Community Corrections End of Year Update and feedback from your Departmental Committee
As we approach the end of 2024 and move into the 126 year of the Public Service Association (PSA), we thank our members and delegates for their hard work and dedication and provide the following update.
Academy Training
The PSA is working with Human Resources and Brush Farm Corrective Services Academy (BFA) to look at what is happening in the training space, especially with the redesign for delivery. The PSA can be the conduit for members to raise questions, concerns, and suggestions to ensure that Community Corrections Officers (CCO) are equipped to perform the critical functions they undertake upon the successful completion of their Certificate IV.
The PSA have requested to meet with the Community Corrections executive and BFA and are awaiting confirmation of this meeting.
Domestic Violence Electronic Monitoring Workload
PSA are working with the Community Corrections executive team to review Domestic Violence Electronic Monitoring (DVEM) workload regarding hours and how this affects Parole Units. We are currently waiting on a review from the department, and Community Corrections Delegate Committee (CCDC) delegate, Bronwyn Granger, has been advocating on this matter.
Domestic Violence Electronic Monitoring Bail
The PSA and the committee continue to monitor DVEM Bail and how this will affect community correction officers, especially within our parole units.
Over Establishment Space
The PSA are aware that our members are being held over-establishment at some locations and are seeking updates on how this will be handled and ‘s happening and looking at true office numbers in their reflections.
Workload Dashboard
The PSA are actively working with the executive team to raise concerns, questions and suggestions in relation to the release of the new workload dashboard. Most of the feedback relates to being able to streamline processes and have the functionality to understand current workloads and schedules.
Field Officers – Permanency
The PSA continues to push for permanency for members. The PSA have engaged external lawyers, and we are before the Industrial Relations Commission in February to run a test case. If we are successful, we will request conversion for others or continue to push for permanency on a case-by-case basis.
Hub Locations
The PSA advocated for members, resulting in the splitting of the Dubbo/Coonamble HUB – The PSA and your CCDC delegates continue to monitor other Hub locations and related concerns.
Admins
Re-instatement of Academy Admin Offender Integrated Management System training
The PSA is requesting the re-instatement of Face to Face or MS Teams based Academy Admin Offender Integrated Management System (OIMS) training. CSNSW still have not delivered working Courselettes for OIMS and the PSA is very concerned about the extensive delay. These courselettes were rolled out in 2019 and it has been over 18 months since it was determined that the courselettes were not correct. The PSA believe there are too many variations in Admin OIMS processes to be covered by a courselette, and formalised training is still required. The PSA has also requested the ability to print the courselette as a quick reference guide and to allow staff to make their own notations.
Admin Supervisors (Role Description)
Concerns have been raised with CSNSW that at some locations, Admins (1-2) are experiencing increased workloads as the Admin Supervisors (3-4) are not participating in the day-to-day Admin tasks. Admins were reassured during the Consultative stage of the 2021 Restructure that the change of selected 1/2 roles to the Admin Supervisor 3/4 would not increase individual workload.
Questions have been raised about the governance surrounding Admin Supervisors delivering training to new Admins – How is it delivered? and guides such as the Administrative Handbook need to be updated, (which is the only tool Admin Supervisors have to refer to).
Assignment to Role (ATR) – number of locations that could be listed.
The PSA have been lobbying since 2019 to have the number of locations that could be listed increased as members have raised that only being able to list 2 locations is too restrictive. – A/AC, Ellen McCarroll announced at the November JCC that starting in 2025 there will be no limit on the number of locations that can be listed.
Community Services and Program Officers
The PSA has received feedback from Community Services and Program Officers (SAPO’s) that have transferred to the community, and we in the final stages of sharing this feedback with CSNSW. The feedback received can be summarised with the following:
- A clear framework for SAPO’s in the Community.
- the key key performance indicators (KPIs) that all community based SAPOs must meet; and
- How do we ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff by following best practice that years of monitoring and reviews of running these programs have built over time?
Besides the frustration of what members are feeling we have also shared examples of what is working well with the aim to assist the department in delivery the best possible outcomes to the Community and staff.
Psychologists
Psychology Award Working Group – consisting of delegates from CSNSW, Community Services, Police and Youth Justice continue to work together along with the PSA’s Legal and Industrial staff with meetings held with Public Services Industrial Relations.
Further meetings are scheduled in mid-January and we will send updates as negotiations continue. The PSA is committed to modernising the award and achieving real improvements in employment arrangements for Psychologists across the Public service.
For further information contact Thane Pearce ()
Community Corrections Department Committee Election
Just a heads up that the election for the Community Corrections Department Committee (CCDC) election will be held in the first half of next year.
The PSA is here to assist and offer advice. Talk to your delegate or contact the Member Support Centre so they can be addressed before they develop into issues.
Your Community Corrections delegates are:
- Bart Gale (Chair – Central West)
- Suzi Tubner (Vice Chair – Admin Metro)
- Kevin Manning (TL – Metro)
- Bronwyn Grainger (TL – Metro)
- Thomas Pearce (CCO – Metro)
- David Weir (CCO – Metro)
- Kori Buck (Admin – Regional)
- Paul Willis (CCO – South East)
- Sonya Mantle (CCO – Central West)
- Amy Riddle (TL – North Coast)
- Mark Wisnewski (CCO – North Coast)
- Blake Langelaar (CCO – Hunter)
- Craig Jackson (Field Officers)
- Simon Young (Electronic Monitoring)
Your PSA Industrial Staff: