The work of Members of the Society across NSW has a real impact on people’s lives and helps them to avoid falling deeper into crisis – that’s the finding of a new report by the McKell Institute that included a survey of a record-breaking 900 clients supported by you, the members of the Society, over the past twelve months.  

The report ‘Immediate Aid, Measurable Impact: Examining the Effectiveness of Emergency Relief’ is the first report of its kind to ask 900 people assisted by the Society about their experience and the impact we had.  

And the results show something we all knew by instinct: the work of Society members in local communities across NSW has an immense impact. It shows how the Society intervenes early and connects people with the supports they need. 

Some key findings include: 

• An overwhelming majority (80.4%) of clients felt positively about the Society in NSW's emergency relief program.  

• The Society in NSW is making headway in the early intervention space: a significant majority of respondents (78.1 per cent) feel that support from the Society in NSW has been instrumental in their progress towards stability and self-sufficiency.  

• The Society in NSW plays a critical role for those in crisis: 91.7 per cent of respondents agreed that The Society provided crucial assistance during crises, with 48.7 per cent strongly agreeing, underscoring the organisation’s reliability in urgent situations. 

• The Society’s emergency relief is effective in prevention of specific crises, including eviction and severe hunger. The Society’s support is acknowledged by 82.2 per cent of respondents as playing a key role in averting severe issues such as eviction or severe hunger, demonstrating its proactive approach to crisis prevention. 

• Even higher rates of satisfaction with support were indicated by respondents in regional NSW and by respondents receiving the disability support pension.  

This is a powerful testament to the hard work that Society Members put in every day, and Members are encouraged to look through the findings.  

This impactful new research was launched at our Hurstville Vinnies Support Centre on 7 August, where we were joined by the Federal Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Amanda Rishworth MP, local representative Linda Burney MP, Member leaders John Walden and Sue Vit, local people we assist supported by the Society, and other Society leaders. 

Thank you to all those involved and to you – as Members – who help to deliver these results in your local communities every day.