Last week, our CEO Julie Edwards emailed all staff an invitation to attend a presentation on the topic of "Fostering Organisational Identity in a Community Service Organisation: A Jesuit Approach". Julie plans to present on a key topic central to the work of Jesuit Social Services to all interested staff following each Board meeting. This first presentation will take place on Zoom on Thursday 24 June from 9:30-10:30 am AET. You can read Julie's full email here.

Executive Director - Business Support, Phil Hodgson, recently emailed all staff about important changes to our payroll system. These changes include the transition of payroll and the Employee Self Service (ESS) to Preceda. You can read Phil's full email here. 

Staff reflect on Reconciliation together

Last week, staff came together to mark National Reconciliation Week. National Reconciliation Week is an opportunity for “all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia”. Staff shared reflections on what Reconciliation means to them and watched two videos that provided insight into the experience of being indigenous in Australia.

You can find staff reflections, as well as resources shared at the event here.

Support when it's needed

Young people who have had contact with the justice system and are now trying to get their lives back on track need support at the time they need it – not just between 9am and 5pm.

Jesuit Social Services’ Youth Justice Community Support Service (YJCSS) After Hours program recognises this and provides intensive support and case management beyond standard work hours. It’s an extension of a successful program that has been supporting young people and their families for more than 10 years. We were very pleased to hear recently that the After Hours program has been granted funding for a further four years. 

“Our staff provide a combination of practical support and mentoring, to try to reduce the time when young people could be out with negative peers at nights and on weekends,” explains Nicole Salter, the After Hours Coordinator.

The program has doubled in size in recent years and currently supports more than 80 young people and their families.

Walking together in Willmot

Monique Perusco, Jesuit Social Services’ Manager of Social and Community Services in Western Sydney, has known Makeeta since the very beginnings of the Willmot Community Hub in 2017. Makeeta initially came to the Hub because she was at a crisis point in her life, having experienced family violence and associated trauma. She began volunteering at the Hub, and now five years on, she is a Community Development Coordinator and runs several much loved programs with local residents.

Monique reflects on Makeeta’s journey at the Hub and their relationship. “Makeeta is an extraordinary woman. She is determined, and when she first came to the Hub, she knew she was looking for a connection with her community – initially to help her and her family and to find a place where she could belong and thrive. She came to the Hub searching for something, and when she found it here she proceeded to make herself indispensable to us,” she says.

“I think our success in Willmot has actually got a lot to do with Makeeta. She has held us accountable, but she has also just walked with us and shared her life; I have learnt a lot from her. She is very generous with her story; she will sit me down and tell me about her life, so I can understand her better, but also to say, ‘Listen to what it’s like for me and for others here’. By doing this she allows me an intimate insight into life in Willmot.

Staff Profile – John Andrew, Principal – Ignatius Learning Centre

When John Andrew left his job teaching in a mainstream secondary school to join the team at Parkville College – which provides education to young people incarcerated in Victoria’s youth justice system – some of his colleagues “thought I was crazy to go and teach in a prison”.

But for John, now Principal at Jesuit Social Services’ Ignatius Learning Centre, it was a natural progression.

“When I was young I had a lot of cousins who were involved in the youth justice system and being quite close to them I wondered ‘how did this happen?’ but I never judged them and I always saw the best in them,” he says.

“As a teacher I was always able to connect with disengaged students, I guess I could understand what they were going through. Working with disengaged and marginalised students, you learn different approaches to teaching and trauma-informed, therapeutic approaches to education.”

Artful Dodgers graduate

Given their own lack of educational opportunities growing up in refugee camps in Africa and then at schools experiencing disadvantage in Australia, it was fantastic to see Artful Dodgers’ participants and Just Voices artists Lily Kato and G Storm honoured at a recent dinner at Monash University’s prestigious Mannix College.

Mannix College, named after legendary Australian Bishop Dr Daniel Mannix, hosted the two recently as part of their “Soul Power’’ dinner for students at the college, many of whom come from rural Australia.

Established more than 45 years ago by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Mannix provides fully-catered accommodation in a friendly and supportive environment for 288 undergraduate and postgraduate students of Monash University.

The night started with Lily Kato, G Storm and Jesuit Social Services guests joining Mannix Dean Sean Brito-Babapulle as part of the official High Table party.

This meant the two young rappers wore academic robes and took part in the formal entrance procession accompanied by Principal Sean and leading staff members.

During dinner, the two performed original, heartfelt solo songs before combining at the finish for a song together.

Principal Sean praised the Artful Dodgers participants for sharing their stories.

“This was the fourth occasion that Mannix College and Artful Dodgers have combined forces to present a unique presentation,’’ he said.

“At year’s end, our students always talk about the Soul Power dinner being one of the highlights.’’

Indeed, the Mannix students showed their appreciation with multiple standing ovations for each of the visiting Just Voices artists.

G Storm said he never realised educational institutions as Mannix College existed.

"It is great because I got to send my Mum some pictures of myself in my graduation outfit."

Lily was equally impressed.

"The College is so grand; it reminded me of the school in Harry Potter."

The Age recently featured a story about the post-release housing project we help deliver in Maribyrnong. Manager - Adult Justice Programs Suzette James-Nevell said “these guys cycle in and out of prison… [this program] is something that’s been needed for goodness knows how many years and it’s a huge gap in the system”. Read more.

The Victorian Government has extended the funding for the Maribyrnong project, which provides short term accommodation to men who would otherwise exit the prison system into homelessness. This funding extension will help more vulnerable people to get their lives back on track and reduce the chances of re-offending. Read our media release.

Our Men’s Project recently ran its MoRE (Modelling Respect and Equality) training program in the Mornington Peninsula. MoRE aims to support role models who interact with boys and men on a regular basis so they can challenge limiting and harmful stereotypes and promote respect and equality. The two-day workshop was attended by teachers, sports coaches and youth workers. Read more.

Like what you've read?