Youth services
Loreto Sisters are committed to supporting the needs of young people, particularly youth at risk, and giving them a better start in life through education, employment and health programs. This is achieved by sisters working directly in the field and by directing funding to where it is needed most.
South West Sydney Youth Hub, Mission Australia
Wendy Hildebrand ibvm, Operations Manager Youth Accommodation and Support Mission Australia, manages ten programs at Mission Australia that focus on the needs of young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and also on their families. Programs include prevention and early intervention services focussing on family reconciliation and restoration, residential and housing services, training and educational programs connecting young people to education and employment and mental health services.
Wendy recently obtained funding through the Australian Government’s Homeless Prevention Strategy to establish the South West Sydney Youth Hub. Wendy prepared the successful submission with input from members of her service-based staff. The South West Sydney Youth Hub project is based on a service model that was developed in the United Kingdom called the “Foyer Model” and was adapted to fit the South West Sydney context. The Foyer Model links affordable housing with education and training and intensive support and is designed to provide a structured pathway out of homelessness so that young people don’t keep cycling through homeless services but move onto independent living and further education and/or employment.
The South West Sydney Youth Hub will help young people between the ages of 16-21 years who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness; and those who have the goal of completing their education/training or moving towards employment.
Wendy says the young people that they work with have had a tough start in life; they may have a history of trauma and abuse; they may have been living on the streets or “couch surfing”, and they may be struggling with drug and alcohol addictions or mental health issues. Under these circumstances, they often find it difficult to stay connected to education and to develop the personal and life skills they need to make positive choice for themselves. The service aims to provide a range of supports and opportunities for these young people to build an independent and productive life by focusing on four essential elements: living, learning, connecting and earning.
Outback Pitstop Project, Centacare Wilcannia Forbes
CentaCare Wilcannia Forbes supports approximately 300 at risk young people each year to engage in educational, training and employment opportunities.
Mary Ward International Australia (MWIA) together with funding from the Flatley Foundation in 2010, supports the CentaCare OutBack PitStop mechanics workshop for juvenile justice clients in Bourke, NSW. OutBack Pitstop was established with the goal of engaging disadvantaged young Aboriginal men in vocational training and constructive work.
The project aims to equip young men (many of whom have been in detention) with a trade for future employment. The program has been highly successful in reducing motor vehicle offences. None of the participants have motor vehicle re-offences - an outstanding result considering all were previously habitual re-offenders in this area.
The local justice court has accepted the value of the program as a good deterrent and has included participation in it as part of ongoing bail conditions. Participants have learnt to fix small motors including family bikes and lawn mowers, and are moving to repairing and maintaining motor vehicles.
Community development projects in India and Nepal
In Darjeeling and Nepal the Loreto Sisters of the Indian provinces have pioneered projects that will make a sustainable difference to the community by training and increasing the number of teachers in the area and by providing opportunities for the children of people on low-incomes, such as tea plantation workers and stone-breakers, to be educated. This includes back to school program for disengaged students.
MWIA Australia is able to assist these projects in partnership with Loreto Family International and generous individuals.
From Australia we are also able to support Loreto India in projects in Kolkata that provide economic opportunities to young people who would normally be living on the streets. This includes leadership training for village youth and income generation and skills training.
These projects are made possible in partnership with Loreto Family International, generous individuals, Loreto Marryatville, Loreto Ballarat and the Parents Association of Loreto Normanhurst.
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