Our Mission, Objectives, and Values
Our Vision
- To combat the issues known to harm confidence as we age, such as ageism and lack of autonomy of choice, and to facilitate our older community to age with confidence, resilience, and wellbeing.
- To prepare for the projected strain a rapidly growing older population will impact our local health and aged care infrastructures and services by preventing a premature need for them.
Our Mission
To give the residents of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie the confidence and autonomy of meaningful and relevant choice to age well, be valued, supported and socially connected to their communities.
How we aim to achieve our mission
To combat the barriers known to negatively impact confident ageing and wellbeing such as
- ageism, stereotyping and making assumptions based on age
- loneliness, social isolation and feeling disconnected from community
- an inability to access relevant and timely information and resources
To provide engaging, supportive and empowering programs to older people who identify as older, lonely, socially isolated or disconnected from their community.
To prevent precursors of premature infirmity associated with loneliness and social isolation.
To prevent avoidable stress, anxiety, misguided decision making and adversities associated with the inability to access information and resources when needed.
To increase personal and professional skill development and opportunities for intergenerational engagement for volunteer companions in our programs.
To promote community awareness of unintentional ageism and stereotyping and the harmful effects it causes on health and wellbeing.
To lead by example and connect with and support other like-minded organisations that work towards social justice for older people.
To provide our older community with an inclusive information and resource hub and diverse local business and service directory.
Our Core Values
The trust and confidence of our community are of paramount importance to us. Our mission is for us all to age with confidence and prevent the issues associated with loneliness and social isolation. We are driven by our Principles, Core Values, and Code of Conduct through good governance and transparency.
We care about the well-being of all who engage with Charlie’s Gift. Hearing what you have to say, understanding your needs, showing compassion and providing support is our primary objective.
We know that we are all connected as a community, and to help one helps many. Charlie’s Gift is the gift of community connection. We will always take opportunities to show our gratitude and support the people, businesses and services we depend on.
To empower others is to promote autonomy, resilience and confidence. Our Mission is entrenched in empowering others by showing they are valued, appreciated and heard. We will acknowledge their strengths and provide support if faced with difficulties.
We appreciate that humans are social beings with an innate need to do for themselves, regardless of age or circumstance. Our purpose is to support and assist those who engage with us to achieve their aspirations.
What we strive to represent to our community
A trusted and reliable organisation, where our community feel valued and confident to ask for help, advice or support without judgement.
A sustainable NFP, local community focussed Charity, that utilises the skills, products, services and financial support of its community with the intent to connect and unify to the benefit of all.
An organisation who is known for its gratitude and aspiration to give back to those who support and contribute to the sustainability of Charlie’s Gift.
A local independent organisation that will progress and grow to reflect the needs of our older community as they progress and grow.