General Manager of Practice Development and Innovation, Garry Roach, wrote to all staff regarding the further easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria, including the removal of the 75% cap on workplaces provided one person per 2sqm distancing can be maintained. You can read Garry's full email here. 

Our CEO, Julie Edwards, invited Jesuit Social Services Victorian staff to join the annual Walk for Justice for Refugees this Sunday, 28 March (Palm Sunday). Vigils and rallies are taking place all over the country. You can read Julie's full email here and find details on nationwide events here.

Executive Director of Programs, Sally Parnell, emailed all staff about upcoming opportunities to receive a flu shot. Staff may attend either location regardless of their worksite. If you are unable to attend either of the following sessions, you can arrange your own flu shot appointment and be reimbursed. 

Dates for these sessions are:

·       Richmond: Thursday 6th May @ 2pm

·       Collingwood: Monday 17th May @ 2pm

You can read Sally's full email here.

Megaphone is back!

Formerly known as Megaphone Lunch, the monthly event that showcases young emerging musicians of the Artful Dodgers Studios in Collingwood, is back stronger than ever thanks to a new partnership with Yarra City Libraries. Now called Megaphone, the first of an ongoing series of performances took place at the Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library last week.

Artists from the Studios, including Elijah Augustine, Aaron B and Kanani performed crowd favourites and new numbers to the first in-person crowd since before Covid hit last year. Georgia Nielsen of the Adelaide-based band, Pelvis, also gave a special guest performance.

True Colours Training Opportunity

There are still plenty of spots available in this training and all staff across the organisation (not just programs!) are encouraged to attend. The workshop will be held on Zoom so we welcome staff from interstate to join us too. As we prepare for Rainbow Tick accreditation it’s a great time to reflect on and continue to learn about inclusivity of the LGBTIQ+ community in all of our work practices.

True Colours: An introduction to LGBTIQ inclusive practice

10am – 1pm, Tuesday 13 April

Facilitated by Rainbow Vic

This workshop explores LGBTI people’s everyday lives and the ways in which systemic discrimination including homophobia, biphobia and transphobia affects people’s everyday lives. It promotes the development of LGBTI inclusive practice and is relevant to all programs. There is an online learning component that needs to be completed before the workshop (approx. 4 hours).

If you would like to attend, please speak with your line-manager and respond to staff.training@jss.org.au with your line-manager cc-ed in.

Zero-Waste Cooking Class this Saturday!

Don't miss out on a fun and free opportunity to learn how to cook with zero waste! Chef Johnny will take you through his Texture of Pumpkin Soup recipe. Register below for the full ingredient list and recipe card.

Date: Saturday, 27 March 2021

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm AET

Location: On Zoom! (Link sent on the morning of the event)

Cost: Free

War Stories

Jesuit Social Services has once again teamed up with the Shrine of Remembrance to present the much-praised exhibition Changed Forever.

Changed Forever features the stories of migrants who have resettled in Australia from war-torn countries alongside the stories of recent veterans of overseas service in the Australian Defence Force. This moving exhibition explores the impacts of global and civil conflict in changing lives and shaping contemporary Australia.

Beginning in 2019 at the Shrine, the touring exhibition was cancelled last year due to the outbreak of Covid.

It was able to get back up and running recently, however, and was staged at the Walker Street Gallery Dandenong. At the event were Just Voices participant Jose Mesquita, Just Voices staff member Paulie Stewart and Australian Defences Force veteran James Farqharson.

All have been redefined by the emotional and physical dislocation of war, and seek to reconcile this with their new lives.

Enhanced with art, objects, photographs, audio-visuals and interactives, their personal stories reflect the range and depth of experiences in conflict and life post-war.

Shrine Curator Jean McAuslan said "It was great to partner with Jesuit Social Services and the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum. They gave us invaluable introductions to storytellers and assisted by attending interviews and bringing their extensive experience and knowledge of individuals involved in the process."

The exhibition next moves to the Cube Gallery, Frankston and will run from 1 April - 7 May 2021.

You can find out more information about Change Forever here.

The Men’s Project has partnered with Mornington Peninsula Shire council to present its Unpacking the Man Box research as part of the Peninsula Men and Boys Creating Change project. The seminar focused the journey of a young man from birth into the Man Box, and also featured a discussion with Sydney Swans captain and The Men’s Project ambassador John Kennedy. You can watch the video below. The passcode to enter is 7CXj#Pmr

Closing the Gap

Closing the gap in Indigenous inequality and health outcomes should be directed by the choices and needs of Indigenous Australians, not by the economic and political considerations of government, writes ANDY HAMILTON SJ.

Close the Gap Day is a sobering occasion each year. It records the gap between promises and actions, between aspiration and outcome. This year the theme of the Day is Our Health, Our Voice, Our Choice. It follows the National Closing the Gap agreement signed last year setting out the targets and hoped for outcomes for Indigenous well-being over the next ten years. That is the aspiration.

The associated Close the Gap Committee report on the ten years following the first National Closing the Gap agreement was depressing reading. It pointed to the ways in which Indigenous Australians continued to trail other Australians in length of life, in vulnerability to illness, in quality of health care and in all the social factors that contribute to good health. These include food, education, employment and community participation in matters pertaining to their own welfare.

Julia Carroll, Manager of our Connexions program and Louise Flynn, Manager of Support After Suicide appeared on Joy FM last week to discuss a survey they are currently conducting, which aims to learn more about mental health, suicide prevention and related service needs of the LGBTIQ+ community in Melbourne. The survey is still open – to have your say, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/makingchangesurvey2021 

A SBS story on an episode of Dateline last week about efforts to prevent Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in the UK includes details on the Stop it Now! service where Julie Edwards is interviewed. Watch the full clip here.

Matt Tyler, Executive Director of The Men's Project, wrote an op-ed that was published in Eureka Street. You can read it here. 

Jesuit Social Services and other Smart Justice for Young People coalition members wrote a joint statement in response to the spent convictions bill and it was covered in The Age. Read the full article here. 

Julie Edwards was interviewed by Pro Bono with regard to Victoria’s spent convictions legislation. Read the piece here. 

Following the NT Government's announcement of youth justice legislative reform, Jesuit Social Services has received the following media coverage:

• We published a media release in response to the announcement. Read it here.
• NT General Manager John Adams is quoted in this ABC story. 
• John Adams is also quoted in this ABC Analysis piece.
• ABC TV coverage on the legislation, including a short interview with John Adams starting from the five-minute mark. Watch it here. 

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