https:// 2021-04-14T23:02:56Z 2021-04-14T23:02:56Z rrt-help-with-meals-for-cyclone-hit-kalabarri

14 April 2021   The Rapid Relief Team (RRT) is helping provide breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as emergency RRT Food Boxes to Kalbarri locals displaced by Tropical Cyclone Seroja.   The team helped serve up more than 90 meals last night at the evacuation centre in Geraldton and will be providing further support through today.   RRT have also donated 35 of their emergency food boxes with another pallet (80 food boxes) on its way.   RRT Food Boxes contain a variety of non-perishable, long-life food that can feed a family of four for up to 48 hours.   There are estimates more than 50 per cent of Kalbarri’s buildings have been damaged by the Cyclone and thousands of locals are without power and other essential services in the wider region.   RRT is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.   Alex Sharpe, Western Australia Regional Team Leader for RRT, said it was Christian values of care and compassion that motivated them to help.   “While the region has been given the ‘all clear’ from the Cyclone, it is now the hard work in clean up and recovery begins.   The storm damage is significant with Emergency WA estimating it to be over an area 700km long and 150km wide.   “There is a shortage of supplies in the area over coming days, so we are only happy that we can help in a small way by providing meals to some of the hardest hit by Cyclone Seroja.”   Media enquiries: Bas Bolyn 0447 486 195       About the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church established the RRT in 2013 to express the Church’s principles of care and compassion. The RRT is staffed by Church volunteers who provide catering services at a range of charitable events and emergencies. Globally, the RRT has more than 14,500 volunteers and operates in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, the United States, Canada and Germany.      

2021-04-01T03:43:33Z police-credit-union-kicks-goal-with-new-grassroots-community-football-partnership

Police Credit Union has been announced as Naming Rights Major sponsor of the Hills Football League, known now as the Police Credit Union Hills Football League. The major partnership bolsters the financial security of one of the largest Australian Rules Football leagues in South Australia, which supports more than 3,000 players belonging to 19 clubs that span an area from Kangarilla to Kersbrook and Blackwood to Callington. Police Credit Union CEO, Costa Anastasiou, welcomed the opportunity to support the popular community-based sporting organisation. “Football is one of our greatest recreational past-times, and it’s fantastic to be able to get behind the League to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be involved in a sport that reinforces the value of teamwork, teaches new skills and helps players to grow their confidence and ability,” Mr Anastasiou said. “It makes perfect sense for us to get behind the Hills Football League because we share a common goal of supporting the local community,” he said. League President Don Cranwell, said the partnership with Police Credit Union was cause for celebration. ‘There’s no doubt that plenty of sporting bodies have been doing it tough because of the pandemic and economic uncertainty. Add into the mix the impact of devastating fires across the Hills, it has been a really challenging time for the local community. Our football league is an opportunity for people to spend time together and enjoy the experience of playing in a competitive local league or supporting a loved one that does,” Mr Cranwell said. “Our league has a long-standing history of being a proving ground for many talented footballers, with a number progressing through to the SANFL and the AFL and enjoying a very successful career thanks to the skills learnt in their early career.” The newly-named Police Credit Union Hills Football League will continue to see clubs divided into Division One (larger towns in the hills) and the Country Division (consisting of the smaller towns). Both divisions have their own minor round and finals programs. Most clubs within the league field teams across: Junior Primary (under 8s, 9s, 10s & 11s), Mini Colts, Junior colts, Senior colts as well as Senior A and B grades, with some clubs also fielding C Grade players. Female football is also growing in popularity, with an Under 16 competition and an open age (over 16) competition already being proudly established as a part of the league.  In addition to being naming right sponsor, the Police Credit Union logo will appear on uniforms, signage, as well as the league’s website and Facebook page. With the League’s head office based at 27 Alexandrina Road, Mt Barker, participating clubs will be well serviced by the Police Credit Union branch at Mt Barker. The new partnership complements Police Credit Union’s existing Adelaide Footy League sponsorship and support of the CFS Foundation and Crime Stoppers SA. ###       About Police Credit Union Formed in 1970, Police Credit Union is proudly South Australian based and headquartered, boasting a 93.8% Member Satisfaction score, an employee engagement score of 92.6%, total assets exceeding $1.174billion, and delivering Better Banking services to over 40,000 customers. As the most recognised credit union brand in South Australia, Police Credit Union is firmly committed to building enhanced capability in the delivery of both traditional face to face branch banking and local call centres, and innovative, convenient and secure digital architecture. Supporting better communities and reducing our environmental impact represents an intrinsic pillar of PCU’s corporate strategy. A strong sense of corporate social responsibility spans initiatives both large and small, including a long-standing partnership with the Police Association of South Australia, Major Sponsorship of Crime Stoppers SA, the CFS Foundation, Adelaide Football League, Hills Football League and a 23-year commitment in bringing the Credit Union Christmas Pageant to the streets of Adelaide, representing but a few examples of the organisation’s community investment over its 50-year history. Police Credit Union has helped thousands of South Australians and Territorians achieve their financial goals and aspirations, with competitive and high value Better Banking products and services. The multi award-winning, values-driven, Member-owned organisation offers a full suite of market leading loan and investment products, 24/7 Online, Mobile and App banking, Fast Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, and branches across SA and NT. 1300 131 844 I policecu.com.au   Police Credit Union Ltd ABN 30 087 651 205 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. ®Registered to BPAY Pty Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518. Osko services will be issued by over 50 BPAY Scheme members. The BPAY Scheme is managed by BPAY Pty Ltd (ABN 69 079 137 518). Contact your financial institution to see if it will offer the Osko services and to get the terms and conditions. Any financial product advice provided by BPAY Pty Ltd in relation to Osko services is general advice only and has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on such advice, you should review the terms and conditions and consider whether the Osko service is appropriate for your personal circumstances. Apple Pay: Apple, the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Pay: Android, Google Pay, and the Google Logo are trademarks of Google LLC. Samsung Pay: Samsung Pay is a trademark or registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

2021-03-29T07:51:44Z personal-finance-guide-launching-1-april-2021

Australia's newest and funniest guide to Personal Finance, launches 1 April, and will be available for purchase from the money-beans website. This ia a Dad and daughter team effort, aimed at providing an easy to read but informative guide to personal finance. Suddenly Responsible is intended for a person just starting out, or someone who, later in life finds themselves suddenly responsible and having to deal with all manner of personal finance issues. It is light hearted, a short read, but abundant with financial wisdom designed to get the reader rich slowly. Parents are encoursged to buy it for their teens, or even themselves. For each copy of the book sold via the website, Moneybeans will donate $1 to the Leukaemia Foundation.

2021-03-26T01:19:43Z mouse-plague-how-rural-residents-are-using-data-to-outsmart-swarms-of-rodents

Rural areas on the East Coast of Australia are being ravaged by a mouse plague, the scale of which feels almost biblical. “They’re everywhere,” says Jackie Coe from Dunedoo in the beautiful Warrumbungle shire of NSW. “We’ve never seen anything like this.” With mice invading properties in epic numbers, some residents are forsaking traditional methods like poisonous baits and steel traps for SMART Digital Pest Control - an intelligent system which uses data and non-toxic methods to trap rodents. Monitoring the premises 24/7, it’s catching mice in huge numbers. Mice Cause Havoc for Grocers, Residents and Farmers   Jackie runs a coffee shop out of the converted dining room of the picturesque heritage pub in Dunedoo, as well as a B & B cottage. “My biggest frustration is losing stock. The other day they got into our vege garden and ruined all the corn. I can only imagine what the big supermarkets and farmers are experiencing.” The mice have been swarming for the past couple of months, triggered by a confluence of unique conditions. The switch from last year’s drought to a season of regular rain - plus an unusually large grain harvest - has provided rodents with ideal breeding grounds. They mice are causing havoc for grocers and residents, plus farmers who are losing hundreds of thousands dollars’ worth of harvest. Alan Brown, a farmer in Wagga Wagga told The Guardian that “rats are at a nuisance level, but the mice are in plague proportions, particularly in the north and west and south-west of the state. They are causing serious problems now with people getting bitten.” Jackie says she’s heard similar stories; particularly of one woman with a disability in Dunedoo suffering distress as mice have bitten her feet. They’re being found floating en masse in swimming pools or in skimmer boxes. SMART Solutions Remove the Risk of Secondary Poisoning People have been using traditional methods to try and catch the mice, such as steel traps and poisonous baits. Unfortunately, both methods can be problematic thanks to the secondary risks they pose to children and pets. “We once had a cocker spaniel that died after eating several dead mice that had been poisoned by rodent baits,” says Jackie. “We’ve got lots of pets, including chickens, so we don’t want to take risks. I also saw someone had put down sachets of Ratsak in the park, which is dangerous.” The risk of secondary poisoning is particularly acute for farms and food businesses. Jackie has taken another method, installing Flick Pest Control’s SMART boxes in her home, B & B cottage and the coffee shop.   SMART is an intelligent system which uses data instead of poison to monitor for rodents, before trapping them with a non-toxic attractant. Flick monitors the system remotely, providing reports and adjusting the solution accordingly. It’s a method that’s particularly effective for large-scale areas or commercial warehouses and farms. “It’s very effective, fantastic really,” says Jackie. “The boxes are easy to relocate and empty - although that’s not pleasant! We’ve caught 250 in the last month.” As Australia’s leading pest control business, Flick has a nationwide presence. For more information on SMART and how we’re helping to fight the mouse plague, visit the website or contact:   Kevin Saul Branch Manager, Flick Dubbo kevin.saul@flick.com.au 0417 231 067  

2021-03-23T09:06:19Z how-are-cars-recycled

Vehicle recycling has as of late turned out to be increasingly famous with the overall population, thanks to some extent to the accomplishment of the green development, yet the AUS auto reusing industry has existed for a long time. Today, auto reusing is the sixteenth biggest industry in the AUS what's more, creates about $25 million in yearly income. There are right now around 7,000 auto reusing organizations all through the AUS. How The Recycling Process Works  Every year, car reusing yields enough steel to deliver about 13 million new vehicles. To accomplish this number, vehicle recyclers utilize a multi-step procedure to repurpose the inexhaustible materials from autos, trucks, SUVs, and different methods of transportation. The following is an essential framework of the means that auto recyclers take when they leave on reusing a vehicle. Must Read: Why Wreckers Are the Best Option to Sell Your Car? Stage 1: Remove Engine Fluids  Before the reusing procedure formally starts, liquids are expelled from recyclable vehicles to guarantee that they are appropriately discarded. Since the reusing system frequently starts at junkyards that sell utilized automobile parts, a junkyard may expel liquids all alone.  Notwithstanding speeding up the reusing procedure, expelling motor liquids can make vehicles more secure for junkyard clients to expel parts from. Expelling motor liquids can diminish the opportunity of flames creating in the rescue parcel, and shield clients from breathing in harmful vapour.  Stage 2: Remove Useable Parts  For auto reusing organizations, having recyclable vehicles go to a junkyard initially can decrease the time and vitality that are required to stall the piece metal and send it to a recycler. Moreover, parts that a recycler may not be keen on obtaining (for example, plastic repositories, elastic hoses, and tires) are regularly evacuated by junkyard clients to use for their vehicles.  Stage 3: Shred The Vehicle Frame  After a vehicle has had important parts expelled, just as segments that may not be recyclable (for example batteries, individual evaluations of plastic, and seating secured with manufactured texture, after these parts are expelled, a reusing organization puts the rest of the piece metal in a vehicle shredder that attractively isolates metal sections into ferrous and non-ferrous metals.  Stage 4: Mix Metals Together  Before for scrap metal is sent to automakers, it is joined with other metal to fortify the piece metal, and set it up to be shaped into another vehicle outline. "More than 14 million tons of steel from end-of-life vehicles were reused and reused in 2014 — a number that has developed in the previous decade.  Stage 5: Send To Manufacturers  After the piece metal is blended with other metal, it comes back to carmakers, so they can deliver new vehicle outlines that are probably going to be utilized to help produce a forthcoming line of vehicles. Using reused metal from cars helps makers since it doesn't cost as much as purchasing new metal. It benefits the steel business by lessening emanations at generation plants.  Keen On Recycling A Vehicle?  Assuming this is the case, sell or give your finish of-life vehicle to oziwreckersadelaide.com.au. We believe a functioning job in the reusing procedure by selling utilized parts from garbage vehicles. The fewer parts a vehicle contains when it heads to a destroying office or a vehicle recycler, the less work is required to process the recyclable metal into new metal that the auto reusing industry can utilize legitimately.  For more data about the way toward reusing a vehicle, get in touch with one of our Adelaide areas in SA. We anticipate talking with you!

2021-03-04T05:09:44Z victoria-s-oldest-cemetery-goes-green-by-creating-trees-instead-of-tombstones

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  - 4 March 2021 VICTORIA’S OLDEST CEMETERY GOES GREEN BY CREATING TREES INSTEAD OF TOMBSTONES. Wooling Hill Memorial Estate, New Gisborne Victoria, is partnering with Living Legacy Forest, joining the growing network of industry leaders that create the highest standard of sustainable memorials in the world. Wooling Hill (established 1840) is Victoria's oldest cemetery. Still, it is turning a new leaf by transferring people into trees instead of tombstones. Wooling Hill is the only privately owned cemetery in Victoria. Owners Liddy and Troy Upfield are also founders of Chapter House Funerals.   Unique to this partnership, Wooling Hill and Living Legacy can offer a funeral service and perpetual memorial. Families' do not need to engage with funeral directors. A final resting place is found independently, alleviating stress at a difficult time. This also contributes to a dramatic cost saving for families.  "People are becoming trees in their afterlife, and it's changing the way we leave the world as a nation. We are creating trees and restoring ecosystems for native wildlife." Said Warren Roberts, the founder of Living Legacy.  The Legacy Forest at the Wooling Hill Estate is over 2 acres of master-planned forest that includes native Eucalypts, Silver Birch, Flowering Magnolias and Oak Trees, all set around a flowing pebbled stream.  According to Adelaide's Centennial Park, a burial or a cremation create about 160kg of carbon impact. However, with Living Legacy Forest, that impact is offset with the planting of one tree. Living Legacy also donate 200 offset trees to be planted to contribute to global reforestation and carbon reduction. “It’s a real paradigm shift to be able to leave a positive footprint," said Troy Upfield. Troy also said, “We used to bury people downwards, and now they grow upwards; it's something your kid's children can look up to. People used to bring cut flowers to graves; now, the trees now greet them with flowers. A tree’s blossom spreads ones atoms into the universe.” “Ashes typically are added to a tree by nutrient infusion after death, however a lot of people like to plant their own tree with their family while they are alive and have their ashes added to the tree later. In some way, we can still be there for them by coming to the same tree they planted together," said Liddy Upfield.  "Your Legacy Tree contribution gives back all the air you breathed in a lifetime, but they can also cost less than half the cost of a traditional burial so you can save the planet, and you can also save a lot of money… We plant these trees as sacred gifts to the next generation that act as guides to help us appreciate our mortality and the gift of being alive and of being a part of life" Warren Roberts. Background: Living Legacy Forest:  Most people do not realise how much human cremated ashes weigh, about 3 kg. A little-known fact is that trees require a pH of around 5-6 to grow; cremated remains have a very high pH of 12 out of 14. Additionally, the total salts content's pH is about 2 cups, which is a large volume. The ashes to help a tree grow are not enough to balance the pH and salt; the tree still grows around the ashes to survive. Human cremated ashes require treatment before they can help trees grow. Just scattering them and burying them, even with biodegradable urns, does not allow them to succeed. The urn bio-degrades and the untreated ashes do not help the tree grow. Our organic treatment creates micro-nutrients that help trees grow. Leaders have now adopted this in the Cemetery Industry because of its proven growth results.  Wooling Hill Memorial Estate: The Robertson family established the estate in 1840 – it was one of the district's earliest settlements. As the Robertson children had families of their own, Wooling Hill came to resemble a small village. The nine-acre orchard and four-acre kitchen garden fed the family well. The family cemetery still stands at Wooling Hill, marked in the fashion of those times, by Italian cypresses and a hand-made post and rail-fence. The Wooling Hill Memorial Estate was opened in 2000 by developer Wayne Davies. In early 2020 Melbourne funeral directors Troy and Liddy Upfield purchased the estate and continue the work by its past owners. End  Photos and Videos - Dropbox Contacts:  Wooling Hill Memorial Estate - woolinghillestate.com.au  Troy Upfield - troy@woolinghillestate.com.au  0499 490 900 Living Legacy Forest - livinglegacyforest.com   Warren Roberts - warren@livinglegacyforest.com  0439 927 736                                      

2021-03-03T03:54:00Z rapid-relief-team-calls-on-riverina-region-to-help-one-of-our-youngest-little-locals-in-fight-of-your-life

It’s the family crisis you pray no parent should ever have to face. Yet horror has struck a local Junee family, with young couple Katrina and Mark Halliburton living with their little girl fighting leukaemia. Following a call from the family’s friends, the local community has banded together, organising a special fundraising event at Junee Oval on Saturday, 6 March – “Magic for Molly”.  Wagga Wagga Local Rapid Relief Team (RRT) Leader, Rohan Lindqvist, said while we cannot be with the Halliburton’s physically, we can be with them in spirit. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to come to Junee to support this family in our community doing it tough. In times of crisis, there’s nothing more important than helping each other,” Rohan said. To contribute to the event, the Wagga Wagga RRT will aim to sell more than 1,000 hot meals and just as many coffees on the day, with all proceeds going to the Halliburton family. “This is the one day we are urging anyone who can afford to contribute, not to pack a lunch or dinner. Just come down to Junee Oval, say G’day, have a special RRT burger and know the money is going straight to Molly.” Just over eight months ago, the beautiful four-year-old Molly Halliburton was at preschool complaining of a sore ankle and despite sounding harmless enough, a trip to the doctor discovered cancer. Now the family’s life is on hold, moving to Sydney to help Molly through treatment, which is why money must be raised to support the family’s costly relocation and medical expenses. “The thing that makes the Riverina so special is no matter the town, we always band together to support one of our own in a time of crisis. So, if you live anywhere from Wagga Wagga to Cootamundra and beyond, please clear your calendar for Saturday, 6 March.”  Other groups are also contributing amazing prizes for a raffle, including a holiday to a 5 Star Terrigal resort, an appliance and drinks package and family passes to the National Zoo & Aquarium Centre. RRT is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) who provide catering and emergency support services at a range of charitable events and emergencies. For more information about the Rapid Relief Team, go to https://rrtglobal.org/. ENDS Media enquiries: Bas Bolyn 0447 486 195   About the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church established the RRT in 2013 to express the Church’s values of care and compassion. The RRT is staffed by Church volunteers who provide catering services at a range of charitable events and emergencies. The RRT has consistently demonstrated its ongoing commitment to support Health and Disability causes. In 2018 alone, the RRT deployed 1071 volunteers to support charities within this sector and served more than 7,800 meals at charitable events. Globally, the RRT has more than 14,500 volunteers and operates in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, the United States, Canada and Germany.  

2021-03-02T08:59:24Z supporting-lucindale-farmers-amp-community-hit-by-fires

Continuing their collaboration with fellow charity BlazeAid, Rapid Relief Team (RRT) catered over 250 meals to an army of volunteers, attending CFS firefighters and local farmers in support of BlazeAid in Lucindale last week. The efforts were supported by two special guests in attendance, including Governor of South Australia, his Excellency the Hon. Hieu Van Le AC and Federal Member for Barker, Tony Pasin. In January, a grassfire near Lucindale tore through nearly 17,000 hectares of land, destroying a substantial amount of fencing and leaving the community counting the cost. The event on Saturday 20 February saw community organisations come together in support of those affected by recent fires, with Mt Gambier Hay Run delivering and donating 40 truckloads of hay, BlazeAid rallying handy helpers to repair damaged fencing and RRT fuelling them along the way with a BBQ lunch and refreshments. RRT is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) who provide catering and emergency support services at a range of charitable events and emergencies. “The Lucindale Fire wreaked a lot of damage and were especially devastating for local farmers,” Ben Cox, RRT Mt Gambier Local Team Leader (LTL) said. “RRT values compassion and kindness and it’s great we could support BlazeAid again and the great work they do. “While the bushfire event itself often receives the most attention in the public – it is in the weeks, months and years following where the hard work is needed most,” Ben said. “We hope this collaboration with BlazeAid provides some comfort to the Lucindale community in their rebuild and recovery efforts.”  BlazeAid is a volunteer-based organisation that works with families in rural Australia to help rebuild fences and other structures that have been destroyed after natural disasters. The BlazeAid event was hosted at Yakka Park, Lucindale. ENDS Media Contact: Bas Bolyn 0447 486 195   About the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) Every day in some small way, RRT volunteers offer a helping hand to those in need. For more information about the Rapid Relief Team, go to https://rrtglobal.org/ The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church established the RRT in 2013 to express the Church’s principles of care and compassion. The RRT is staffed by Church volunteers who provide catering services at a range of charitable events and emergencies. The RRT has consistently demonstrated its ongoing commitment to support Health and Disability causes. In 2018 alone, the RRT deployed 1071 volunteers to support charities within this sector and served more than 7,800 meals at charitable events. Globally, the RRT has more than 14,500 volunteers and operates in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, the United States, Canada and Germany.  

2021-02-18T06:00:10Z deliberatepractice-named-innovative-hr-team

St Leonards, NSW - Melbourne-based deliberatepractice has been selected in Human Resources Director’s Innovative HR Teams list. This prestigious list showcases the industry's most forward-thinking teams. HRD invited teams from across Australia to showcase their achievements and innovation over the last 12 months. Entries focused on a broad range of areas including talent management, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, reward and recognition, culture, and HR technology. After an incredibly challenging 12 months which saw HR step up to the challenge of leading through the crisis, this year’s list showcases the top 30 HR teams who have led the way when it comes to innovation. Sourcing candidates to work in the aged care sector is challenging even in normal times, but due to the pandemic, the already constrained workforces are further pressured by the practices and processes aged care operators have implemented to protect their residents, as well as the requirement for staff to only work at one home. To address the risk of staff shortages, Japara’s HR team and deliberatepractice, a specialised HR consulting firm, came up with a Surge Workforce solution, which solved the challenge of delivering a skilled and trained workforce that could be deployed to a facility at short notice. The solution included the implementation of a communication strategy and plan to provide information about the recruitment project, as well as pre-boarding and onboarding processes to enhance the workforce’s performance and satisfaction. The Surge Workforce Solution offered “extremely valuable” and “very high quality” support to Japara’s permanent employees and residents, with managers being overwhelmingly supportive of this solution. Further outcomes included the development of new career pathways for non-aged care workforces and an uplift in customer centricity. To view the full online special report and to find out more about deliberatepractice, click HERE. -ENDS- HRD is Australia’s leading source of news, opinion and analysis for today’s HR professional. HRD concentrates on the real issues and challenges facing the HR professional and the Industry, with in-depth features and analysis of what really matters with content featuring high level case studies, international and local profiles, interviews with HRDs and industry leaders from around the globe as-well-as leading news makers in the field.

2021-02-17T13:31:02Z racing-and-wagering-wa-named-innovative-hr-team

St Leonards, NSW – Osborne Park-based Racing and Wagering WA has been selected in Human Resources Director’s Innovative HR Teams list. This prestigious list showcases the industry's most forward-thinking teams. HRD invited teams from across Australia to showcase their achievements and innovation over the last 12 months. Entries focused on a broad range of areas including talent management, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, reward and recognition, culture, and HR technology. After an incredibly challenging 12 months which saw HR step up to the challenge of leading through the crisis, this year’s list showcases the top 30 HR teams who have led the way when it comes to innovation. 2020 has been a roller-coaster ride for the HR team at Racing and Wagering WA (RWWA). The team of 11 HR professionals at RWWA recognised that improving agility and streamlining processes were going to be critical in tackling the new challenges brought on by the pandemic. In a competitive jobs market made even more so by border closures, finding and retaining talent was a top priority. One way the team responded to this challenge was by embracing the use of AI interview responses in the recruitment process, which allowed them to assess the cultural fit of applicants and boost the candidate satisfaction rate to 95%. Matthew Thomas, RWWA’s general manager of people and culture, said 2020 had been a year of immense learning and innovation, shifting people’s mindset around the use of different technologies. Tech-driven solutions allowed them to reduce manual recruitment processes by six hours a week and develop a more engaging, successful onboarding process. By streamlining these key HR functions, the team shifted its focus to supporting RWWA’s people. Regular employee checkins provided a people-centric approach to wellbeing – something that has always been at the heart of the company’s HR strategy. “For us, technology has been an enabler, but the human element and everything we do from a people perspective will always be at the forefront,” Thomas said. To view the full online special report and to find out more about RWWA, click HERE. -ENDS- HRD is Australia’s leading source of news, opinion and analysis for today’s HR professional. HRD concentrates on the real issues and challenges facing the HR professional and the Industry, with in-depth features and analysis of what really matters with content featuring high level case studies, international and local profiles, interviews with HRDs and industry leaders from around the globe as-well-as leading news makers in the field.

2021-02-17T05:09:41Z schools-reap-surprise-benefits-from-pandemic-shutdowns

A national survey of school principals has laid bare the extreme challenges faced by Australian schools and students during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic – but also revealed unexpected benefits that could lead to permanent changes in the way we run schools and educate our children. Hundreds of principals from all school sectors – government, Catholic and independent, primary and secondary – have provided extensive accounts of how staff and students, particularly those in socially and economically disadvantaged schools, are being harshly impacted by shutdowns due to COVID outbreaks. Pivot Professional Learning CEO, Amanda Bickerstaff highlights, “This is a landmark study that brings together the experiences and priorities for principals from every sector and context in Australia. Now more than ever we must prioritise listening to our school leaders. We need to ensure our schools are future-proofed and able to support an equitable education for all students.”  The principals tell how the pandemic has exposed and compounded existing inequalities in the system, with students from disadvantaged schools lacking access to basic technology for remote learning, and suffering disproportionate impacts on their learning, mental health and general wellbeing.  However, many who took part in the survey also reported surprisingly positive lessons and impacts from the crisis, some of which could lead to major changes in schooling after the pandemic is over.   Principals from all sectors reported closer bonding between schools and their communities. The head of one Catholic school observed: “The community really values their constant interaction with the school.  The increased closeness among school leaders and family members emerged in part because remote learning increased the visibility of teachers’ pedagogical practice for families.”  The leader of another school wrote:  “Through remote learning, parents appreciated the deeper knowledge and understanding they developed about how their child learns and their capabilities. Parents were very affirming about the great job teachers do. There was genuine respect.”  The head of a disadvantaged government school in Victoria reported:  “This school community has been remarkable in the way it has endured and then thrived during the pandemic. Care, compassion, generosity of spirit and goodwill have existed throughout.” Principals also enthused about how moving some school meetings and events to video had enabled greater parent participation in their children’s education. Some schools had decided to continue using the technology after the pandemic to keep the family involvement going. Others described plans to continue offering virtual parent workshops and family-teacher interviews. In other responses, around two-thirds of principals thought the pandemic had positive impacts on the quality of teaching, and on teachers’ relationships with students and school leaders. These positive perceptions emerged from all school sectors – and advantaged and disadvantaged schools alike.  The researchers noted that such positive developments could lead to many practices that emerged during the crisis being carried on into the future. But a large majority of principals also reported negative impacts on their teachers’ mental health and social-emotional health, and many expressed concern about how to address the problem. A deputy principal from one Queensland school wrote: “Often the problem with staff wellbeing is that we can see that they are struggling mentally but they cannot.’’ Andrew Pierpoint, President of the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association said, “This study is very significant as it pulls together concepts that Principals and teachers address each and every day”. He went on to say that “it is very important to hear directly from principals – it provides a unique and important window into Australian schools,  raising issues that go beyond COVID-19”. The survey was conducted in late 2020 by the Australian education company Pivot Professional Learning in partnership with the Coalition of Australian Principals. Leaders of primary and secondary schools across the nation were invited to participate in an online survey about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.  In all, 456 principals and other leaders across the government, Catholic and independent sectors – representing all parts of the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) spectrum – responded to the survey. In other major findings, it was revealed: Many schools have moved to provide increased levels of mental health support, advocacy and food support to their communities as a result of problems exposed or exacerbated by the pandemic. Principals of socio-economically advantaged schools were twice more likely to report a successful transition to remote learning than those leading less advantaged schools. Among leaders of schools with an ICSEA score above 1000, 65.6% reported a successful transition, compared to just 36.1% from lower ICSEA schools.  Principals of lower-ICSEA schools were significantly more likely to report insufficient technology access. This finding held true for every type of technology and internet access. Principals at lower ICSEA schools were significantly more likely to believe the impact of the pandemic on student learning had been negative (52% v 30%)  Surprisingly, 22% of lower-ICSEA school principals and 34% of those at higher-ICSEA schools actually rated the impact on student learning as positive.  81% of principals believe that teachers' mental health was negatively impacted and a further 76% believe that their wellbeing was also negatively impacted.  Significant socioeconomic differences emerged in estimates of student learning. Most principals reported students had learned 51-90% of the curriculum in the past six months, but those at higher ICSEA schools were twice as likely to report students had learned 91-100% of the curriculum. Many reported plans to address learning loss in the coming year. A full version of the survey report and analysis is available from Friday 19th February 2021 at  https://www.pivotpl.com/landscape-of-school-leadership-2020/.  Register for the live webinar with Pivot Professional Learning and the leaders of the Coalition of Australian Principals on Wednesday 24th February 2021 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm. They will be discussing the research and recommendations in the aim to future-proof our schools for an equitable education. To register go to,  https://bit.ly/2N42fVu.  Pivot Professional Learning Pivot Professional Learning (Pivot) is an educational insights company dedicated to enhancing teaching effectiveness by harnessing the power of the student voice as a driver of evidence-based improvement. Pivot’s tools and systems are supported by international research and data from over 700 schools. https://www.pivotpl.com   Coalition of Australian Principals (CAP)  The Coalition of Australian Principals (CAP) is an unconstituted, collaborative group of the six national peak principals associations, which first came together to discuss topics of common interest in 2019. The CAP coalition is characterised by high levels of trust, respect and abiding commitment to all sectors of school education in Australia.  The national peak associations are:  Australian Special Education Principals Association (ASEPA) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Principals Association (NATSIPA);  Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA); Australian Secondary Principals Association (ASPA); Australian Heads of Independent Schools Association (AHISA); and the Catholic Secondary Principals Australia (CASPA).

2021-02-10T01:17:02Z how-to-be-happily-single-avoid-depression-this-valentines-day

WHILE Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a day of joy and romance, many single people spend the day feeling lonely, depressed and suicidal. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report shows that relationship problems are the top cause of suicides today and psychologists worldwide suggest that Valentine’s Day on February 14 is the start of an annual rise in suicide rates that peak in April. It doesn’t have to be this way however as there are many positives to being single, as Gold Coast author Louisa Pateman shares in her new book Single, Again, and Again, and Again… “It takes courage to be single and it’s a big myth that when you meet ‘the one’, you will live happily ever after,” Ms Pateman said. “Your ultimate goal should be happiness - single or not. We all have our own unique life journey. If I had waited for ‘the one’, I wouldn’t have had such an amazing life.” Louisa, 47, has travelled to 73 countries, had multiple properties and chose to have her son solo using a sperm bank at age 37 after stressing out about her biological clock ticking and having more than 13 failed relationships since the age of 21. A civil engineer for 25 years, she created exciting and rewarding life experiences through travel, investing and spending time with girlfriends. “I spent 20 years looking for my soulmate and my son, Nicholas, is now the love of my life. I wouldn’t give him up for any man,” she said. Her tips for being happily single include: Embrace/ accept your situation for what it is and what you have Learn to be present- enjoy the moment Find other single people you can relate to but don’t exclude yourself from couple situations. Find opportunities where you can be around people you can connect with, who have lived part of your journey Love yourself and appreciate your self worth. You determine your own worth by what you will and won’t put up with Find inner contentment and the good in all your challenges. Don’t be a man/ woman hater or shun couples. If you are bitter, resentful or hold grudges from past relationship failures, that bitterness permeates your present experience. Find exciting and rewarding life experiences that you can do on your own. When you come out of a relationship, write down a list of all the things you want to do without a partner and do it, like going on a girl’s retreat or writing a book (eg. I was up 10pm to 2am most nights when writing my book). Stay optimistic about life. Have an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for what you have - big and little things. List things you’re grateful for and realise things aren’t that bad. Look at life from a macro perspective and realise how small your issues are in the overall scheme of things Remind yourself that not everyone in a relationship is happy. You may be better off than some people who don’t have the courage to be single Ms Pateman’s tips are also in line with Singles Awareness Day (or Singles Appreciation Day), which is celebrated on February 15 each year. “It is a celebration of love in all forms recognising the love between friends, family and loving yourself. You have to accept you are where you are,” Ms Pateman said. “I’m not saying you can get rid of your desires. I’m saying if you don’t have courage to live a rewarding life on your own, life could pass you by and you could miss out on a lot of opportunities.” For more details or for a copy of the book Single, Again, and Again, and Again…, visit www.louisapateman.com ENDS ___________________________________________________ MEDIA CONTACT ONLY: AA Xpose Media Director/ Photojournalist Aldwyn Altuney ph: 0409 895 055

2021-01-24T04:55:40Z new-research-reveals-that-australian-parents-are-personalising-almost-everything-in-their-families-lives-apart-from-this

Online school tutoring service, Cluey Learning, has released new research that explores the extent Australian parents ensure family life is personalised to individual tastes and personalities but identified a clear discrepancy when it comes to approach to learning and education. Of the parents surveyed, 85% of parents agree their children’s clothing and accessories reflect their personalities, 93% of parents claim to buy toys and games that appeal to their child’s personal interests and 86% admit their children only participate in extra-curricular activities that are of interest to them. Despite this personalised approach to our kids’ lifestyles, it appears parents do not believe this applies to the current educational system, with 77% agreeing it’s a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. 88% felt their child could do with more individualised attention at school and 90% agreed that, now more than ever, kids need additional learning support.Cluey Learning Chief Learning Officer, Dr Selina Samuels said, “It’s hard to reconcile that we expect such a deep level of personalisation for our everyday experiences, yet we don’t demand the same for our children’s learning. Because, just as you wouldn’t expect your child to have the same hairstyle as every other student in their school, you wouldn’t expect them to be identical learners.”Additional key findings from the research include: 65% of parents consider purchasing new stationery an essential part of Back to School planning, but less than 1 in 4 (23%) look at signing up with a tutor88% of parents wish there was more time to go back and revise any areas their child may not have understood during the school term/year to ensure they’ve grasped the concepts87% of parents agree that they would love more feedback on their child’s learning progress than just school reports and parent-teacher meetings84% of parents agree that the pace at which their child is taught a new subject or concept doesn’t necessarily suit them Based on these findings, Cluey have launched a campaign designed to raise awareness around the importance of personalised experiences by offering free Back to School haircuts for school kids via hairdressing chain, Just Cuts. The first 1000 applicants will receive a free haircut at any of the 190 salons nationwide.Cluey Learning Chief Learning Officer, Dr Selina Samuels said, “Back to School is the perfect time to reflect on the current learning needs of your children, so we’ve partnered with Just Cuts - the largest hairdressing company in the Southern Hemisphere - to offer parents a helping hand during this busy and expensive time of year. At the same time, we hope this initiative draws attention to the benefits of personalisation in every aspect of our lives - whether that’s a haircut, a coffee order, or our children’s learning - because it’s important our needs are met.”School children who take up the offer of a free Back to School haircut will also receive 20% off Cluey. Visit https://clueylearning.com.au/haircuts to request a free haircut. For further details and to learn more about Cluey Learning click here.-ENDS-Media Contact:Candice Meiselscandice@candicepr.com0481 369 484NOTES TO EDITORS About Cluey Learning Cluey Learning delivers personalised online tutoring support for students in Years 2 -12, across Maths, English and Chemistry. All content is mapped to the Australian National Curriculum and is based on the unique learning needs of each individual student. Cluey has supported over 15,000 Australian families, run over 192,000 sessions and has been rated 4.7/5 by parents and students.About Dr Selina SamuelsDr Selina Samuels is the Chief Learning Officer at online education company Cluey Learning. She has been in education for over three decades and has been working with schools since 2013 to establish and provide remote education programs across a range of subjects.Qualifications: BA (Hons), LLB, PhD, MEd.About the promotion Offer includes 1 haircut or hairstyle, free of charge, per school child. Offer does not include any colour treatment, or maintenance treatment such as deep conditioning. Vouchers can be redeemed Monday to Friday only. Offer is redeemed on a first come, first serve basis - while stocks last. Offer valid until voucher stocks run out one redemption per person only. Please check your local participating salon for opening hours. Offer can be redeemed via https://clueylearning.com.au/haircutsAbout the research Over 1,000 people were surveyed during the period 3-8 December 2020. The sample size was nationally representative amongst parents of school children from Kinder to Years 12 in Australia. The survey was conducted by Cluey Learning, in collaboration with Pure Profile. For more insights, see here: https://clueylearning.com.au/blog/personalisation-research/

2021-01-22T04:28:35Z melbourne-s-only-pet-cemetery-at-wooling-hill-memorial-estate

Anybody that has experienced a unique bond with a pet can tell you what heartbreak is when they suddenly pass away.   Pets enrich our lives in ways that afford us unconditional love and a greater quality of life.  Wooling Hill Memorial Estate in New Gisborne understands the impact of losing a pet and the importance of honouring the unique gift of companionship that our furry families bestow upon us in life. A special nook at Wooling Hill Memorial Estate is dedicated to keeping these lives in the Field of Companions.  Owner Troy Upfield, also the founder of Chapter House Funerals has seen first hand how important pets are to families. Troy said "we have had many viewings and funeral services where pets have become part of the service. It only makes sense that when the pet dies, families would like to say goodbye in their grief and have an everlasting memorial as well'.  Field of Companions is a pet "cemetery" in Victoria that offers pet owners a place to inter the cremated ashes of their pets with a commemorative bronze plaque, set amongst the tranquil botanical gardens at Wooling Hill Memorial Estate. woolinghillestate.com.au and fieldofcompanions.com.au

2021-01-08T05:59:25Z hills-broker-recognised-as-industry-elite-performer

St Leonards, NSW - Hills District broker Thaer Burbar has been included in the annual Top 100 Brokers list released by Mortgage Professional Australia magazine. This prestigious list spotlights the best brokers in Australia and is widely regarded as the industry benchmark for top performers. According to Burbar, there are several factors that make a top broker: hard work, industry knowledge, understanding of the different banks and their policies, as well as being able to identify the best fit for a customer. Having seen almost 50% growth in loan values since the last financial year, the director of North Kellyville’s Greenline Home Loans says his success is down to “utter hard work”.  The brokerage specialises in different kinds of home, asset finance and commercial loans. Going beyond that, it even has a lending arm of the business offering its own white label product that was launched in August. But customer service is its primary focus, and Burbar says he goes above and beyond for all his customers, no matter the situation. “The importance of my customers is above all else,” he says. He prides himself on being able to “make miracles happen”, regardless of what box the customer fits into. “After four years in a row of our Top 100 Brokers seeing dropping loan values, 2020 brought a welcome change. In a financial year that included an unprecedented global pandemic, these brokers faced into the challenges to achieve record-breaking results,” says Mortgage Professional Australia editor Rebecca Pike. “Rather than use total loan value to determine the Top 100, our method was changed last year to allow us to celebrate those brokers who are continuing to improve or who are writing those big-number deals. The ranking is now worked out with a weighted system using total loan value, average loan value, number of loans and loan growth.” Read the full report in issue 20.12 of Mortgage Professional Australia, out now or find out more about Burbar HERE. -ENDS-   Mortgage Professional Australia (MPA) is the leading business magazine for the mortgage and finance industry. Launched in 2001, MPA continues to be the key resource mortgage and finance professionals turn to for in-depth industry issues, market trends, business analysis and intelligence. MPA is also very well known for its annual surveys and special reports such as Brokers on Banks and the MPA Top 100 that recognise key individuals and businesses and provide a unique snapshot of an industry that is continually evolving. MPA is published by independent media company Key Media. In conjunction with the print and online publications, Key Media also produces several mortgage and finance industry events including the Australian Mortgage Awards. Find out more about Key Media’s magazines, events and websites at www.keymedia.com.