Ahead of the 2025-26 Victorian Budget, Jesuit Social Services has published its pre-Budget submission, highlighting opportunities for Government to target spending and policy-making, prioritising reach, strategies and programs that support children, young people and their families to live safe and healthy lives. In our first state pre-Budget piece, we focus on the need for a sustainable social and community services sector.
A thriving and sustainable social services sector is the backbone of a just and inclusive Victoria. Jesuit Social Services calls on the Victorian Government to recognise the need for adequate and long-term investment in the critical services and infrastructure that support the most vulnerable in our community. While budgetary pressures are a reality, failing to invest in sustainable social services now will only lead to greater social and economic costs in the future. A well-funded, stable social services sector ensures that individuals and communities receive the support they need while strengthening the wellbeing of society more broadly.
To achieve this, reforms in the commissioning of social services are necessary to guarantee that providers can continue delivering high-quality support while maintaining a stable and skilled workforce. This is a key ask in our recent submission to the 2025-26 Victorian State Budget.
Workforce shortages in the caring and social sectors have reached a crisis point, and without targeted action, service providers will be unable to meet the growing demands of a community in need, leaving many without vital support.
Sustainable funding goes beyond simple financial increases; it requires a shift towards funding mechanisms that prioritise certainty, stability, and long-term innovation. The current patchwork of short-term funding arrangements creates instability and inefficiency, compromising organisations’ ability to plan and deliver the best outcomes for their communities. The recommendations from the Productivity Commission’s 2017 Inquiry into Reforms to Human Services offer a framework to ensure that both government and the community sector can deliver maximum impact with the resources available.
The siloed nature of current funding models stifles collaboration, creating barriers to early intervention and integrated care, which in turn leads to poorer outcomes for those most in need. The benefits of a sustainable and well-funded social services sector reach far beyond those who directly access services; it strengthens the resilience of entire communities, eases the strain on crisis services, and fosters a fairer, more equitable society.
Investing in social services is investing in a better, stronger Victoria—one where all individuals have the chance to overcome adversity, reach their full potential, and contribute to collective wellbeing. Every dollar invested is not just an expenditure, but a strategic investment in the future of our state and the people who call it home.
