Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organizations, or administered by a government agency. Social services are connected with the concept of welfare and the welfare state, as countries with large welfare programs often provide a wide range of social services. Social services are employed to address the wide range of needs of a society. Prior to industrialisation, the provision of social services was largely confined to private organisations and charities, with the extent of its coverage also limited. Social services are now generally regarded globally as a 'necessary function' of society and a mechanism through which governments may address societal issues.
Australian Red Cross, formally Australian Red Cross Society, is a humanitarian aid and community services charity in Australia. Tracing its history back to 1923 and being incorporated by royal charter in 1941, Australian Red Cross Society is the national member of the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and part of the International Red Cross Movement. Australian Red Cross is guided by the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and as such is a non-religious, neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organisation.
Mission Australia is a national Christian charity that provides a range of community services throughout Australia. It has its roots in the Brisbane sector of The British and Foreign Bible Society’s sub-committee, The Colporteur Society (1869), and Sydney City Mission (1862), but was only officially established in 1996, bringing together a number of city missions across the country. The organisation specialises in the areas of homelessness and housing, families and children, early learning, youth, employment and skills, substance abuse, disability, mental health, and strengthening communities. Sharon Callister has been CEO since March 2022.
Lifestart, a not for profit organisation and registered charity, provides early intervention and school age years inclusion support programs and supports to children and young people 0 – 24 years living with disability or developmental delay.
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is an Australian organisation that advocates for action to reduce poverty and inequality, and is the peak body for the community services sector in Australia. It was formed in 1956.
Brian Leslie HoweAO is a retired Australian politician and Uniting Church minister. He served as the eighth deputy prime minister of Australia and the deputy leader of the Labor Party from 1991 to 1995, under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. He was a government minister continuously from 1983 to 1996, and a member of the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1996, representing the Division of Batman in Victoria.
The Benevolent Society, founded by Edward Smith Hall in 1813, is Australia's first and oldest charity. The society is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose main goals include helping families, older Australians and people with disabilities.
The Tipping Foundation is a not-for-profit community organisation based in Victoria, Australia. The Tipping Foundation merged with House with No Steps in 2018, and is now known as Aruma.
Skills and Volunteering Cymru (SVC), formerly Student Volunteering Cardiff, is an independent charity registered in the UK and based in the Cardiff area. SVC offers volunteering opportunities to both students and community members in and around the city of Cardiff working with the elderly, young, disadvantaged, and vulnerable. The mission of SVC is to enhance the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the local community.
TAD Australia is an Australian federation of state not-for-profit organisations which provide personalized equipment, technology, and services to disabled persons, including children.
People with Disability Australia Ltd (PWDA) is a national Australian disability rights and advocacy organisation founded in 1980 and based in Surry Hills, Sydney.
The Epilepsy Foundation is a large Australian charity, headquartered in Surrey Hills, Victoria, which provides evidence-based programs to support to people living with epilepsy, and all those who care for them. Epilepsy Foundation programs are delivered nationally through the Epilepsy Australia network of service delivery partners. The Epilepsy Foundation delivers services directly in New South Wales and Victoria. The Epilepsy Foundation aims to stop avoidable deaths, ensure children get a good education, help people get and keep their jobs and help people feel safe and connected. The Epilepsy Foundation works to ensure that "no one with epilepsy goes it alone".
Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda, an inner suburb of Melbourne, is a medium-sized not-for-profit organisation that grew from the Catholic parish of The Sacred Heart in Grey Street, West St Kilda. It addresses homelessness, social exclusion and disadvantage by providing a range of diverse and creative services that:
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. Its introduction followed the 15 month long 'Make It Real' campaign which involved community forums, visits to MPs, the holding of a National Disability and Carer Congress, 'Disabilitea' gatherings, and rallies involving 20,000 people. The scheme is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and overseen by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Bill Shorten provides ministerial oversight as Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
For many elderly carers of a relative who has a learning or other disability, future planning is an issue. The population of older parents who have children with a learning disability is growing and many of their children are likely to outlive them. In many cases the caring role can span up to seven decades, ending only with their death. Governments and other service providers cannot ignore the pressing needs of this population and their parent and sibling carers. In most countries, family carers provide inexpensive care for a person with a learning disability and other disabilities. This trend is set to continue in England. Demographic changes and the health needs of these two growing populations must be considered against government policy constraints and limited in-home and external care options in order to avoid a crisis. The consequences of not supporting these family carers will lead to crisis management, increase in distress and care giving burdens, and increased spending on unsuitable crisis placements. Housing and financial guidance are issues for caregivers.
International volunteering is when volunteers contribute their time to work for organisations or causes outside their home countries. International volunteering has a long association with international development or environment, with the aim of bringing benefits to host communities. It can include a range of services, from healthcare advancement to economic development to governance.
Jesuit Social Services is a social change organisation established by the Australian Jesuits in 1977. Originally based in Melbourne, Australia, it has expanded to include outreach programs in New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
Sydney Community Services (SCS) is a not-for-profit community services organisation based in the Lane Cove and Hunters Hill local government areas in Sydney, New South Wales.
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Australia is a major health issue. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia in Australia. Dementia is an ever-increasing challenge as the population ages and life expectancy increases. As a consequence, there is an expected increase in the number of people with dementia, posing countless challenges to carers and the health and aged care systems. In 2018, an estimated 376,000 people had dementia; this number is expected to increase to 550,000 by 2030 and triple to 900,000 by 2050. The dementia death rate is increasing, resulting in the shift from fourth to second leading cause of death from 2006 to 2015. It is expected to become the leading cause of death over the next number of years. In 2011, it was the fourth leading cause of disease burden and third leading cause of disability burden. This is expected to remain the same until at least 2020.
The Centre for Social Impact is an Australian research and education body created in 2008. It assesses and promotes integrated social change across a range of issues including health, children and young people, ageing and disability, financial inclusion and employment, population diversity and mobility, education and housing.
