1. History

2. Research and advocacy on social policy

3. Employment agency and job support

4. Community Services
    Reconciliation Action Plan 

5. Families and children

6. Homelessness

7. Life and work ready skills
    Registered training Organisation 

8. Youth services

9. MA Housing

10. Notes

11. References

12. External links

History

The precursors to Mission Australia, the City Missions (founded by Benjamin Short), were inspired by the London City Mission established by David Nasmith.

• The Sydney City Mission was established in 1862.^[3][4]
• The Colporteur Society^[5] – later known as the Town and Country Mission – and then as the Brisbane City Mission, was established in 1869^[6][7]
• The Adelaide City Mission – later known as Mission SA, was established in 1867.^[8] Its first missionary was Richard Berry. Alfred Freund-Zinnbauer was appointed as missioner in April 1945.^[9]

Australian city mission related bodies merged on 1 November 1999 to form Mission Australia,^[10] these were:

• Brisbane City Mission
• Sydney City Mission
• Hunter Mission
• Mission Australia Southern NSW
• Mission Australia Group Training and Mission Employment
• Mission SA
• Perth City Mission
• Wollongong City Mission

Research and advocacy on social policy

Mission Australia seeks to influence government policy on social issues through research and advocacy.

This research and advocacy is also seen in the series of reports on people experiencing disadvantage and marginalisation in Australia.^[13]

In the lead up to the 2013 Federal election, Toby Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Mission Australia spoke on the need to reform welfare.^[14]

Employment agency and job support

Mission Employment, the employment services arm, has been a beneficiary of the Australian Government's privatisation of employment services since 1998. It is a major provider of Job Services Australia with roughly 140 sites throughout Australia. In December 1999, in the second round of contracts, it anticipated and became a significant provider of the then Job Network services, '(it) become the second-largest job agency in Australia behind the Salvation Army', as well as in 2000 providing 17.5 per cent of the Work for the Dole program.^[15] However, it initially struggled to achieve results compared with other agencies.^[16]

Community Services

Mission Australia delivers services throughout Australia. These services provide help and support for Australians who are dealing with an issue or problem that makes it difficult or challenging for them to participate normally in society. The type of services Mission Australia provide include services for families and children^[17], early learning and childcare, support to prevent and overcome homelessness, education and skill based training.^[18]

Mission Australia's primary focus is in the delivery of services to prevent problems before the start and also to ensure the most sustained possible outcomes to help people become self-sufficient and no longer reliant on service support. As a body dependent on government funding and corporate and public donations it has been affected by decisions increasing wages of community sector staff.^[19][20]

Reconciliation Action Plan

Mission Australia was one of the first major Australian welfare organisations to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) – a strategy that set out an intention to contribute to reducing the gap in living standards between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians based on respect and partnership. ^[21]The RAP sets out to identify and get to know the Traditional Owners, Elders and leaders in the communities wherever Mission Australia has a presence, in both urban as well as rural centres. The RAP commits to seek out Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations whose involvements coincides with Mission Australia's interest in community services, employment, training, early learning and housing. The aim of the RAP is also to identify and establish regular contact with the relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies around Australia. These include health, justice, community development and educational bodies. The goal of the RAP is to eradicate all racial prejudice and any gaps in the standard of living within Australia between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.^[22]

Families and children

Mission Australia supports disadvantaged families through a variety of programmes including prevention and early intervention, counselling, case management, and residential programs, they also run early learning centres and

unlike the other services it runs they are not designed specifically for use by low income or disadvantaged families, although many of these centres are located in socially or economically disadvantaged areas.^[23]

Homelessness

Mission Australia delivers over 100 services focused on the prevention or intervention of Australians who are at risk or currently experiencing homelessness. These services provide opportunities to stop vulnerable Australians from becoming homeless through the provision of intensive support. Mission Australia also has dedicated specialist services providing short to long term supported accommodation for Australians who are homeless.

These Include;

• Mission Australia Centre Kingswood (NSW – Western Sydney)^[24]
• Mission Australia Centre – Surry Hills, Sydney
• Mission Australia Centre – Chigwell House Tasmania
• Annie Green Court – Sydney CBD
• Missionbeat – Sydney CBD
• Roma House – Brisbane

Life and work ready skills

Mission Australia aims to stop the homelessness cycle by intervening early and providing people with the skills to integrate into the work force.^[25]

Registered training Organisation

Mission Australia is a registered training organisation (RTO).^[26] It provides training, from basic skills and prevocational to. The RTO provides vocational courses at Certificate I-IV, diploma, and advanced diploma levels, in specialisations such as:

• Aged care
• Automotive
• Business
• Children's services
• Construction
• Horticulture
• Hospitality
• Retail
• Youth work
• English language and adult literacy.

Youth services

Mission Australia runs a range of services aimed at providing support to youth experiencing issues with drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown, unemployment, homelessness and mental illness. These services encourage young people struggling with these issues to reach their goals as well as developing solutions, skills and competencies to achieve success.

These include;

• Triple Care Farm (a retreat for adolescents experiencing drug or behaviour related issues)^[27]
• Creative Youth Initiative (A service that allows youths with mental health, substance abuse or trouble finding stable accommodation to create art and music)
• U-Turn (a 10-week course in auto maintenance for teens that are at risk of, or have become involved in, vehicle theft)

MA Housing

Mission Australia housing is a housing rental service designed to be affordable to low and moderate income Australian families; it also aims to create a positive community within these housing blocks. They operate under two separate housing companies, due to different state regulatory environments. MA Housing (Victoria) Ltd operates only in Victoria and MA Housing Ltd operates in Tasmania and New South Wales.{{cn|date=March 2018}}

Notes

References

External links

• {{official website|http://www.missionaustralia.com.au}}

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