Executive Director Programs and Chief Operating Officer Sally Parnell emailed an update to Victorian staff regarding returning to the workplace. Sally's email outlines decisions made at the latest Exec Directors and General Managers meeting concerning this. Sally also notes that the earliest we will begin returning to our offices is 18 January 2021. Read Sally's full email here. 

Sally also updated Victorian staff on changes to the requirements for the use of protective eyewear when working with participants. JSS staff will no longer be required to wear eye protection when providing support to participants who do not have confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19), are not awaiting the result of a COVID-19 test, or have been cleared of coronavirus (COVID-19). Her full email is here with a further email clarifying one point regarding mask-wearing here.

Social Inclusion Week

In his post for Social Inclusion Week, ANDY HAMILTON SJ writes that social inclusion depends on social friendship – the readiness to welcome others into our lives.

In recent years people have spoken much more openly about what it is like to be excluded. We are better informed about what it means to be racially profiled and so more likely to be searched and treated badly by police, to be looked over for jobs in favour of people less qualified, to be abused on trams and buses for the colour of our skin and to be laughed at because of the colour of our skin. It is hard not to be moved and angered by these stories. Our hearts go out to the people so excluded. Our hands then have a good chance of following. But first we should ask ourselves why people are discriminated against and excluded.

Settlement and Community Building update - Flemington Homework Club

Since 2004 Jesuit Social Services has delivered the Flemington Homework Club, providing a safe, welcoming and supportive learning environment for young migrant and refugee school students and their families. We work closely with the Flemington migrant community to overcome the barriers young migrants and refugees face to successful learning, reduce the risk of premature disengagement from education and training, provide opportunities for the creation of stronger social networks and build confidence to enable the young person to reach their full potential.

Under normal circumstances, the club runs twice a week from a community hall in the Flemington public housing estate where the vast majority of the students live. Each session is regularly attended by up to 40 young people, is coordinated by one staff member and supported by around 15 regular volunteers.

Responding to COVID-19

As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, the Flemington Homework Club quickly moved to a safe online platform in April this year, to offer weekly zoom video calls to students. To facilitate a successful transition, we communicated closely with Homework Club families directly to assess and establish need. We also gauged volunteer interest in continuing to tutor in the online space.

Flemington Homework Club remained focussed on maintaining connections and meaningful relationships with students and their families during lockdown. We found our families were craving individualised, reliable and quality support and so we established one (student) to one (tutor) weekly video calls, which also encouraged family involvement.

Additional Support

During the Flemington Housing Estate lockdown we supported Homework Club families by organising deliveries of groceries and pharmaceuticals and arranging the delivery of activity packs for students. There were students struggling to understand the lockdown, so we arranged zoom calls, showing child-friendly videos about COVID-19. Other students were comforted by a familiar face on a zoom call to play games with, taking their focus away from the police presence outside.

Homework Club Volunteers

The volunteer tutors have played an incredibly important role during the COVID-19 restrictions. The volunteers have shown dedication and a willingness to adapt and develop new skills; they have attended training, utilised resources and completed post tutor surveys with regularity and dedication. By strategically matching students with tutors, largely based on tutors' skill set and expertise, we have observed some incredibly meaningful learning take place.

We recognise that learning can be incredibly effective online and that many of our students even prefer online tutoring over face to face. As we slowly and carefully move back towards face-to-face learning, in line with the easing of restrictions, we are considering how to maintain an online component of our Homework Club moving forward.

Playgrounds not Prisons

The Worth A Second Chance campaign launched a new animation on World Children’s Day to raise awareness of the need to #RaiseTheAge of criminal responsibility. 600 children aged 10-13 are arrested, charged and locked up in Australian prisons every year, and here is a wealth of evidence from Australia and abroad showing that children under 14 years do not possess the neurological maturity to form criminal intent. 

So far, this animation has been viewed 16,715 times and has resulted in almost 250 letters to MPs being sent. 

Next week: 'Unpacking the Man Box' Webinar

This free webinar explores the pressures on men and boys today and focuses on respect and equality in relationships, homes and the wider community. It provides insight into healthier expressions of masculinity and how to put these into practice for improved health and wellbeing.

Delivered by Paul Zappa, General Manager of The Men’s Project at Jesuit Social Services and Jai Tao, Lead Facilitator of The Men’s Project at Jesuit Social Services, this session is suitable for all members of the community.

The event is proudly part of the City of Stonnington’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign.

When: Wednesday 2 December, 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Where: Online via Zoom – details provided on registration

Just News Archive now available

Just News no longer has to live only in your inbox! Explore past editions of our newsletter by visiting https://jss.org.au/just-news/. The web page will be updated with each new edition, meaning Just News is centralised and easily accessible. 

The suggestion to do this came from a staff member. We'd love to hear from you if you have an idea too!

Jesuit Social Services' new Place-Based Centre was the subject of a story in Catholic Outlook. Read more.

CathNews wrote a piece about Jesuit Social Services' Victorian Budget announcement response. Read more.

Jesuit Social Services was referenced in The Age regarding Victorian Budget funding to support Jobs Victoria participants to work with us. Read more.

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