The gazette august 2013

Gazette The

Monthly Newsletter August 2013 Volume 4, No 6

Callum Hughes, who will study for his Diploma of Management in Cambodia, with Great Southern Institute of Technology Portfolio Manager Business and Creative Industries Lee-Anne Smith and Managing Director Lidia Rozlapa.

Callum on course for Cambodia For Albany teenager Callum Hughes, studying at Great Southern Institute of Technology brought greater rewards than he anticipated.

Callum’s introduction to TAFE studies was two years ago at the age of 15, when he completed the Certificate II in Business through the institute.

In Semester 1 this year, he gained Certificate IV in Project Management and Certificate IV in Business, and is now about to embark on a Diploma of Management

through the institute – for which he is studying in Cambodia.

The chance to combine his diploma studies with work in Cambodia was made possible through a scholarship granted

by AsiaBound, a project which funds Australians studying in Asia. Callum chose to take the diploma in Cambodia because he is already familiar with the country, having visited with his family on numerous occasions for charity work.

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Callum on course for Cambodia From page 1 The affable young man explained he belonged to a group which had helped to build homes, run feeding programs and develop parenting projects in poor regions.

“There’s something everyone can do to help,” Callum said.

“If they can’t help with the building projects, they might work on the feeding programs or in the orphanages, playing with the children or teaching them English or music,” he said.

The charity also gave a home to a group of women with HIV and helped them to set up a craft enterprise, for which they produce items which are then sold in Australia at Christmas.

For Semester 2, Callum is back among these people, spending six months guiding groups of Australians supporting the charity.

“I am helping the group leader and organising the visitors’ accommodation, transport, food and general logistics – such as if they get sick,” Callum explained.

He said the experience would augment his studies.

“I can combine my management studies with practical knowledge while studying the theory online through Great Southern Institute,” Callum said.

“Surprisingly, the Internet in Cambodia is as good as it is in Australia,” he said.

At the end of his six-month study stint in Cambodia, Callum plans to spend a year combining work with part-time university study, kicking off a double degree in Business and International Development.

With the Diploma from GSIT, Callum will gain credit for some units and finish his degree sooner.

Callum said the grant through the AsiaBound project had been most welcome, and he had received excellent support from GSIT when applying for it.

“I really appreciate the funding through AsiaBound,” Callum said.

“It will make my trip a lot easier and remove the financial strain of day-to-day life,” he added.

“It’s a great experience – it’s very exciting.”

This project is supported by funding from the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education in the amount of $4500.

The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

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Moving On DVD accessible to all

Disability Services Commission Area Manager Sherylle Baker, Tyson Lane, Meg Hithersay, Disability Services Commission Local Area Coordinator Chris Gillett and GSIT Disability Liaison Officer Wendy Macliver at the DVD launch.

Great Southern Institute of Technology’s commitment to ensuring accessibility to training for all has been given a valuable boost with the release of a DVD. GSIT Training Services Director Sue Bennett-Ng launched the DVD to a gathering of invited guests including Disability Services Commission Area Manager Sherylle Baker.

The DVD, titled Moving On, features eight people with disability, each sharing their experiences of leaving school and explaining where they received help or support as they took the next step to training, further education or employment.

GSIT Disability Liaison Officer Wendy Macliver said the idea for the DVD came after a career expo at the institute three years ago, when a panel of young people with disability talked about their transition from school to further study and

work, to encourage and support others who were facing the same challenge.

The session drew an overwhelmingly positive response from those who had attended and she repeated it the following year with a different panel of people. To extend the reach and make the information available to more people who might benefit, the Moving On DVD was created as a collaborative project with Albany Secondary Education Support Centre, the Disability Services Commission and the National Disability Coordination Officer.

Disability Services Commission Area Manager Sherylle Baker applauded the concept of the project and the quality of the finished product.

“Hopefully, like me, you are inspired by this DVD,” Sherylle told the gathering.

Wendy said the DVD was helpful for people at a critical time of their lives and it would be invaluable for people with disability and their families.

“Great Southern Institute of Technology places great importance on accessibility of training to everyone,” Wendy said.

“Over the years, many people with disability have been helped into work and further training through the institute,” she said.

“Some have received help to attend mainstream courses, while others have taken advantage of courses tailored to meet the learning needs of people with disability.”

Thanking the people who had participated in the video, Wendy said their involvement had ensured more young people could feel optimistic that they could enjoy a productive and rewarding future.

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From the MD’s Desk As Lidia makes her way across the US on her motorbike, it has been an absolute pleasure for me to take the reins at Great Southern Institute.

My first four weeks have flown by, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting around to meet as many of you as possible.

I have been impressed that everyone I have spoken to, without exception, has been engaged, committed, professional and very supportive, and I thank you for welcoming me so warmly.

In addition to the institute’s everyday business, I have three main areas of focus for my time here.

The first is to ensure we achieve profile and manage the budget accordingly. In line with this, I receive a profile report every Monday morning, and I have had one-on-one discussions with all portfolio managers.

I am currently finalising arrangements to attend all portfolio meetings.

The second main focus is to prepare for reregistration.

This is achieved through a satisfactory TAC audit, and for this, the auditors will assess our training and assessment documentation, and check our compliance with the national training standards.

We have a Quality Audit

Team in place to ensure we are as well prepared as possible for when the auditors arrive in October.

My thanks to all the staff who are working hard to prepare for the audit.

My third focus is on the implications flowing from the introduction of the Entitlement Model in 2014.

The Department of Training and Workforce Development has released details of this skills reform, called Future Skills WA, and the Executive Management Team is currently working through potential impacts and strategies for next year.

For general information on Future Skills WA, visit http:// www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/dtwd/ detcms/navigation/futureskills-wa/.

We manage many challenges in regional institutes as we go about our business of providing quality training to students.

When staff engage with each other and work together as we do at Great Southern, we cannot help but do a good job. I will not be here in January when Future Skills WA takes effect, but GSIT’s Executive Management Team is carefully analysing potential impacts to be well prepared for its implementation.

Here’s what’s happening around the institute in each directorate.

Corporate Services In records management, TRIM is being modified in preparation for a roll-out to staff, and Tarmla is working with Jo in the IT section to implement modifications.

To prepare for the proposed upgrades to Finance 1 and Empower, staff in HR, finance and IT have held discussions via a teleconference with representatives from the Department of Training and Workforce Development.

OSH Coordinator Rick Muller has been working with IT students to update all campus evacuation maps, and is developing online training modules for staff on topics such as manual handling and welding hazards.

Capital works are progressing well. The commercial shed for the Skills Development Centre is nearly finished and will soon be ready for course delivery, the Health Science project is now in the construction phase, and preliminary costings for the Library Resource Centre refurbishment are being prepared by the quantity surveyor.

Training Services The Skills Development Centre is delivering Verification of Competency (VOC) services in hospitality to a large company based in the Pilbara. This is an extension to the centre’s usual VOC services in the high-risk and earthmoving areas.

Great Southern Gazette In the Business and Creative Industries portfolio, Diploma of Business student Callum Hughes obtained an AsiaBound scholarship to study while working in Cambodia.

Callum’s story is on the front page of this edition of The Gazette.

The Communication and The Arts portfolio has sent VET in Schools course information for 2014 to schools for them to make selections. The portfolio is also offering the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment in Katanning, and in Albany for Indigenous students.

Exciting developments for Health Sciences and Community Services are the progress on the portfolio’s new complex at the Albany campus and the opening of the Health Trade Training Centre at North Albany Senior High School.

Peter Young took the opportunity to promote his Wool Handling e-book when the Environment and Primary Industries portfolio hosted the National Consistency Workshop for Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) in Katanning. Peter and Robert Cristinelli, who were ambassadors for the State at this event, reported a useful exchange of information from the sessions.

The Trades and Allied

5 Industries portfolio will have the lion’s share of courses under the auditors’ microscope as part of the institute’s reregistration process, so much time and effort are being dedicated to preparing for this.

Trying out a variety of trades in Semester 2 are about 30 students who have started the TryTech 2 girls’ program. This is a record number of participants, who will experience various courses within the portfolios.

In the Library Resource Centre, a series of library guides have been welcomed by lecturers and the team are producing more guides, which integrate well with Moodle.

Following the publication of the Wool Handling e-book, Paul Trainer is now busy producing a new e-book for Aged Care, with topics including manual handling and personal care.

Student Services Aboriginal Programs staff continue to facilitate training with the delivery of Aboriginal SchoolBased Traineeships, which have a sport fitness and health focus. Delivery is at the Albany campus on Thursdays, and the course provides students with a taste of training to help them decide on their educational direction.

In the regions, numerous courses have started

in Semester 2 with encouraging enrolment numbers.

The Student Services section is preparing for 2014, with online applications opening for full-time study on September 2.

To enhance the services already provided by the chaplain, the referral-based service, Youth Focus, will attend the Albany campus on Thursday afternoons.

Institute Communications has produced a prospectus and is preparing to issue a printed version of a new institute magazine, Prime, to be published each semester.

As work on the new website progresses, IT manager Justin Laing and research officer John Gates have attended a meeting with the contractor to discuss the proposal. A project timetable is being developed.

Disability Liaison Officer Wendy Macliver launched the DVD Moving On, which was produced to help young people with disability in their transition from school to training and employment.

The DVD will be distributed widely and placed on YouTube.

Finally, thank you for the excellent start you have made in the second half of the year, and I wish you all the best as Semester 2 gets underway.

Cheers, Bill

Need stationery?

Visit the GSIT bookshop first!

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Music courses fan smouldering talent

Belting out The Greatest of All during rehearsal at Great Southern Institute of Technology’s music room are The Flying Embers – James Coe (rhythm guitar), Ezra Van Melle (keyboards, harmonica and backing vocals), Sam Turton (drums), Scott Toner (bass guitar and lead vocals) and Toby Walker (lead guitar).

Black Sabbath, The Datsuns, Mr Bungle, Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Iron Maiden, The Flying Embers.

OK, The Flying Embers may not be known on the international music scene quite yet, but they are drawing good crowds locally while planning to ply their trade in Perth next year. And if they continue at the rate they’re going, their name may one day join that list of their most influential bands.

The five first made sparks fly after getting together at Great Southern Institute of

Technology for the Denmark campus music program at the start of this year.

Ezra Van Melle, Scott Toner, Toby Walker, Sam Turton and James Coe discovered they shared a natural empathy, in personality and in their own brand of progressive rock with metal and punk influences.

Their affinity is obvious, both on and off the stage, and their enthusiasm is matched by their clear enjoyment of their art.

Ezra said they had formed the band after they gelled

during jam sessions.

“We wanted to get the band going, and everything just came together,” Ezra said.

Now The Flying Embers are booked for regular gigs in Denmark and Albany which all started from playing at the popular Open Mic nights at the White Star.

While they all have a hand in writing the songs they perform, Scott is the most prolific.

“I’ve been writing songs for about seven years,” Scott said.

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From page 6 “I bring them in and we all contribute and develop them – we all have our own ideas,” he said.

“I usually have the music in my head, the others listen and then learn the riff.”

From a repertoire of about 20 original songs, the band performs sets of 10-12 at each live gig.

The musicians all applaud GSIT’s music program under the tutelage of experienced Music Lecturer Tony King, and appreciate the opportunity to use the music room for their weekly

rehearsals.

“The course has been particularly good for getting up-and-coming bands out there for the public and for learning all the skills needed, and Tony has taught us a lot,” Scott said.

“We wouldn’t have the band if the course wasn’t running,” he added.

All five are now studying the Certificate III in Music Business, which will help them to manage their enterprise when they move away at the end of the year.

“We’re going to give it a crack in Perth,” Scott said.

“We will do as many live shows as we can and we’ll send recordings to Triple J Unearthed,” he said.

Sam summed up the band’s philosophy, which explains the vitality they put into every song.

“We like to play every gig as if it’s our last,” he said.

“I play my best when I’m really pumped, then I can relax,” he said.

“You share your energy with the band and everybody feels it on stage.”

Ezra agreed.

“We aim to play our best every time,” he said.

Switch on to power savings Seeds of Sustainability with

Neil Augustson Great Southern Institute is one of the largest energy users in the region – last year the Albany campus used 773,096 kilowatt hours of electricity, which is equivalent to supplying 106 homes with four occupants. The cost to the institute was nearly $200,000.

The source of the majority of our electricity is still brown coal, which is known as one of the most polluting, in terms of greenhouse gas generation per electricity unit produced.

You can assist in reducing the institute’s consumption by making some simple changes in your actions and behaviour at work. By becoming more aware of how your actions affect energy consumption, you can then change your habits and create new energy-smart behaviour.

If you see a light on in a room that is not occupied, it is your responsibility to turn it off, just as you would at home.

Being energy smart acknowledges that we

need to use energy to perform our duties at work but we can be smarter about how we use it.

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Great Southern Gazette

Nurses get special treatment at completion ceremony

Student Carole Stedman addresses Natalie Skalko, Sheila Frusher, Julie Owens, Karen Robinson, Jodie Watkins, Catherine Atwell and Kara Thomas at the Diploma of Nursing students’ completion ceremony.

For a group of Diploma of Nursing students, a completion ceremony at George’s restaurant marked the end of study and the start of a rewarding career.

Full-time students who had undertaken 18 months of study and part-time students in the Better Skills Better Care program, who had studied for three years, joined their family and friends, nursing lecturers, the institute’s Governing Council members and Managing Director Lidia Rozlapa for an informal gathering to celebrate their completion.

Speaking to the gathering, Lidia said the students had every reason to be proud of their achievements.

“Through real commitment to your studies, and to your vocation, you have gained valuable experience and real skills which will serve you well in the

workforce,” Lidia said.

“To get this far, you have overcome many challenges, but you have also displayed the special qualities which make nurses so highly valued in our society,” she added.

Lidia also congratulated the nursing lecturers and clinical instructors who, under the leadership of Enrolled Nursing Coordinator Jodie Watkins and Clinical Coordinator Karen Robinson, guided and supported the group through their studies.

She thanked the Albany hospital and other regional hospitals, as well as Silver Chain, Bethel, Gwen Hardie Lodge and Clarence Estate, for their patience and dedication in providing nursing placements for the institute’s students.

See page 9 for the photograph of completing full-time students.

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Diploma graduates leave for work

Full-time Diploma of Nursing students celebrated their completion with their lecturers.

Back row: lecturers Karen Robinson, Jodie Watkins, Kerrie Goodsell, Julie Owens, Ruth McLean, Catherine Attwell. Front row: students Hayley Russell, Robin Smith, Amanda Wilson, Natalie Pearson, Sue Ashton, Natasha Keesing, Sarah Hopkins and Ian Woodward. The graduates have gone on to a variety of nursing positions around Western Australia.

Safety First With Rick Muller

Great Southern Institute of Technology has a legal obligation to establish a method for consultation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues, which is why it has an OHS Committee.

The institute has introduced a structure of OHS representatives taking into account the diversity of its employees, the scope of their work and the large geographic area covered.

The structure gives all employees access to the OHS Committee.

However, it must be clearly understood by all that the role of an OHS committee is to complement the activities of the health and safety representatives, not to replace them.

Any issues at the designated work group level must be resolved by the relevant OHS representative and their manager. If the issue cannot be resolved, the processes outlined in the OSH Issue Resolution Procedures, available on the intranet, should be followed. The representative has the right

What do OHS committees do? to take action – such as issue a provisional improvement notice or order a stop-work if there is an immediate risk – if the issue is not resolved.

The committee looks at wider workplace issues, such as: • Implementing workplace inspections.

• Assisting with establishing, monitoring and reviewing OHS policies and procedures.

• Monitoring workplace incidents and recommending control measures.

• Participating in incident investigation as required.

• Monitoring workplace hazards and developing strategies to address them.

• Analysing statistical data.

• Assisting with identification of OHS training needs.

The committee is also actively involved in the consultative mechanism for the resolution of OHS issues.

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GSIT Training Services Director Sue Bennett-Ng, NASHS Principal Sharon Doohan and GSIT Acting Managing Director Bill Swetman at the official opening of the Albany Regional Health Trade Training Centre.

Partnership drives healthy options Representatives of Great Southern Institute of Technology and local high schools recently celebrated at the official opening of the Albany Regional Health Trade Training Centre located at North Albany Senior High School.

The centre, which was funded by the Australian Government under the Trade Training Centres in Schools program, will boost training to meet a growing demand for health services within the community and address future labour shortages.

It is a contemporary, purpose-built facility

for teaching nursing and allied health sciences, ensuring students receive upto-date learning in a professional setting conducive to quality education.

The institute will use the facility to deliver courses in aged care and allied health through the VET in Schools program.

The collaborative project between the institute and Albany high schools will allow young people to prepare for a rewarding career while still at school, then remain in Albany when moving to a vocational qualification in the health sciences.

Aboriginal Elder Lester Coyne delivers the Welcome to Country.

Keely Field and Elizabeth Bailey celebrate.

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Industry meetings bring valuable updates for GSIT lecturers

Hospitality Lecturer Andrea Gallagher and Hairdressing Lecturer Jodi Remaj recently updated their industry knowledge by travelling to conferences outside the region.

For lecturing staff at Great Southern Institute of Technology, staying up to date with industry trends is crucial for the institute to maintain its position as the region’s leading training provider.

To achieve this allimportant industry currency, lecturers Andrea Gallagher and Jodi Remaj recently travelled outside the region to conferences directly related to their field of expertise.

Andrea attended the two-day Australian Hoteliers Association annual industry conference in Perth, where she heard from keynote speakers and met industry professionals from around the State.

She said this was valuable for updating her knowledge, especially

with the move to digital delivery and changes to liquor licensing laws.

“Going to the conference was a highlight – it helped me to become aware of new delivery techniques and styles,” Andrea said.

“I wanted to see how industry was changing or developing in Perth and regionally, and to catch that change before it hit Albany,” she added.

“It will help me to develop course content to suit the changing market,” she said.

Hairdressing Lecturer Jodi Remaj travelled further afield to attend a three-day event in Sydney. At the Hair Expo, which included the announcement of the Hairdresser of the Year Awards, Jodi learnt about the latest techniques

and products new to the market.

She said the conference had been motivating and exciting.

“I was really pumped and just wanted to get my fingers in some hair,” Jodi laughed.

Ultimately this knowledge and enthusiasm benefits our students, a fact that would have been noted by a number of local salon owners who also attended the event.

Principal Lecturer Ruth McLean applauded the lecturers’ dedication.

“It is fantastic to work with people who are so enthusiastic about their industry area and wonderful to be able to support these professional development activities,” Ruth said.

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Katie rewarded for community spirit

Cancer Council WA Relay for Life Youth Spirit Award winner Katie Murphy (centre) with Events Lecturers Cathy Glen and Andrew Morrison.

For Great Southern Institute of Technology Events student Katie Murphy, helping to raise money for cancer research brought an unexpected bonus.

Katie, who organised the closing ceremony for the 2012 Relay for Life in Albany last October, was presented with the Youth Spirit Award at the Cancer Council WA Relay For Life Awards last month.

The achievement came as a surprise to Katie, who was thrilled.

“Winning the award was the shock of my lifetime, I didn’t know I had been nominated,” she said.

Lecturer Cathy Glen,

who nominated Katie for the award, said it had been a difficult ceremony to run.

“There was a need for speed without losing the importance of celebrating everyone’s achievements,” Cathy said.

“This was not only for the 24 hours, but also for the year of fundraising and promotional efforts leading up to it,” she added.

“Katie ran the ceremony extremely well without hiccups – it was a ceremony to remember.”

Katie, who is studying for the Diploma of Events, used her work with Relay for Life as part of her

course assessment.

This year, Katie has been invited to become a member of the organising committee for the 2013 Relay for Life, an opportunity she has grasped with both hands.

“They are a nice bunch of people and are very supportive and helped me a lot,” she said.

Katie will continue working on Relay for Life until October, then finish her diploma.

While studying, Katie has been employed as a marketing officer at a local sports centre.

Next year, she hopes to find a full-time job in a community, recreation or fundraising area.

Great Southern Gazette

Access All Areas

with Wendy Macliver

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Support for study skills

Do you have a disability, medical condition or learning difficulty that might impact on your training course? Great Southern Institute provides study support to help students be successful.

If you are having difficulties or have learning or access needs due to a disability or medical condition, come and see me at Client Services, phone me on 9892 8741 or email wendy.macliver@gsit. wa.edu.au.

As the Study Skills Support Coordinator and Disability Officer at the institute, I can help arrange the support you need.

Assistance may include books and learning materials in electronic format or large print, a note-taker, tutor or in-class assistant, ergonomic chairs or equipment, computer access or literacy software – or regular contact to track how you are going.

Let us support you to be successful.

All enquiries are confidential.

Quality document updates

The following Quality Documents have been deleted, added and updated on the intranet: Deleted: QFCS0015 New: QFCS0184

Exit Form – Included in QFCS0086 Exit Questionnaire Public Interest Disclosure Declaration Form – New Public Sector Commission Form

Reviewed and Updated: CS022 Purchase Card Application – Updated procedure CS015 Asset Disposal – Updated procedure CS016 Asset Write-Off – Updated procedure CS019 Loan of Equipment and Facilities – Updated procedure and pricing QFCS0100 Staff Award Nomination – Updated contact person QFAS0029 Advertising Request – Updated newspaper and radio media options QFSP0021 Talent Release Form – 2 forms on 1 page for economy QP024 Event Protocol – Person initialising event will produce invitation list CSRD011 Institute Consultative Committee Terms of Reference – Meetings to be monthly, added proxy info, changed membership POCS044 Purchased Leave/Deferred Salary – Minor adjustments, easier to read POCS038 Public Interest Disclosure Policy – Minor changes CS039 Public Interest Disclosure Guidelines – Minor changes CSRD019 Pandemic Continuity Plan – Major review QFCS0098 Mobile Phone User Agreement – Updated names, added hyperlinks, ‘current position’ wording changed HRRD011 Government Services Miscellaneous General Agreement 2013 – 2013 version ASRD022 Preparing for Audit – Updated If you find any Quality Document with out-of-date information, please phone Caro Saunders on 8742.

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Step out and step up to good health The positive effects of walking on mental, physical and environmental health – such as reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease – are well known, and personal benefits can be felt from doing just 30 minutes a day.

Walking is one of the most accessible and popular forms of exercise, but it is also something that can be easy to talk yourself out of on cold, wet and dark winter mornings and evenings.

Spring provides the perfect opportunity to try and incorporate walking into your routine with National Walk to Work Day. The event is usually held in September, but this year Friday, 4 October is the day on which individuals and workplaces can register to take active transport to work.

Walking is not always the most practical form of transport from home to work in regional areas, so here are some ideas: • Park a distance (such as a kilometre) away from work and walk the rest of the way.

• Hold a healthy breakfast or morning tea for those who walk.

• If there is no time in the morning, have a walking lunch break.

• Make a conscious effort to get up and stretch your legs regularly during the

work day – at least once an hour.

• Arrange to walk with colleagues or friends to improve motivation and enjoyment.

There are a number of free programs available to support the inclusion of walking in workplaces.

Heart Foundation Walking @ Work enables employees to walk at any time of the working day, on their own or with colleagues. It is a ready-to-implement, flexible program that can also improve rapport.

Alternatively, you may wish to add a little competition element with the online ‘Get on Track’ challenge, to see who in your workplace can eat their two serves of fruit, five serves of vegetables and participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day to progress along a virtual route.

Workplaces can set up their own challenges and tracks.

For more information on National Walk to Work Day, see www.walk.com.au. If you would like to find out about implementing Heart Foundation Walking @ Work, just search for ‘workplace walking’ on www. heartfoundation.org.au or for details on ‘Get on Track’ go to www.getontrackchallenge. com.au.

This column courtesy of Great Southern Population Health.

For more information, phone 9842 7500 (Albany) or 9821 6287 (Katanning).

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HR News With Paula Pattinson

In the past month some of our well-loved colleagues have moved on, but we have gained some new ones who I'm sure will enjoy the GSIT environment just as much.

Positions advertised • EOI Principal Lecturer AQTF – position will be readvertised in late 2013.

• EOI Customer Service Officers (2-3 staff to job share 1.0 FTE) – successful applicants were Shannon Drage, Barbara Hands and MJ Gibbs.

• EOI Portfolio Support Officer, Health Sciences and Community Services (0.4 FTE) – applications closed 15 August.

Congratulations to all who were successful in winning positions.

ASL appointments There have been further ASL appointments since the main selection process closed: • Sally Lawrie, ASL1 Children’s Services.

• Catherine Attwell, ASL1 Nursing.

Congratulations to Sally and Catherine. ASL applications can be accepted at any time of the year, so there may be more to announce later.

New staff • Katie Wheeler, Casual Support, Aboriginal Programs.

• Brittney Stokes, Casual Support, Restaurant.

• Marie Clarke, Casual Lecturer, Woolclassing.

• Tanya Blight, Casual Lecturer, Allied Health.

• Marie Bennett, Casual Support, Library.

• Heather Wright, Casual Support, Disability, Katanning.

• Janine Augustson, recommenced as a Casual Lecturer, Allied Health.

• Sara Ongaro, Casual Lecturer, Italian.

• Fiona Lionetti, Casual Support, Trades.

Long-term absences and staff movements • Jon Marwick, ASL2 Land Management, on LSL/other leave until 23 January 2014.

• Warren Sloss, Lecturer Plumbing, on LSL/other leave until 17 January 2014.

• Michael Stone, Lecturer Building and Construction, on LSL until 6 September.

I hope they get the opportunity to enjoy some warmer weather elsewhere.

Do you have a idea for an article in The Gazette?

Email marketing@gsinstitute.wa.edu.au

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Sue Dawes’ Free-cycle centre for Semester 2 was packed with freebies – and everyone was encouraged to help themselves.

Free-cycle a bumper bonanza The enormous number of items donated for last month’s Free-cycling centre in the café foyer reflected not only the popularity of the event, but also the passion behind the sustainability ethos of our institute’s people.

Organiser Sue Dawes said she was staggered by the number of donations.

“It’s normally 2½ to three tables full, but this time, we had four,” Sue said.

“This is an amazing effort, and in a time of budget cuts and belt tightening, it’s been terrific,” she said.

“Much of it was almost new, or in as-new condition.”

Sue said this was the first time she had received IT equipment, which had included keyboards and mice, cables, a fax machine, a scanner and a pocket PDA. Other big items which were picked over quickly included footrests, document holders, pigeon hole cabinets, suspension file holders, A4 document cases, compendiums and backpacks.

Normal stationery items are always the

most prolific. They include files, such as lever arch and ring binders, suspension files, manilla folders and sleeve folders, as well as the usual pens, pencils, rulers and erasers.

Staff and students took whatever they wanted, free of charge. Some lecturers took enough to supply their classes.

Sue said sustainability awareness throughout the institute was higher than ever before.

“People have been asking if I will accept items other than stationery,” she said.

“The more diverse the product, the better – donating to the Free-cycling saves it getting thrown in the rubbish.”

Even though this semester’s Free-cycling event is over, Sue starts straight away taking donations and storing them for the next one.

Her philosophy is if it’s useful to somebody, don’t throw it out. Phone Sue on 8828 and organise to drop off items for the next Freecycling event in February 2014.