The Board have adopted the following 5 key program areas as our strategic priorities for the period 2018 -2020, and have identified goals and priorities for each of these, to help guide our assessing of funding support.

If you have a project that fits within our funding objectives for this period we’d love to hear from you. Please take some time to read through our goals and priority focus, and let us know how your organisation can help fulfil these.

Areas for Priority Focus:

• Chaplaincy and pastoral care support

Progressively establishing a network of Chaplains and other qualified workers to provide visitation services to nursing homes, hospitals and those in the community who are most vulnerable and isolated.

• Community Arts and Dementia activities

In conjunction with community-based organisations and local government, facilitate activities that give the socially isolated and disadvantaged or for those in the community who are suffering cognitive decline or dementia, opportunities for expression through participation in public art.

• Older persons dietary support & awareness

Facilitate programs in the community that focus on dietary and nutritional information and supports for older persons including purchasing of food, cooking demonstrations and lessons and social ‘lunch time chat and chew’ clubs.

• Isolated home visiting and pastoral care support program

Establish a support program by providing Chaplains and qualified workers with transport and resources to undertake home visits to rural disadvantaged citizens including providing immediate home necessities and support with referral services and information enabling access to community and health services.

Areas for Priority Focus:

• Strengthening family cohesion
• Programs and services to strengthen the family unit providing information, advice and referral including Pastoral Care and outreach.

  • Community meals hub

  Supporting existing community providers to expand center-based meals programs including offering companionship and support.

  • Crisis and Emergency support including Hardship Relief Fund

  Funding the establishment of community domestic violence drop-in day support safe havens.

  • Hardship Relief Fund

  A special purpose program with specific allocated funding for the purposes of providing material assistance and relief of hardship to families in necessitous circumstances

  • After School learning hubs for at risk youth

  Provision of after school hubs to enable supervised study in a safe environment for youths otherwise at risk of dropping out or offending or who do not have a safe home environment to facilitate completion of school studies.

  • New Migrant assimilation and support

  Community support and pastoral care workers offering socialisation and everyday English language development that supports access employment opportunities and community services.

Areas for Priority Focus:

• Rural and Regional support service

Funding of counselors, Chaplains and other qualified workers to provide periodic visits to individual families in need, regional and rural centers for the delivery of community information sessions & education workshops.

• Building financial resilience

Funding personal counselling, education sessions and telephone support for budgeting, personal finance & debt reduction including a program providing the payment of expenses to professional providers to negotiate debt reduction/waiver services

Areas for Priority Focus:

• Drug and Alcohol Outreach
• Day program, socialisation, counselling and referral service including training of counsellors/workers

  • Youth and Adolescents at risk of offending

  Counselling and support service in conjunction with After School Learning Hubs to support younger persons and prevent offending including substance abuse.

  • In school support programs and Nutritional support

  Support services and breakfast programs within the school for identified at risk young children who are disengaged from their school or peers arising from family circumstances, trauma and grief.

  • Advancing early childhood development

  Initiatives that focus on the social, emotional and cognitive development of disadvantaged pre-school children through funding professional counselling, facilitating community group activities and out of school supports.

Areas for Priority Focus:

• Short term trauma support
• Supporting disadvantaged families by providing assistance with unforeseen transport, accommodation costs resulting from an immediate family member who has experienced sudden trauma
  • Medical Appointment individual transport and support Service

  Establishing a volunteer-based program offering transport and to accompany at risk individuals to clinic and specialist health consultations