Parkinson’s NSW has established a Support Group Consultative Committee to act as a sounding board for ongoing decision-making about Parkinson’s NSW Support Group communications, education, Leadership Team training, operations, and activities.

In order to establish the Committee, an invitation was sent out to all Support Groups for people who wanted to nominate themselves for the role based on the following:

Core Competencies:

• Commitment to the purpose and values of Parkinson’s NSW.
• Belief in the value of Support Groups for enhancing the lives of people living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.
• Must be – or have recently been – part of the Leadership Team (Committee) of a Parkinson’s NSW Support Group. (This includes people living with Parkinson’s, caregivers and Allied Health professionals who may be in leadership roles).
• Interest and/or experience in education and training.
• Belief in the role of Support Groups in advocating for the Parkinson’s community and raising community awareness of the disease.
• Prior involvement in fundraising activities.
• Ability to engage in respectful and thoughtful discussion of Support Group needs and issues.
• Willingness to abide by the legislative and legal requirements pertaining to Support Groups under:
  • The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
  • The Australian Tax Office (ATO)
  • The Fair Trading, Corporations Act
  • The Privacy Act

In addition, we sought people with specific functional competencies:

• Ability to communicate via email, telephone and Zoom videoconferencing
• Knowledge of the structure, leadership requirements and operations of Parkinson’s NSW Support Groups.
• Some prior business, finance, management, planning, strategy, communications, education, sales, education, training, or other leadership experience.
• Experience in a caring role.
• Ability to commit to three formal meetings per year, plus fulfilling requests for comment and feedback via email between meetings.
• Regional- or Sydney-based (a balanced representation was sought)

Eleven Support Group Leaders nominated themselves. The quality of their applications was such that all have been accepted for the Support Group Consultative Committee.

The successful nominees and their Support Groups were:

• Chris McCombie of Central Coast Support Group
• Claire Rich of Blacktown Support Group
• Jenny Zirkler of Nambucca Valley Support Group
• Joy Overs of Eurobodalla Support Group
• Karen Doyle of Tumbarumba Support Group
• Kim Dahler of Port Macquarie Support Group
• Lesley Errington of Kiama Support Group
• Sandra Elms of Newcastle Support Group
• Sue Sarlos of Illawarra North Support Group
• Terry Wiesner of Inner West Support Group
• Warwick Bisset of Goulburn Support Group