Stepping up for the community
Local
The hard work never stops at Centacare. As the community services arm of the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide, making a difference to South Australian lives is an all-year round effort.
Centacare Catholic Community Services provides crucial services to uplift and empower individuals, helping them create brighter futures for themselves and their families.
The festive season is a particularly important time for mental health and wellbeing services.
“Grief and loss are big issues around Christmas time, because certain loved ones may not be around, or people reflect on their connections and relationships within their community,” says Centacare’s executive director Leanne Haddad.
“Not everyone has a traditional family to connect with, so at Centacare we connect people with care and offer meaningful supports in community.”
The organisation’s values are ‘compassion, inclusion and a commitment to sustained change’.
Centacare’s services include work in early intervention in domestic violence, homelessness, child and family support, disability, mental health, counselling and mediation services. Centacare ACCESS Programs is South Australia’s largest employee assist program for employers who needs extra support for their employees.
Statewide, Centacare assists more than 20,000 people annually across Adelaide’s metro and regional locations including Kangaroo Island, Victor Harbor, Barossa, Mount Gambier and Whyalla.
Over Christmas, counselling services and Centacare’s outreach mental health services are noticeably busy.
“We run the largest adult outreach mental health service in the state, employing around 35 staff in that program,” Ms Haddad says.
“Additionally, we have a service arm with more than 100 staff dedicated to outreach family support and child protection services, including home support.
“These are traditionally families that you may not see in Sunday Mass. That’s why we say we take the church to the streets.
“Centacare is founded in our Catholic history and our work is guided by Catholic social teachings. We support everyone, regardless of ethnicity, cultural identity, gender identity or religion. People see Centacare as a safe place, with many individuals discovering their own spirituality through our work.”
Centacare’s recent re-brand and new website design encapsulates the holistic approach to serving the broader community. The design respects the past while bringing it into the present, with a modern arc symbol representing safety and community.
“We don’t just work with families; we work with individuals and we do community work,” Ms Haddad says.
“With our new website, we’ve created a space that is easy to navigate and welcoming to all. We have 63 vital services covering a wide range of needs. The new platform makes it easier than ever to find information, access resources and connect with support. Whether someone is seeking help or simply learning about what we do, our goal is to make that experience as seamless and supportive as possible.”
It is also where people can find out how to make all-important donations.
“We rely on donations to keep providing our life-changing services,” Ms Haddad says.
“Every contribution, big or small, allows us to extend our services further – whether it’s providing safe housing, supporting someone through recovery or offering critical family services and counselling.”
At Christmas time, Ms Haddad and her team want people to know that community exists broader than self.
“It doesn’t matter what economic background or situation you’re in. Everyone can experience hardship, whether it’s economic or emotional. We want Centacare to be front of mind when people need help and support. We live by our messaging, circle back when you need us and care is centered around you.”
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