Catholic Church Plans National Response to Bushfire Crisis
Australia is facing an unprecedented calamity as fire engulfs the land in many places. We have all seen the apocalyptic images, even if we are not in the areas most affected. Lives have been lost, homes and towns have been destroyed, smoke has shrouded large swathes of our...
CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES NETWORK PRIORITISES BUSHFIRE VICTIMS
Supporting families and communities through the trauma and lasting impact of the bushfire devastation in New South Wales and Victoria is a national priority for Catholic Social Services Australia and its members. With staff and volunteers working in some of the most bushfire-affected areas of the country, the national...
Do you celebrate your staff’s achievements like Catholic Care NT?
While we report on program outcomes and impact, it is easy to overlook the importance of celebrating the achievements of staff who continue with their professional development and strengthen our services. Congratulations to the team at Catholic Care NT for your wonderful work in 2019. You can...
Looking Forward to 2020 Catholic Social Services Conference
Following the success of previous biennial conferences, Catholic Social Services Victoria and Catholic Social Services Australia are again partnering to present Serving Our Communities with Courage and Compassion. The conference will be held at the Catholic Leadership Centre, Victoria Parade, East Melbourne on 26-28 February 2020. A significant element of the...
Catholic social services team up to battle disadvantage
More than 20 Catholic social service providers from across Australia have joined with researchers from the Australian National University to commission new research into entrenched disadvantage. Today marks the commencement of research activity for the Identifying Locational Drivers of Entrenched Disadvantage project. “This project is a significant coming together across the...
Statement on the 6th Anniversary of Australia’s Mandatory and Indefinite Offshore Detention Policy
From the Catholic Outlook. This weekend marks the sixth anniversary of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s announcement that no person seeking asylum by boat would ever be resettled in Australia. Every single person arriving after that date was to be subjected to indefinite detention on Manus Island, PNG, or in the...
New Catholic social services CEO plans on working closely with government
Former Labor candidate for Goulburn, Parliamentary Secretary and Senator, Dr Ursula Stephens is again back in a leadership role as the new CEO for Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA), the Catholic Church’s peak national body for social services in the country. Dr Stephens spoke with Region media about “filling the large shoes”...
Dr Ursula Stephens accepts the baton
The clichéd comment to make to someone about to take over from someone else who is well-known and highly regarded is to say they have big shoes to fill. In taking over from Fr Frank Brennan as the new CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia on July 1, Dr Ursula...
Long-time CSSA employee gets papal honour
Mary Clare Jamieson, CSSA’s director of corporate services, was bestowed the symbol of honour of the Exalted Cross – Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (for services to the Church and to the Pope), which is instituted for persons distinguished for outstanding service and zeal. A long-time Catholic Social Services Australia employee...
Ursula Stephens to lead Catholic Social Services Australia
Catholic Social Services Australia Chair Dr Maria Harries says she is delighted to announce that Dr Ursula Stephens will take up the role as CSSA’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective from July 1. “The CSSA Board was fortunate to receive a number of high-calibre applications for this significant appointment, which...
CSSA’s 2019 Federal Election Statement
Catholic Social Services Australia has just published its Federal Election Statement. CSSA is calling on the Parliament and the incoming government to commit to: Providing low-income and vulnerable families access to adequate income and social services when and where they need them; A full employment economy through the establishment of a Job Guarantee...
CSSA’s 2019 Federal Election Statement
Catholic Social Services Australia has just published its Federal Election Statement. CSSA is calling on the Parliament and the incoming government to commit to: Providing low-income and vulnerable families access to adequate income and social services when and where they need them; A full employment economy through the establishment of a Job Guarantee...
Easter Sky News interview with Fr Frank Brennan SJ, CSSA’s CEO
A broad-ranging interview including Newstart; NDIS; energy policy; asylum seekers and refugees; and the ongoing leadership and inspiration of Pope Francis. Listen to the interview here.
The NDIS: another important choice at this Federal Election
As published CathNews, 17 April 2018 BY BRENTON PROSSER PHD, DIRECTOR RESEARCH, CSSA Federal Budget week was another significant one for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It was a central feature in the speeches of both the Treasurer and the Opposition Leader. Public debate centred on $1.6 billion of allocated (but unspent) funding going back into the...
Social and Economic Benefits of Improving Mental Health
Submission to the Productivity Commission The Productivity Commission is holding an Inquiry to examine the effect of mental health on people's ability to participate in and prosper in the community and workplace, and the effets it has more generally on our economy and productivity. Improved mental health of Australians has been a national...
Catholic Church Plans National Response to Bushfire Crisis
Australia is facing an unprecedented calamity as fire engulfs the land in many places. We have all seen the apocalyptic images, even if we are not in the areas most affected. Lives have been lost, homes and towns have been destroyed, smoke has shrouded large swathes of our country ... Read the full statement...
CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES NETWORK PRIORITISES BUSHFIRE VICTIMS
Supporting families and communities through the trauma and lasting impact of the bushfire devastation in New South Wales and Victoria is a national priority for Catholic Social Services Australia and its members. With staff and volunteers working in some of the most bushfire-affected areas of the country, the national network of Catholic social service...
Bushfire Reflection From Fr Frank Brennan
In this 2020 season of great joy, our country is on fire. Devastation is everywhere. Lives and property are being lost. We are powerless to withstand the forces of nature. Where is the good news in any of this? What space or moment is there for hope? Homily Fr Frank Brennan SJ Isaiah 60:1-6Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6Matthew...
Shaking faith: the Taylor and Westpac scandals
By Joe Zabar. The current controversies engulfing Westpac and the Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction have a number of things in common: judgement, or the lack thereof; a perceived difficulty in recognising right from wrong; and inflicting adverse effects on their respective institutions. Read more at Eureka Street.
Catholic network ready to be part of a solution for people suffering across the country
by Joe Zabar Those facing drought conditions – and now bushfires – across large swathes of eastern Australia are going through countless emotions – despair, helplessness, hopelessness, fear and anger, to name a few. With dams empty, rivers stagnant and pastures reduced to dust, this drought is the worst since the 1940s – even longer in...
Jobs key to reviving flailing economy
With a softening labour market, it is time for the government to focus on job creation and targeted fiscal stimulus. The government would be wise to lift Newstart and home in on families with children by increasing Family Tax Benefits. Finally, we should pilot a jobs guarantee program for those over 50 and people...
Exploring the link between social policy and public trust
There has been growing attention to the declining levels of public trust in our politicians, public, and democratic institutions. Recently, Prime Minister Scott Morrison claimed that trust in politics is worst among middle-income Australians. At the time, he described the public sector as central to addressing this through service delivery for “quiet Australians” who are not represented in the...
Government increasingly isolated in opposing Newstart boost
The Government has been determined to hose down any hope for an increase. And in doing so, it has embarked on a deliberate media strategy that seeks to cast doubt on the need for and legitimacy of a lift to the Newstart rate. Our challenge is to make the case for change to “everyday”...
Calls to raise Newstart rate growing louder
The Australian Catholic Church’s ongoing effort to see Newstart payments raised for the first time in over 20 years appears to be gaining ground. According to SBS, the adequacy of Newstart and related welfare payments will be examined in a wide-ranging Senate inquiry as calls grow for an increase to the unemployment support payment. Chairman of...
Simple strategies for communicating the impact of social service programs
Image: Shutterstock Times are changing. Not only do you have to be good at what you do, increasingly you need to show the outcomes of what you do. CSSA Research Director, Brenton Prosser, explores some simple strategies for social service providers to display their good work with more impact. Around the world, governments need more hard...
