A paper prepared for consideration by Members of the Plenary Council prior to the Second Assembly. This Paper was prepared by Catholic Social Services Victoria with generous assistance from our members and supporters.
April 2022 – This is the final report produced by the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in partnership with Catholic Social Services Victoria and St Mary’s House of Welcome outlining COVID-19’s ongoing impact of jobs, insecurity and social services in Victoria.
This is the first report delivered to
Catholic Social Services Victoria and St Mary’s House of Welcome for a project conducted through Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit (SESU). The name of the project, and this Interim Report, also provides our guiding research question: ‘How will the COVID-19 crisis affect demand for social services?’
Catholic Social Services Australia’s report, Strong Economy, Stronger Australia, argues that a post-pandemic economic recovery cannot proceed by withdrawing support from people in an environment of high unemployment and under-employment, job insecurity and slow wage growth.
This new report provides a path forward for improving Victorian prisoner care. CSSV believes it can bring considerable benefit to a group that experiences double vulnerability – aged and imprisoned.
CSSV has released a report outlining the particular social service and infrastructure needs in the Warrnambool region. “Communities experiencing persistent disadvantage, need long-term and place-based solutions that address the underlying causes of disadvantage”, according to Joshua Lourensz, Executive Director of CSSV.
“More than ever, communities in the Gippsland area need particular assistance. For those facing significant disadvantage in the region, improving infrastructure would help to improve access to important health, welfare, education and employment services and opportunities,” said Netty Horton, CEO of CatholicCare Greater Melbourne, and Gippsland.