Prahran Mission is a not-for-profit community services organisation in Prahran, a suburb of Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It is largely focused on providing services for people living with mental illness

Mental illness

A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...

, or in economic or social disadvantage. It operates under the auspice of UnitingCare Australia

UnitingCare Australia

UnitingCare Australia is the Uniting Church in Australia's umbrella community services body. UnitingCare Australia is committed to values based advocacy, speaking with and on behalf of those who are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, for the common good.It is a sister body to UnitingJustice...

.

History

The Mission began in 1946 as the Prahran Methodist Mission, operating out of the building it still occupies in Chapel Street. At first it concentrated on charity work such as emergency relief and a low-cost cafe. Over the years more services were added, including free firewood for the elderly in 1955, an opportunity shop in 1960 and a meals on wheels

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...

 service in 1963.

Union

When the Uniting Church in Australia

Uniting Church in Australia

The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....

 was formed from, amongst others, the Methodist Church, the Mission came under the banner of UnitingCare Australia

UnitingCare Australia

UnitingCare Australia is the Uniting Church in Australia's umbrella community services body. UnitingCare Australia is committed to values based advocacy, speaking with and on behalf of those who are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, for the common good.It is a sister body to UnitingJustice...

 and operates under its guidelines today.

Mental Health

During the 1980s, the Mission started concentrating on the needs of those with mental health issues. Although it kept its traditional community services programs going, new services were specifically catered to those living with mental illness. The Mission began its Second Story program, a Psycho-Social Rehabilitation program, based around participants meeting with a social worker and working towards living independently in the community.

Programs

Today, the Mission has more than 15 programs running across several sites in Prahran, South Yarra, Malvern

Malvern, Victoria

Malvern is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Malvern had a population of 9,422.-History:...

 and Mount Waverley. These include Aged Care Programs, Mothers Support, artists' studio space, Drop-In Centre, Cafe, Opportunity Shop and more. The Mission continues to concentrate on mental health services, and is funded largely by the Victorian Department of Human Services.