Community and Wellbeing Advisory Board
About
The Community and Wellbeing Advisory Board plays a pivotal role in supporting the Bishop and Trustees of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in overseeing the Diocese’s community and wellbeing initiatives. Established under the Diocesan Governance Framework, the Board provides strategic, ethical, and operational oversight of CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning, Hunter Community Housing Limited, and other related programs.
Its core responsibilities include remaining faithful to the mission and values of the Catholic Church, while adhering to the Diocesan Pastoral Plan, offering strategic guidance, and monitoring the quality of services delivered across its portfolio. The Board is tasked with ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks, implementing performance management systems for key personnel, and promoting synodality through community engagement and discernment.
Functioning as both the Board of Hunter Community Housing Limited and the Advisory Board for CatholicCare, it also undertakes financial oversight, policy review, and reporting duties to the Bishop, Trustees, and Senior Leadership. The Board makes recommendations on strategic decisions and ensures the sustainable use of resources.
Supported by standing committees – Community Engagement and Housing Strategy – the Board meets at least four times annually and is governed by Diocesan protocols and subject to regular review to maintain its effectiveness and relevance.
Through its work, the Board ensures that the Diocese’s community services are ethically grounded, strategically sound and responsive to the needs of the people it serves.
Skills and experience
Each of us is gifted with varying talents, skills and experiences. In essence, we seek people who are passionate about supporting the future of our Church and building on our history to fulfill our mission – to serve all in the community so they may experience life to the full.
These differing perspectives and skills combine to complement others, challenge our thinking and build a truly synodal church.
The skills and backgrounds that might align with what we seek for this Council or Board are outlined below. Applicants do not have to fit any or all of those listed. We welcome expressions of interests from all those who feel called to contribute their insight, skills and experience.
The range of experience we need to support this Council may include people with backgrounds and experience in:
- Catholic mission and identity
- Community services leadership from any of:
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- Welfare
- Permanency Support Program
- Counselling and psychology
- NDIS
- Community Housing
- Domestic and Family Violence
- Social Enterprise
- Those with lived experience or service recipients of any of the following:
- Homelessness
- Foster care / out of home care
- Supported independent living
- Mental health, alcohol and other drug programs
- Domestic and family violence
- Strategic planning
- Risk management
Meeting Dates
*dates subject to change
Community & Wellbeing Board (Incorporating Hunter Community Housing Ltd and CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning)
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Wednesday 13 May 2026
4:00pm-6:00pm
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Wednesday 22 July 2026
4:00pm to 6:00pm
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Wednesday 11 November 2026
4:00pm – 6:00pm
Hunter Community Housing Ltd Focus Meeting – Financial Statements
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Thursday 8 October 2026
5:00pm to 6:00pm (Teams)
Hunter Community Housing Ltd AGM
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Wednesday 11 November 2026
3:00pm to 4:00pm
Statutes and Protocols
Statutes and Protocols are ad experimentum during the first year, and may be updated from time to time during that year. The role of the relevant Council or Board will be to, at the end of the first year, consider the drafts and participate in updates to make the process fit for purpose.
Apply Now
We welcome you to express your interest in the Community and Wellbeing Advisory Board.
Apply Now