After years of operational deficits, Anglicare in Sydney needs parishes to put significant resources into good works partnerships, if the charity is to avoid either financial collapse or becoming just another Government service provider.
This is clear from a report card released by Anglicare's CEO Peter Kell at the mid-point of an exhaustive 12 month review process.
The update on the review process was released late last month after Anglicare Council and senior management met at the Dooralong conference centre on the Central Coast to nut out a plan to solve the numerous problems that continue to dog the charity.
They are seeking a blue-print clarifying which of Anglicare's myriad of programs is core business, and answering the vexed question put to it by Sydney's Synod, "How can a welfare organisation be more aligned to the Diocese's evangelistic Mission?'
"The review we are currently undertaking will consider our service delivery model, our alignment with the Diocesan Mission and our financial sustainability," Mr Kell's statement says.
Anglicare's spokesperson, Dearne Cameron, explained to Sydneyanglicans.net that Anglicare has been coping with operating deficits for a number of years.
"The surplus from last year was from a positive investment return during the last quarter [abnormal one off capital gain]," she says.
"However our operational budget is in deficit by $3 million, this has been so for several years, and this does need to be managed to achieve a financially neutral position. It is our long term strategy to ensure the organisation is able to operate within its financial means."
The extent of Anglicare's financial problems is likely to require a substantial organisational restructure, and even job losses and asset sales, to solve.
As Anglicare indicated in public statements last year, its financial situation has been made worse by the Government's aged care policies.
Three of Anglicare's nursing homes need substantial capital upgrades if they to avoid closure.
Asked if management was concerned that the ongoing uncertainity would have a negative impact on staff morale, Mrs Cameron says it was always expected that the review process would take 12 months.
"Staff concerns have always been anticipated and we have endeavoured to involve staff in the process," she says.
"We are planning for the review decisions to be finalised by the end of this year and the implementation of any changes to be carefully planned and implemented over the following 12 months."
However, the statement released by Peter Kell, CEO of Anglicare, puts the onus for solving Anglicare's long-term troubles firmly back on parishes.
At present only 0.6% of Anglicare's funding comes from parishes, and 0.4% from the Diocesan Synod.
Mr Kell says he believes it is now time to "test' Anglicare's "alignment with the Anglican parish community'.
"As the parishes reach out into their communities with the good news of Jesus they need to also be demonstrating care for those communities at a level the parishes can deliver.
“Anglicare has a role to play in helping to equip the local church to do this and provide care on behalf of Anglicans to the most vulnerable in our community," he writes.
It is clear that the marginal role given to "good works' ministries in the Diocesan Mission is a major concern for Anglicare.
During the review process, employees, parishes and volunteers were asked to fill in questionnaires to provide management with as wide a range of perspectives as possible.
"Much of the organisation's effort involves carrying out a specialized "good works' ministry on behalf of the Diocese," Mr Kell said, "we were pleased with the responses to our questionnaires, it reinforces our belief that Anglicare is a critical part of the Sydney Diocese."
The statement also suggests that Anglicare will favour "good works' partnerships with parishes when assessing which of its programs are "core'.
"The Council and Senior Management Team of Anglicare want to ensure that any change resulting from the review does strengthen the "good works' partnership of Anglicare and the parishes," the statement says.
Read our major feature "Is there a future for Anglicare?' in the latest edition of Southern Cross
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