CSS: 60 years of working for vulnerable people
Love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:34)
Since Catholic Social Services was established in 1955, we have done much to build programmes and provide support to help the poor and vulnerable in our communities.
In 1989 Cardinal Tom Williams said ‘the role of social-service agencies is changing as society changes and new needs emerge.
Those who pioneered Catholic Social Services after the Second World War recognised what was required then, and they acted. But they could not have conceived what would emerge as core activities half a century later: aiding victims of physical abuse, training in non-violence, anger management and self esteem, counselling in schools, court referrals, work with youth at risk and providing help for the housebound.
Many of those issues are still with us today but how we respond has changed.
Over the years our work has included:
- Support and counselling on adoptions
- Garindale in Nelson – residential care programme for boys.
- Kairos at Hill Street, Wellington – accommodation for young adults
- Work programmes
- Golden wheels – fresh fruit and vegetables to housebound people
- Group programmes – supporting women experiencing violence
- Group programmes in schools – violence prevention as well as self-esteem and suicide support for young people
- Family support worker – in collaboration with St Vincent de Paul in Newtown
- A family support worker – for schools in southern suburbs
- Learning courses – parenting; cooking and budgeting classes;
- Living-without-violence programmes
- Counselling for individuals, couples and families
- Social work support for refugees
- Social work support to the housebound and homeless
- Counselling and social work support to school children and their families
We will continue delivering social services to those most in need in our community and advocate for wider changes for the poor and vulnerable.
All people live and flourish in communities characterised by charity – love in action.