Help us create life-changing experiences. Your time and effort can make a real difference! Become A Volunteer
Help us create life-changing experiences. Your time and effort can make a real difference! Become A Volunteer
Closure of ERCS Programs and Transition of Victorian operations to Edmund Rice Foundation
Edmund Rice Community Services (ERCS) has concluded its programs and operations as part of a strategic realignment to ensure the ongoing delivery of high-quality services to the community. As of January 2026, Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) will assume responsibility for program delivery in Victoria, including – Welcome Studios Art Groups, On Track – Bike Program, Learning Support Hubs and others they have been well known for across the region. This transition reflects our shared commitment to sustaining impactful initiatives that support young people and communities in need.
The Edmund Rice Foundation brings a strong legacy of service and a robust framework for program management, ensuring continuity and growth for initiatives previously delivered under ERCS. While ERCS will no longer operate independently in Victoria or across the country, its Mission and Values will continue to live on through the Foundation’s work, maintaining a focus on empowerment, education, and community development.
Importantly, the ERCS Board will remain in place to oversee and support the stewardship of the Mt Atkinson property. This ensures that the site continues to serve its intended purpose and remains aligned with the broader Edmund Rice mission.
We extend our gratitude to all staff, volunteers, and partners who have contributed to ERCS programs over the years. Your dedication has made a lasting difference.
For further information about programs and opportunities to support, please visit Edmund Rice Foundation’s website.
We believe that every person is fundamentally deserving of respect, inclusion and the right to self-determination. Regardless of age or circumstance, we give every individual a voice to shape the experiences we create together.
We exist to create real change. The kind of change that takes real commitment: to building authentic relationships, to honest and transparent communication — and to always doing what we say we’ll do.
We believe that everyone has the right to live free from barriers created by adversity, both visible and invisible. Our role is to empower young people with the resilience, self-confidence and hope to break the cycle.
We understand that social and ecological injustice thrives where there is no one to challenge it. We are driven to be a protesting voice, standing up for equality and the restoration of human rights.
In the spirit of Edmund Rice, our community seeks to build authentic relationships, learning together about people’s everyday experience of the world. We are ordinary people understanding that our interactions and support for each other can create extraordinary moments of change for the common good.
ERCS commits to creating a safe and nurturing environment where individuals can thrive and reach their full potential. Together, we strive to uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and promote the well-being of all those we engage with.
ERCS is committed to creating an environment of safety and wellbeing for people of all identities and abilities, regardless of age, race, LGBTQIA+ identification, disability, religion, or socio-economic background.
