A significant element of the conference will be the opening plenary session on the evening of 26 February which will focus on the Indigenous voice and reconciliation. This plenary will draw on the enduring wisdom, strength and resilience of our First Peoples.
Effective engagement with the media is essential for those working in Catholic social services. Mobilising Media for Mission and Advocacy, on Friday 28 February, from 2pm-4pm, at the Catholic Leadership Centre in East Melbourne, will be an informative, practical and inspiring forum, involving interaction with media professionals to gain insight into how to engage with the media effectively to advance the mission of Catholic social services, and how to effect powerful advocacy.
"Taking the side of impoverished and disenfranchised people is not an option for Gospel-inspired organisations. It is a mainstay of the mission," said Francis Sullivan, former CEO of the Catholic Church's Truth Justice and Healing Council for the opening keynote address of the biennial Catholic Social Services national conference.
The Australian community is facing the challenge of recovering from a summer of natural disasters ― fires, floods and drought. Many Catholic agencies have been involved in providing relief to affected communities.
The upcoming 2020 Catholic Social Services conference, will feature a workshop conducted by John Warhurst AO, which will draw on his extensive governance experience and explore "best practices and dangerous practices' in the governance of Catholic and other organisations.
Significantly, Australian parishes make available a range of social service activities providing for those in need. In some ways, they can rach out to sections of the community that professional service agencies cannot. Services provided by parishes usually have a strong personal focus on those being served. The key role of parishes as centres of Catholic social services will be focus of the forthcoming Catholic Social Services conference.
More than 200 participants from across Australia attended the 2018 Catholic social services national conference, Hearing Healing Hope, from Wednesday 21 February to Friday 23 February, at the Catholic Leadership Centre, in East Melbourne.