Berry street

Hundreds of lives changed through essential programs

WHEN most people think of Berry Street, the first thing that comes to mind is its Foster Care program, and although the organisation does so much more for the community, hundreds of young people have benefitted from the life changing program.

Having been operational in Shepparton since Berry Street first opened its doors in the region, the Foster Care program sees between 50 and 60 children and young people aged between birth and 17 years reside in foster care on any given night.

Some of these children come into foster care for a very short time, others require care for a number of years, with these children and young people usually having been removed from their birth families

by Child Protection and the Children’s Court for safety reasons. In the Goulburn Valley (and, indeed throughout Victoria), the number of children who cannot live safely at home has risen every year over the last 10 years, proving the need for such essential programs that provide a safe and nurturing home.

Local Berry Street foster carer, Wendy Dow has been taking children into her care for over 27 years, helping to nurture over 280 children

CARERS NURTURING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE… Local resident and Berry Street foster carer, Wendy Dow has been a foster carer with Berry Street for over 27 years.

Photo: David Lee.

aged from newborns to 16 years and speaks highly about how rewarding providing care is.

“I have always loved looking after children and being a foster carer was always in the back of my mind,” Wendy said.

“Having adequate numbers of carers to provide foster care to the many children requiring care is incredibly important. Without local families caring for local children, these vulnerable young people would be required to move to another location,

Our Vision is for all children to have a good childhood, grow up feeling safe and nurtured and have hope for the future.

Call us on 5822 8100

www.berrystreet.org.au

necessitating a change of school, a loss of friends and networks and an inability to participate in regular sporting or other recreation activities.

“Berry Street is urgently seeking more local families willing to support and care for our local children.

“Ask yourself ‘would you open your door to a child in need?,’ and if the answer is yes, then I urge you to give Berry Street a call. It is a rewarding experience like no other.”

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140 years of nurturing communities THE meaning behind Berry Street’s slogan of ‘We’re For Childhood’ couldn’t be a more accurate representation of what the organisation has achieved over the last 140 years across Victoria, and even more so for what it has achieved for the Greater Shepparton community over almost 20 years.

The Berry Street family have worked tirelessly for the benefit of others and what they have done is definitely worth celebrating.

Over the years, Berry Street has been helping the community through various programs, some of which have been available from the organisation’s conception and some newly introduced models, but all have one goal; to see the people who make up the community thrive, succeed and contribute positively.

Berry Street Hume regional director, Patrice Jackson said, “It is so exciting to be part of an organisation that has such a wonderful, rich history, yet is able to adapt to contemporary welfare issues and community needs.

“Berry Street believes all children should have a good childhood, growing up feeling safe, nurtured and with hope for the future.

“Berry Street has been an important part of the Goulburn Valley since 1998.

It has been my privilege to be part of Berry Street for almost that entire time.

“During the last two decades, Berry Street has grown and developed in so many wonderful ways.

“The highlights for me were the establishment of the Berry Street School campus in Shepparton, the delivery of Kinship Care support and services to grandparents and other family members caring for vulnerable children and, of course, the opening of our Education First Youth Foyer.

“In the local area, Berry Street employs more than 100 dedicated and skilled staff. We have more than 50 committed, passionate foster carers (but could definitely do with some more!!) and we have the support of some wonderful volunteers and mentors. Together, we exist to protect and care for children, and to strengthen families.”

In celebration of Berry Street’s 140 years, they have released a book ‘Berry Street 140 Years: Restoring Trust and Hope,’ which can be read online at www.berrystreet.org.au

The programs making a difference Providing safe homes: • Out of Home Care (Foster Care) and Kinship Care • Residential Care • Lead Tenant Program • Leaving Care Program

Healing Childhood Trauma: • Take Two Intensive Therapeutic Program • Intensive Case Management Program

Helping Children Learn: • Berry Street School Shepparton Campus • Education First Youth Foyer • Mentoring Program • L2P Learner Driver Program • Navigator Program • Reconnect program Registered Training Oganisation

Building Stronger Families: • Children’s Contact Service • Cooperative Parenting Program • Kids Turn Around Program • Saver Plus

The Adviser, Berry Street celebrating 140 years – November 2017

A FOCUS ON EDUCATION… From left, Education First Youth Foyer residents, Johnny De la Croix, Jye Barker and Jess Gould with transitional worker, Matt Jobling at the Shepparton Education First Youth Foyer, which helps to ensure that the region’s youths are involved in education and the wider community. Photo: David Lee.

Ensuring education of our youths comes first BERRY Street and Beyond Housing, working in partnership with GOTAFE, were appointed as the service providers to deliver an Education First Youth Foyer in Shepparton, when it opened its doors in 2016.

The facility is aimed at assisting 40 young people, aged 16-24, who are unable to live at home, who are keen to get into education and training and are willing to make a commitment to stay in education and or training.

The Foyer has a core focus on education and provides secure housing as a means of enabling young people to focus on their studies. It also provides opportunities to develop career aspirations, gain work experience and build a pathway to sustainable employment.

The Foyer makes an ongoing investment in the future of Greater

Shepparton by providing young people with the support, skills and tools necessary to become independent adults.

Since opening, 64 young people have lived at the Foyer, with 38 currently living on-site today and, as well as succeeding in education, each student works to be heavily involved in the Shepparton community, having this year raised approximately $7,000 for the 2017 Relay for Life campaign.

Education First Youth Foyer resident, Jye Barker said, “The Foyer provides a safe environment to live and the chance to get in and help the community.

“It has helped me to finish school and now I am working towards getting an apprenticeship.

“Without a service like this, it would have made it difficult to achieve what I have.”

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A step through time BERRY Street began its life as Melbourne’s Berry Street Babies’ Home in 1877, when infant mortality was high.

Not only were tiny lives lost due to illness and poverty, but unwanted children were often abandoned in public places or died as a result of infanticide.

Fortunately, a group of Melbourne women voiced their

concern about the high infant mortality rates and the plight of these disadvantaged pregnant girls and women who had neither homes, hope nor money.

With the assistance of Lady Bowen, the wife of the then-Governor, the women decided to raise money to give shelter to “the unfortunate, the dying babies and the

fallen women,” and their fundraising drives resulted in the establishment of the Victorian Infant Asylum.

The determination and contribution of these courageous women led to the establishment of what has now become one of Victoria’s largest and most respected child and family welfare organisations - Berry Street.

Shepparton’s history

2009

1998

Berry Street commenced in the Shepparton area offering foster care, residential care and intensive case management services from the Greater Shepparton Business Centre located near the Shepparton Saleyards.

2003 Leaps and Bounds alternative education program commenced at the Reedy Swamp Road officially being called the Kaiela office.

This offered hands-on learning to disengaged youth with automotive and woodwork programs.

The Saver Plus financial literacy program began in the Welsford Street office.

2001

2002

2004

2005

Berry Street moved to 127 Welsford Street.

Commenced a second office at Reedy Swamp Road, which housed The Intensive Case Management services.

Berry Street commenced the Early Learning is Fun program encourage reading with children.

An extension was made to the Welsford Street office into the neighbouring building.

Saver Plus commenced in the Iraqi community with a dedicated worker.

2007

2008

My Moola financial literacy program commenced with four indigenous workers.

Berry Street moved to a new office at 110 Wyndham Street, Shepparton and opened the children’s contact service at 31 Welsford Street, Shepparton.

Satellite offices in both Alexandra and Seymour were started, who offered a service to the victims of the Black Saturday bushfires through the Victorian Bushfire Case Management services, increasing staff numbers across both sites to 50.

The Youth Connections program commenced at the Shepparton office.

2010 The L2P Learner Driver program commenced.

2012 2015 Opened the Education First Youth Foyer in Fryers Street, Shepparton.

The Kaiela office at Reedy Swamp Road became the third campus of the Berry Street School.

2016 Berry Street started the Navigator program.

The Adviser, Berry Street celebrating 140 years – November 2017

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Life skills through community engagement programs AMONG the many programs designed to benefit young people across the region, Berry Street offers other programs that have been implemented to provide assistance in areas highlighted through community need, such as the L2P Learner Driver Program and the Saver Plus Program.

L2P Learner Driver Program SINCE 2010, in excess of 350 young people have gone through Berry Street’s L2P program, which has been so successful that a new development has been introduced to the program, the Enhanced L2P Program. The enhanced program was developed as a result of feedback from Youth Justice and other professionals, identifying a need to provide high risk young people access to a learner driver program. The L2P Enhance program provides increased support to participants whom are at risk or have been involved in the criminal justice system.

Berry Street L2P coordinator, Bill Winters said, “The L2P Program supports young people in our community who need help to get the driving experience required to obtain their licence.

“It provides the young people with a connectedness to community, the learner driver and mentor relationship helps the young person to build positive and trusting friendships.

“Obtaining a probationary licence assists young people to gain employment, stay connected with friends and family and builds confidence and self-esteem.

“This year, 47 young people were matched with a L2P volunteer mentor to record 1,332 hours of driving. 17 young people successfully gained their probationary licence in the last 12 months, which is a fantastic outcome and shows that the program works.”

Saver Plus Program AS an initiative of the Brotherhood of

The Adviser, Berry Street celebrating 140 years – November 2017

ASSISTANCE FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY… From left, L2P Learner Driver Program co-ordinator, Bill Winters, Saver Plus program manager, Sharon Wandin and Saver Plus worker Greater Shepparton, Deb Spencer. Photo: David Lee.

St Laurence and ANZ, and delivered in partnership with Berry Street, The Benevolent Society, The Smith Family and other local community agencies, Saver Plus is a 10 month financial literacy and matched savings program that assists people to build savings for their own or their children’s education.

The program is funded by ANZ and the Australian Government Department of Social Services and while there are eligibility criteria, participants coming out of the program will not only have a little nest egg to purchase what they have been saving for, but will have also learned skills to enable them to continue implementing the program’s steps and save into the future.

As part of the program, participants receive one dollar in matched savings for every one dollar they save, up to $500, for education costs, as well as MoneyMinded financial training and personal support and guidance from a trusted community organisation.

At the end of the program, participants use their matched savings to purchase an education-related goal, which can

include items like school uniforms, computers and textbooks.

What program participants are saying:

“ I learnt so much in this program. I learnt

how to save through doing small things.

I discovered how much money can be wasted on small things and how to create little changes in my life to save more money. It is truly amazing the support I received from Sharon, she was amazing in guiding me and supporting me, taking time to make me feel important and worthy of this.”

I learnt a lot about budgeting and my shopping habits. Thanks so much for this opportunity, it has meant a lot to my family.”

Because of Saver Plus, I have just purchased my first new car. With the advice and information I received in the program, I have been able to achieve better savings as well as purchasing a laptop for my child.”

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For further information on these programs, contact Berry Street on 5822 8100.