AN increasing amount of people in need are being turned away from the services they desperately seek, according to the latest Australian Community Sector survey.

The survey, released today by the Australian Council of Social Services, recorded a workload increase of 10 per cent for ACT community organisations and an increase of 17 per cent in people being turned away from the services.

“Community services are in demand, providing much need support to Canberra’s most vulnerable,” ACT Council of Social Service Director Roslyn Dundas said.

“However, increasing pressures are causing more to be turned away without accessing the support they are seeking.”

The survey also revealed, 86 per cent of organisation identify mental health services as an area of high or medium need.

The survey also found community sector organisations indicated salary continues to be a one of the greatest impediments to recruiting and retaining staff.

Two out of three organisations said poor pay made it harder to find and keep workers.

“Staff are the key asset for community organisations,” Ms Dundas said.

“An effective, efficient community sector is vital to Australia’s economy but this can only be achieved through adequate funding including of decent wages.

“This is why the equal pay case, currently before Fair Work Australia, is so important.”

The survey is the only national data collection about the non-government, non-profit community services and welfare sector.  And 70 local agencies completed the survey, providing data on service delivery and organisational operations over 2009-10.

Both the ACT and national reports are available at www.actcoss.org.au