NSW – Education and Nonprofit sector

Contribute to community projects that involve a variety of other government agencies and community groups, such as, programs for students at risk of disengaging from education and employment have been developed in many areas of NSW. These include programs like Triple C on the Central Coast, Bridging the Gap in western Sydney and Plan-it Youth throughout NSW.

•  The University of New South Wales Foundation was established in 1988 as the University’s fundraising arm. Linked to the University by a trust deed, the Foundation’s mission is to enhance the financial and reputational of the University. The Foundation drives much of the main fundraising activity for UNSW. Led by a dedicated Board of Directors, it is active in resourcing vital capital works campaigns including, scholarships, faculty projects and research. Foundation staff can provide advice to graduates and supporters for the development of named scholarships and bequests.  http://www.unsw.edu.au/alumni/pad/alfoundation.html

• The Premier’s Community Service Award provides a community service program for Year 9 and 10 students in NSW Government schools. Created by Premier Morris Iemma, the initiative relies on respect and responsibility as essential values. Between other duties, the Community Service Builds links between schools and community service groups; Assists our vital community service and volunteer organisations. Links volunteering activities to relevant studies; Gives every young volunteer a Premier’s Community Service Award in Year 10 for completing a minimum 20 hours service over Years 9 and 10; Creates 10 annual education scholarships of $2000 each for the most outstanding young volunteers; and Creates one annual school grant of $5000 to the school with the best volunteering record. https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/newsroom/yr2007/feb/communityserv.htm    

•  The NSW Community Languages Schools Program funds community organisations to run language classes for school-aged children on weekends and evenings with the aim of helping communities maintain and develop their languages. Community Languages Schools are community-based, non-profit-making schools, established by community based culturally and linguistically diverse communities to maintain and develop their first / heritage language and cultural heritage. Currently they offer 49 languages in 443 schools to approximately 31000 students. The Program is managed by Student Services and Equity Programs of NSW https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/eas/commlang/about/about.html

• The Early Childhood Association of NSW is a non-government and non-profit early childhood intervention service that assists children who have a diagnosed disability or difficulties in physical, intellectual or emotional behaviour. There is currently a waiting list for speech pathology services and to address this, Early Education will use their local grant to provide education sessions that will give parents practical strategies to enhance their child’s communication skills and improve everyday interactions. http://about.commbank.com.au/group_display/0,1696,TS18255,00.html

• The Learning Community Grants Program assists young people aged 12 to 24 years who have left school early or students at risk of leaving school early. It provides funding assistance to community organisations and local government authorities in New South Wales to undertake innovative and creative activities with these people in informal learning settings, and to link participants back to education and training. https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/eas/youth/index.htm

• The concept of students being actively engaged in their community is a popular one. The Centre for Volunteering’s Student Community Involvement Program (SCIP) is a community development program that actively promotes and increases student participation in their local communities through volunteering opportunities. It encourages proactive youth with a greater understanding and community awareness such as School based projects Fundraising Gathering resources Awareness campaigns.   http://www.volunteering.com.au/youth_volunteering/school_volunteering.asp

 

NSW – Employee Volunteering

Employee Volunteering is any action by an employer to encourage and support the volunteer involvement

In the past two decades, there has been a marked increase in volunteering opportunities through the workplace known as employee volunteering or employee community involvement. Not-for-profit organisations can benefit from employee volunteering by having a new source of volunteers with specific skills and expertise, employer support in their volunteering activities and access to a new form of support for the organisation.

 

The following article explains how employees – volunteers – nonprofit organisations get related. http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/download/VolunteeringGuide.pdf

 

New South Wales Non Profit Salary

  average   avg. min    avg. max

 

 

http://content.mycareer.com.au/salary-centre/community/non-profit/nsw

NSW – Insurance for volunteers

The Good Samaritan provisions under Part 8 of the Civil Liability Act 2002 protect people who provide assistance to an injured person in good faith and without expectation of payment. However, a good samaritan will not be protected if that person causes the initial injury to the injured person, or if their ability to exercise reasonable care and skill was significantly impaired by alcohol or drugs. http://www.agd.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/cru/ll_cru.nsf/pages/cru_civilliability
 

Some types of insurances the organisations may consider:

 Volunteers Workers Personal Accident – Covers accidental injury or death as a result of any authorised activity carried out by volunteers on behalf of the organisation, including travel to and from the activity. This insurance also normally covers loss of income and various out of pocket expenses, including medical and pharmaceutical expenses. All benefits are paid on the approval of the insurer.

 

Public Liability – Covers an organisation, paid workers and should cover volunteers for any liability to a third party for property damage or personal injury caused in connection with the business activities of the organisation.

 

Directors and Officers/Professional Indemnity Liability and Voluntary Boards of Management – This policy can cover the organisation for loss incurred through breach of professional duty or negligence; sexual harassment; misleading advertising; and defamation and slander. Cover can also be extended to cover fidelity guarantee etc. Please note: Any Articles of Association or Contract cannot relieve directors and officers of their legal responsibility.

 

Motor Vehicle Insurance – Cover for owned vehicles driven by volunteers and paid staff for loss or damage to the vehicle or third party property.

 http://www.volunteering.com.au/working_with_volunteers/volunteering_issues/insurance.asp

NSW – A Volunteering Organisation

A volunteer organisation means an association or other body the activities of which are not engaged in for the purpose of making a profit.

A one-off event or annual event that provides benefit (financial, promotional, social) to a community, town or city and not to an individual or company. Voluntary work for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games may be seen as an example, as will the Commonwealth Games in 2006. Data provided by the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG) show that there were around 47,500 Olympic volunteers, the majority from NSW. As for non-Olympic volunteers, there were slightly more women than men but the age profile was slightly younger. Around 40% of Olympic volunteers were aged less than 35 years compared to 29% of volunteers generally. http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/allprimarymainfeatures/269E4052D769BEECCA25731000196F94?

  

Volunteering Rate by Type of Organisation

Arts/ heritage	1.3
Community/ welfare	7.9
Education/ training	7.7
Emergency services	1.4
Environment/ animal welfare	0.8
Health	3
Parenting/ children/ youth	2
Religious	7.3
Sport/ physical recreation	9.5
Other recreation/ interest	1.5
Other(c)	1.9

http://www.facs.gov.au/communities/volunteering_in_australia/nsw.htm

 

Every council area in New South Wales has an SES presence and some of the more populous council areas have units with more than 100 volunteers. The “State Emergency Service” is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community. It is made up almost entirely of volunteers, with 232 Units located throughout New South Wales. The Units comprise of more than 10,000 volunteer members, who are easily identified by their distinctive orange overalls. The support of partners has included the production of community service announcements, the donation of additional equipment and the production of printed safety material. http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/volunteers/

New South Wales – Volunteering

Volunteers                Sidney 36.7% – NSW 44%

Hours volunteer         Sidney 125 %-  NSW 137%       

http://www.volunteering.com.au/become_a_volunteer/meet_our_volunteers/index.asp

 

The volunteer rate in Australia was 32% for capital cities overall compared with 38% outside the capital cities. South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania exhibited this pattern, but the differences were greatest in Victoria and New South Wales. http://www.volunteering.com.au/tools_and_research/volunteering_statistics.asp 

 

In New South Wales the volunteering rate was 19% in 1995.  This rose to 30% in 2000 and 33% in 2006. People living outside the capital city area had a higher volunteering rate, 37% compared with 30% for those living in Sydney during 2006.

 

 

The Centre for Volunteering is the peak body in New South Wales promoting and supporting volunteering and community participation. http://www.volunteering.com.au/become_a_volunteer/meet_our_volunteers/index.asp

NSW – Some recent information about funding: Charitable Trusts Amendment Bill

The trust deeds of most PPFs and ancillary funds do not allow the trustees to donate to bodies that are not charitable at law. If the trustees make grants to bodies that are not considered charitable at law, then the trustees are technically in breach of their trust deeds.

 

Trustees are generally unable to alter the trust deeds to widen the list of potential donees so as to reflect the new tax arrangements. This is frustrating for the trustees of a number of PPFs and ancillary funds who would like to be able to give to a wider range of DGRs including bodies such as the Opera House or the Powerhouse Museum.

 

This Bill will give trustees of existing and future PPFs and ancillary funds (referred to in the Bill as “prescribed trusts”), the power to give to any DGR recognised by the Commonwealth legislation. These DGRs are referred to in the Bill as “eligible recipients”.

 

The Bill also expands the distribution power of existing prescribed trusts to give to DGRs. However it does not authorise a prescribed trust to make grants that are inconsistent with specific prohibitions in their trust deeds on the making of grants to certain kinds of bodies.

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LC20061116044

New South Wales – Funding

Sources: donations, sponsorship, entertainment or other goods or services, funding programs, telethons, the conduct of lotteries and games of chance, the supply of food.

 

A telethon is a fundraising event broadcast on television that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political, or other allegedly worthy cause. Correspondingly, the term is a portmanteau of “television” and “marathon“.

 

There are three broad categories as regards funding: not-for profit services / for profit or private services / government providers – usually State government human services and in a smaller number of cases, local government. Each of these sectors has a valuable role to play in the provision of funded community services.  

 

The most common source of funding in NSW are Funding or Community Programs. One example is The Community Services Grants Program (CSGP) which assists people in NSW to live in a just society and to participate in strong communities that cope effectively with change and promote safety, welfare and wellbeing.  The CSGP includes funding for individual and family support services, community development services, neighbourhood and community centres, youth support services and some child protection services, as well as services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and ethnic groups. Another important partnership that has become more formalised in recent times is that with other NSW Human Service Departments. Check Department of Community Services (DoCS) Funding Policy for thourough information http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/funding_policy.pdf

 

In the past solicitors paid one practising fee which covered the cost of their practising certificate and membership of the Society. However from 1 July 2004 the introduction of voluntary membership means that the annual fee has been broken down into two parts:

A practising certificate fee, which is compulsory for those wanting to practice as a solicitor: and

A membership fee, which is voluntary for those wanting to be a Member of the Law Society.

The Law Society’s income is supplemented by a number of other sources of revenue.

Income from publications, members’ service products, continuing legal education courses and conferences, rent from tenants in the Phillip Street building and interest provide a growing source of revenue with which the Society seeks to fulfil its objectives.

A number of community service projects are operated by the Society, partially funded by grants from the Public Purpose Fund. Projects such as the Speakers Bureau and the Community Referral Service deliver to the public in New South Wales practical legal assistance and education on the legal system. http://www.lawsociety.com.au/page.asp?partID=745

New South Wales – Nonprofit official recognition

What permits or approvals are required?

If your organisation intends to fundraise for a charitable purpose it must be the holder of an authority to fundraise ‘authorised fundraiser’. The Office of Charities in the Department of Gaming and Racing is responsible for issuing this type of authority.

If you are a person who intends to fundraise for a charitable purpose you must be an authorised fundraiser. However, an authority will only be issued to a natural person in exceptional circumstances.

If you intend to fundraise for a charitable purpose in the name of, or on behalf of, another organisation, the appeal must be authorised by that organisation which in turn must either be an authorised fundraiser or be exempt from the need to be an authorised fundraiser.  http://www.ato.gov.au/nonprofit/content.asp?doc=/content/56555.htm&page=3&H3

 

How to Incorporate in NSW?

There are two ways to incorporate as an association in New South Wales – under the Parents and Citizens Act, if your organisation is a Parents and Citizens Association, or under the Associations Incorporation Act, if it isn’t. If you’re not a P&C, you need to prepare: A name for the association, The aims and objectives of the organisation, A draft set of rules of the association (the constitution), Public Liability Insurance, Meeting. 

When a group is incorporated, one member must be appointed as Public Officer, who must be over 18 and a NSW resident. The Public Officer is responsible for lodging an Annual Statement each year and informing Fair Trading. http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/management/view_help_sheet.do?articleid=17

New South Wales – Specific information about the Nonprofit Sector

Words commonly used to describe a nonprofit organization are: charities -funds – churches – unions – clubs – societies – cooperatives – association.
 
In New South Wales the raising of money for charitable purposes – which means conducting a fundraising appeal for a charitable purpose – is governed by the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991. Some organisations are allowed to conduct fundraising appeals for a charitable purpose without holding an authority to fundraise, if they are established under a New South Wales Act and are subject to the control of a New South Wales government minister. However these organisations are still required to comply with the other provisions of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991. Parents and Citizens Associations and New South Wales State Emergency Services are examples of such organisations. http://www.ato.gov.au/nonprofit/content.asp?doc=/content/56555.htm&page=3&H3 
 
Charitable trusts are the legal vehicles that allow individuals, families and corporations to make philanthropic donations. Charitable trusts have a range of tax benefits under Commonwealth income tax law: the trusts themselves are exempt from income tax, and donations to charitable trusts are tax deductible.
 
Ancillary funds are another class of charitable trusts that are active in the philanthropic area. They were first established in the 1960s. An ancillary fund is a type of public philanthropic trust fund that effectively acts as a conduit or intermediary between:
• Members of the public who make tax deductible donations to it; and
• DGRs to whom, in its discretion, it passes on the funds or makes donations from time to time.
However an ancillary fund is not permitted to carry on any direct charitable activities. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/0/dcfe5e2c7ce8cbc7ca257211001cb974/$FILE/LC%2010006.pdf  
 
Community Centre is a community-based on non-profit, non-government organisations. Australian community legal centres (CLCs) are independent, non-profit community organisations that provide free legal services to the public. About 20 centres receive no or very little funding and are staffed entirely by volunteers. All other centres receive funds from a variety of sources including state and federal governments and philanthropic organisations.
There are 39 Community Legal Centres throughout NSW employing qualified staff including solicitors, social workers and community legal educators. We also have volunteer solicitors, barristers, law students and others working with us to extend our legal services. Some centres provide legal advice over the phone and hold interview and advice sessions after business hours.
Check the NSW Community Centre Directory http://www.nswclc.org.au/
 
The Department of Education and Training administers the provision of funding to non-government schools and provides advice to the Minister on Commonwealth-State relations, including issues associated with Commonwealth funding of non-government schools. It manages the Non-Government Schools Advisory Council, a body which provides advice to the Minister through the Department on the policy issues affecting the sector. Critics of the current administrative structure pointed out the perceived conflict of interest in the Department which influences ministerial decisions on a school sector which is effectively its competitor. As a result, there is currently no administrative structure within New South Wales for dealing with the non-government sector’s educational accountability or with planning related to new or expanding schools. A Review considers a range of different models, drawn from Australia and overseas, for the administration of non-government school matters in light of the criticisms of the current arrangements and the expanded set of functions proposed: application of more rigorous registration criteria and processes, establishment of a new educational and financial accountability framework for State funds, establishment of a cross-sectoral planning framework for the growth and expansion of non-government schools.  https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/reviews/ngsreview/6_currst.htm
 
 The Better Service Delivery Program (BSDP) was established to help welfare and community agencies to share information and improve their services to clients. The Program commenced in July 2001 to improve coordination between the large number of agencies across New South Wales and make use of current internet technology to provide agencies with the tools to communicate with one another, to provide faster, more accurate referrals and to work with clients more effectively. Supported by funding from the New South Wales Government, it was introduced to government and non-government agencies across the state that deliver human services in New South Wales. http://bsdp.hsnet.nsw.gov.au/#Home

New South Wales – Economy

The bases of the State’s economy are agricultural and pastoral industries, a broadly based manufacturing sector, ample stocks of coal and highly developed service industries.

New South Wales’s rich agriculture and mining sectors form the mainstay of its export-earning ability, accounting for almost 50 per cent of export income. The State’s resource-based industries are coal, metallic and industrial minerals, minerals processing, chemicals, pulp and paper, processed food and agricultural products.

New South Wales generates more than 35 per cent of Australia’s goods and services and sends more than 60 per cent of its exports to Asia – a larger amount than any other Australian State. It attracts more than a third of all foreign investment into the country. http://members.ozemail.com.au/~enigman/australia/nsw.html 

Overseas trade

New South Wales is Australia’s largest trading State. In 1992-93, imports were worth $26.4 billion and exports $13.2 billion. The main imports were office machines and automatic data processing equipment, road vehicles, petroleum and petroleum products, telecommunication and sound recording equipment, and electrical machinery and appliances. The main exports were coal and coke, cereals and cereal preparations, textile fibres, petroleum and petroleum products, and iron and steel. Major export markets were Japan, New Zealand, the United States and the Republic of Korea.

Labour market

Working Age Population (15-64) : 4,639,500  Employment Rate (15-64) : 71.7%                         Unemployment Rate : 4.7%   Participation Rate : 63.7%

Technology and informatics are the main areas in which people develop professionally.

http://www.workplace.gov.au/lmip/LabourForceData/NSW?cid=EmploymentByLFR%7CState%7CNSW%7CLFR%7Canon%7CLabour%20Market