Inside super

1) You might have some already. If you’re an employee, you may already have some death and total and permanent disability (TPD) cover in your super fund. This can be an easy and cost-effective way to get basic cover without the usual medical tests.

2) You can pay premiums using super. Super funds can claim a tax deduction for some insurance premiums paid inside the super fund. This means your insurance premiums may be effectively paid with pre-tax dollars. This can help you take a higher amount of cover and use the tax savings to cover the additional premiums.

3) You can salary sacrifice. If you want to pay your insurance premiums inside super but don’t want to reduce your retirement benefits, you can top-up your super by setting up a salary sacrifice arrangement. However, if you do this you need to keep an eye on your concessional contributions caps (see below).

Outside super

1) You can protect your income tax-effectively. Income protection premiums are generally tax-deductible outside super – meaning there’s no tax benefit to holding this cover inside super.

2) You can use your concessional contributions caps for super, not insurance. There’s a limit to how much you can contribute tax-effectively to super each financial year. Currently, the limit is:
• $25,000 per year if you’re under age 50, or
• $50,000 per year if you’re age 50 or over (this is a transitional cap that applies until 30 June 2012).
If you have sizeable insurance premiums inside super and you need to make additional contributions to pay them, you could be limiting how much you’re able to put away tax-effectively for your retirement.

3) Your benefit is easier to access. Outside super, you are the owner of the insurance policy, and any benefits are paid directly to you or your beneficiaries. Inside super, the super fund owns the policy and your super account receives any benefits. To get that money out of super, you then have to satisfy a ‘condition of release’.  If you don’t, you may have to wait until your retirement age to get this money out of your super account.

With the 30th June approaching, it’s a good time to review your insurance needs to make sure you have the right cover in place, and that you’re making the most of the strategies available. For advice specific to you and your family, talk to your financial adviser today.

General Advice Warning:  This advice may not be suitable to you because it contains general advice that has not been tailored to your personal circumstances.  Please seek personal financial advice prior to acting on this information.

We all know the importance of donating blood. Currently 1 in 3 Australians need blood, yet only 1 in 30 donates. The Red Cross Blood Service is an organisation that provides quality blood products and services Australia-wide, and they need your help! 

The Red Cross Blood Service provides a free courtesy shuttle service to take donors who live or work near Adelaide city to and from their appointments.

The van holds up to 7 passengers and is used by corporate, community or school groups. We are looking for friendly drivers who would like to help the Blood Service save more lives by transporting donors to their centres. 

Requirements:

There is some training required and a current Driver’s License and Police Check are essential. The available hours to volunteer are either 8.30am-1.30pm or 1.30pm-5.30pm on various dates.

 If you have a morning or afternoon free and would like to help the Red Cross Blood Service save lives by transporting donors, please register your interest here

Volunteers rallied together down King William Street, to proudly represent their volunteering organisation. We had 4 staff from Community CPS to represent our Community Volunteers Volunteering program and made it through with the fantastic efforts of some additional volunteers from the MS Society!

Volunteer week is a great time to acknowledge all current volunteers but also show people why it is so important to get involved. If you would like to help ‘Make A Smile’ and volunteer, click here!

An estimated 1.2 million Australians aged 15 years and over have been a victim of personal fraud in 2010/2011, ­causing an overall financial loss of $1.4 billion. Credit card fraud is the most common form of personal fraud, affecting 3.7% of the population.

While some credit card fraud schemes are very complex, caution and close attention to how you use your credit card can help to reduce the risk of fraud. 

Following the tips below can help to ensure that your card details remain safe and don’t fall into the wrong hands.

1. Never let your card out of your sight during any transaction. That means if you’re at a shop, watch the sales assistant, and if you’re at a restaurant, go to the counter and pay the bill – this is particularly important if you are overseas where you could be identified as a tourist and a ‘soft target’.
2. If you’re buying goods online, make sure the site is reputable and well-established. Be wary of unfamiliar sites that are identified through searches – giving them your credit card details is the same as sharing your card number with a stranger on the street.
3. Make sure you have anti-­virus software installed on your computer as viruses can be used to obtain personal information.
4. Put a padlock on your home letterbox so that your credit card statement, which contains your card number and full name, or any other sensitive personal mail, cannot be stolen.
5. Never, ever, write your PIN down anywhere or share it with anyone.
6. Use internet banking to regularly check that only your transactions are going through your credit card.

For more information on scams that are currently circulating, please see the Fraud and Security page on our website.

We are looking for Christmas Helpers to assist us with the Christmas Party for Special Children. The Christmas Party is held on the 2nd of December at the Adelaide Zoo. We will need you to be available between 8.30am-1:00pm. Volunteers will be provided with a costume and will be helping to bring Christmas cheer to children with special needs.

If you know someone who would love this opportunity, please feel free to share on your favourite Social Media site, or please register your interest here

 How you can benefit

The end of financial year is a great time to think about how you can boost your super savings before 30 June, and get your financial affairs in order.

 There are many strategies you can implement before the end of financial year to boost your retirement savings and achieve tax savings, such as taking advantage of the government co-contribution scheme, or benefiting from spouse contributions and salary sacrificing.

 End of financial year planning opportunities are different for everyone, because they depend on your life stage and personal circumstances.

 A financial adviser is the best person to work out which strategy best suits your personal circumstances. They will also make sure you and your family don’t miss out on any opportunities at the end of the financial year.

 Pay less tax via salary sacrifice

Salary sacrifice means putting part of your pre-tax income into your super and potentially paying less tax because concessional contributions are taxed at 15% (up to the concessional contribution caps). This is compared to investing your after-tax money into super which may have been taxed the highest marginal tax rate of up to 46.5% (inc Medicare levy).

 Whether salary sacrifice is right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and level of income.

 Take advantage of Government concessions

Many people can take advantage of the Government concessions available to increase their super savings, such as the Federal Government co-contribution scheme.

 If you are a low to middle income earner and eligible for the co-contribution scheme, the Government currently contributes up to $1 for each $1 of personal after-tax contributions you make to your super. This could mean up to an extra $1,000 in your super account – a significant amount.

 Boost your spouse’s super savings

If you have a low income earning spouse, you can help to top up their retirement savings by contributing to their super and reduce your income tax at the same time. You may be entitled to a tax offset of up to $540 if you contribute to their super.

 You could also split your employer super contributions or personal deductible contributions with your spouse. This strategy may reduce your tax liability, and if you contribute more into the older spouse’s super, it may mean accessing tax-free benefits sooner.

 Act now so you don’t miss out

As you can see, there are many super strategies you can put into place to boost your retirement savings and achieve tax effective outcomes before 30 June and thereafter. “And even though there is a special focus on utilising these opportunities before 30 June, these strategies can actually be used all year round to grow your retirement savings.”

 For more information on these super strategies and end of financial year planning, speak to your financial adviser or contact Eastwoods Wealth Management on 08 8132 9288

 This material is current as at March 2012, but may be subject to change. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, personal financial situation or needs. This information does not constitute tax advice and before making any financial decision, Eastwoods Wealth Management Pty Ltd recommends you obtain professional financial and taxation advice specific to your circumstances.

We are looking for Christmas Helpers to assist us with the Christmas Party for Special Children. The Christmas Party is held on the 2nd of December at the Adelaide Zoo. We will need you to be available between 8.30am-1:00pm. Duties will include distribution of show bags, ice creams, assisting parents, and more.

If you know someone who would love this opportunity, please feel free to share on your favourite Social Media site, or please register your interest here

Cerebral Palsy is a physical disability that affects the way that a person moves. An Australian child is born with Cerebral Palsy every 15 hours. It’s a lifelong condition, but the effects can vary from a mild weakness in one hand, to a more severe condition, where the person has almost no voluntary movement.

Although there is no known cure, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance strives to enhance the lives of children, teenagers and adults living with cerebral palsy, as well as their families and carers. They aim to foster community participation and skill development through services such as therapy, technology and equipment, respite, fitness and recreation and employment services.

The funds raised from the IKEA trip and other in-branch activities have made it possible for our Civic branch to donate a total of $1412 to this wonderful organisation.

 This money is being used to purchase toys and some large activate buttons to add to their Loan Library. These activate buttons allow the children with limited movement to use the toys or communication devices. Having these in the loan library allows the families to try different switch styles to suit different needs.

 Civic branch staff would like to thank everyone who helped us make this possible.

 If you have any suggestions for other fundraising projects you would like to see us run, please leave us a comment below or send us an email. If you are interested in becoming involved with our community efforts, please click here to see our current volunteering opportunities.

Because Financial institutions (FIs) operate by borrowing money from some people to lend to others; The average rate at which a FI lends must be higher than the rate at which it borrows (i.e. a positive interest margin) in order to cover its operating costs and deliver a return to its owners (i.e. a profit). FIs borrow money from individuals (retail deposits), professional investors (e.g. superannuation funds) and other FIs (interbank loans) both in their home country and, often, overseas. The rate it pays on all this funding is driven by the type of borrowing (and the credit risk and other commercial terms applicable), the country the money is borrowed from and the term (expectations of future rates). It is the weighted average cost of all these sources of funding that constitutes the FIs cost of funds, upon which it must base its lending rates to derive a positive interest margin.

If you have any questions about the RBA or about interest rates feel free to leave a comment on this post and I’ll get back to you.

Wayne – Chief Financial Officer

Support the Assistant Volunteer Coordinator to produce regular newsletter publications for the Departmental Volunteer Unit.  Need to be experienced in Creative Writing and /or marketing and be able to use Microsoft Office Suite program and Publisher to produce the newsletter.  Able to research ideas and events pertaining to volunteers and write creative articles to be published electronically and in hard copy.

This role will work closely with all Volunteer Unit staff, in particular the Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator and Administration Officer. Times are flexible.  If you have the creative flair and are great working in a team please click here

I have had a busy couple of months! I have just started doing shopping centre visits, which can be quite scary for a small puppy. But I am no ordinary puppy and took it in my stride! One of the most challenging things about shopping centres has been the travelators and elevators, but I have mastered them already!

As you can imagine, I attract a lot of attention in the supermarkets and lots of people like to say hello to me. However, I am learning that when I have my coat on I need to focus on the task at hand. This is great training for someday when I might be a Guide Dog or Autism Assistance Dog. I need to stay focused while out working.

I have also been into a café with my Puppy Raising family. It can be quite challenging to ignore all the distractions and to sit still under the table, but I am learning and I think I am starting to get the hang of it.

I have attended some group puppy training sessions in the past few weeks. Of course I love to play with my littermates and friends, but now the challenge is to learn to walk side-by-side on lead and ignore each other. It’s very hard but I am picking it up!

I am having lots of fun with my Puppy Raising family. I really enjoy playing with the kids and they are so happy to have me living with them. The family lives near the beach and I just love walking along the esplanade with the wind in my ears!

I recently attended the “Lollipop Markets,” which is run by my Puppy Raiser. I ended up being one of the main attractions and even appearing in the event’s photo collage!

Soon I’ll begin taking trips on public transport, a big step in a Guide Dog puppy’s life, so wish me luck and I look forward to telling you all about it soon.

Love
Eastwood the Guide Dog

In 2012 Eastwoods sponsored a Guide Dog pup- called Eastwood, we will continue to provide updates on his progress here.

So on behalf of Santa we are looking for some enthusiastic face painters to help out on the day! The Christmas Party is held on the 4th of December at the Adelaide Zoo.  Attendance will be required from 8.30am-1:00pm.

If you are someone that is great with children and would love to be a part of Santa’s face painting team please register your interest here

Communities@Work administers Emergency Relief at the Tuggeranong Community and Function Centre and Weston Creek on behalf of the Australian and ACT Governments.

The aim is to deliver nutritious healthy food to individuals and families experiencing hardship. To lessen the burden on household and personal budgets the Foodstore will provide people with the ability to make choices that build a sense of  empowerment, dignity and hope.

Some of the duties include:

- Sales (cash handling and cash register operation)

- End of day cash- up and banking

- Stocking of food shelves (dry, fridge and freezer)

- Basic administration

- Store cleaning.

When required:

9:00 am- 12:30pm and 12:30pm – 3:30pm Monday to Friday. Minimum 1 shift per week

Requirements:

 - Ability and willingness to interact with vulnerable people

- Empathy and a caring attitude, non judgemental

 - The ability to interact with and support the programs stakeholders and team members in a friendly, helpful, respectful and caring manner.

 - Willingness to accept Communities@Work core vision, mission and values and represent the organisation within the framework.

Training will be provided.

To register your interest please click here

The legislation gives effect to 2009 Federal Budget announcements concerning the private health insurance rebate and Medicare Levy Surcharge changes. The proposed changes mean than an income test to the 30% private health insurance rebate will apply for individuals whose income for Medicare levy surcharge purposes is more than $803,000pa and for families where that income is more than $166,000pa.

What does this mean?
It means individuals and families may not be eligible for the full 30% rebate for their private health insurance premiums. In conjunction with this, also from July 1, 2012, the rate of Medicare levy surcharge for individuals and families without private patient hospital cover may increase depending on their level of income.

The effect of these new tiers would be no rebate where individual income is over $1249,000pa and families over $2548,000pa.
For the purpose of calculating your income threshold, it is based on the definition of income used to calculate Medicarelevy surcharge for individuals or families.

If you are unsure on how you may be affected, contact the team at Eastwoods Accountants & Taxation to see how you may be impacted.

John- Executive for Profesional Services

Eastwoods Tax & Accounting

Things you should know>

We are seeking volunteers to assist at a variety of events throughout the year on an ongoing basis. The next big event is Sunday, 9th September 2012: Canberra Times Fun Run & Walk!

If you have a fun and passionate personality and good interpersonal skills, please click here to register.

United Community is proud to announce its support of the 2012 Silver Chain Blue Skies program. Blue Skies is an innovative series of free workshops for children following the death a parent or guardian. Aimed at children aged eight to 12 years, Blue Skies is run by Palliative Care social workers, counsellors and volunteers who offer grieving children the opportunity to participate in a number of fun and creative activities which promote healthy grieving.

Silver Chain Social Worker, Mrs Belinda Hughes, is involved in delivering the Blue Skies program and says one of the most important things is to acknowledge is that everyone experiences their grief differently, however, there are certainly common themes to grief.

“One of the most common feelings children express is loneliness,” says Mrs Hughes

“This is reduced by bringing children together in a group setting, where they are encouraged to share and express their emotions. The workshops are run in a safe, gentle and supportive environment and we use puppets, paint, sand and music throughout the program to enable children to express what they’ve been experiencing since their loss.”

Silver Chain’s Relationship Marketing Consultant, Mrs Emma Kerley, says her team is appreciative of the financial support from United Community.

“We rely on sponsorships and donations to enable Silver Chain to continue providing much needed services in the community and the support from United Community will enable us to run three, 2-day Blue Skies sessions to support grieving children each year. We are really excited about their support!” says Mrs Kerley.

For more information on the Blue Skies program please visit www.silverchain.org.au/blue-skies.

The training has been deemed so beneficial the New South Wales’ Department of Family and Community Service’s have agreed to fund up to $20,000 for Mr. De Groot to come back in May and train those who work in the homelessness sector across the state. This is a fantastic outcome from Companion’s partnership with NYASL, as we have been able to shape the way people are working with young people in this sector.

As part of the Living Skills program for youth, Ruth McCarry (Raymond Terrace Branch Manager) facilitated a ‘Money Matters’ workshop for youth supported by NYASL. The presentation included budgeting for basics like shelter and food, being able to afford education and other crucial requirements as well as saving and goal setting. NYSAL have provided fantastic feedback from NYASL about this workshop with many of the youth commenting that Ruth made it easy for them to understand and how helpful the workshop was.

Renee- Community Co-ordinator

As part of this, NYASL was able to bring to Australia, renowned trainer on strengths based practice, Stephen de Groot, to implement the professional development program. This training was very well received, and caseworkers viewed this as an amazing training opportunity.

Their feedback was given to the New South Wales’ Department of Family and Community Service’s who have agreed to fund up to $20,000 for Mr. De Groot to come back in May and train those who work in the homelessness sector across the state. This is a fantastic outcome from Companion’s partnership with NYASL, as we have been able to shape the way people are working with young people in this sector.

As part of the Living Skills program for youth, Raymond Terrace Branch Manager Ruth McCarry facilitated a ‘Money Matters’ workshop for youth supported by NYASL.

The presentation included talking about basics like shelter and food, being able to afford education and other crucial requirements as well as saving and goal setting. We have received fantastic feedback from NYASL about this workshop with many of the youth commenting that Ruth made it easy for them to understand and how helpful the workshop was. If your organisation is interested in a Money Matters workshop please contact us.

But what does this really mean for you the consumer? This post covers one of the most common questions we’re asked about the RBA. We’ll be covering off a few more questions in other posts too.

Does the RBA set interest rates for financial institutions?
The RBA does not set interest rates for Australian financial institutions, despite common misconceptions. The RBA sets a target for the interest rate on overnight loans between financial institutions in the wholesale money market. The wholesale money market is the market where financial institutions borrow and lend to each other.

The RBA then borrows and lends overnight money on the wholesale markets (i.e. influencing the supply of, and demand for, overnight money) to ensure the actual overnight interest rate remains as close as possible to its target rate. Other interest rates (e.g. on home loans, personal loans, term deposits etc) in the economy are influenced by this interest rate (and many other factors) to varying degrees, so that the behaviour of borrowers and lenders in the financial markets is affected by the RBA’s monetary policy.

Two other key influences on other interest rates are credit risk and tenor (term). Most interest rates have two key components, a risk free base rate plus a margin to compensate the lender for the credit risk they’re assuming (i.e. the risk that the money won’t be repaid). Overnight money, and particularly Reserve Bank funding, has low credit risk and therefore tends to form the base rate for short term interest rates.

The second key influencer on interest rates is term. For example, it is expected that a 30 year loan will have a different rate than a 1 year loan because of expectations/uncertainty about how interest rates might change over the longer term and the longer period over which the lender is exposed to credit risk. Government Bonds tend to form the risk-free base rate for longer term interest rates. These two factors will mean that the interest rate on, say, a 25 year home loan will be higher than the RBA’s official interest rate.

If you have any questions about the RBA or about interest rates feel free to leave a comment on this post and I’ll get back to you.

Wayne – Chief Financial Officer

Do you have a spare time and would love to help in the transportation of older people and/or people with disabilities?

A great opportunity to help out in the Belconnen Community and build great relationships at the same time. You will follow the daily transport schedule and facilitate the safe transfer of people in out your vehicle and unload their wheelchair or walking frames as required.

When you are required: You will work closely with the Transport office to advise of any delays or changes to schedules.  Operational hours are 7am-7pm, 7 days a week and you can volunteer from as little as 1 hour on each occasion, as often as you like!

If you have your own car for transport and would love to help out please click here

This year’s competitors in addition to Community CPS are Police Credit Union and Credit Union South Australia!

1 in 3 people will need blood in their lifetime yet only 1 in 30 people currently donate blood! Every time you donate you can save up to three lives – wouldn’t you like to be part of the change?

The aim of this challenge…if you choose to accept, is to donate blood at any Red Cross Centre between June 1st – August 31st 2012!

1. Register as a donor by phoning 13 14 95
2. Join ‘Club Red’ on-line http://ow.ly/aoMzQ
3. Select Community CPS Australia as the Organisation or group

Though this is a competition only run in SA we always encourage members Australia wide to support the Red Cross in blood donations where possible.

If you have any questions in regards to the Blood Challenge please contact us on 13 25 85 or simply visit your local branch!

^MM

Arthritis ACT need your help, with conducting of a fundraising concert at Albert Hall, Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla on Sunday, 6th May 2012 from 1.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

Volunteers would be required to help with setting up of hall/seating, assist in the canteen and sell tickets at the door for the concert.

Volunteers should be  able to lift chairs, handle money and provide pleasant customer service.

If you would like to get involved please click here

The Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation is seeking volunteers to help make a difference!

Fundraising event volunteers required to collect donations in Rundle Mall and Adelaide Railway Station on Wednesday 2nd May.

A current police check is required for this position and training will be offered on the day.

If you are an outgoing person willing to help please click here

•  The best place to start is to do your own research. Use the Internet to gather basic home loan information and to compare different types of loans. The main loans to look into include standard variable rate loans, fixed interest rate loans and parent equity loans. To help you decide, consider which option you think best suits your circumstances with a list of pros and cons for each loan type.
• Speak to your financial institution or a broker. This is an opportunity to ask questions and clear up any grey areas. Be aware that brokers are paid by the lenders they recommend. To ensure the recommended deal is best for you, research a range of lenders yourself and speak to a few different institutions.
• Compare the key loan terms and conditions. It can be difficult to know what to look for in a good loan and what terms and conditions are most important to compare. Most people compare the advertised interest rates, but you should also consider other fees, the loan’s flexibility, exit arrangements, repayment terms and redraw conditions. The Federal Government now requires lenders to provide Home Loan Key Fact Sheets on their products so that borrowers can make direct comparisons between loans. All facts must be presented in the same way, so you can clearly see the product differences between institutions.
• Think long term and consider your individual requirements. Consider the broader relationship with your lender. It is likely that you will be dealing with this financial institution for many years, so it’s worth considering things like the quality of service, branch locations, and wider product offering. Will these features suit you now and in the future?
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate a package deal. Most lenders are happy to offer a better deal if you transfer your entire banking relationship to one lender. Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount on interest rates, loan service fees or monthly account keeping fees if you bundle all your banking needs and deal with one institution.

Wayne- Chief Financial Officer

For the small cost of $2.50 you can purchase  Sausages in a roll. Onions and sauces will also be available and cans of drink costing $1.50.

Please come along and help support this great non for profit organisation who provide counselling and support services to those who develop asbestos-related diseases and their families – Asbestos Diseases Society Association.

Last financial year, Community CPS donated more than $1 million dollars back into local charities in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Wagga Wagga, Hunter Region and Western Australia through community initiatives such as fund raising, campaigns, community grants and donations.

Michelle -  State Manager WA

The partnership funds will also launch the Hands-On-Theatre for Young People initiative, which offers tailored workshops specifically designed to enhance the creative experience and literacy skills of young people.  Workshops will be conducted by experienced Windmill Theatre artists and will be presented at various locations including specific junior and team camps aligned with Camp Quality, and other charitable organisations we support.

We are setting a leading example as a socially responsible corporate citizen supporting the communities in which we operate.  The Windmill partnership fits well within our company corporate philosophy and also importantly provides direct ongoing benefits to our members.

Brenton-  State Manager SA

In support of Pilbara and Kimberley Care Inc, United Community Credit Union – Karratha Branch is proudly sponsoring a Trivia Night on Saturday 28 April to help raise much needed funds for this great organisation so they can continue to provide vital services to the Pilbara communities.

The venue for this great event has been kindly donated by the All Seasons Hotel in Karratha. The  Sports Bar is the venue within the Hotel and the night will start at 6.30pm and conclude at 10.30pm.

Tickets are available at our Karratha Branch at Karratha Centro and cost $10 each or a table of 10 for $100.

Pilbara and Kimberley Care Inc provide a variety of services to the community including domestic assistance, social support, home nursing, transportation and respite care.

Last financial year, Community CPS donated more than $1 million dollars back into local charities in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Wagga Wagga, Hunter Region and Western Australia through community initiatives such as fund raising, campaigns, community grants and donations.

 Michelle – WA State Manager

Overview:

There are a variety of roles available including: secretarial work, volunteer coordinator, handy person, coaching, cooking for fundraising and, of course, helping with horses and children in riding sessions! Training is provided – right up to coaching standards, if you want to go that far!

When you’re required:

So if you are excited about getting involved and can volunteer between 8.30am-3.00 pm on a day between Monday to Thursday, please click here

Overview

‘SHINE for Kids’ volunteers assist in provide experience at the Child and Family Centre on the grounds of the Correctional Centre. Experiences range from creative arts and crafts, outdoor activities and games, interacting with the children, assisting in meal preparation, collecting children from the visiting area and guiding the to the Child and Family Centre. A police and working with children check will be conducted by a Shine for Kids coordinator.

When you are required

If you are a positive and supportive person who can spare time on weekends from 9.30am – 3.30pm on a weekly to monthly basis, please register your interest and click here

Overview

As a Mentor you would spend quality time with a young person meeting 3 to 4 times per month for a minimum of 1 year. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program in based on the simplicity and power of friendship.

Responsibilities & Tasks of a Mentor:

• Develop a fun and supportive friendship with a young person
• Lead by example; be a positive role model
• Encourage a young person to reach their potential
• Respect a young person’s dignity and their point-of-view

Volunteer Screening:
To become a Mentor, volunteers must go through a comprehensive screening process. We allow 2 to 4 months for this process to take place, depending on how easily you are able to schedule appointments. The process generally includes:

• Application Form
• First Interview
• Reference Check, Police Clearance & Working With Children Check
  MMPI Psych Test (this is multiple choice personality test)
• Second Interview
• Home Visit
• E-Learning and Face-to-Face Training

No formal qualifications are required and it is not essential to have experience working with youth. You just need to be a positive person who is able to engage with young people and have a general interest in youth.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse volunteers are encouraged to apply. Likewise people from any race, religion, sexual orientation, abilities and income are welcome to apply.

We are currently seeking male mentors who are over the age of 18 and of reasonable health.

When you’re required

This is a recurring opportunity.

To register your interest please click here.

I Voci are seeking the services of a volunteer to join our team as our permanent pianist. Performing a large variety of A Capella music, but ‘Where would we be without our talented pianists that have been with us throughout the years for performances and more importantly for rehearsal”.

Pianist skills, training and experience are necessary for the role.

When you’re required

We meet every Monday night from 7:00 to 9:30pm.

If you meet these requirements and would like to join the team please register your interest here.

We are looking for volunteers to perform coastal  (Sorrento Beacj / Mullaloo Beach / Iluka Foreshore) dune rehabilitation work in the company of other volunteers and a voluntary supervisor.

This may involve planting seedlings, weeding with specialised tools, collecting and bagging rubbish, assisting with site surveys, watering seedlings (in their first summer) and monitoring progress.

Children under the age of 12 who wish to volunteer must be accompanied by a guardian.

When you’re required

This is a recurring role.

If you are interested in this opportunity please register here.

The Education Tax Refund (ETR) is the Australian Governments way of helping with the cost of educating primary and secondary school children. Eligible parents, carers, legal guardians and independent students are able to get money back on education expenses like computers, educational software, textbooks and stationery.

Many types of education expenses are claimable under the Education Tax Refund as long as you have a receipt for your expense of course. Find out more about what you can claim on the government education refund website.

Who is eligible?

To claim the ETR, a person must have had eligible education expenses during the financial year for a child, who meets the schooling requirement, and:

•  they received Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A for the child, or
• a payment was made for the child which prevented them from receiving FTB Part A, or
• their child stopped full-time school during the year and received income over the cut-out amount which prevented the claimant from receiving FTB Part A for the child.

If you are not entitled to receive FTB Part A, you may still be entitled to claim the ETR if you receive any of the following payments:

• Youth Allowance
• Disability Support Pension
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance
• the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme
• Student Financial Supplement Scheme, and
• the scheme to provide education and training under s258 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.

For more information on eligibility for the ETR visit the government education tax refund website.

Expenses

Eligible expenses

Many types of education expenses are eligible for the ETR and include the cost of buying, establishing, repairing and maintaining any of the following items:

• home computers and laptops
• computer-related equipment such as printers, USB flash drives, and disability aids to assist in the use of computer equipment for students with special needs
• computer repairs
• home internet connections
•  computer software for educational use
• school textbooks and other printed learning material, including prescribed textbooks, associated learning materials, study guides and stationery
• prescribed trade tools for secondary school trade courses, and
• school uniform expenses (uniforms purchased after 1 July 2011 are claimable in the 2011/12 financial year).

Find out more about eligible expense from the education tax refund website.

Expenses which cannot be claimed

• school fees
• student attendance at school-based extra-curricular activities such as excursions and camps
• tutoring costs
• sporting equipment
• musical instruments
• school subject levies – for example, payment for consumables for particular subjects such as woodwork, art or home science
•  building levies
• library book fees
• school photos
• donations
• tuck shop expenses
• waiting list fees
• transport
• membership fees, and
• computer games and consoles.

Find out more about what you cannot claim from the education tax refund website.

Sharing eligible expenses

Where eligible education expenses are incurred for more than one eligible child, you can share the expense between their children. But all the children must use the purchased items and the you must buy the item on a day when they satisfied the eligibility requirements for the ETR for each child. This is called pooling.

Claiming the Education Tax Refund

If you are eligible for the Education Tax Refund (ETR) because you receive FTB Part A, only you can claim the refund. For example, your spouse cannot claim the Education Tax Refund in their tax return if you receive FTB Part A.

Find out more about how to claim on the education tax refund website or by talking to a Tax & Accounting expert.

Michael – Eastwoods Practice Development Manager

Things you should know>

This information and advice is general in nature only and has been prepared without taking into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Before implementing any recommendations that you may make based on the information contained here we recommend that you see a registered tax agent or legal adviser. The information in this article has been sourced from the Australian Government’s Education Tax Refund website http://www.educationtaxrefund.gov.au/index.html

Overview:

Join the passionate team that support blind, deaf and sensory impaired South Australians. We are seeking driven and enthusiastic Administration Assistant volunteers to assist with administrative tasks across our sites at Hove and the City. We offer free car parking and a friendly and supportive team environment.

To register your interest and find out more information click here.

The Can:Do Group encompasses two of South Australia’s oldest charitable service providers, Can:Do 4Kids (formerly Townsend House) and Deaf Can:Do (formerly Royal South Australian Deaf Society). The Can:Do Group provides services to deaf, blind and sensory impaired South Australians including interpreting, speech therapy and occupational therapy.

Overview:

Are you organised and process driven? We require a Records Assistant volunteer to assist the Can:Do Hearing team to archive and file client records into Paediatric and Adult categories in alphabetical order. This position is significant to the efficiencies within Can:Do Hearing clinic and will assist in establishing an effective records management system. Position available in Blackwood

To register your interest and find out more information click here.

The Can:Do Group provides services to deaf, blind and sensory impaired South Australians including interpreting, speech therapy and occupational therapy.

Overview:

The Volunteer Event Administration Assistant is a vital support to the Income Development Team (based in the city) in assisting with preparations for the Can:Do Caper, a 2 day amazing race around SA held in October.

Funds raised from the Can:Do Caper help support blind, deaf and sensory impaired South Australians through Can:Do 4Kids and Deaf Can:Do. This is a truly exciting role within a vibrant and energetic team.

To register your interest and find out more information click here.

Overview:

The tasks may include supporting children in alternative or residential care, providing transport services ( a car is provided), assisting with Families SA promotional activities eg expos and information stalls, participating in groups and through support for the volunteer program itself. There may also be opportunities for mentoring.

The ideal person should be warm and caring, non-judgemental, be respectful to clients, reliable, open and honest,respect the right to privacy, confidentiality etc.

Police check and training will be compulsory. One full day training on Child Safe Environment and two days induction and orientation from 9.00am to 3.30pm.

When you’re required:

Some positions start at 7.30am when taking children to school. Others may finish after 6.00pm. Roles negotiable.

To register your interest and find out more information click here.

Licensee Select is a division of Westpac and provides various financial planning support services to independent financial planning firms across Australia.

Eastwoods Wealth Management has previously won five SA/NT state based awards and has won the “Licensee Select National Practice of the Year” award 2012.

By winning the State award Eastwoods is now eligible for the national title which is announced in April.

The award represents an outstanding team effort dedicated to the provision of quality financial planning advice across Australia. I’m very proud of my team and the service we provide our clients.

John – General Manager Professional Services

In support of the Wagga Wagga Mayor’s Flood Appeal, we will be holding a lunch-time sausage sizzle at our Wagga Mutual Branch in Peter Street this Friday 16^th March at 11am.

Don Jones, Regional President for St Vincent de Paul will be attending to show his support for the Flood Appeal and lend a hand with the BBQ.

The Community CPS Australia Foundation has kick-started the appeal with a donation of $50,000, and we are now urging staff, members and the general public to support all initiatives.

All funds raised will be dispersed locally to the Wagga and Coolamon community through the St Vincent De Paul Society.

If you are in the area drop by and see us!

^KG

The Royal Adelaide Show

Overview:

We are looking for friendly, enthusiastic, flexible volunteers who love the Show and love helping others to fill a number of volunteer positions, including:

• Roving Crowd Care/Information
• Pavilion Attendants
• Administration Assistants
• Information Booth Assistants
• Flying Squad (Break/Shift Coverage)
• Runners

Successful Volunteers will receive:

• One 9 day Show pass allowing entry for themselves every day of the Show
• One Single entry day pass for a friend or family member
• Official Volunteer uniform
• One meal voucher for each shift worked
• Access to Volunteers’ Green Room

When you’re required:

Multiple times and shifts available.

Volunteers are asked to

• Complete a MINIMUM of 6 shifts over the 9 days of the Show
• Attend an orientation/induction session & complete an Occupation Health & Safety induction
• Provide own black or navy pants or skirt to complement the uniform

To register your interest and find out more information click here.