UnitingCare Australia is the national body for the UnitingCare network, made up of the
Uniting Church in Australia's (UCA)
community services agencies.
It is a sister body to UnitingJustice Australia, and
UnitingWorld
UnitingWorld is the international aid and partnerships agency of the Uniting Church in Australia, based in Sydney Australia.
As a partner of the Australian Government, UnitingWorld receives funding to implement development and poverty alleviation ...
. All are agencies of the Uniting Church in Australia, National Assembly.
UnitingCare Australia advocates on behalf of the UnitingCare network to the
Australian Federal Government.
UnitingCare network
UnitingCare is a
brand name under which many Uniting Church community services agencies operate although they may be agencies of the respective
Synod
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...
s, or separate
legal entities. Together with agencies under the Uniting Church in Australia without the UnitingCare brand, the agencies form the UnitingCare network.
The network is one of Australia's largest non-government community services provider networks, with over 1,600 sites Australia-wide. The UnitingCare network has 40,000 employees and 30,000 volunteers nationally, and provides services to children, young people and families, people with disabilities, and older Australians, in urban, rural and remote communities, including residential and community care,
child care
Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...
,
homelessness
Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are:
* living on the streets, also kn ...
prevention and support, family support,
domestic violence
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
and disability services.
Examples of non-UnitingCare branded agencies within the UnitingCare network include Uniting NSW.ACT, Uniting WA, Juniper (WA), Somerville Community Services (NT), and Uniting Communities (SA). The network also includes the Uniting Missions Network, made up of 34 missions such as the
Wesley Mission
Wesley Mission is a name used by three independent Uniting Church groups which are a part of the Uniting Missions Network of UnitingCare Australia. These predominantly grew out of inner city ''Central Methodist Missions'' of the Methodist Church ...
s in Queensland and NSW, and
Blue Care
Blue Care is an agency of UnitingCare Queensland, the health and community arm of the Uniting Church in Queensland, Australia. Originally established as the Blue Nursing Service by the Methodist Church in 1953, it has grown into one of the larges ...
in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
.
Mandate
UnitingCare Australia's mandate is:
*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.
National Director
The National Director of UnitingCare Australia was
Lin Hatfield Dodds
Lin Hatfield Dodds (born Linda Hatfield), Australian social policy expert and former Churchill Fellow, is the CEO of The Benevolent Society, Australia's first and oldest charity, and was the Deputy Secretary for Social Policy in the Department ...
until July 2016. Martin Cowling acted as the National Director between June 2016 and December 2016.
Claerwen Little took up the position of National Director on 6 February 2017.
See also
*
Wesley Mission
Wesley Mission is a name used by three independent Uniting Church groups which are a part of the Uniting Missions Network of UnitingCare Australia. These predominantly grew out of inner city ''Central Methodist Missions'' of the Methodist Church ...
*
Prahran Mission
Prahran 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. It operates ...
*
The Wayside Chapel
References
External links
UnitingCare AustraliaUniting NSW.ACTUniting WAUniting Missions NetworkUnitingJustice AustraliaUnitingWorldBlue Care
{{Homelessness in Australia
Uniting Church in Australia
Health charities in Australia
Social work organisations in Australia
Medical and health organisations based in the Australian Capital Territory