UnitingCare Australia
Encyclopedia
UnitingCare Australia is the Uniting Church in Australia
's (UCA) umbrella community service
s 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 Australia whose mandate is to pursue social justice
and ecological justice and peace
. Both bodies are agencies of the Uniting Church in Australia, National Assembly.
It is one of Australia’s largest non-government providers of community services, with 400 community service agencies located across every State and Territory, providing services to 1.8 million Australians each year. UnitingCare agencies employ 35,000 staff and 24,000 volunteers nationally and provides services to children, young people and families, people with disabilities, and older Australians, in urban, rural and remote communities. Agencies providw residential and community care, child care, homelessness
prevention and support, family support, domestic violence
and disability services.
There are 34 missions (such as the Wesley Mission
s) and a range of other agencies, the missions come together in the Uniting Missions Network, the other agencies networking is facilitated through the Synod
bodies, such as UnitingCare Commissions.
Blue Care is part of the UnitingCare network based in Queensland. The Blue Care organisation provides services such as Centre Based Day Respite, Residential Care, Blue Nursing services, Home Care dementia services, Commonwealth Carelink centres, Commonwealth carer respite centres, nursing homes and other community services.
(UnitingCare Australia's role is defined by its Mandate, March 2005)
, who was also elected in 2006 as President of the Australian Council of Social Service
.
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....
's (UCA) umbrella community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
s 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 Australia whose mandate is to pursue social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and ecological justice and peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
. Both bodies are agencies of the Uniting Church in Australia, National Assembly.
Scope
UnitingCare is also a brand name under which many UCA community services agencies operate although they may be separate legal entities.It is one of Australia’s largest non-government providers of community services, with 400 community service agencies located across every State and Territory, providing services to 1.8 million Australians each year. UnitingCare agencies employ 35,000 staff and 24,000 volunteers nationally and provides services to children, young people and families, people with disabilities, and older Australians, in urban, rural and remote communities. Agencies providw residential and community care, child care, homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
prevention and support, family support, domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
and disability services.
There are 34 missions (such as the Wesley Mission
Wesley Mission
Wesley Mission is a name used by several Uniting Church congregations which are a part the Uniting Missions Network of UnitingCare Australia. Wesley Missions grew out of the inner city missions of the pre-union Methodist Church of Australasia...
s) and a range of other agencies, the missions come together in the Uniting Missions Network, the other agencies networking is facilitated through the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
bodies, such as UnitingCare Commissions.
Blue Care is part of the UnitingCare network based in Queensland. The Blue Care organisation provides services such as Centre Based Day Respite, Residential Care, Blue Nursing services, Home Care dementia services, Commonwealth Carelink centres, Commonwealth carer respite centres, nursing homes and other community services.
Mandate
UnitingCare Australia's mandate is to:- "To take up community service issues within the theological framework of the Uniting Church, particularly the Church’s social justice perspectives.
- To develop and reflect on the policies and practices of the Uniting Church in community services.
- To pursue appropriate issues within the Uniting Church, with Government and the community sector, with the Australian community and with other parts of the church."
(UnitingCare Australia's role is defined by its Mandate, March 2005)
National Director
The National Director is Lin Hatfield DoddsLin Hatfield Dodds
Lin Hatfield Dodds , Australian social activist and former Churchill Fellow, was an unsuccessful candidate for political office for the Australian Senate representing the Australian Capital Territory at the 2010 federal election, for the Australian Greens.-Early life and background:Hatfield Dodds...
, who was also elected in 2006 as President of the Australian Council of Social Service
Australian Council of Social Service
The Australian Council of Social Service is an Australian advocacy group that represents the interests of organisations and individuals engaged in social welfare in Australia. It was formed in 1956....
.
See also
- UnitingCare Ageing
- Wesley MissionWesley MissionWesley Mission is a name used by several Uniting Church congregations which are a part the Uniting Missions Network of UnitingCare Australia. Wesley Missions grew out of the inner city missions of the pre-union Methodist Church of Australasia...
- Prahran MissionPrahran missionPrahran Mission is a not-for-profit community services organisation in Prahran, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It is largely focused on providing services for people living with mental illness, or in economic or social disadvantage...
- bluecare.org.au