TAC and Training for Co-ops
Another productive Training Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting was held on April 16. It was our first “hybrid” meeting, having some present in person and others joining on Zoom.
We welcomed three new TAC reps and it’s great to now have seven co-op members on the committee, to advise on the training needs for all co-ops:
- Gayle Carley of Lakesdale co-op (TAC Chairperson)
- Sharon Quinn of Wattletree co-op
- Para Kanagasingham of Herbert St co-op
- Judith Nash of Mangroves co-op
- Susan Goosen-Street of Lakewood co-op
- Damian Dickson of Sun co-op
- Lesley Cooper of Serenity co-op
TAC Reps represent CERC and CMC co-op models and welcome ideas on training from all co-ops. Members in all regions can also send any training ideas or feedback to training@cehl.com.au.
Do check the CEHL website “What’s On” for the latest training offered – you will find the details there about the May/June 2021 training on “Developing Your Co-op”. Some training follow-up materials can also be found on the CEHL website. Currently information is available on the recent Residential Tenancies Act changes.
-Heather CEHL and Gayle TAC Chairperson
Here is a little about our new TAC Representatives:
Lesley Cooper, Serenity CERC
My name is Lesley, and I am a new member on the TAC team. I am a member of Serenity CERC and have been a Board Member over the last 7 years. I am currently in my second year of completing a PhD whilst also doing some sessional teaching in Criminology at Federation University Australia. I am passionate about life-long learning with over 15 years of experience developing and delivering employment and learning programs. I hope to be able to share some of this experience with TAC and the Ballarat CERC community.
Susan Goosen-Street, Lakewood
Hi, my name is Susan and I’m looking forward to volunteering on the TAC team. I have been a co-op member of Lakewood for 10 years (wow that went fast). My day job is working as a nurse at Epworth in the pre and post theatre area, it’s a very fast paced job but one I really love.
I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have been able to study nursing as a mature age student and this was due to moving into co-op housing – without affordable and secure housing the prospect of studying fulltime and affording my rent and other reasonability’s would not have been possible.
But most of all the sense of community at Lakewood really made it feel like a home. I have fallen in love with the ‘co-op life’. I have been a board member of my co-op on and off over the last 10 years amid other roles within my co-op and now I’m looking forward to contributing more to the wider co-op community with TAC. It’s been great to meet other co-op members in the process and I look forward to meeting some of you at the next regional meeting.
Damian Dickson, Sun CERC
Hi, I'm Damian Dickson. I recently became a member of the CEHL TAC, and I have been a member/tenant since 1996 with both EARTH CERC and now SUN CERC. As you can see, from the CERC names they each have an environmental ethos.
Since becoming a member, I have acquired a number of skills. These include; the role and responsibilities of the treasurer, meeting procedures, communication skills and even how to work out what all the acronyms mean!
I was also a member of the planning team for the establishment of Murandakka in Heidelberg and a coordinator of the information sessions and subsequent interviews of prospective residents.
All in all, a very rewarding experience.
Meetings are a necessary evil, but it's not all bad. Sometimes you actually learn things!