Board & CEO Highlights
Regency Green Partnerships
Our Regency Green Aged Care facility was repurposed to ease the pressure on South Australian hospital beds. This was achieved through offering temporary accommodation for stranded NDIS participants, who no longer need acute hospital care or clinical input. In partnership with AMES Australia, another section of the facility now provides essential support to refugees who are making a new start.
Minister Mark Butler and Anika Wells at Wesley House
We were delighted to host CEOs from the UnitingCare Australia network at our Wesley House Aged Care facility to discuss the key issues facing the aged care sector and how we can best support older Australians in the future. The group was also joined by the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, and the Hon. Anika Wells MP, Federal Minister for Aged Care, to provide feedback on the aged care reforms.
Housing Security for Older Women Taskforce
Our CEO is proud to have been appointed to South Australia’s first Housing Security for Older Women Taskforce. Established by Human Services Minister, Nat Cook, the 16-member taskforce has worked together over the year to improve housing security for women primarily aged 55 and over. This age group remains the fastest growing demographic of Australians facing homelessness.
UDIA Study Tour
In May, Jenny Hall was fortunate to join Nick Champion, State Minister for Housing and Urban Development, on a Study Tour across Europe. Travelling from London to Paris and Milan, our CEO gained valuable knowledge about international best practice in affordable housing developments and community integration. The knowledge gained from this tour will help us to create better housing opportunities for South Australians.
Acknowledging and appreciating our workforce
It was fantastic to see UnitingSA’s leaders gather at our Taperoo Community Centre for the first face-to-face event since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This was an excellent opportunity for everyone to network, hear the latest news across all service areas and celebrate our recent efforts and achievements.
First Nations:
Rec in the West, YES campaign & Launch of RAP - Padninthi
We launched our Reconciliation Action Plan in September, which builds on the significant work we have done over decades to improve the outcomes for First Nations peoples. We also brought the community together for our Padninthi Community Day to share our commitment to building stronger relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members. In May, we announced our support for the Yes campaign in the First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum. UnitingSA will continue to stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as we work to close the gap.
Mental Health Advocacy
UnitingSA is striving to develop an advocacy approach for our mental health programs, including GP Access and IPRSS (Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Support Service). As part of that advocacy approach, we provided a report to the Social Development Committee of the South Australian Parliament regarding the effects of the NDIS on individuals with complex needs who are, or may be in danger of, spending extended periods of time in unsuitable accommodation. The investigation offers a chance to promote ongoing funding for our community-based mental health services in order to guarantee sufficient supports for individuals with psychosocial disabilities.
Housing funding and reform
In June, we welcomed the State Government’s 2022 budget announcements for housing in South Australia.
The announcement included a commitment to deliver a $474.7 million housing package, and a promise that SA would receive $135.8 billion as part of the Commonwealth Social Housing Accelerator program.
We look forward to working closely with the Government to help deliver more social and affordable homes for South Australians to ease the housing crisis.
ParentsNext submission
After reviewing the ParentsNext program and its role in delivering early intervention services to parents and carers of young children as part of the employment services system, we submitted a response to the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services. After implementing ParentsNext for the past six years, UnitingSA has identified a number of improvements that could be made to the program. These include broadening the program’s scope and age eligibility, strengthening its capacity to support crisis intervention efforts, and enhancing participant choice and control.