SGS news is an independent collaborative initiative of the local networks and interagencies. The first issue of SGS news was published in September 2012 with a small one-off grant. Local networks and interagencies had worked together to find a collective solution to multiple cross postings, blocked inboxes and information not reaching all the people who could use it.
Now, service providers submit information to the SGS news editor who produces one easy-to-read weekly bulletin with links to flyers and websites, sent to over 1,900 subscribers who pass SGS news on to many others.
How does the SGS news project work?
- SGS news is an independent, collaborative project.
- The project is auspiced by 3Bridges Community, which provides in-kind administrative support.
- A Reference Group including representatives from the following organisations guides the project: Bayside Council, Georges River Council, Gymea Community Aid and Information Service, St George and Sutherland Child and Family Interagencies and Sutherland Shire Council.
- A part-time editor is contracted to produce each issue, ensuring that SGS news is concise, accurate, timely, reliable and easy to read.
- A coordinator, who is a volunteer, promotes SGS news, compiles the interagency timetable and finds resources, events, funds and grants for publication.
How do people use SGS news?
SGS news subscribers include management, staff, volunteers and local residents. Subscribers receive weekly updates, connecting more people with local events, new programs and resources, for children, young people and families, adults and seniors, carers and people with disabilities, and multicultural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Readers and subscribers use SGS news to:
- be informed and up to date
- market and promote services
- make referrals to programs
- print and display flyers
- cut and paste items for other newsletters
- attend events and training
- apply for grants and funds
- find partners for projects
- look for interagency and network meetings
- turn the text into other languages with Google translate
- pass the news bulletin on to colleagues, clients and communities
They save time by finding all that in one easy to read weekly bulletin.
What do our readers say about SGS news?
The success of SGS news in streamlining and improving access to information in St George and Sutherland Shire was clear from two evaluation surveys, in 2013 and 2015. In 2015, 91% of respondents found SGS news useful, 87% relevant and 89% easy to use.
Here are some comments about SGS news from the 2015 survey:
- There is nowhere else in the St George and Sutherland areas where the range of community sector news can be found quickly and regularly.
- Centralised reference point for local service information, immense saving on cross posting and easy way of sharing and ensuring wide circulation of information
- It makes us aware of the services that are available to our clients and helps us in delivering our service
- Great readership so people respond when we put info in the SGS News
- We had a hidden carer come forward through someone who saw the item – this is fantastic as they are hard to find
- The fact that training is listed all together is wonderful and saves time scouring for information elsewhere.
- As a clinician I pass on a lot of the material to consumers of mental health services
- Covers multicultural programs very effectively, One stop shop.
- I pass on the information to students’ parents. The information is current and relevant
- I often print it out and give it to my clients as it is user friendly.