1.2 UnitingCare Australia shares the Uniting Church’s vision of a just and participatory society under God, and of being a church of proclamation, witness and service. We share in the Uniting Church’s under-standing that we are called to serve the world for which Christ died, to strive for unity of faith and life in Christ, and to champion God’s claim over the whole of creation. The hope of the coming of the Kingdom of God is the hope of a kingdom of justice, peace and wholeness, which "transcends cultural and economic, national and racial boundaries".

1.3 UnitingCare Australia presents a powerful vehicle for a unified public voice on behalf of the community services of the Uniting Church. In unison with other agencies of the church, UnitingCare works to defend justice, articulate respect for all people, emphasises the need for good governance and investment in the common good, particularly in relation to policy and practice associated with the provision of community services.

National Director:

Libby Davies

Senior Policy Officer:

Sue Leppert

Administration Officer:

Debbie Meninga

Communication Officer:

Diana Ryan

Aged Care Policy Officer:

Alice-Anne Macnaught

Chair: Rev Harry Herbert, Executive Director, Board for Social Responsibility, NSW Synod

Executive Members:

Ms Rosemary Young, National Director, Frontier Services

Mr David Angell, Corporate Services Manager, Blue Care Queensland

Members:

Mr Les MacDonald, Director, Uniting Ministry with the Ageing, NSW Synod
Ms Janet Scott, Chief Executive Officer, Garrison Retirement Centre, NSW
Mr Bruce Alcorn, Director, Department for Community Services, Qld Synod
Dr Jill Wilson, Chair, Community Services Board, Qld Synod
Ms Colleen Pearce, Director, Community Services, Synod of Victoria
Mr David Pargeter, Director, Justice and World Mission, Synod of Victoria
Mr Phil Conrick, Director, Broadmeadows UnitingCare
Ms Alison Whish, Superintendent, Port Pirie Central Mission, SA

Mr Robert Watson, UnitingCare Board, Synod of WA
Rev Michaela Tiller, Coordinator, Community Services, UnitingCare, Synod of WA
Ms Vicki O’Halloran, Director, Somerville Community Services, Northern Synod
Ms Wendie Wilkie, Associate General Secretary, Uniting Church Assembly
Ms Christine Cargill, National Social Respons-ibility and Justice, UCA, represented by Rev Ann Wansbrough.

NB Appointments are ratified from Assembly to Assembly. A new chair has been nominated at UnitingCare Australia’s April 2000 National Reference Committee, and formally appointed by this Ninth Assembly. All new committee members appointed during 2000 will be formally ratified by the Assembly Standing Committee in November 2000.

Development of a national identity for the Uniting Church’s community services was a high priority during 1999. The (UCSA) National Reference Committee acknowledged that a common, nationally recognised and promoted identity was important to:

Market research conducted by the Synod of Victoria indicated that the development of a common identity would create a stronger public profile for Uniting Church community services, reinforce a stronger connection with the wider Uniting Church, build and strengthen individual identities, and improve opportunities for effective fundraising.

The 3-4 November 1999 National Reference Committee meeting of Uniting Community Services Australia ratified the change of the agency’s name to UnitingCare Australia. The Assembly Standing Committee of 11 November 1999 affirmed the name ‘UnitingCare’ and accompanying logo, to be used as the national identity for all community services operated by the Uniting Church in Australia. The Synods of Victoria, NSW, Queensland, WA, NT and Tasmania have now all adopted UnitingCare as a common profile for the work of their community services agencies.

UnitingCare will be officially launched at the Ninth Assembly, July 2000, in Adelaide.

4.2 The following summary of activities and actions reflects UnitingCare Australia’s mandated objectives.

4.3 Encourage theological reflection on the church’s community services work.

UnitingCare Australia encourages ‘in house’ theological reflection on its policy and advocacy work, and actively networks with relevant individuals and agencies, including UCA Theology and Discipleship. The CSA Theological and Philosophical Foundation Document was published in 1996. Since then, the document has been well distributed across Uniting Church community services and synod networks, evidence of its usefulness attested by the frequent requests for additional copies, to be distributed amongst staff of agencies. The document has not been formally reviewed; however at the April 1999 meeting of the UnitingCare Australia National Reference Committee, theological reflection and sub-sequent discussion provided the basis for a determination of the ongoing relevance and usefulness of the document. The process of ensuring a sound, user friendly theological platform will be ongoing in 2000 as the document is reworked and revised (see 5.2).

A statement of theological position is included in all policy documents and submissions to government, e.g. Work and Unemployment: A Fair Future (September 1997) and Taxation Reform for a Fair and Equitable Society (June 1998), government submissions (see 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6), grant applications, reports and position papers.

UnitingCare Australia has actively promoted theological reflection across Uniting Church and other church networks. The secretariat worked with the Australian Theological Forum to organise two conferences: Civilising Community For Us All (February 1999) and Hard Choices Theology and Policy Colloquium’ (September 1999).

Presentations on the theological underpinnings of UnitingCare Australia’s community services work were made to the national Uniting Church Community Services Conference (August 1998), Uniting Church Children’s Ministry Summit (June 1999) and SA Synod (October 1999). Theology and Discipleship has provided some reflection on UnitingCare Australia’s platform document as a critical part of the document’s revision.

4.4 To enable exchange of information across Synods and Uniting Church service providers on community services matters.

UnitingCare Australia has maintained a critical role in the development of a national profile for Uniting Church community services. The UnitingCare logo was formally accepted in late 1999, and the official launch of UnitingCare as a national identity is occurring on the occasion of the Ninth Assembly.

The Secretariat was restructured in 1999 to ensure appropriate support for core social policy areas, in particular: aged care; children, youth and family; and disability; as well as the development of a specific communication function.

UnitingCare Australia’s strategic planning document 2000-2003 was developed, and finalised. It includes an overview of the organisational model, and guidelines and protocols for promotion of the national profile of the Uniting Church’s community services, networking and effective communication of the Uniting Church networks with the Secretariat. Strategies are in place for regular feedback to the Reference and Advisory Committees, and other groups such as the Uniting Church Communicators and National Public Relations Group, the industrial relations working group, two research advisory groups, and the Assembly Management Advisory Group.

As part of the national profile development, a decision was made to develop a national interactive web site for UnitingCare. As well as providing a comprehensive information base, the web site is intended to house a revised national community services database. The web site and its associated database will present as a focal point of communication for UnitingCare and other Uniting Church and broader community networks. A process of consultation occurred during 1999, including a web site needs survey undertaken across UnitingCare networks and a tender process. UnitingCare Australia enlisted the support of Synod IT specialists during this process. The project is aimed for completion in June 2000, with an expectation that delegates at the Ninth Assembly will have the opportunity to browse the national web site and community services database at the venue. Another aspect of the web site development was the decision to register and develop national protocols around an Internet domain name for UnitingCare.

An evaluation process of the UnitingCare Circular in 1999 confirmed its relevance as an important communication tool for the network. A new look Circular was published in December 1999 to reflect the new national image of UnitingCare and include valuable feedback from the evaluation. Two new communication tools were developed between 1997 and 1999. Media Review was developed as a weekly newspaper clipping service for interested members of the network. It involves faxing or posting a collection of current core issues as reported in major national newspapers and through UnitingCare Australia’s parliamentary monitoring service. The development of UnitingCare Australia’s Internet communication network initiated an electronically based news service called Cyberlink. This regular Internet bulletin provides a brief update of current work priorities at the Secretariat office and alerts the network to issues of national importance.

4.5 To seek to enhance the quality of advocacy and community services provision by the Uniting Church.

The decision to develop a national profile for UnitingCare agencies over 1999-2000 has been adopted nationally to promote the work of Uniting Church community services agencies. The UnitingCare web site and associated database will house, highlight, promote and link the work of the Uniting Church’s national network of community services, and will be a ‘showcase’ of the church’s good practice across UnitingCare networks. It will provide another avenue for the collaborative develop-ment of policy positions across the national networks and act as a ‘clearing house’ for already published policy and research materials associated with enhancing service provision.

UnitingCare Australia’s advocacy work is enhanced by its policy documents. Policy documents ratified in the last three years include Work and Employment for a Fair Future, Taxation Reform for a Fair and Equitable Society, Aged Care (e.g. Funding of Aged Care; The Two Year Review of Aged Care; and Draft Accreditation Grant Principles 1999) and National Guidelines for Employment Practices in the Uniting Church. All sub-missions and policy documents are supported by research either undertaken or initiated by the Secretariat and extensive consultation and input from various relevant Uniting Church networks.

Research priorities identified and developed include a child abuse prevention project to quantify/qualify best practice in prevention programs; and child care research which focuses on changes to child care in Uniting Church long day care centres as a result of changes in Government policy and funding.

The national Uniting Church Job Network tender, undertaken in 1999, represents a national Uniting Church approach to quality service provision.

4.6 To advocate within the church and community those policies and practices which enhance the dignity of people.

UnitingCare Australia’s participation in social policy forums and political processes over the last three years has included involvement with other key church and peak bodies to discuss and act on taxation reform, aged care reform, and welfare reform. UnitingCare Australia appeared at Senate hearings (aged care, child care), and participated as speaker/panelist/ facilitator at various national and state conferences and seminars.

Position papers on various issues relating to social policy and community services include several papers, submissions and an information kit on Tax Reform, principles governing employment practices in the Uniting Church; input to ‘A National Strategy for an Ageing Australia’; Welfare Reform; Work and Unemployment; ‘Competing Communities’; and (in conjunction with ACOSS) ‘Strengthening Families and Supporting Communities’; Industry Reform and many others.

UnitingCare Australia encourages its wider networks to utilise UnitingCare policy materials, developed with extensive input from the agencies, to enhance their own advocacy work, and uses the stories of UnitingCare agencies to support its own advocacy and research work. The positioning of policy papers on the UnitingCare web site will support this.

4.7 To represent the views of Uniting Church service providers to government.

UnitingCare Australia aims to produce sound, well-researched and powerful policy and position statements. Examples over the last three years include Federal Budget Priorities Statements each year; aged care, child care and taxation submissions (see 4.4), and child care research.

UnitingCare Australia strives to forge new, and actively maintain existing partnerships with government officials. Regular meetings have been held over the past three years with Federal Ministers and their advisers, other politicians, and departmental officers on a range of issues – aged care, child care, early intervention, family services, disability services, taxation, notably GST and FBT.

Strategic response to Government initiatives includes those listed above, plus Federal Budget Priorities submissions (annually), National Disability Advocacy Program Review (1999), Inquiry into Child Care Funding Cuts (1997,1998).

UnitingCare Australia has actively participated in political debates and forums including ACOSS Congress, International Council of Social Welfare Conference, Asia Pacific Forum on Families. UnitingCare Australia represent-atives appeared at several Parliamentary Inquiries over the last three years.

This participation is informed by accountable and informed representation on national committees – the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare(AIHW), Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), National Aged Care Working Groups and joint churches working groups.

4.8 To initiate research on community services issues.

In this three period, UnitingCare Australia has initiated research on the implications of government funding cuts on child care, prevention of child abuse, and other specific research to support submissions relating to aged care, children, youth and family, taxation, employment.

Research is supported by the national data base, a ‘social welfare indicators’ resource developed and maintained by the Secretariat, a growing library, and parliamentary and media monitoring services.

4.9 To work as appropriate with other churches and peak organisations in the community services field.

UnitingCare Australia collaborates with other churches and peaks in media coverage, development of joint position papers and media statements on issues such as taxation and aged care reform, children and youth, joint publications (e.g. Civilising Community for Us All), and joint research proposals (e.g. prevention of child abuse). Other collaborative projects include community housing mapping (with the National Community Housing Forum and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare), community housing identification and development in the ACT (ACT Churches Council and Ecumenical Housing), ACOSS working parties (Community Services Reform; Strengthening Families and Supporting Communities).

Secretariat staff have participated in public forums with other churches and peak bodies, e.g. Civilising Communities for Us All, February 1999 (with Catholic Health Australia and Australian Theological Forum); Hard Choices: Rights, Responsibilities and Resources in a Changing Australia, September 1999 (with Australian Theological Forum, Zadok Institute and St Mark’s Theological College; ACOSS Congress, and Synod Based Community Services Conferences.

Communication with other Uniting Church agencies is enhanced by face to face visits and forums in the Synods and Assembly. For example, every second Children, Youth and Family Advisory Committee meeting and Ageing Advisory Committee meeting is held out of Canberra; and the national Uniting Church Community Services Conference involved Uniting Church, other church, other community and government participants from all over Australia.

4.10 To act on requests and referrals from Synods and the Assembly.

Regular communiqués and updates are provided to all UnitingCare networks, through Circular, Link (up to June 1999), and Cyberlink (post-June 1999). UnitingCare Australia con-tinues to subscribe to a parliamentary monitoring services, and clips four national newspapers. From these sources, a weekly Media Review is provided to UnitingCare networks, and the Advisory Committees are kept abreast of current national issues and developments.

Joint working parties with other established networks of the church are formed in response to requests from the Assembly, such as the GST working party which developed the submission to apply for Organisation Delivered Assistance Funds from the GST Start-Up office on behalf of the whole church.

Action is taken on all action/outcomes arising from National Reference Committee and all Advisory Committee meetings. Outcomes are updated at subsequent meetings.

Request for joint submissions to national policy processes has resulted in the UnitingCare and National SR&J submission to the Welfare Reform Review; and the Senate’s Review of A New Tax System.

The National Director is a member of the Assembly Management Advisory Group, and other groups such as Taxation and the Church, GST Start-Up National Coordinating Commit-tee, and Wesley Uniting Employment.

Requests for information commonly include national data base updates, social welfare indicator updates, and parliamentary and media references, policy and submission papers.

5.5 Communication: Ongoing development of the UnitingCare profile, including further develop-ment and regular upgrading and maintenance of the UnitingCare Website and Data Base.