UNCCAS, the union of the CCAS/CIAS

UNCCAS, the National Union of Social Action Community Centres, was founded in 1926 and lies at the heart of the network of French Social Action Community Centres. It is at the head of the network and represents, manages and works with the CCAS/CIAS at departmental, regional and national levels.

The main aim of the National Association of Community Welfare Centres (Union Nationale des Centres Communaux et Intercommunaux d’Action Sociale) is to work with and develop the social network created by the CCAS/CIAS.

A national network working at local level

UNCCAS’ assignments are numerous but all have the same basic objective: to provide an important technical and practical tool for people working in the social field.

In order to do this, UNCCAS:

	influences and helps local public authorities and assemblies of elected representatives to promote a better social welfare policy;
	helps and supports its members with regard to their representation, their promotion, and indeed in the defence of their interests;
	informs them of advances in legislation, of assistance and social action and about social policies in general mainly thanks to made-to-measure legal advice, audits and training;
	supports local projects and action, runs the network and develops exchanges between CCAS;
	promotes the setting up of CCAS and CIAS.

Effective networking through communication

Communication is one of UNCCAS most important missions. Communication fosters a permanent and sustainable relationship with and between members, local institutions and UNCCAS’ network of partners.

UNCCAS is a resource centre for its members use so they may assess and evaluate methods, transmit their observations, and analyse know-how. This voluntary policy towards communication is based on:

Organisation of congresses, study days, and colloquies

Bordeaux in 2002, Paris in 2004, Metz 2006... UNCCAS organises a national congress every two years. Study days and thematic colloquies allow CCAS and CIAS elected representatives and professionals to obtain information and exchange views on the current situation in the social field on a regular basis.

Monthly magazine

Each month, “ACTES” provides an insight into the current situation in the social field, both technical and legal aspects, through an indepth analysis of a particular subject, interviews, practical information, etc. It develops and encourages an exchange of experiences between CCAS in its section on “network activities”.

European newsletter

ACTES carries a column on European social news which provides information on the construction of a Social Europe.
Social News is a free monthly electronic newsletter which aims to provide news on a social Europe. You can subscribe by .
You can also find the previous editions of Social News (written in French and English) here.

Technical guides

A collection of articles “ESSENTIAL INFORMATION” is regularly improved by new subjects, for example “Home help services”, “The Guide for the CCAS administrator”, “Residential homes in the face of a rates reform”. An article on “An analysis of social needs” is planned for the future.

The Monday Fax and Mail

The Monday Fax is more than just a source of information. Every Monday morning it arrives on the desks of the heads of the CCAS and CIAS which makes it a real awareness raising tool on social news for the week. Also available in electronic version: Mail'Hebdo.

UNCCAS in figures

3,400 Social Action Community Centres more than 82,000 service staff 110,000 beds in old people’s homes 30 million hours of home help