Meet The Protectors Expos

You’ve heard of The Avengers, you’ve heard of the Justice League of America, now meet The Protectors!

PeakCare is pleased to announce that the Child Protection Expos we will be hosting in five locations during 2012 will be named Meet The Protectors.  In keeping with our aim to ensure that the Expos are events about the people, by the people, for the people, this seems to be a very apt and appropriate title.  It is a title that gives due and proper acknowledgement of the many hundreds of people who, despite their mild-mannered appearance and demeanour, never waver in their quest to achieve the safety, wellbeing and equitable life opportunities of Queensland children, young people and families.   They are the often unsung heroes, like you, who continually wear a badge of child protection close to their hearts.

 

Key Expo events

Key events that will feature at each of the Expos will include the following:

• Displays and presentations

A wide and diverse range of organisations – government and non-government – will be invited to show-case their work.  This may include providing a “trade display” where staff members are available to discuss the work of their organisation, verbal presentations delivered at regular intervals during the course of the day, audio-visual presentations and whatever other creative methods are devised by organisations to show-case their programs and services.

At each of the Expos, a prize will be awarded to the organisation that delivers the most innovative and appealing display or presentation, so start planning your organisation’s presentation now!

• Roundtable discussions about matters relevant to the current Child Protection Inquiry

At each of the Expos, a number of roundtable discussions will be held about matters relevant to the recently announced Child Protection Inquiry being led by the Honourable Tim Carmody SC.     These facilitated discussions will be conducted in a format similar to the ABC’s Q&A.  Panel members will include local identities as well as others who have a State-wide focus and audience participation will, of course, be encouraged.

You may expect that the views and opinions expressed during these discussions will come to the attention of the Commission of Inquiry so make sure that your organisation’s voice is heard!

• Recruitment of future staff

A major issue facing the child protection sector concerns our ability to attract a future workforce.  To this end, tertiary education providers are being invited to participate in the Expos and strategies will be implemented to engage secondary school students in visiting the Expos and considering a future career in the field of child protection.

Watch out for more information about these strategies in future editions of our eNews!

When and where the Expos will be held

Negotiations are now well underway to conduct Expos at:

1)      Logan City to cater for the corridor extending from southern Brisbane to the Gold Coast

2)      a location to cater for the corridor extending from northern Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast

3)      Toowomba

4)      Rockhampton, and

5)      Townsville.

You may expect that the Expos will be held in late September, October and early November.  As soon as confirmation of venues and dates are confirmed, this information will be widely advertised.

PeakCare is committed to keeping the costs of your organisation’s participation and attendance at the Expos low.  To this end, hosting the Expos in five separate locations is intended to eliminate much of the travelling and accommodation costs to organisations in enabling their staff to participate in events of this type.  Plus PeakCare believes in the importance of promoting a regional flavour!

As venue arrangements are finalised, details of costs will be included within the Expo advertisements.

 Your feedback and ideas

As we finalise our planning for the Meet The Protectors Expos, your feedback and ideas continue to be important to us.  If you have suggestions to make about your local Expo, please feel free to enter comments to this post or email groberts@peakcare.org.au.

Lindsay Wegener

Executive Director – PeakCare Queensland