About Us

Quaker Service Australia (QSA) is a not-for-profit non-government organisation (NGO). We work alongside communities to build a more peaceful, just, equitable and compassionate world through practical, community-led projects.

As the international development agency of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Australia, QSA expresses Quaker concerns by supporting projects that are locally driven, culturally respectful, environmentally sustainable and shaped by the needs and strengths of each community. We work with partners and communities to build positive peace and resilience in ways that are practical, inclusive and sustainable.

History

Quaker Service Australia (QSA) has worked for more than 65 years to put Australian Quakers’ testimonies for peace, justice and equality into practical action.  While QSA was formally established in 1959, its origins go back to 1940, when Australian Quakers expressed a concern for people in the post-war Pacific.

Beginning as a small, volunteer-led relief effort, QSA has grown into a respected international development organisation with a long history of working alongside communities in Australia, Asia, Africa and the Pacific.  Over the decades, QSA has built strong, long-term relationships with grassroots community groups and local partners, supporting projects shaped by local knowledge, priorities and leadership.

In the 1970s, QSA made a conscious move away from short-term relief work towards sustainable, community-led development.  That commitment continues to guide our work today. We support projects that are culturally respectful, environmentally responsible and focused on creating lasting change.

QSA has worked in countries including India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa, as well as with First Nations communities in Australia.  Throughout our history, we have remained committed to turning concern into practical action and building a more peaceful, just and compassionate world.

A detailed history of QSA’s first 50 years is available in Friends in Deed by Heather Saville. Contact us for more information.

Principles

The Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and environmental stewardship guide QSA’s work.  It reflects our core belief in the equal worth of all people—a principle deeply embedded in our Quaker heritage spanning over 350 years.

Our dedication to sustainable, community-led development continues to drive our work.  We remain committed to making a lasting impact by empowering communities, building resilience in the face of challenges, and fostering positive peace.

QSA maintains a firm stance against proselytising, terrorism, and party-political activities. QSA does not practise or accept proselytising by its project partners, and it has no project partners created with a spiritual belief focus.

The organisation

QSA is registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) as a company limited by guarantee, under the name Quaker Service Australia Limited. It is a registered Charity and Not-for-profit Organisation.

QSA is governed by a constitution that sets out its purpose, structure and accountability. The current constitution is available to download here.

Each year, QSA publishes an Annual Report and Financial Statement in accordance with the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct. View and download the latest and previous reports here.

Management

Board

QSA is governed by a Board whose members are also approved by Quakers Australia’s Nominations Committee. Each Board member serves for a three-year term, with an option to extend for another term. An up-to-date list of Board members, including their profiles, is available here.

Members

As a company limited by guarantee, members help sustain the QSAs governance and direction while committing to support its objectives, comply with the constitution, and uphold the responsibilities that come with membership.  Members are vital because they strengthen the company’s link to the community, bringing lived connection, trust, and accountability that help QSA stay grounded in the people and relationships it exists to serve.  Members are appointed for three years and have the opportunity to attend and vote at the Company’s General Meetings, including the AGM. Contact chair@qsa.org.au if you’re interested in becoming a member.

Location and staff

QSA’s registered office is at Wahroonga, New South Wales. QSA does not operate any offices overseas. All development work is managed from Australia. Staff managing projects are hired using an open recruitment process, and most are non-Quaker. 

Our work

All projects supported by QSA are community-led, created in response to expressed community needs, and designed collaboratively by project partner organisations and QSA.  All projects approved for funding sit within the sectors of focus determined by the QSA Board and in the geographic regions where QSA has experience and understanding, and preferably where a project partner already exists.  This has been a positive approach for everyone involved and contributes to QSA’s overall learning. QSA’s work is linked to the values of the organisation and development effectiveness principles, which are fundamental to the approach taken by QSA in its development work.

QSA supports development projects in overseas locations, as well as providing support for First Nations activities in Australia and for refugees, asylum seekers and displaced peoples managed from Australia. Click here for more information.

Our policies

To view and download copies of our policies, click here.

Our donors

QSA relies on the generous donations of Australian Quakers and aligned individuals to support its work. QSA receives support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). 

For many years, the amazing  Quaker Op Shop in Adelaide has provided strong financial support for QSA.

QSA is a registered charity with DGR status. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible. Click here for more information and to donate.

Due diligence 

Due diligence and risk management are built into QSA’s organisational and operational processes for each project and context. QSA follows strict procedures to manage funds and projects, ensuring transparency and accountability, preventing fraud and misuse, and supporting organisational effectiveness and efficiency for QSA and its partners. 

QSA conducts regular monitoring and assessments in accordance with its policies to ensure that all decisions and transactions are conducted fairly, honestly, and transparently. We strive to continually improve our work and strengthen our systems and processes for good governance.

ACFID Code of Conduct

The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) establishes standards in governance, program effectiveness, fundraising, and financial reporting to enhance its members’ transparency and accountability. QSA is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct, a voluntary, self-regulatory sector code of good practice.  

The QSA Board affirms its commitment to be bound by the ACFID Code of Conduct, to conduct our work with transparency, accountability, and integrity, to maintain a complaints-handling process, and to promptly comply with reporting requirements, reasonable information requests, and remedial or disciplinary actions recommended by the Code of Conduct Committee. QSA’s adherence to the Code of Conduct demonstrates its commitment to ethical practice, public accountability, and supporting fellow ACFID members in pursuing their ideals and objectives. 

Feedback and complaints 

The QSA Board is committed to the highest standards in every area of its work and understands that handling complaints well is a critical way to learn what is needed to improve our work. As an ACFID member, QSA is party to an independent, accessible, fair, and confidential complaints-handling process. QSA maintains a Grievance Handling, Complaints, and Dispute Resolution Policy and strives to uphold the rights of all concerned parties. To resolve complaints, grievances, and disputes, QSA uses open communication in line with collaborative practices and Quaker teachings and ideals. Click to download the policy.

Memberships and accreditation

Since 1996, QSA has been a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the peak body for Australian non-government aid and international development organisations that sets standards for good practice. 

QSA maintains full accreditation as a partner under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). QSA acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the ANCP program for the majority of its international projects.

QSA is a member of the Refugee Council of Australia, Women in Aid and Development, and the Church Agencies Network (CAN), a group of church-based aid and development agencies that are members of ACFID.  QSA is a registered not-for-profit entity with a charitable purpose for public benefit under the Australian Charities & Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), the national regulator of charities.