Social services conference highlights “Hope in action”

Inspired by the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee, the CSSA National Conference in Sydney in March will bring together Catholic religious leaders, academics, practitioners, and advocates from across Australia to highlight “Hope in Action,” a theme rooted in Catholic Social Teaching which is dedicated to advancing human dignity and the common good.

The Conference features an outstanding line-up of speakers, including Professor David Gilchrist (Director, UWA Centre for Public Value), whose pioneering research on sustainable social services examines the critical challenges posed by poor service pricing and funding indexation as a barrier to success in the sector.

Drawing on insights from his paper, Challenging the Indexation Framework, and his research commissioned by CSSA, Professor Gilchrist will delve into the real costs and real impacts of poorly resourced social services.

Prof. Gilchrist will release a new report on the real cost of government funding shortfalls impacting social service providers across Australia. His presentation will spotlight the key cost pressures threatening the sector’s ability to deliver sustainable support to vulnerable Australians. He offers actionable strategies to ensure a thriving and equitable future for the social services sector in the interests of those Australians that need its support.

Dr Jerry Nockles, CSSA Executive Director said, ”For a long time, government funding and indexation models have fallen short of key economic and environmental factors – perhaps unintentionally – but with significant consequences for sustainable social services upon which Australia’s most vulnerable people rely. A properly resourced social services sector is a critical element in building an equitable Australia. We are thrilled to have Professor David Gilchrist share his expertise and insights for a fairer, holistic and sustainable approach to funding”.

The Chair of CSSA and the CEO of Marist180, Peter Monaghan added, “Many social services organisations across Australia are grappling with the growing challenge of delivering more support with fewer resources. This is a critical moment to address the systemic issues undermining the sector’s sustainability. Our collaboration with the University of Western Australia (UWA) represents an important step toward understanding how we can future-proof the social services sector.”

The conference, from 19-20 March, will be officiated by Cardinal Mykola Bychok.