Spirit

A N E W S L E T T E R F R O M T H E S T V I N C E N T D E P A U L S O C I E T Y ( W A ) I n c . S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

• Vinnies Support ing Refugees• Thanks for ‘Doing Something About It ’ • New Record for Vinnies CEO Sleepout• Vincentcare provides support in Albany• Celebrat ing 10 years of Vinnies Homework Centre• 2013 Passage Day Race Day• Dress Up for Vinnies

Ins ide This Issue:

The Power to change a life is within us all

I would also like to thank every West Australian who donated to our Vinnies CEO Sleepout and/or our Winter Appeal. We have been delighted by the community’s response and the support we have received. On behalf of all those we assist I humbly thank you.

I hope you enjoy reading The Spirit.

God Bless.

Jeff TrewState PresidentSt Vincent de Paul Society (WA) Inc.

Dear Friends,

STATE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

2 | The Spirit | September 2013 www.vinnies.org.au | Facebook.com/vinnieswa | Twitter: @vinnieswa | Instagram: @vinnieswa Last financial year Vinnies Centre’s volunteers contributed 14,400 hoursThank you everyone who generously supported the Winter Appeal

The St Vincent de Paul Society has joined with the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS) and UnitingCare Australia to highlight issues with the recent announcement of a new immigration policy – which increases offshore processing of asylum seekers and gives them no hope of being resettled in Australia.

ACOSS, the St Vincent de Paul Society and UnitingCare Australia have called for:

• The immediate abandonment of the policy and for both the government and the opposition to focus on designing a genuine regional solution to the plight of asylum seekers. This policy must take a holistic and sophisticated approach to the reason people flee their homelands and seek protection, especially those who put themselves in danger by fleeing by boat;

IMMIGRATION POLICY DOES NOT PROVIDE HOPE FOR RESETTLEMENT IN AUSTRALIA

• A commitment by both sides of politics to processing asylum claims, particularly for families and children, in the Australian community and to ensure them a dignified and realistic standard of living through the provision of work rights or an adequate minimum level of financial assistance.

St Vincent de Paul Society National CEO, Dr John Falzon said: “We look forward to the day when elections are not a competition on how punitive we can be to people fleeing persecution and suffering. We should be welcoming these desperate and courageous people rather than allowing them to be used for political purposes by both sides of politics.”

I’m delighted to be able to present the latest edition of The Spirit newsletter.

In this edition you will read how the Society works across WA offering support with dignity to the people we serve, including a celebration of 10 years of our Homework Centre, unprecedented demand for our Emergency Relief support, the great work Vincentcare is doing to assist the homeless in regional WA, as well as the Society’s ongoing support for newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in our community.

It’s also been a very busy couple of months for the Society in terms of our fundraising, with events such as the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, Passages Race Day and Winter Appeal happening since our last Spirit edition.

I was pleased to be able to participate in this year’s Sleepout, where I joined over 100 business and community leaders in raising awareness and funds to support homelessness in this state. It was by no means a comfortable night dropping to low temperatures, but all involved embraced the event and the challenge with such spirit and passion. It was a joy to be part of it and I would like to thank all our CEO participants for making this year’s event the best yet.

Spirit

Last financial year Vinnies Centre’s volunteers contributed 14,400 hours

THANKS FOR ‘DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT!’

Thank you everyone who generously supported the Winter Appeal

In May this year the St Vincent de Paul Society launched its 2013 Winter Appeal challenging Australians to take a stand against poverty over winter and to ‘Do Something About It’.The campaign encouraged people to dismiss attitudes of powerlessness by taking action on the things that matter to them.

In WA, the 2013 Winter Appeal raised over $1million in financial support, as well as numerous in-kind donations such as blankets, beds and winter clothing.

The past few years has seen an increase in energy prices and cost of living expenses have also increased. There has been a subsequent rise in demand for assistance as West Australian families struggle to make ends meet.

Unfortunately this financial year is no exception, with the average West Australian household facing an additional $218 per year, bringing the average total household expenditure to $4,987 in 2013/2014.

Between May and July, the St Vincent de Paul Society received over 5,000 calls for assistance with the most requested items including food, winter clothing, winter bedding, assistance with utilities and accommodation. Subsequently, the Society’s members and volunteers carried out over 500 Home Visits a week across the Perth metropolitan area, with most demand coming from the Osborne Park, Queens Park and Swan regions.

It is also poignant to note that Emergency Relief figures show financial assistance for accommodation has more than doubled since the 2011-12 financial year, reiterating the Society’s focus on housing and affordable accommodation.

The Society would like to thank the individual, corporate and community donors who so generously made financial and material donations, allowing the Society to continue to offer hope, comfort and dignity to those that need it most.

To find out about the Society’s latest fundraising appeals and events log on to www.vinnies.org.au.

2013/2014 HOUSEHOLD INCREASES

Reference: Thursday 9 May 2013, ‘Striking a balance of household costs’, Hon Troy Buswell BEc MLA, Ministerial Media Statement, Government of Western Australia.

Electricity 4%

Water 6%

Gas 6.4%

Emergency Services Levy 7.8%

2 Zone Adult Public Transport Fares 5%

Motor Vehicle Registration 5%

Drivers Licence 5%

Compulsory 3rd Party Vehicle Insurance 4.1%

The St Vincent de Paul Society would like to thank Mermaid Marine Australia Ltd (MMA), Fremantle for their generous donation of 268 new single bed frames and mattresses worth approximately $40,000.

The beds were made available following the refurbishment of accommodation facilities on Barrow Island, which house MMA’s workforce engaged on the Chevron-operated Gorgon Project.

The beds will be distributed through the Society’s Emergency Relief Program to people experiencing disadvantage.

MMA are great supporters of the Society with their Managing Director, Jeff Weber, having participated in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout for the past three years. MMA were delighted to be providing these items to the St Vincent de Paul Society to assist people in need in Western Australia.

The Society is always seeking donations of good quality material goods including furniture, bedding, clothing and other household goods. To arrange a free pick up please call the Society’s Depot on (08) 9444 5622. For all corporate donations please email the PR & Fundraising team at fundraising@svdpwa.org.au.

THANK YOU MERMAID MARINE AUSTRALIA!

Household expenditure continues to rise, however Western Australians took a stand against poverty this winter and did something about it by donating to Vinnies

MMA delivery of 268 new beds and mattresses

On Thursday 20 June 2013, over 1,100 business and community leaders across Australia rose to the challenge and showed they cared for their community by participating in the fourth annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout. This unique and recognised event helps raise awareness of homelessness — as well as much needed funds to support the St Vincent de Paul Society in the area of homelessness.

In Western Australia, 108 people participated and raised over $1.1million. This year’s campaign has overtaken the $822,000 that was raised last year, making the 2013 Vinnies CEO Sleepout the most successful to date in terms of participants and fundraising.

The top fundraiser this year was first time participant Dale Alcock, Managing Director of the ABN Group. Dale raised an incredible $129,292 – followed by Barry Felstead, CEO of Crown Perth who raised $93,786 and has been the top fundraiser for the last 3 years. Kevin Gallagher, CEO of Clough Limited came in at third place with $51,110 and fourth place went to Peter McBain, Managing Director of Brierty who raised $47,034.

Fortescue Metals Group Chairman and fourth year Vinnies CEO Sleepout participant, Andrew Forrest, backed up last year’s generosity with another incentive giving plan, donating

VINNIES CEO SLEEPOUT 2013 – WA BUSINESS & COMMUNITY LEADERS SHOW THE WAY!

4 | The Spirit | September 2013 www.vinnies.org.au | Facebook.com/vinnieswa | Twitter: @vinnieswa | Instagram: @vinnieswa Last financial year Vinnies Centre’s volunteers contributed 14,400 hoursVinnies CEO Sleepout has its most successful year

a total sum of $200,000 to CEOs as encouragement to raise their fundraising benchmarks. This donation brings Forrest’s donations tally over the last four years to $600,000.

Since 2010 the Vinnies CEO Sleepout in Western Australia has raised vital funds that have allowed the Society, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Perth to expand and continue to provide support services for homeless and street present young people (12-25 year olds) through the Passages Resource Centres in Northbridge and Peel. The event has also provided direct support to individuals and families in crisis and on the knife edge of homelessness, ensuring they are able to remain in their homes and not become a statistic and part of the vicious cycle that is homelessness.

The Vinnies CEO Sleepout brings the issue of homelessness to the forefront of the community agenda and this vital awareness has helped many in our community to better understand the impact of homelessness on individuals, families and the community at large.

The St Vincent de Paul Society would like to extend a sincere thank you to the West Australian community for rising to the challenge and getting behind this event through participation, donations and partnerships.

HOw THE VINNIES CEO SLEEpOUT SUppORTS HOmELESSNESS IN wESTERN AUSTRALIA:

• passages Resource Centres that provide support, workshops, referrals and a safe and positive place for street present young people aged 12 - 25 years. The original Northbridge Centre is a joint venture with the Rotary Club of perth. In early 2012 we were able to expand and respond to the need in the peel community by opening passages peel. Our peel Centre is now seeing between 20-30 young people every day.

• Education programs providing homeless young people with the ability to participate in education and training programs.

• Vincentcare that provides accommodation and support for individuals living with mental illness and/or experiencing homelessness, while encouraging them to maintain their independence and life skills.

• Accommodation support through the Society’s Emergency Relief program assisting people, many of whom are families, to stay in their homes.

Above: Top fundraiser Dale Alcock from the ABN Group with Barry Felstead, Crown Perth

Right: Lord Mayor of Perth Lisa Scaffidi getting ready to sleep out

Left: Andrew Forrest, Chairman of the Fortescue Metals Group Ltd

Below: David Egerton-Warburton, Managing Director of Master Group

Spirit

Last financial year Vinnies Centre’s volunteers contributed 14,400 hoursVinnies CEO Sleepout has its most successful year

HOw THE VINNIES CEO SLEEpOUT SUppORTS HOmELESSNESS IN wESTERN AUSTRALIA:

• passages Resource Centres that provide support, workshops, referrals and a safe and positive place for street present young people aged 12 - 25 years. The original Northbridge Centre is a joint venture with the Rotary Club of perth. In early 2012 we were able to expand and respond to the need in the peel community by opening passages peel. Our peel Centre is now seeing between 20-30 young people every day.

• Education programs providing homeless young people with the ability to participate in education and training programs.

• Vincentcare that provides accommodation and support for individuals living with mental illness and/or experiencing homelessness, while encouraging them to maintain their independence and life skills.

• Accommodation support through the Society’s Emergency Relief program assisting people, many of whom are families, to stay in their homes.

HOmELESSNESS IN AUSTRALIA:

• 105,237 people experience homelessness each night, that’s 1 in 200 people.

• 17,845 of those are under the age of 12.

IN wESTERN AUSTRALIA:

• 9,595 people experience homelessness each night.

• 1,493 of those are children under

the age of 12.

Vinnies CEO Sleepout - 19 June 2014!

Register at: www.ceosleepout.org.au For inquiries please email: perth@ceosleepout.org.au

SAVE THE DATE!

Thank you to our National event partners:

• Bakers Delight

• Nudie Juices

• Osky Interactive

• Sky Business News

• News Limited

• Southern Cross Austereo

• Campbell’s Soup

• Visy

• Rockit Advertising

• Yellow Squares

• Qantas

• Eagle Boys Pizza

Left: Andrew Forrest, Chairman of the Fortescue Metals Group Ltd

Below: David Egerton-Warburton, Managing Director of Master Group

Special thanks to our State event partners:

• Business News

• Crown Perth

• Comestibles

• Staging Connections

• The WACA

• Leaf Bean Machine

Left: Nick Way, MC on the night, Mark Fitzpatrick, CEO St Vincent de Paul Society, Andrew Forrest, Chairman of the Fortescue Metals Group Ltd and Mike Young Non Executive Director, BC Iron Limited

Above: All the participants of the 2013 CEO Sleepout

REGIONAL FOCUS AS VINCENTCARE PROVIDES SUPPORT IN ALBANY

6 | The Spirit | September 2013 www.vinnies.org.au | Facebook.com/vinnieswa | Twitter: @vinnieswa | Instagram: @vinnieswa Last financial year Vinnies Centre’s volunteers contributed 14,400 hoursVinnies Homework Centre is helping disadvantaged kids

Vincentcare

Vincentcare, a ‘Special Work’ of the St Vincent de Paul Society, assists individuals living with a mental illness and/or experiencing homelessness to find accommodation and care that best meets their individual needs. Vincentcare offers a diverse and flexible range of housing options and currently has facilities and houses across the Perth metropolitan area, as well as Mandurah and Albany.

Vincentcare also provides residents with assistance and support on their rehabilitation and recovery journey, enabling them to achieve optimum levels of wellness and improve their quality of life.

prospect House Albany

Prospect House opened in October 2010 as a residential facility for homeless men in Albany. In the short term the Prospect House project aims to provide safe and secure housing while addressing barriers related to employment. In the long term the project aims to promote transition for participants into stable, long term housing while maintaining their employment and benefiting from improved community networks.

Prospect House is a large suburban house with five bedrooms and two bathrooms built in 2006. It is situated in a pleasant suburban area and is located less than four kilometres from the Albany CBD.

In recent times housing prices in Albany have dramatically increased, reducing the affordable housing stock. In addition the Homeswest waiting period for a single dwelling in Albany can be up to eight years.

Participants entering the house sign a contract for a three to six month period, before transitioning into employment and more

VINCENTCARE OffERS:

• VINCENTIAN VILLAgE: Offers 24 hour support, food preparation and provision, laundry and cleaning assistance to residents living in self contained units.

• SHARED HOUSES: Offers visiting support and case management, weekday supervision, food preparation and cleaning assistance to residents in shared houses of 3-6 people.

• SOCIAL HOUSINg: Limited visiting support for those who are capable of independent living.

• TOm fISHER HOUSE: A custom designed and built facility that will provide a safe place to sleep for individuals who would otherwise sleep rough in the Perth City area. To be completed in 2014.

• pROSpECT HOUSE: A residential accommodation facility for homeless men and families in Albany.

permanent accommodation. Prospect House links residents up to external employment, welfare, health, social and crisis services, provides mentoring support, training and education and helps residents to overcome barriers to finding employment and accommodation.

In June 2012 the Prospect House service was independently evaluated by Extra Edge. The study showed the model worked and achieve its objectives which included reducing the rate of homelessness among men in Albany by supporting their transition into employment and addressing related factors which contribute to homelessness.

With demand evident and with the support of the Prospect House reference group, the St Vincent de Paul Society acquired a second house in Albany for homeless families with children.

To offer your support to the Albany Prospect House program through material or financial donations please contact the PR & Fundraising team at fundraising@svdpwa.org.au.

Spirit

I think the volunteers are very nice, funny and helpful. I hate homework! But on Wednesdays with the volunteers, I love it.

I love walking in the door and seeing the same people that help me all the time. My favourite part is enrichment because we get to make a lot of amazing things like pots made out of clay and posters and a lot of other amazing things. I think Homework Centre is great and I want it to last forever.

Emma - Yr 5

Last financial year Vinnies Centre’s volunteers contributed 14,400 hoursVinnies Homework Centre is helping disadvantaged kids

VINNIES HOMEWORK CENTRE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

On Tuesday 13 August, the Vinnies Youth team and Ernst & Young staff came together to celebrate the Homework Centre’s 10th anniversary.

The Homework Centre program was the brainchild of Ernst & Young staff who wished to provide corporate volunteering opportunities to staff members while making a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children. In April 2003 the program was developed as a St Vincent de Paul Society and Ernst & Young partnership with the objective to assist disadvantaged school students from years 3-7 who would struggle to complete their homework. Since its inception the program has assisted over 150 children in the Belmont area.

The aim of the Homework Centre is to improve the children’s school work, foster their interpersonal skills, encourage their development as community members and improve their self esteem, social and communication skills. This is done through assistance with homework and participation in fun enrichment activities which aim to develop the students’ life skills, including team work, problem solving and leadership skills.

The Homework Centre is promoted to families in Belmont and surrounding suburbs through local primary schools as well as through the Society’s Call Centre that receives calls for assistance from families across Perth, and local Metro Conferences (parish based groups of Society members).

The St Vincent de Paul Society would like to extend its sincere thanks to Ernst & Young. Without their dedicated support both financially and through volunteering over the past 10 years, the Homework Centre would not be the success it is today and hundreds of children would not have had the opportunity to participate.

To donate school or art & craft supplies or to offer your financial support to the Homework Centre please contact the PR & Fundraising team at fundraising@svdpwa.org.au.

To be a volunteer you have to be kind, caring, patient and willing to give

up your time for others. To me that is the definition of the volunteers

I’ve worked with. They all come in with a smile on their face knowing

that the maths sums a teacher will give to a year 7 student will get them

thinking. I know they put in an effort to come each week and they

always knew my name and still remember it now 2 years down the track.

I distinctly remember sitting there saying “I don’t want to do my

maths homework” and refusing to write anything down. I must have

been a headache, but they kept coming back week after week knowing

what they were doing was helping us in very big ways. Helping us to

concentrate and getting all the work done. Helping us with our spelling

and correcting our maths.

Enrichment was always fun knowing one of the volunteers would have

come up with a smart and clever activity all of us would enjoy doing.

Whether it was cooking, card making, memory games, board games, plane

making or painting the volunteers always made us smile and we left to

go home feeling energetic and knowing we have learnt something new.

Cassandra - Yr 9

Messages of support froM our HoMework Centre kids

I think the volunteers are very nice and friendly.

Homework is very boring but they make it fun.

Enrichment is a lot of fun because we all get to

make cool things to take home.

Tara - Yr 5

I love Homework Centre! It is great fun!

The volunteers are very nice to me. I don’t like homework but the

volunteers make it much easier and fun too.

Enrichment is the best part of the day because we all get together and

make cool stuff.

Caleb - Yr 5

Over 190 guests attended the 2013 Passages Race Day ‘Hats, Fascinators, Fillies and Fun’ at Belmont Race Course on Saturday 25 May.

While sponsorship of this event was down on previous years, all those who attended had a great time and generously contributed on the day to make the event a success, raising over $70,000 for the Passages Resource Centre in Northbridge. The funds raised by the sponsors and supporters will ensure Passages can continue to provide essential services to homeless and street present young people aged 12-25 years old.

Guests on the day enjoyed great food, wine and company while participating in the always popular − silent and live auctions, raffles, door prizes and fashions on the field.

This event would not be possible without our sponsors. A special thank you to: platinum Sponsor: Westralian Diamond Drillers, gold Sponsor: Reed Resources, Silver Sponsors: Allens Linklaters, MKDC, Doepel Marsh, SJOG Foundation, Ramelius Resources and Noah’s Rule. Thank you also to all the supporters that purchased a table at the event and donated to our auctions.

Passages Race Day needs your support! Next year’s Race Day is scheduled for May 2014. Please get behind this great event and support youth homelessness by registering your interest to sponsor a table or donate auction items. Email our events team at events@svdpwa.org.au.

8 | The Spirit | September 2013 www.vinnies.org.au | Facebook.com/vinnieswa | Twitter: @vinnieswa | Instagram: @vinnieswa

Contact Information

‘The Spirit’ is produced by: The Public Relations and Fundraising Department, St Vincent de Paul Society WA. Copyright 2013. Because we respect the privacy of the people we support, names in this newsletter have been changed, stories summarised and adapted and pictorial models used.

All correspondence can be sent to:Media & Communications Coordinator, Public Relations and FundraisingSt Vincent de Paul Society WA, PO BOX 473, Belmont, WA 6984

Email: info@svdpwa.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au

HATS, FASCINATORS, FILLIES & FUN!

On Thursday 18 July 2013, the St Vincent de Paul Society Refugee and Migrant Committee partnered with a number of support agencies to host an afternoon of cricket training for newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees at Seamers Sports Stadium, Balcatta.

Over 60 cricket enthusiasts from Sudan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka participated and enjoyed a day of training and learning new skills from cricket coaches from the WA Cricket Association.

To find out more about the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Refugee and Migrant support program please email info@svdpwa.org.au.

CRICKET BRINGS TOGETHER AN INTERNATIONAL 18

Students at St Columba’s help fundraise for Vinnies

On Wednesday 3 July 2013, St Columba’s Catholic Primary School assembly hall transformed into a cat-walk of colour and movement as over 250 students and teachers modelled items of pre-loved clothing purchased at Vinnies Shops.

The aim of ‘Dress up for Vinnies Day’ was to have fun and get creative, while raising funds and awareness of Vinnies Shops and the good work of the St Vincent de Paul Society. The program also educated St Columbus students on one of the school’s core values, being that of “compassion”, teaching children how to assist others less fortunate than themselves.

The event encouraged staff, students and their families to go to their local Vinnies Shop and purchase anything from one item, such as a scarf or hat through to an entire outfit to wear on the ‘Dress up for Vinnies Day’. As it turned out, everyone who visited a Vinnies shop over this campaign was delighted by the great range and quality of clothing available.

In addition to the dress up day, the school decided to also run a clothing and blanket drive in the weeks leading up to the parade. The program was a huge success with 500kg of clothing and blankets donated to Vinnies.

St Columba’s will run the program again next year and hope to make it an even bigger and better occasion. Vinnies encourages other schools to run their own ‘Dress up for Vinnies Day’.

To find out how you can be involved, please contact the State Manager in the Vinnies Shop team on (08) 9475 5400.

DRESS UP FOR VINNIES DAY

Cricket training for newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees’