Simulated workplaceCAQA Department of Community Programs is a fictional business created by CAQA for training and assessment. It is not a real company and no person, client or record here is real.About this simulation
PSPCAQA Department of Community ProgramsSimulated workplace
Simulated workplace
Communications

Notice board

What the business is telling its staff this month.

Compliance

Round-by-round conflict of interest declarations now mandatory

From round 2 of Community Connect Grants, every assessor, moderator and delegate must complete a conflict of interest declaration for each round before receiving any application, in addition to the annual declaration. Managers must hold the signed form on the round file. This responds to risk RR-26-014 and internal audit's finding on regional assessment files.

2 September 2026

Safety

Front counter duress alarm test and debrief

Following an incident with an aggressive visitor at the Ballarat front counter on 4 September, the duress alarms in all three offices will be tested at 8:45 am on Tuesday 15 September. Front counter staff will attend a debrief and refresher on the unreasonable conduct guideline the same morning. Please support colleagues who were involved and speak with your manager if you need assistance.

5 September 2026

Quality

Records capture: save grant decision emails to the file

Internal audit found grant decision emails sitting in mailboxes and not on the application file. Under the records management policy every decision must be captured in the records system on the day. An automatic capture rule now applies to the grants mailbox, and the records team will run drop-in sessions in each office during September. A follow-up audit is scheduled for December.

7 September 2026

Event

Provider forum and fraud awareness session, Shepparton

The annual funded provider forum will be held at the Shepparton office on Thursday 22 October from 10:00 am. The program includes the Deputy Secretary's update, a session on the revised acquittal requirements and a fraud and corruption awareness session for provider boards. Staff who manage provider relationships are expected to attend. Register through the events page by 9 October.

9 September 2026

Operations

Budget estimates preparation and question time briefs

The Minister appears before the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee in November. Policy and Strategy will coordinate question time briefs from 5 October, and every branch must nominate a contact officer and update its key facts and figures by 30 September. Briefs must follow the ministerial brief template and every figure must be traceable to a source record.

10 September 2026