Providing Personal Support to the most disadvantaged in our community

Catholic Welfare Australia welcomes Minister Vanstone’s announcement today regarding the Personal Support Programme tender results and looks forward to working with the Minister and her Department in continuing to help and encourage people on income support to stay connected to the economic and social life of the community.

The Personal Support Programme (PSP) was announced in the 2001-2002 Budget as part of the Federal Government’s Australians Working Together Strategy. The PSP is designed to provide assistance to people with multiple, non-vocational barriers to achieve economic or social outcomes that are relevant and appropriate to them.

“Catholic Welfare Australia is extremely pleased to be involved with this Programme,” said the National Director of Catholic Welfare Australia,” Mr Toby O’Connor. “It is part of the mission of this organisation, and our Member Organisations, to enhance the human dignity of every person and work towards the economic, social and spiritual well-being of the Australian community.”

Catholic Welfare Australia holds this contract under its company name Centacare Australia Ltd and will run the contract in the marketplace under the trademark name Choices PSP. 

“We are fortunate that the Government recognises that there are people in our society who do require counselling and personal support to achieve every day tasks and goals in their lives that many of us take for granted,” Mr O’Connor said.

“While Catholic Welfare Australia does not support the proposed changes to eligibility criteria for the Disability Support Pension announced in recent Budget, we are pleased to see that Senator Vanstone has had the foresight to negotiate funding for a further 3,200 PSP places should the Budget pass the Senate unscathed,” said Mr O’Connor. 


For an interview please call:  Jackie Brady, Communications Officer, 0417 220 779