COVID-19 Project Support Officers
In partnership with the Victorian Government, Council has welcomed COVID Project Support Officers to provide local businesses, community venues and the general community information and advice regarding the latest COVID-19 requirements.
The team is made up of people who can speak 15 different languages ensuring they can serve our diverse community and they work closely with both Monash Health, EACH as well as other stakeholders.
Our team can assist you with:
- accessing the COVID-19 winter booster
- organising a COVID-19 vaccination site in your area
- providing information on current business and community venue requirements
- providing information on grants and funding available to businesses.
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19 transmission, all Victorian businesses and community venues are required to have completed a COVIDSafe Plan and COVID-19 Vaccination Status Register for all employees and volunteers who leave home for work.
COVIDSafe Plan
A COVIDSafe Plan is a list of health and safety actions which helps to protect staff, customers, visitors, and the community. It is an important part of an organisation’s occupational health and safety obligations and is required under the Victorian Government’s pandemic orders.
A COVIDSafe Plan must demonstrate how the organisation will:
- Manage a COVID-19 case at the workplace
- Ensure workers meet worker vaccination requirements if working outside their home
- Address relevant record keeping requirements
- Address relevant face mask requirements
- Take steps to mitigate the introduction of COVID-19 to the workplace
Workplaces must ensure their COVIDSafe Plan is updated according to the Victorian Government’s latest directions and kept on-site at the workplace where it is easy to find. A workplace’s COVIDSafe Plan must be provided to Authorised Officers upon request.
COVID-19 Vaccination Status Register
In order to continue working onsite, many workers will need to provide evidence to their employer they have received two or three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid proof of medical exemption.
A work premise is anywhere you are required to be onsite for your work, including a home-based business where customers or clients enter a part of the premise. For example, a real estate work premises would include a home inspection, not just head office.
Workplaces must keep a record of when they sighted the vaccination status of their workers and provide this to Authorised Officers upon request. If workers choose to withhold evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination status, their employer must take reasonable steps to ensure they do not leave home for work purposes. A template to record COVID-19 Vaccination Statuses is available below:
COVID-19 Vaccination Status Register (Workers) - 72KB
Support with COVID-19 Vaccination
The COVID Officer team is available to support older Victorians, adults, children, and community groups’ access the COVID-19 vaccination. This includes providing individualised consultations and case management support for priority communities and organising COVID-19 Vaccination pop-up sites for community events.
Since late February 2022, our COVID Officers have supported over 400 Victorians with accessing their COVID-19 Vaccinations and have organised COVID-19 Vaccination sites with 30 local community organisations.
Watch the following video by the Department of Health on why you should get your third COVID-19 Vaccination dose in-time for Winter.
Small Business Ventilation Program
To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and improve ventilation in areas accessed by customers, the Victorian Government is providing support to public facing small businesses through the Small Business Ventilation Program.
Eligible businesses can now apply for funding to invest in equipment, works or engage professional services to improve ventilation in areas of the workplace that are accessible to customers.
Under the program, two types of support are available:
- Ventilation Rebate - A $500 rebate for public facing small businesses to take immediate actions such as purchasing equipment or hiring a qualified tradesperson to undertake minor services to improve ventilation in areas accessible to customers.
- Ventilation Grant - Matched grants from $1000 to $5000 to enable public facing small businesses who employ staff to invest in larger projects to improve ventilation such as building works, engaging professional services or equipment in areas accessible to customers.
Applications are open until 11.59pm Friday 24 June 2022 or when funds are fully allocated, whichever comes first.
Business Victoria Wellbeing Program
Business Victoria is proud to offer Victorian small businesses free access to Mindarma (an online wellbeing program) designed to enhance mental health and grow business and personal resilience.
Mindarma is specifically designed for Victorian business owners and their employees and includes resources, mindfulness exercises and podcasts delivered over 10 short interactive sessions (each around 15 minutes – program can be completed in 3 hours).
The program is easily accessible across smartphones, computers and tablets and is developed by leading researchers and supported by the Black Dog Institute. The evidence-based online learning program will enhance psychological resilience and protect mental health.
Free access is available to the first 1,000 applicants. Applications close on 30 June 2022 with access to the tool available until 31 December 2022.
How can Council help?
Our Officers are available to help your business or community group with:
- Providing a COVIDSafe Plan template
- Support with completing the COVIDSafe Plan
- Providing a COVID-19 Vaccination Status Register template
- Providing advice in how to maintain a COVIDSafe workplace
- Providing information on grants and funding available to businesses
If you would like some support and a visit from one of our officers, please email COVID19@cgd.vic.gov.au with your business/group name, contact details and enquiry.
Helpful links
- Latest COVID-19 vaccine data for Victoria - Weekly COVID-19 Vaccine Data
- Details on restrictions by industry for workplaces - How we Work: Current restrictions
- Template and information for the mandatory plan - COVIDSafe Plan
- Information about COVID-19 vaccination requirements – Worker vaccination requirements
- Support to improve business ventilation - Small Business Ventilation Program
- Business wellbeing program - Enhance your resilience with Mindarma
- For printing and display in your business - Signs, Posters and Templates
- Translated Coronavirus Victoria website - Translated Information about COVID-19
- Features extensive information regarding requirements and restrictions for workplaces and businesses - Workplace Directions
- What to do if you test positive to COVID-19 – Checklist for COVID cases
