2018-2019
The Spanish Community Care Association (SCCA) is a non-profit incorporated association, to meet the specific needs of disadvantaged, senior and isolated members of the Spanish speaking community within the Sydney metropolitan area through our direct support services.
Our direct support services are aimed at providing welfare assistance, mental health care and support to our clients with particular emphasis placed on those who may be disadvantaged due to age, physical and mental disability, language and communication barriers, isolated and/or lonely clients with limited access to social and welfare support.
SCCA provides a range of quality support, information, referrals, programs and activities. We also connect people to government and other social services and advocate on their behalf in their own language. These services are flexible in relation to our client’s needs and circumstances and include homecare visits and personal care services.
President Report
First of all, I would like to thanks all our volunteers for their work and their support of SCCA.
- Since last year, the Australian Government granted us status as a DGR, which means we can receive donations from companies and they can deduct them from their taxes. We have not received many donations from companies, but we hope that for our next fundraiser with Paella Day in North Sydney, we can receive donations from companies or individuals who wish to help us complete to buy a car (Van) for the Association. We are infinitely grateful for the desire in life of one of our Spanish Care members, to leave us a donation to continue supporting the Association’s mission, which is to meet the specific needs of disadvantaged, elderly and isolated members of the Spanish-speaking community within Sydney metropolitan area through our direct support services.
- Thanks to the resources received by NSW Government, we were able to celebrate Grandparents Day in November with the photo book. We also appreciate the resources received by Volunteers Grant and two major financing from Home Affairs Grant and the Spanish Government for the Operational expenses that apply for next financial year of around $ 60,000.
- By reducing the resources of the CVS program, which is aimed at visiting in their homes or residences people who because of their health conditions cannot be part of our group on Fridays at Ultimo.
It was decided in conjunction with the Board of Directors to cover with the subsidies received by the Home Affairs Grant and the Spanish Government the payment of a Social Worker for 7 hours a week, to cover the visits we must make for the CVS program. This hiring occurred as we were shocked by the resignation of 3 of our volunteers last year, and unfortunately we still don’t have new volunteers who can help us with more visits. Also last semester we did not have the practice of Social Work students from Western Sydney University, because they had no Spanish speakers to support us with our work.
Thanks again to all our members, clients, volunteers, staff, students, partners for their support in our community work.
Maria Legaz
ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
CVS PROGRAM
We got a funding by the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing, for the Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) program.
This matches community volunteers with residents of aged care facilities locally. This program is designed to provide social inclusion for persons in institutional care and homes.
Every week our Spanish speakers volunteers visit residents in Care facilities or in their homes, who may be lonely or isolated.
We provide them:
- Friendship, social support and companionship in their Spanish language.
- Assistance residents to maintain their independence
With our visits, we are minimizing their isolation from the general community.
We are using our social networks and website to search and find more volunteers. Searching within our community, existing clients that now need to upgrade their packages to apply for Home Care and Residential Care in our CVS program.