A history of caring in the community

Press, 12 July 1983, Page 26

A history of caring in the community

In spite of the fact that the Presbyterian Social Service Association is one of the largest community welfare groups in the country, relatively few people are aware of its existence and the range of its work. With an annual expenditure four times as great as the Salvation Army’s and a history that spans 74 years, Presbyterian Social Services is nevertheless virtually unknown to the public. A survey undertaken recently revealed that, when asked to name a community group dedicated to helping people in need, only six per cent of people questioned in Canterbury named the Presbyterian Social Service Association, while 63 per cent identified the Salvation Army. The low profile may be attributed to the association’s policy of “getting stuck in” to problems in the community without seeking publicity for its work. Caring for aged people, disadvantaged children, families

at risk and individuals with a wide range of problems all come within the scope of Presbyterian Social Services. There are three major divisions to the association’s work. Aged people’s care is carried on through a variety of residential and non-resi-dential services. The Campbell Centre for Counselling and Human Relations Education provides training and advice for adults with a broad spectrum of individual needs, either through one-to-one counselling or through group courses aimed at teaching human relations skills. Community services provide help in the community with family support, foster care and long-term care for children with special needs, holiday camps and holiday programmes for children, and the provision of inexpensive clothing through the Opportunity Shop. The association carries on work on behalf of the Pres-

byterian Church of New Zealand, but it is not limited to helping only those people whose beliefs coincide with those of the Church. Anyone in need is eligible to apply to the association for help. Changing times have meant great changes of emphasis for Presbyterian Social Services. In the early years of this century its workers were most often seen visiting prisons and hospitals; during the Depression of the 1930 s children’s welfare was the priority, and now it is the care of the aged that accounts for the greatest expenditure. Elderly people are forming an increasing proportion of our society, and with families becoming smaller and more scattered, many old people are left with no-one to care for them. In all aspects of the association’s work, from child-care through to care of the aged, changes have been made away from insti-

v tut ions and towards solud tions within the community, e All efforts are made to keep h families together, however e bleak the circumstances y may look, because the family is seen as the pivot e of our society. i- Where in earlier times n youngsters were sent off to y children’s homes, and the s elderly to old people’s n homes, now the association d sees its role as providing i- help, in whatever form 1- necessary, to keep people e within the structure of their e home community. :- Children may be placed in :- foster homes, families may e be given help financially or g practically to survive, the r , elderly offered day-care in g centres and regular visits I, by a social worker to help t them keep their independr ence as long as possible. More than $2 million was e spent by Presbyterian 1 Social Services in the Can2 terbury region last year, 2 with three-quarters of that amount going towards aged

people’s welfare. The Christchurch associai tion has jurisdiction over the entire South Island, ; north of the Rangitata “ River, and as well as two i homes for the aged in Christchurch administers ; homes in Rangiora, Ashburi ton, Blenheim, Nelson and i Greymouth. i Funds for the associai tion’s work are, to some ; extent, self-generating, i Residents in the homes for i the elderly pay board and government subsidies help to cover some costs. While i counselling and education services provided through the Campbell Centre are fee-paying, the centre annually runs at a significant loss. In the present economic climate, however, with more calls on funds from charitable trusts and many people not able to pay for the services they need, the asociation is forced to depend more on donations from parishioners and the community at large.