Australian Community Services Industry Group formed

Founding members of the Australian Community Services Industry Group (ACSIG) are seven of Australia’s largest community service providers: Relationships Australia, Anglicare Australia, Australian Red Cross, Catholic Social Services Australia, Mission Australia, The Salvation Army and UnitingCare Australia.

The purpose of ACSIG is to provide a national voice from an employer perspective on industry issues affecting the delivery of services to disadvantaged and vulnerable Australians.

Objectives

• Identify the key issues impacting on service delivery and the community sector’s longer-term sustainability, such as adequacy and sustainability of funding, workforce supply, retention and skills.
• Ensure the shared concerns of members are represented to government and key decision-makers. 
• Influence government policy and practice that impact on the effectiveness of community service delivery, e.g. regulatory requirements, administrative compliance, funding accountability.
• Act as an industry representative body for governments, unions and employees seeking to address shared concerns in the social services sector.
  

Values

ACSIG will operate in compliance with the following values:

• Better meeting the needs of disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable Australians in a sustainable way is the primary interest of the Group.
• The interests of community service providers as a whole are placed ahead of the interests of any individual member.
• The Group will act together on shared concerns on industry issues unless there are compelling reasons to act separately; however, any individual member is free to act and speak in their own right.
• Members of the Group will act transparently and collaboratively.
• Where possible and appropriate, the Group will favour the longer-term sustainability needs of the Sector over short-term objectives.

Membership

Membership of ACSIG is open to all Australian not-for-profit organisations which provide community services or which directly represent providers.

In order to provide a focal point for the sector, major national providers of community services will be the foundation members of ACSIG.  Any other service provider that undertakes community services at a national level, or in a majority of States and Territories, will be eligible for membership, and to nominate a person for election to the Board.  All members must be, or directly represent, not-for profit social service providers and be willing and able to comply with the Group’s agreed operating values.

For more information

View the Media Release (pdf)

View the Open Letter - Invitation to Join ACSIG (pdf)