their list to include more on other addictions, relationships, money matters, family issues, codependency, adolescent behaviours and lots more general titles. Of particular note, resources for professionals and for schools have increased enormously.

Photolanguage Australia from the Catholic Education Office: http://www.ceo.syd.catholic.edu.au

'Photolanguage' is a proven and popular medium for group facilitation. Utilisation black and white photo-graphs, the kit is designed to facilitate personal expression and interaction in small groups. The 130 photographs have been chosen specially for their aesthetic qualities, their capacity to stimulate imagination, memory and emotion, and their ability to challenge the viewer to thoughtful reflection.

Social Options Australia: www.soa.com.au

This is a consultancy, research and training firm that specialises in assisting human service organisations, based in Adelaide but work nationally. Major areas of work are applied social research and consulting, development and delivery of training, facilitation of workshops and consultations. SOA publish a number of handbooks, and hold biennial conferences in Adelaide on current key issues in the sector which attract interstate speakers and delegates. Their mission is to link human service organisations with the latest research, best practise and human service networks, thus enhancing quality outcomes for both organisations and the consumers they serve.

St Luke's Innovative Resources: www.stlukes.org.au

St Luke's is a community agency providing diverse human services throughout North-Central Victoria, Australia. St Luke's is known for its strength based and client centred philosophy. Social justice and community development are agency priorities.

St Luke's Innovative Resources publishes a range of 'seriously optimistic'  strengths-based books and material used by families, counsellors, teachers, therapists and social workers, including the best selling Strengths Cards, Strength Cards for Kids, The Bears, Reflexions.

Training, Health and Educational Media: www.themedia.com.au

THE Media has a wide range of educational videos, CDs and Software titles for health professionals, health educators, care givers and care recipients. Topics include Drugs and Addiction, Aged Care, Health and Safety, Maternal Health, and Mental Health.

Video Education Australia: www.vea.com.au

VEA aims to provide educational institutions – from primary to tertiary level – in Australia and overseas with a broad range of the highest quality video and multi-media products at an affordable and appropriate price, to stimulate students to think about issues. VEA has a particular passion for producing and acquiring titles on indigenous, human rights and social justice issues.

Drug Info Clearing House: www.druginfo.adf.org.au

Alcohol and other drug information service providing evidence based information on drugs and drug prevention, Newsletters, fact sheets, pamphlets, research reports, books, videos, manuals, posters and library facilities.