CEB Staff Newsletter #1 - 5 Feb 2021

Welcome Back

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all enjoyed a restful break over the holiday period, and are now refreshed and ready to take on the new school year. I enjoyed being able to meet many more of you at our CEB Staff meeting days in January.

Tom

New CEB Communications

As mentioned in Tom’s January CEB Staff meeting presentation, our communications have been consolidated for 2021 and are now sent on the Schoolzine platform. Our new schedule is as follows:

• CEB Staff Newsletters (green)
  Sent periodically to CEB staff and includes internal news, updates and announcements.
   
• Weekly Newsletters (blue)
  Sent weekly on Wednesdays and includes news from the Executive Director, announcements, policy updates, appointments, service area updates, funding opportunities, leadership opportunities, employment opportunities, news and events.
   
• Executive Director’s Update to Principals (maroon)
  Sent periodically to Principals and CEB staff. Only for urgent updates and announcements (eg. COVID and Principal appointments). These updates will be added to the Archive the following business day.
  
  
• DOBCEL Board Update (purple)
  Sent out periodically after board meetings and policies are ratified.

You can view archived newsletters and updates through the Archive link in the menu of each respective publication. CEB Staff Newsletters will continue to be archived in the Knowledge Bank under 10. Communications.

Please direct approved newsletter content or enquiries to news@ceob.edu.au

CEB Travel and Expense Reimbursement Protocol

In 2020 a review of travel arrangements and expense reimbursements was undertaken to improve the clarity and consistency of these arrangements.  In the first half of last year, CEB staff were invited to contribute to the review and a protocol was developed based on current practice, and the feedback.  Stewardship reviewed the draft, however with restricted travel movements in the latter part of 2020 it was agreed to delay the protocol's release until now.

The new CEB Travel and Expense Reimbursement Protocol is now published on Knowledge Banks under 07. Policies and Procedures > 02. CEOB, and outlines the approved arrangements for work-related travel and related expenses for all CEB employees effective from February 2021.  

Should you have any questions about these arrangements, please liaise with your Team Leader.

New Organisational Chart

A new Organisational Chart is available to download below. The 2021 Directory will be available in next Wednesday's newsletter.

Introducing our new EAP – Converge International

In December (Director’s Update to DET 2 December 2020 #32/2020), we announced a change to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).  I am pleased to confirm that Converge International has commenced working with Catholic Education in the Ballarat Diocese, supporting our wellbeing, effective 1 January 2021.

Converge International’s People Assist EAP Program is a holistic, customer-focused, and quality-assured service delivered within a contemporary health and wellbeing framework. The Converge International People Assist program provides short-term and solutions-focused counselling that aims to support and empower employees and members of their families through various best practice counselling approaches and frameworks to assist in resolving personal and work-based issues.

To better understand the program and Converge, you may like to watch this 2-minute video or review the handout shared last year.  More information about the new EAP and Converge is available on Knowledge Banks under 09. DET > Employee Wellbeing > People Assist Program – Converge International.

We also encourage you to take a look at Converge’s Flourish Magazine.  It covers a broad range of wellbeing topics from healthy recipes, exercise, relationships, and resilience to topical areas such as living and working through a pandemic.

To access confidential, complimentary counselling service staff, and their immediate family members, can call Converge International on 1300 687 327.

Professional Standards Requirements

A reminder of Professional Standards requirements for any clergy that may be visiting from outside our Diocese. No matter the reason, all clergy that are not Ballarat diocesan MUST seek permission and receive Faculties in writing from either the Bishop or Vicar General prior to their arrival. For further information, please refer to DOBCEL Engagement with Priests and Parishes Protocol 20201010.

World Day Against Trafficking in Humans, Feast of St Josephine Bakhita

Below is a prayer resource for World Day Against Trafficking in Humans, Feast of St Josephine Bakhita on 8 February (next Monday).  To get this on the ground for people, you could print it and make it available in your staff room (next to your fair trade tea and coffee no less).  You could also email it to your staff members. It could be included in your newsletter. Maybe you have a staff meeting next week and could use it for prayer.

Contact Tracing Reminder

Just a reminder that it is essential to keep WebCentral up to date with your movements as this serves as a log book of your activity, should there ever be a need for contact tracing.

February Birthdays

We hope these folks enjoy their special day…