Emergency Relief Report Launch, Victoria & Tasmania

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13th October 2009, 05:18pm - Views: 1222





People Feature UnitingCare Victoria And Tasmania 1 image

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Media Release                                                   13 October, 2009


Demand for emergency relief has increased by more than 76% over

the last three years, proving that economic hardship has been

increasing long before the Global Financial Crisis began.


UnitingCare Victoria and Tasmania will launch tomorrow It’s not about the bread, a

detailed report on the changing dynamics of emergency relief.


Wednesday 14 October

10.30am

South Port UnitingCare

319 Dorcas Street

South Melbourne


Thousands of people are seeking help for the first time, cases of complex and extreme

hardship are increasing and demand is apparent across a wider socio-economic

spectrum. So what can be done?


UCV&T director Raoul Spackman-Williams and UnitingCare Australia national

director, Lin Hatfield-Dodds will explain where the trends lie and strategies in place

to contend with this alarming problem.


Key points include:



Demand for food and rent assistance is increasing and more people are seeking

emergency relief more frequently.



Eleven of the 14 UCV&T agencies have not been able to meet all requests for

assistance.



Volunteers - who make up 94% of agency workforce - need up-skilling to

contend with the growing complexity and severity of hardships experienced.



Financial stress is causing more social isolation, depression, loneliness, family

breakdowns and school absences.



Most people who seek relief are excellent money managers – it’s their income

affordability which is grossly inadequate.



Stronger coordination within the emergency relief sector is needed to

streamline funding processes and strengthen advocacy.


Media contact: Raoul Spackman-Williams 0419 504 426


Hardcopies of It’s not about the bread will be available at the launch, by emailing

Michael Docherty at michael.docherty@victas.uca.org.au, or phoning (03) 9251 5222.






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