Jesuit Social Servicesold.jss.org.au/files/Docs/About Us/Annual Reports/JSS-AR... · 2016-04-21 · Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social Services Mission Statement Jesuit Social Services

Jesuit Social ServicesANNUAL REPORT 2000

Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social ServicesMission StatementJesuit Social Services seeks to form communities of solidarity with

those in need. It expresses its Christian mission through the service of

faith and the promotion of justice.

As a social service organisation committed to promoting the common

good, we are founded on the model of service of Jesus in the Christian

gospels and on Catholic social teaching.

We believe in the underlying value and dignity of all human life.

Jesuit Social Services is a community of people, in solidarity with those

in need, providing practical programs of service and committed to social

action, advocacy and research as an expression of that relationship

Our vision is shaped by a Christian faith which is inescapably social in

its implications, because it is directed towards how people relate to one

another and how society could be ordered.

It is a vision of service, which must be a dialogue, born of respect for

people, especially the poor, in which we share their cultural and spiritual

values and offer our own cultural and spiritual richness.

Jesuit Social Services has a vision of the service of faith and the

promotion of justice which impels us to cross boundaries of culture,

religion and social class. This involves a befriending of the poor and

those of other cultures and faiths.

This vision calls forth communities which challenge the world to act

justly, to deal respectfully with one another, to transform its systems of

relationships, and to take the command of Jesus to love and serve others

as the basis of its life.

Director’s Report

3

Shaping Public Policy through Research and Advocacy

4

Corporate Support for Big Brothers Big Sisters

10

New Home for the Brosnan Centre

12

Creating a safe place for Young People at Risk

14

Supporting Families a Critical Need

18

Building Stronger Communities in Public Housing Estates

20

Board and Staff of Jesuit Social Services

22

Jesuit Volunteers

24

We want to Thank You

25

Sources of Revenue and Allocation of Resources

26

Can you help us complete Our Circle of Healing

27

Making a Donation

28

Contents

Jesuit annual report alt qxd 31/10/00 3:50 PM Page 1

"Be assured that the Society,through three GeneralCongregations, is very

committed to a faith that does justice, that is,

commitment to the poor, the disadvantaged,

the marginalised, and theindigenous people".

Superior General of the Jesuits, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., addressing the recent International Congress of the Jes it Social Apostolate in Naples

"Be assured that the Society,through three GeneralCongregations, is very

committed to a faith that does justice, that is,

commitment to the poor, the disadvantaged,

the marginalised, and theindigenous people".


Jesuit Social ServicesDirector’s Report

The Year 2000 is the year of 'the Great

Jubilee' which calls us to re-establish

harmony and to advance in social justice.

There are many areas of our world where

harmony is desperately needed and where the

lack of social justice is clearly in evidence.

When Jesus began to preach the good news, his

mission was identified as "to proclaim release to

the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year

of the Lord's favour".

This has been the mission of Jesuit Social

Services during the year 2000 and many of our

activities have given expression to this mission,

developing innovative responses in partnership

with others.

In his letter on the social apostolate earlier

this year, the Superior General of the Jesuits in

Rome, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach emphasised

the importance of bringing a plurality of view

points to bear on social problems and employing

multiple ways of reaching society and responding

to its needs.

He indicated that to do this most effectively

we need to become aware of the complexities and

changes in the socio-economic structures of

today's world.

During the past year, Jesuit Social Services has

applied this principle in work we are undertaking

on the distribution of wealth and the

concentration of social disadvantage in Australia.

We have also taken this approach in the

formulation and dissemination of our drug policy,

intended for our workers and for the wider

community. While based on traditional Catholic

moral principles, the policy is grounded in more

than 20 years grass roots experience in the field.

In his letter to Jesuit Social Services earlier this

year, Father General wrote: "Be assured that the

Society, through three General Congregations, is

very committed to a faith that does justice; that

is, commitment to the poor, the disadvantaged,

the marginalised and the indigenous people".

I present this Annual Report for the Year of

Great Jubilee, a report which outlines some of

the ways in which we have attempted to give this

mission concrete expression during the last

12 months.

Father Peter Norden, S.J.

Director

Jesuit Social Services


The Ignatius Centre is thepolicy and research arm ofJesuit Social Services. During the last twelve months, it has undertaken projectsinvolving the mapping of socialdisadvantage, the shaping ofpolicies in relation to the use ofillegal drugs, measuring theimpact of gambling onVietnamese families, andassessing the social needs ofinner city high rise housingestates.

The Ignatius Centre is the policy and research arm of

Jesuit Social Services.

During the last 12 months, it has undertaken projects

involving the mapping of social disadvantage, the shaping of

policies in relation to the use of illegal drugs, measuring the

impact of gambling on Vietnamese families, and assessing

the social needs of inner city high rise housing estates.

Jesuit Social ServicesShaping Public Policy Through Research and Advocacy

Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social Services


Addressing Social Disadvantage

The distribution of wealth and the concentration

of social disadvantage in Australia are

inextricably linked.

This past year has seen The Ignatius Centre

undertaking work on identifying communities

where social disadvantage

is concentrated.

The 'Unequal in Life' report by Professor

Tony Vinson identified significant areas of social

disadvantage within Victoria and New South

Wales.

The Newcastle and Maitland areas include ten of

the 30 most socially disadvantaged postcodes in

New South Wales. This has lead to the

establishment, by the New South Wales

Goverment, of the Hunter Community Renewal

Scheme. Premier Carr recently wrote to The

Ignatius Scheme acknowledging our contribution

and support for this scheme which aims to

address the serious disadvantaged communities

of Newcastle and Maitland by building local

partnerships and community support networks.

This will lay foundations for a coordinated

government and community response to social

needs.

Premier Carr wrote: "Your contribution,

combined with your support for Professor Tony

Vinson to become a member of the Directions

Group responsible for the Scheme, will

significantly strengthen the Scheme's local

impact".

In Victoria, Jesuit Social Services was invited

by Premier Bracks to a recent social

development round table to consider social policy

priorities for the next five years.

The Ignatius Centre drew the Premier's attention

to the growth in the national economy and the

failure of our present structures to ensure that

wealth is being shared fairly throughout the

community. We illustrated this by identifying

the region of the La Trobe Valley as of particular

concern, which was highlighted in the report

'Unequal in Life.'

The danger of allowing poverty to become

entrenched in particular communities has been

obvious both in this region and in parts of the

inner city of Melbourne, such as the public

housing estates.

During the next 12 months, we will be focusing

on how wealth is presently distributed through

the national taxation system.

We will explore circumstances under which the

taxpayer may be prepared to contribute more to

achieve particular social objectives and to

implement essential programs.

View the Unequal in Life

report on social disadvantage:

www.jss.org.au/reports/unequal_full.pdf



Responding to the needs of Inner City Housing Estates

The Ignatius Centre has also been involved

in a range of projects assessing social needs and

assisting in the development of locally based

community development strategies in the City

of Yarra.

The suburbs of Richmond, Collingwood and

Fitzroy are complex neighborhoods containing

a rich and diverse social and cultural mix.

A general needs assessment of the three

housing estates was recently completed by

Catherine Guinness and Kate Digney.

These surveys demonstrated that social

disadvantage will become permanently

entrenched in neighborhoods of this kind unless

government policy on public housing estates is

better coordinated. Sufficient resources are

required for local residents to build greater

participation and social interaction.

Residents need to be resourced to combat the

current sense of fear and powerlessness resulting

from the intensive level of drug activity on the

estates. While much of this activity is conducted

by outsiders, police figures over the last year

indicate that drug offences have doubled.

This is having an enormous impact on the quality

of life of the local residents.

Our research reports have contributed to the

planning of a community development initiative

to be undertaken by Jesuit Social Services staff

in close collaboration with other service

providers, the Office of Housing and the City of

Yarra. This project is outlined in the social

services section of this Annual Report.

View the reports on

Collingwood, Fitzroy and North Richmond

Housing Estates:

Collingwood and Fitzroy:

www.jss.org.au/reports/cg_doc.pdf

North Richmond:

www.jss.org.au/reports/kd_doc.pdf


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Living in Harmony

For a number of young people from diverse

ethnic backgrounds, negotiating the social

network systems is not a simple task.

Some are in a very real sense "living in two

cultures", the culture of their home environment

and that of their school and external

environment.

The area of relationships between ethnic

youth and police is one example where such

misunderstandings can readily occur.

Members of the East Timorese and Vietnamese

communities have become increasingly

concerned about their young people.

The increased police contact with young people

around public housing estates and other public

spaces has been of particular concern.

There is a high incidence of drug usage and drug

dealing in parts of Richmond, Collingwood and

Fitzroy. Police often target young people in

public spaces and ethnic youth, in particular, can

often feel unjustly harassed and intimidated.

Many new migrant groups come from countries

where police have played an authoritarian and

repressive role. It is not unusual to find some

suspicion of police in the mindset of these

migrant families.

The Living in Harmony project, funded by the

Department of Immigration and Multicultural

Affairs and working closely with local police and

service providers, examined these conflicting

concerns and recommended mechanisms for

building more effective communication and

relationships between police, ethnic youth and

their community leaders.

Project Officer Karen Hickman has produced

a report entitled 'Improving Police and Ethnic

Youth Relations Within the City of Yarra'

containing recommendations for improving the

relationships between police and ethnic young

people.

View the report on ethnic youth

and police relations on our web page:

www.jss.org.au/reports


Gambling and Domestic Violencein the Vietnamese Community

While much has been said in recent years

about the positive economic impact of the

growth of the gambling industry on the Victorian

community, there has been a lack of independent

research measuring the social impact on the

Vietnamese community.

Those who visit Crown Casino are immediately

confronted with the high percentage of Asian

people engaged in gambling activities. What are

the social and financial impacts on the families

of those standing at the tables, particularly those

from the Vietnamese community?

These were the research questions addressed by

Diana Tran from our research staff.

The Productivity Commission's recent report,

which investigated Australia's gambling industry,

noted that "even by Australian standards, the

recent proliferation of gambling opportunities

and the growth in the gambling industry has

been remarkable". The Commission noted that

"with the rapid liberalisation and expansion of

gambling, concerns have grown about the

'downsides' for society, and in particular the

impacts on so-called 'problem gamblers' and

those closest to them".

Our report Asian Gambling … Family Losses

endorsed these views. It found that gambling

related violence has become increasingly

common in Vietnamese families and was one

of the most damaging social consequences of

problem gambling. “Vietnamese women and

children are the innocent victims of the

promotion of the gaming industry in Victoria in

recent years” researcher Diana Tran concluded.

The report called on the Casino and Gaming

Authority to take on a greater regulatory,

rather than promotional, role in the future.

It also recommended that the Community

Support Fund provide financial support for

ongoing community development work in

disadvantaged areas. We are pleased that

both of these recommendations are now being

implemented by the Victorian Government.

Review the report

Asian Gambling ... Family Losses:

www.jss.org.au/reports/asian_gambling_

family_loss.pdf

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The Ignatian Forum

The Annual Ignatian Forum is held in September

each year. The inaugural forum was addressed

by Jesuit Lawyer and Board Member of Jesuit

Social Services, Father Frank Brennan, S.J. on

the issue of the then current land rights

legislation. Last year, the Lord Mayor of

Melbourne, Councillor Peter Costigan, was our

guest and he addressed the issues of drug law

reform and changing drug policies. Bernie

Geary, our Program Director, and a member

of the Victorian Government's Drug Expert

Committee, responded. This year, on

6 September, Sir Gustav Nosal AC, Australian

of the Year and Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal

Reconciliation Council, addressed the topic

'Steps to Reconciliation' at the Collingwood

Town Hall.

Drug Policy Formulation

Jesuit Social Services works in partnership with

St Vincent’s Hospital, the Centre for Adolescent

Health and Turning Point Alcohol and Drug

Centre to manage the Youth Substance Abuse

Service (YSAS). David Murray and Frank

Costigan represent Jesuit Social Services on the

board of this statewide organisation.

At The Brosnan Centre we have been assisting

young people in prison and helping their

resettlement following their release. More

recently, through our program, Connexions,

we have undertaken a significant initiative in

working with young people with mental health

problems who have attempted to modify their

symptoms through the use of illegal drugs.

The challenge of this work with young people and

families who are disadvantaged by multiple

disabilities has increased dramatically in recent

years due to the serious problem of drug misuse.

As an organisation motivated and inspired by

Christian values and principles, Jesuit Social

Services has had to grapple with the

implications of this comparatively recent

development. For example, how could we be

consistent with our ethos and our values and at

the same time continue to engage young people

whose lives were intertwined with illegal drug

activity? What role would Jesuit Social

Services take in the public debate about such a

complex and sensitive area of community

concern?

In order to formulate a considered position on

drug policy we combined the resources and the

experience of our staff working directly with

young people, senior policy staff and members

of the Jesuit Order with expertise in ethics and

moral theology.

The Jesuit Social Services Drug Policy was

published in May this year and has been

extremely well received by government and

community agencies and the public.

The document concludes: "The priority for Jesuit

Social Services in responding to the needs of

marginalised young people who use drugs is to

create a meaningful relationship with each

young person, notwithstanding the level and

nature of their drug use. The message we wish

to communicate to young people is one of

invitation and inclusion. We therefore continue

to support and promote policies and practices

that uphold these principles of holistic service,

assertive engagement and respect for each

individual".

View the Jesuit Social Services

Drug Policy:

www.jss.org.au/reports/jss-drug.pdf


Big Brothers-Big Sisters is a mentoring program that pairs

screened and trained adult volunteers with at-risk children

aged between seven and 17 years.

The young people are often in difficult personal situations

and have trouble coping with school or home life.

The adult mentor acts as a trusted friend, an impartial source

of advice and a valuable role model for the young person.

Typically, mentors spend several hours a week with a young

person away from their current situation, providing a positive

and supportive relationship and taking their 'young brother' or

'young sister' out for activities such as football or fishing.

The program has a strong track record in making a positive

impact on young people at risk.

Mentors can be single or married, but must commit for two

to six hours a week for at least 12 months.

Currently BB-BS has over 100 Matches, 200 young people

on the waiting list, 20 volunteers waiting to be trained,

and operates throughout metropolitan Melbourne.

Jesuit Social ServicesCorporate Support forBig Brothers-Big Sisters



PURA Milk is providing $1 million in

sponsorship to the Big Brothers-Big Sisters

program over a period of four years to assist

children who are at risk.

This will enable expansion of activities in

Melbourne and will provide opportunities to

build a stronger funding base for the long-term

stability of the program.

In addition Jesuit Social Services and PURA

Milk are working with the YWCA (Sydney) to

develop a national body to promote the growth

of BBBS programs throughout Australia.

Currently there are two major programs

(Melbourne and Sydney) and two smaller

programs (Perth and Darwin).

Both major programs receive a significant

number of inquiries from all over Australia about

setting up new programs, but hitherto have been

unable to respond.

The PURA Milk sponsorship is expected to lead

to the development of a national body that can

respond to such requests, promote the

development of new programs, persuade

governments to provide more funding, and

provide training to ensure minimum standards

for the establishment of BBBS programs

nationally.

PURA Milk's involvement is wonderful news

for the staff and volunteers of Big Brothers-

Big Sisters and Manager, Katherine Sylvan, is

exhilarated. "The PURA Milk sponsorship will

enable us to improve our service delivery to

Bigs and Littles and, most importantly, to

provide more vulnerable young people and

children with Big Brothers and Big Sisters who

will play such important roles in their lives.

It is incredibly exiciting."

To date the evidence of the effectiveness of the

Program in Australia has been anecdotal.

However, a $2m, two year longitudinal study of

Big Brothers-Big Sisters in America (upon which

the Australian program is modelled) has

produced significant results. It found that Little

Brothers and Little Sisters are:

* 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs

* 37% less likely to begin using alcohol

* 53% less likely to skip school and 37% less

likely to skip a class

* More confident of their performance in school

work

* Less likely to hit someone

* Show significant improvement in relations

at home

(Making A Difference; An Impact Study of Big

Brothers/Big Sisters Public/Private Ventures,

Philadelphia USA 1995).

PURA Milk recognises the value of gathering

Australian research and is prepared to fund a

study into the long-term effects of the program

on the life path of young people involved in

BBBS. This will give the Australian program a

firm base from which to grow.

Announcing the sponsorship, Max Ould,

Managing Director of National Foods,

manufacturer of PURA Milk, said:

"We believe this sponsorship will make a real

difference to the lives of hundreds of young

people around Australia.

It provides a very good fit for PURA Milk given

that both the PURA brand and Big Brothers-

Big Sisters support strong family values and a

focus on family life".

See the Big Brothers-Big Sisters web site:

www.bbbs.org.au


Father John Brosnan's 30 years as chaplain to the Victorian

Prison system from 1956-1985 will be recognised in the new

program centre.

This will be a lasting tribute to the man who once said

that the three most important things needed by a person

after their release were...

"a place to live that is decent, a job that they can handle,

and the hardest thing to provide ... friendship".

The Brosnan Centre has had contact with young people

in the prisons and juvenile justice centres on over

1,000 occasions in the last year.

Young people are visited by a Brosnan worker before their

release, thus establishing a relationship that leads to the

offer of intensive support regarding accommodation,

personal issues, employment training and drug counselling.

As well as intensive post-release support, accommodation

was provided to 115 young people upon their release during

the last 12 months.

Jesuit Social ServicesNew Home forThe Brosnan Centre



The Brosnan Centre is moving, but only just

around the corner from where it has been since

1985 when Father John Brosnan retired as

chaplain to Pentridge Prison.

The new location is at 10 Dawson Street,

Brunswick, right next door to the Brunswick

Baths and in the former offices of the community

services department of the City of Moreland.

The Brosnan Centre has grown considerably

since it was established back in 1977 as a small

half way house providing support for young

people just released from youth training centres

and prisons.

It has become clear since 1985 that the needs

of young men and women being released from

custody have become far more complex due,

mainly, to the dramatic increase in illicit drug

use, particularly heroin.

In order to sustain the Brosnan Centre's success

in engaging high risk young people, it has

become necessary to expand the types of

programs which are available.

While the former Brosnan Centre site in Sydney

Road served us well, it is no longer adequate to

cater for the new programs and improvements

in our service. Staff at the Brosnan Centre

realise that innovative and creative approaches

are required to meet the needs of our

marginalised young people.

Programs such as 'The Edge', funded by the

Victorian Drug Law Enforcement Fund and

established in partnership with Malmsbury staff,

offer an innovative drug treatment program to

young offenders resident at Malmsbury Juvenile

Justice Centre.

In the last 15 years, the cultural and family

backgrounds of the young people we work with

have diversified enormously, with a greater

number of Indo Chinese young people needing

assistance.The Department of Immigration and

Multicultural Affairs provides funds for a

specialist Vietnamese worker to respond to

the needs of Vietnamese young people in the

prison system.

A program for long-term unemployed young

people, funded by the Department of Human

Services and the Department of Training and

Youth Affairs, is assisting their transition from

Malmsbury Juvenile Justice Centre to training

programs and/or employment.

The need to provide more professional assistance

to help bring about family reunification has been

recognised. The Commonwealth Department of

Family and Community Services, under the Men

and Family Relationships Program, has provided

funds for the Brosnan Centre, in partnership

with Caraniche Services, to initiate a program

which will assist young men in prison to develop

better skills in their relationships with family,

partners and children.

We have appreciated the support of our

benefactors in the public appeal for the new

building and are pleased that a small number of

our supporters have responded to the invitation

to become Life Governors of the new centre.

Considerable assistance has been provided by the

Victorian Government through the Department

of Justice, the Department of Human Services

and the Community Support Fund.

Take a tour of Pentridge Prison

on our web site: www.jss.org.au

- JSS Publications


Jesuit Social ServicesCreating a safe placefor Young People at Risk


Connexions engages marginalised young people with a range

of complex issues such as mental illness and substance misuse

who have difficulty gaining access to appropriate treatment.

The multidisciplinary team places strong emphasis on

creating a safe environment for young people.

Connexions provides a holistic response to participants,

where a high priority is placed on engagement and building

a relationship with the young person as the first step to any

form of treatment or intervention.


An individualised program is then devised in

partnership with each young person, addressing

issues such as accommodation, drug use, mental

health, vocational training, family and personal

support.

Connexions attempts to provide the whole range

of clinical and social interventions on site to

avoid exposing the young person to multiple

services and workers.

Young people routinely express a preference

for working closely with one significant worker

whom they trust, rather than being referred on

to other specialist services.

The multi-disciplinary team combines youth

outreach support with skilled drug and alcohol

counselling as well as access to mental health

assessment and support. In addition, access to

appropriate accommodation, vocational training

and the arts and culture program is facilitated.

This year Connexions was funded by VicHealth

for a Mental Health Project.

The project aimed to assist agencies and

organisations from the mental health and drug

and alcohol fields to achieve a greater

understanding of each other’s disciplines so that

they could work together more closely.

The result has been an improved response to our

vulnerable young people.

Art For Survival!Creative expression through art and sculpture

is just one of the aspects of the Connexions

program.

The Artful Dodgers Studio is located on the

ground floor of the Connexions building.

Artists Sally Marsden and Eamonn Scott have

shaped a youth friendly environment in which

young people can give expression to significant

aspects of their lives - past, present and future.

A recent exhibition at the Span Gallery in

Flinders Lane combined the creative work of our

young people with those from other programs

throughout Australia.

The exhibition demonstrated the value of using

art as a form of engagement and as a step

towards treatment for young people experiencing

difficulties with drug misuse, mental illness

and/or homelessness.

Through artistic expression, many young people

find ways out of their isolation.

Martin Thiele, with the assistance of the

Australia Council and the Buckland Foundation,

presented the exhibition and produced a

publication entitled 'Risking Art' which show

cased a number of arts programs throughout

Australia.


In addition, Martin and Sally organised a

number of workshops at the recent 12th Annual

Johns Hopkins International Conference on

Philanthropy which highlighted the importance

of the arts as a means of engagement with

marginalised young people.

While traditional interventions attempt to

resolve the past and the present, artists are

primarily concerned with possibilities and the

future. Thus the arts clearly have the potential

to enhance the effectiveness of clinical

interventions when applied in an integrated

framework of service delivery.

Adventure based training in Goodooga

Goodooga is a small town in north western New

South Wales with a population of around 300.

TOE (The Outdoor Experience) program has

been asked to provide a three month, adventure

based training program for 12 Aboriginal young

people from that district.

TOE utilises adventure-based programs to bring

about positive change in the lives of young

people. This change is often profound and can

be long lasting.

During the last 12 years, TOE has developed a

high level of expertise with young people who

are marginalised from mainstream society,

particularly those experiencing difficulties with

the misuse of alcohol or drugs.

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Connexions

The Indigenous Land Corporation, which buys

land and grants it back to traditional owners

who cannot claim under the Native Title Act,

is conducting a training program in Goodooga to

help the local community run the properties as

business enterprises.

Self-esteem, motivation and confidence are vital

to the success of such training programs and the

TOE component is intended as a preliminary

training program to increase levels of

participation and engagement.

TOE program manager, Tony Kelly, is excited

about this new initiative and is confident that

the adventure model can be applied to the

indigenous young people.

In the last 12 months Connexions staff

assisted 37 young people.

There were 50 referrals from 20 sources.

Thirty young people participated in the

Arts program and 91 people participated in

10 TOE camps.

See the Connexions program

evaluation on our web page:

www.jss.org.au


Jesuit Social ServicesSupporting Familiesa Critical Need


Parenting Australia recently completed a national parent

education initiative called "Program for Parents", delivered in

conjunction with Centacare Australia and Anglicare Australia

and evaluated by the Centre for Adolescent Health.

Over 250 practitioners were trained in 18 locations nationally

and parent education courses were delivered to over

3,000 parents.

The results of the evaluation found that parents who

participated in the program experienced a number of positive

outcomes.


These included increases in confidence, optimism

and satisfaction in parenting and decreases in

depression and parent/adolescent conflicts.

Parents who participated were assisted to

move towards an ‘authoritative’ rather than an

‘authoritarian’ parenting style.

The evaluation team also noted positive

outcomes in a number of risk factors for youth

suicide, namely decreases in substance use, self-

harm, delinquency, parent/adolescent detachment

and adolescent depression.

Moreover, the team reported positive impacts

in local communities, building relationships and

connections between families, schools and

service providers.

Constance Jenkin, Manager of Parenting

Australia, has produced a booklet for parents

entitled "A Parent's Treasure Chest".

It advocates a style of parenting that enhances

the resilience of families and children.

Each year, Parenting Australia and Jesuit Social

Services host a National Parenting Conference.

Last year's conference, entitled Parenting: Great

Survival Techniques in the New Millennium, was

conducted at La Trobe University and opened by

the Federal Minister for Family and Community

Services, Senator Jocelyn Newman.

Copies of the conference proceedings are

available from our offices.

See the executive summary of the

evaluation of the national parenting progam

in the Publication section of our web site:

www.jss.org.au


Jesuit Social Services staff are assisting in building stronger

and safer communities in four public housing estates situated

in the inner city of Melbourne.

Much of this work involves service development within

the Vietnamese community.

For several years, this work has been undertaken through our

staff at the Vietnamese Welfare Resource Centre in

Flemington and at Richmond Community Care, working

in the North Richmond housing estate.

Jesuit Social ServicesBuilding Stronger Communitiesin Public Housing Estates



Vietnamese Welfare Resource Centre

Experience in Flemington over recent years has

shown that success can be achieved by engaging

local people as volunteers in community

organisations.

Workers who are located at the Flemington

office in the heart of the high rise housing estate

have also been successful by concentrating on the

immediate needs which are brought to the office

by the local residents. This includes domestic

conflict and financial problems associated with

gambling and drug misuse.

Richmond Community Care

Richmond Community Care was originally

founded to support the needs of local families

and the local community.

Over the years, there developed an increased

focus on the residential care of children needing

protection as a result of abuse or neglect who

came from outside the immediate area of

Richmond and surrounding suburbs.

While the needs of these children were

significant and the program that was developed

was productive, it was not within the mission of

Richmond Community Care to work with families

from the outlying suburbs. Consequently, we

withdrew from this work during the year and

expanded the community development program

which traditionally had been a central part of the

program of Richmond Community Care.

Community Development in the City of Yarra

The research projects conducted by Kate Digney

and Cathy Guinness provided the basis for the

establishment of a community development

program that was extended beyond Richmond

and included Collingwood and Fitzroy Estates.

This project has been funded by the Office of

Housing, for three years. A community

development worker is located in each of the

estates. They work closely with local residents

and service providers to enhance the capacity of

each local community to address their most

pressing issues, particularly in relation to

community safety.

Partnerships with the residents will be a

strong focus throughout the project, as will

coordination with local services and agencies.

These include the Office of Housing, the City of

Yarra, Department of Human Services,

the tenancy support and advisory service, tenants

associations, youth services, community health

centres, neighborhood houses, police and

local schools.

The project aims to enhance the wellbeing of the

local people by increasing social interaction and

community participation. To be successful, it

has to find ways of enabling the local community

to be more proactive in dealing with problematic

drug use on the estates.

We hope, through the program, to encourage

and facilitate the participation of local people in

becoming effective advocates for their own

communities.


Jesuit Social ServicesBoard and Staffof Jesuit Social Services


Jesuit Social ServicesBoard

Mr Peter Johnstone (Chair)

Chief Executive Officer,

City of Boroondara

Fr Frank Brennan, S.J.

Director, Uniya.

Ms Jenny Burger

Community Mental Health

Consultant

Judge Elizabeth Curtain

County Court, Melbourne

Mr Frank Costigan, Q.C.

Barrister at Law

Sr Anne Dalton, R.G.S.

Provincial, Good Shepherd Sisters

Ms Nicole Feely

Chief Executive Officer, VECCI

Rev David Holdcroft, S.J.

Jesuit Theological College

Fr Geoff King, S.J.

Principal,

Jesuit Theological College

Mr Terry Hearity

National Sponsorship Manager,

Australia Post

Prof Helen Herrman

Professor of Psychiatry,

St Vincent's Hospital

Fr. Julian Slatterie, S.J.

Province Treasurer,

Australian Jesuits

Mr Peter Tratt

Financial Adviser,

Australian Private Capital

The Ignatius Centre

Fr Peter Norden, S.J.

Director

Mr Bernie Geary

Program Director

Mr David Murray

Policy Director

Mr David Blackwell

Financial Administrator

Mr John Allen

Development Manager

Ms Maree Tehan

Senior Project Officer

Ms Betty Munckton

Payroll Officer

Mr Osborne Al-noah

Accounts Payable Officer

Ms Lai Yin Foong

Receptionist/Administrative

Assistant

Fr Ian Dillon, S.J.

Staff Chaplain

Mr Bob O'Halloran

Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteers:

Mrs Stephanie Van Tatenhove,

Mrs Faye Thompson,

Ms Judith McCormack,

Ms Sara Price

Big Brothers-Big Sisters

Ms Katherine Sylvan

Manager

Ms Lesley Vido

Receptionist/Administrative

Assistant

Ms Sue Baratsis

Coordinator,

Big Sisters Project

Ms Melinda Forbes

Coordinator, South Eastern

Region

Ms Robyn Smith

Coordinator, Western Region

Ms Rebecca Cotton

Coordinator, Eastern Region

Ms Jacquie Phiddian

Coordinator, Buddy Up Project

Pictured above:

Members of the Jesuit Social

Services Executive

from left to right:

David Blackwell, Tony Hayes,

Maree Tehan, Peter Norden,

Bernadette Walsh, Bernie Geary,

Katherine Sylvan and

David Murray.


The Brosnan Centre

Mr Tony Hayes

Manager

Sister Johanna Mathysen, RGS

Receptionist

Ms Joan Coughlin

Administration Worker

Mr Julian McNally

Men & Family Relationships

Coordinator

Mr Hieu Tan Nguyen

Vietnamese Project Manager

Mr Vaughan Winther

Youth Worker

Ms Sarah Covill

Youth Worker

Mr Alex Tsiliris

Youth Worker

Mr John Cronin

Project Worker

Mr Peter Barlow

JSS Housing Coordinator

Mr Grant Wilson

Rooming House Supervisor

Mr Kevin McAuley

New Family Home Housing

Support Worker

Mr Garth Mayger

Lead Tenant

Mr Rob Ware

Manager (Perry House)

Ms Annette Daley

Residential Worker

Mr Frank Harrison

Residential Worker

Mr Ron Nepean

Residential Worker

Mr John Gair

Residential Worker

Connexions

Ms Bernadette Walsh

Manager

Ms Michele Albrecht

Mental Health Outreach

Worker

Mr Russell Jeffrey

Mental Health Outreach

Worker

Ms Anka Crowley

Counsellor

Mr Andrew Davidson

Counsellor

Ms Sally Marsden

Arts & Culture Program

Coordinator

Mr Martin Thiele

Arts & Culture Program

Consultant

Mr Eammon Scott

Sessional Artist (Wed/Fri)

Ms Fiona Delisle

Office Manager

Sister Helen Buckley, FCJ

Receptionist (Mon/Tues/Wed)

Ms Sue Davies

Receptionist (Thurs/Fri)

Mr Dara Brown

Youth Grow Garden

Mr Maurice Hearn

Youth Grow Garden

Mr Tony Kelly

Manager,

The Outdoor Experience

Ms Anita Pryor

Field Supervisor

Ms Jane Conway

Wilderness Therapist

Ms Bronwen Green

Parenting Australia

Ms Constance Jenkin

Manager

Ms Noriel Powell

Administrator

CommunityDevelopment Program

Ms Cathy Guinness

Coordinator

Ms Diana Tran

Community Development

Worker

Ms Ann Harley

Parenting Skills Trainer

Ms Alexandra Maggi


Worker, Richmond

Mr Tony Horan


Worker, Collingwood

Ms Rosalind Vincent


Worker, Fitzroy

Brother Tinh, S.J.


Worker, Richmond

Vietnamese WelfareResource Centre

Mr Son Hoang Nguyen

Social Welfare Worker

Ms Kim Phuong Nguyen

Social Welfare Worker

Volunteers: Sister Mary

Luscombe, RSJ,

Sister Peter Wilson, FCJ


Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social Services

We want tothank youCorporate Development Group

The Jesuit Social Services Corporate

Development Group meets every three months

to discuss and plan the best way to maximise

opportunities with the business community.

Chaired by John Arthur, group members link

to the corporate world through their contacts

coupled with their commercial knowledge and

expertise.

We appreciate the valuable contribution of this

group over the last three years.

Legal and Business Support of ourPolicy and Research Work

A select group of senior lawyers and business

people have made a financial commitment over a

period of three years to the work of The Ignatius

Centre, our policy and research centre.

Their support has made possible work that is

directed to changing policies and structures that

result in entrenched disadvantaged and poverty

within our Australian community.

JesuitVolunteersJesuit volunteer programs offer opportunities for

community service that is characterised by a

concern for those in need and a commitment to

bring about justice.

A diverse range of work placements is available

for those wishing to contribute to practical

programs of service and, at the same time,

deepen their spirituality according to Ignatian

values and principles.

These placement provide opportunities for

volunteers to apply their professional, trade,

administrative and personal and social skills for

the benefit of those in need.

The Jesuit Social Services web site includes the

facility for potential volunteers to register their

interest on-line. Registration with both

Volunteers Victoria and the Boroondara

Volunteer Resource Centre has further enhanced

access to these resources.

The volunteer resource ‘bank’ at present provides

access to over 50 people offering a range of

qualifications, skills and experience.

On average, about half of these generous people

are actively working across the range of Jesuit

Social Services programs at any given time.

Check the Jesuit Volunteer web site:

www.jss.org.au under "Volunteers"


Galbally & O'Bryan SolicitorsWe acknowledge the professional support and

advice provided by Galbally & O'Bryan Solicitors

over the last 12 months. Their pro bono legal

assistance has been greatly appreciated.

Tobin Brothers FoundationA very successful charity golf day was held on

20 March, 2000 in support of The Brosnan

Centre. The Tobin Brothers Foundation

generously offered Jesuit Social Services this

opportunity which raised $15,000.00 for The

Brosnan Centre.

City of Yarra and the Good Shepherd Sisters:The Youth Grow Garden, our labor market

program for the long term unemployed, was

opened last year by the Victorian Governor,

Sir James Gobbo AC. The City of Yarra made

a former Council Depot available as the site for

this project. We are grateful to the Good

Shepherd Sisters who, for the previous 12 years,

provided us with the use of some of their land in

Abbotsford as the site for this important

program.

Spotless Catering and Leonda by the Yarra:The Governor of Victoria, Sir James Gobbo,

was the guest speaker at this year's Annual

Dinner which was held at Leonda by the Yarra.

Sir James, who is the Patron of Jesuit Social

Services, addressed the audience of more than

300 people on the theme of 'Multicultural

Australia'. We are thankful to Leonda by the

Yarra and Spotless Catering for their support

of this annual event.

Charitable Foundations, Trusts and Estates:We would like to express our appreciation to the

following philantrophic foundations and trusts

that have assisted us during the last 12 months:

Annamila Pty Ltd

Australian Council for the Arts

Baldwin Foundation

Brown Trust

Buckland Foundation

Carlton Family Trust

Danks Trust

Equity Trustees

Goold Trust

Henderson Foundation

Honda Foundation

Lord Mayors Fund

Melbourne Newsboys Foundation

Minter Ellison

Myer Foundation

Nordia Foundation

Perpetual Trustees

Potter Foundation

RACV Foundation

Reichstein Foundation

Ross Trust

Trivet Classic

VicHealth Foundation

William Angliss (Vic)


Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social ServicesSources of Revenueand Allocation of Resources

Vietnamese ProgramFlemington

2%

Policy andResearch

17%

Brosnan Centre20%

Parenting Program4%

Big Brothers Big Sisters5%

Richmond CommunityCare / Community

Development27%

Connexions25%

State GovermentGrants56%

Trusts and PhilanthropyGrants11%

Public Donations15%

JSS GeneratedIncome

9%

Federal GovermentGrants

9%



The Director of Jesuit Social Services,

Father Peter Norden, asks you to consider

different ways of assisting our work in

bringing about healing and a more just

society.

You might be interested in supporting one of our

social service programs, providing assistance to

the homeless, the unemployed, those struggling

with addiction or a mental illness.

You may wish to provide support for our

programs helping young Vietnamese families to

deal with the impact of domestic violence or

gambling, or our work with refugees in the high

rise housing estates.

Or you might be interested in assisting our policy

and research projects, influencing public opinion,

government policy and bringing about changes

that will result in a fairer, more just and more

sustainable Australian community.

All of these different projects attract tax

deductibility, so you can lessen your total taxable

income for the year by contributing directly to

the work of Jesuit Social Services.

You may not be able to contribute financially,

but might be interested in becoming actively

involved as a volunteer.

Or perhaps you might be interested in receiving

information about our Bequest Program,

a very effective way of providing us with

assistance for the future.

Jesuit Social Services relies enormously on the

support of individuals.

A bequest program is now in place and an

explanatory brochure is available from our

offices. Telephone 03 9427 7388.

If you can assist Jesuit Social Services by

making a donation, by offering to become a

volunteer, or by considering a bequest in your

Will, complete one of the coupons on the

following page and forward it in the

enclosed, postage paid envelope to our

offices.

Caption: Director Father Peter Norden and

Victorian Health Minister, John Thwaites,

with a young artist explaining his work of

creative expression for the Circle of Healing.

Jesuit Social ServicesHelp us complete our Circle of Healing


Can you support our services to vulnerable young people and families?

“Please find enclosed a gift of $ to assist Jesuit Social Services”.

“My cheque is attached � Or charge my

� Visa � Mastercard � Bankcard � American Express

A/C No. ��

Expiry date: / / Signature:

� Mr. � Mrs. � Ms. � Dr. � Other

Surname: Christian Name/s:

Address:

Post Code Telephone Home: ( ) Telephone Work: ( )

Please note: If using your credit card please remember to sign THANK YOU YOUR GIFT IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE

Becoming a volunteer“I am interested in providing direct help as a volunteer. Please ‘phone me to discuss how I may assist”.

Telephone Home: ( ) Telephone Work: ( )

� Mr. � Mrs. � Ms. � Dr. � Other

Surname: Christian Name/s:

Address:

Post Code

Telephone Home: ( ) Telephone Work: ( )

Please complete details above as appropriate and return to:

The Volunteer Co-ordinator

Jesuit Social Services PO Box 271 RICHMOND VIC 3121

or telephone the Volunteer Co-ordinator (03) 9427 7388

A gift in your Will is a gift for the futureJesuit Social Services strives to make a difference in making societies of the future better for all in which to live andwork harmoniously - societies with a sense of social conscience and concern for the common good.You can share this challenge and help build opportunities for the future.A gift in your Will to Jesuit Social Services will ensure that our services and programs can continue. Legacies andBequests play a vital part in maintaining the services, programs and facilities for young people who are marginalisedin our community.Your Bequest is a very special gift - it is part of our shared vision.The following simple statement in your Will ensures that your wishes are carried out:

"I give to the Jesuit Social Services Foundation the sum of $

a specific gift of a percentage of my estate to be paid free of duty and to be applied for the general purposes of the organisation.I declare that the receipt of the Director, or other proper office of Jesuit Social Services, shall be full and sufficientdischarge to my Trustee".If you would like further information about a Bequest, or how you can assist our important work in the community,please contact the Development Manager on (03) 9427 7388.

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Central Office:The Ignatius Centre371 Church Street

PO Box 271

Richmond 3121

Tel: 03 9427 7388

Fax: 03 9427 1819

Email: [email protected]

Program Centres:

Big Brothers-Big Sisters16 The Vaucluse

PO Box 468

Richmond 3121

Tel: 03 9427 7611

Fax: 03 9427 9568


The Brosnan Centre10 Dawson Street

PO Box 284

Brunswick 3056

Tel: 03 9387 1233

Fax: 03 9387 1178


Community Development Program16 The Vaucluse

PO Box 468

Richmond 3121

Tel: 03 9427 9899

Fax: 03 9427 7119


Connexions4 Derby Street

PO Box 1141

Collingwood 3066

Tel: 03 9415 8700

Fax: 03 9415 7733


The Outdoor Experience4 Derby Street

PO Box 1141

Collingwood 3066

Tel: 03 9415 7121

Fax: 03 9415 7191


Parenting Australia4 Derby Street

PO Box 1141

Collingwood 3066

Tel: 03 9415 7186

Fax: 03 99416 5357


Vietnamese Welfare Resource Centre58 Holland Court

PO Box 55

Flemington 3031

Tel: 03 9376 2033

Fax: 03 9376 4687


Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social ServicesOur Offices

Standing in solidarity with those in needExpressing a faith that promotes justice

Jesuit Social Services 371 Church Street PO Box 271 Richmond Victoria 3121

Phone 03 9427 7388 Fax 03 9427 1819 email [email protected] ABN 72 008 269 554

website www.jss.org.au

Documents

Jesuit Social Servicesold.jss.org.au/files/Docs/About Us/Annual Reports/JSS-AR... · 2016-04-21 · Jesuit Social ServicesJesuit Social Services Mission Statement Jesuit Social Services