Changing Systems, Changing Lives: How Uniting Keeps People at the Centre
Uniting NSW.ACT has set out a simple but bold aim: to help people live better lives by challenging the systems that hold them back.
On Day 2 of Synod 2025 Uniting NSW.ACT presented their report to members.
Uniting NSW.ACT has set out a simple but bold aim: to help people live better lives by challenging the systems that hold them back. Its latest Statement of Missional Intent shows how it’s doing this, working alongside the Uniting Church to serve people and push for deeper change.
Working for fairness and inclusion
Uniting’s work covers a lot of ground. It delivers care and support to seniors, families, children, people living with disability and people facing homelessness. But it doesn’t stop there. Uniting also uses its voice to call for change in laws and policies that keep people trapped in disadvantage. This includes pushing for drug law reform, more funding for early learning, better support for kids leaving state care, and stronger action on climate change.
At the heart of it all is a simple idea: people matter. That means making sure everyone, especially those who are excluded or disadvantaged, can live with dignity and hope.
Putting First Nations justice into practice
Uniting is guided by the Covenant the Uniting Church made in 1994 with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. This isn’t just words on paper. It’s about action: growing the First Nations workforce, building cultural capability across services, and shifting decision-making to First Nations-led organisations.
Uniting has also created partnerships with Aboriginal communities and businesses, launched cultural training, and supported campaigns like raising the age of criminal responsibility.
Beyond care: changing systems
Uniting knows real change means tackling root causes. That’s why it combines direct help with advocacy and innovation. Some of its key efforts include:
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Early learning: making sure every child can attend preschool and be ready for school by age five.
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Out-of-home care: reducing the number of children, especially Aboriginal children, in care.
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Youth transitions: helping young people leaving care find housing, education or jobs.
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Fair Treatment: shifting drug policy from punishment to support and treatment.
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Climate justice: reducing the organisation’s environmental footprint and calling for fair climate action.
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Support for older people: pushing for affordable aged care and housing so seniors can live safely and stay connected.
Faith in action
Uniting’s work is shaped by its Christian foundation: “Christ invites us to serve humanity to create an inclusive, connected and just world.” This belief guides how staff and volunteers act every day—with compassion, imagination, respect and courage.
Through chaplaincy, pastoral care, and shared projects with local congregations, Uniting keeps its faith at the centre of its work. Volunteers, staff and leaders are supported to grow in understanding these values so that service isn’t just about meeting needs, but about seeing and honouring each person.
People first, systems change second
At its core, Uniting’s mission isn’t only to fix immediate problems, but to build a fairer society. It does this by listening, partnering, learning, and daring to try new ways. The report shows that real change takes both compassion for individuals and courage to challenge broken systems.
And it all comes back to one idea: everyone deserves the chance to live with dignity, hope and belonging.
