Vision A publication of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW WINTER 2009
Issue no. 65 Circulation 18,000
CONTENTS
20 Vision is produced by the Community and Corporate Relations department, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, and is distributed free of charge through the Society to Catholic parishes, schools and relevant entities in NSW. Editor: Rachel Anne Irvine Supervising Editor: Julie McDonald Writers: Marion Frith, Andy Marks, Cassie Douglas, Dane Hiser, Kate Scholl, Jessica Moss-Wellington, Bill Johnston Layout and Design: Rachel Anne Irvine Distribution: Ozanam Industries, a Special Work of St Vincent de Paul Society NSW (02) 9807 4066 All correspondence and contributions can be sent to: Publications Officer Community and Corporate Relations St Vincent de Paul Society PO Box 5, Petersham NSW 2049 Email: rachel.irvine@vinnies.org.au Phone: (02) 9568 0287 The current St Vincent de Paul Society (NSW) State Council Members are: President: Barbara Ryan; Vice Presidents: Peter Sharp, Michael Callaghan, Beverley Kerr, Lisa Bright, Alicia Webster; Diocesan Presidents: Don Hewitt, Gillian Ferguson, John Donnelly, Kevin Walsh, Gwen Sampson, Terry Walsh, Des Goonan, Leo Sheehan, Cynthia Fenemore. Disclaimer: The views expressed in Vision are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Responsibility for the content of this publication is taken by Julie McDonald, CCR Manager. Š St Vincent de Paul Society NSW 2009 ABN: 46 472 591 335 We’d love to hear what the Society is doing in your area. Send us a letter or email, or call with an idea for a story or news piece: rachel.irvine@vinnies.org.au or (02) 9568 0287.
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News Victorian Bushfire Appeal Special Works Youth Katoomba Centres Growing Works Spiritual Reflection Winter Appeal
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends, It is with great pleasure I welcome you to the Winter edition of Vision. This winter, we asked the people we assist to describe through writing, painting and drawing what ‘today’ is like for them. We then presented these unique expressions to the public through parishes, advertising and marketing materials, with the message that tomorrow can be different with the help of our generous supporters.
Mrs. Barbara Ryan
I was moved and impressed by the many works that we received, some poignantly highlighting the loneliness, despair and hopelessness felt in the lives of those in need, and others flavoured with a sense of optimism and hope for a better tomorrow.
Throughout appeal times, Society members have a dual task; to continue to provide assistance to an increasing number of people during particularly cold, harsh and lonely months, while also promoting the importance of our work in seeking support from the community. This can be a challenge at times – to humbly and quietly carry out our work and live our mission – while at the same time drawing enough attention to the work and the cause to attract funds, volunteers, members and good will. This is a balance we have long achieved to keep the Society running for more than 175 years. I have every faith that the Australian community will once again stand beside the St Vincent de Paul Society in making tomorrow better for people in every area of need. I am given this faith by the generous outpouring of support the community gave to the victims of the recent Victorian bushfires, the most severe natural disaster in Australian history. Schools, businesses and individuals from all over the country sprung to the aid of the bushfire victims in any way they could; running collections and donating time, goods, cash and services. I would like you to join me in thanking the community for their support. Business leaders will have the opportunity to express this generosity in a very unique and special way by participating in the CEO Sleepout on June 18 at Luna Park, Sydney, as part of the 2009 Winter Appeal. I encourage you all to use your local networks to encourage business leaders in your community to register at www.ceosleepout.org.au and gain an insight into the experience faced by homeless people every night. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the CEOs who have already registered, including our CEO Sleepout ambassadors - Steve Martin, President of the Real Estate Institute of NSW; Dick Smith, Jerry Schwartz, John Latham and Linda Burney MP. Coinciding with the start of our Winter Appeal, the St Vincent de Paul Society has launched a brand new national website. This website, which opens with State information tailored to the location in which you log on, features up-todate information on services, programs, events and initiatives, as well as new and improved functions including forums, newsletters and a service search engine. This wonderful website is made possible by the hard work, commitment and persistence of our National Council and staff in each state. Please visit www.vinnies.org.au. In this edition of Vision you will find stories from recent youth trips to various points across the globe. Vinnies Youth have taken their commitment and compassion overseas to bring support, hope and a friendly smile to people in areas of disadvantage that are different and in many cases, more severe than the Australian climate. It is with great sorrow that we lost our brother, Carey Tobin on April 2. Carey dedicated more than 50 years of his life to the Society. He was the youngest-ever State Council President, serving in the role from 1965ñ1969. Committed to serving the poor in innumerable ways, Careyís most recent position was as Coordinator of the Societyís Insurance and Occupational Health and Safety Department. Carey was a true Vincentian. His genuine enthusiasm, knowledge and compassion will long remain an inspiration for members, volunteers and employees across the state. Please remember Carey and his family in your prayers. I hope you enjoy this edition of Vision and wish you Gods blessings. Barbara Ryan President, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
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NEWS
YOUTH REACH • HOTELS HAVE HEARTS
Youth Reach at Brookvale Hotels Have Hearts Gala opens new premises Dinner raises $400,000
Youth Reach officially opened its wonderful new premises in Powells Road, Brookvale, in February. The service, which offers care and support to young people in need on Sydney’s Northern Beaches has been working in the area for more than 25 years, offering personal counselling; family group conferencing; family mediation; budget counselling; job search help; a girl’s self-esteem group and anger manager advice. Youth Reach was opened by the Society’s NSW State President, Barbara Ryan. The opening was attended by Michael Regan, Warringah Council Mayor; Brad Hazzard; State Member for Wakehurst and Youth Reach Ambassadors, Georgie Coward and actor Peter Phelps along with 200 other guests. A highlight of the evening was a speech by the father of a former client who lost his life last year. Laurie Isaac told of the support his son and his family had been given by the Youth Reach team, and the important role it played in the lives of local young people.
Steve Hills, Youth Reach Advisory Committee President; Peter Hitchcox, Northern Beaches Regional Council President; John Donnelly, Broken Bay Diocesan President; Barbara Ryan, Society NSW President; Michael Regan, Mayor Warringah Council.
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Beverley Kerr, President Matthew Talbot Homeless Services; Br. Dan Stafford; Barbara Ryan, President St Vincent de Paul Society NSW and Sir William Deane. Hotels Have Hearts, held at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth on March 12, raised more than $400,000 for Matthew Talbot Homeless Services. The event, organised by the hotel industry, has now raised a total of $1.7 million over five years. Funds raised this year will go to Vincentian House, a service for families, single fathers, and single women to be opened in inner-city Sydney later this year. The chair of the Hotels Have Hearts committee, Kim Maloney, said he was completely overwhelmed by the industry’s response. “I thought that given the economic circumstances we wouldn’t fill the room. I honestly thought we’d be down 10 or 15 percent on last year, but we actually exceeded that. It was absolutely magnificent.” The night was emceed by comedian Vince Sorrenti and guests included the Patron of Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, Sir William Deane; the NSW Minister for Racing and Gaming, the Hon. Kevin Greene; his Opposition counterpart the Hon. George Souris, and the Opposition Leader the Hon. Barry O’Farrell. The night made the news the next day when publican Malcolm McGuiness bid a staggering $70,000 for the opportunity to have lunch with Mr O’Farrell. State President of the St Vincent de Paul Society, Barbara Ryan, thanked the hotel industry for its generosity. “On behalf of the hundreds of people who have no home to go to tonight, we thank you,” she said. “The extent and longevity of the industry’s support has made, and will continue to make, a real and tangible difference to peoples’ lives … It is, of course, possible to count the dollars you have so wonderfully donated. But it is impossible to count or measure the hope this money brings. And it is the gift of that intangible that is especially precious.”
NEWS
HOUSING FORUM • WEBSITE • CATALYST CLEMENTE
Society hosts African Inaugural forum a community housing forum catalyst for change Members of the wider African community revealed the impact of the housing crisis on their children’s education at a community housing forum held in Auburn in April. The forum, a follow-up to an earlier one last year which focused on the difficulties faced by Sudanese refugees, was organised by the Society’s SPARK program in partnership with the Sydney Catholic Education Office and the Auburn Migrant Resource Centre.
About 45 members of five African communities – Sudan, Somalia, Sierre Leone, Liberia and Burundi – spoke of the disruption and distress caused by non-secure housing and frequent forced moves. Parents spoke of the problems their children faced with settling into school and making and keeping friends. The upheaval in their young lives was marked, and as a result their education was severely compromised. The SPARK team has compiled a report from last year’s forum, called ‘A Place to Call Home’. The team is working in collaboration with the Sydney Catholic Education Office to compile a more detailed report for submission to the Australian Human Right’s Commission’s inquiry into human rights and social inclusion issues facing African Australians. For a copy of the final report, available in June, please contact Clare Thompson on (02) 9560 8666 or clare.thompson@vinnies.org.au.
New www.vinnies.org.au
After almost two years in development, National Council has launched a new website www.vinnies. org.au. The website displays information from all the States and Territories, and national and local perspectives on subjects ranging from the history of the Society to its Special Works. If you have any questions about the new site, or would like information about specific programs added to the site, please contact Rachel Irvine on (02) 9568 0287 or rachel.irvine@vinnies.org.au.
In March, the Society took part in formulating the inaugural Catalyst-Clemente Australia Forum. Catalyst-Clemente Australia is a program which offers disadvantaged Australians access to free university education, through a collaboration of community groups and universities. The courses are delivered in a highly supportive environment, which includes linking each student to a learning partner, in order to facilitate their progress. Catalyst-Clemente Australia has expanded its offerings across the country to sites including Newcastle, Brisbane, and Perth, as well as the Society’s own site at the Nagle Centre in Campbelltown. The forum provided an opportunity for program coordinators, lecturers, learning partners, and students to come together to discuss and compare their different experiences, to consolidate and strengthen the program. The preliminary outcomes of the forum demonstrate the undeniable successes of Catalyst-Clemente Australia. This includes increased participation and engagement of marginalised people with the greater community, demonstrated by increased social networks, and heightened levels of self-esteem as experienced by students. Further successes are highlighted by the very occurrence of the forum; an indication of diverse members of the Australian community coming together to acknowledge social exclusion, and to take responsibility for finding a solution. If you would like any further information on the Catalyst-Clemente Program please contact Andy Marks on (02) 9568 0267 or Cassie Douglas on (02) 9568 0281.
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NEWS
BEQUESTS • SENIOR’S WEEK
Vinnies launches Mary MacKillop Outreach ‘Signposts for the Future’ celebrates Seniors’ Week Mary MacKillop Outreach celebrated Seniors’ Week with a program of poignant stories from clients and volunteers. Mary MacKillop offers recreational and educational programs for people living with a mental illness and/or disability, many of whom live in licensed boarding houses and group homes in Sydney’s Inner West.
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Preparing Your Will a simple guide
In a moving presentation, Outreach clients shared with the audience snippets of their lives, incorporating childhood stories, academic and life achievements, their struggles with mental health and present involvement with the Outreach. Some stories were brought to life by large, beautifully-crafted visual artworks.
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On Frederic Ozanam’s anniversary, 23 April, in the unique surrounds of the Commonwealth Bank Vault in Martin Place, the St Vincent de Paul Society launched ‘Signposts for the Future’. Hosted by CBA and Emceed by ABC presenter John Cleary, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of having a legal and valid Will, and the lasting difference a bequest to the Society can make. Over 90 guests, including Society supporters and benefactors, trusts and foundations and solicitors joined Barbara Ryan, State President, Beverly Kerr, President, Matthew Talbot Homeless Services and special guests Bishop Brady and Brother Dan Stafford for an enjoyable evening in the historic vault. Barbara Ryan and John Picot shared the Society’s ‘signposts for the future’ in assisting the most disadvantaged members of the community in tougher economic times and thanked supporters for their valuable contribution. As part of the campaign, the Society has produced, ‘Preparing your Will - a simple guide’, which is being offered free and without obligation to the public. For information on the new campaign materials or for assistance with local interest contact the Bequests Team, Jan Pavey and Rob Lennon on (02) 9560 8666. 6
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
Senior boarding house resident, Arthur, spoke of his early life growing up on a coconut plantation in Sri Lanka, before undertaking a degree in economics and commencing work as an engineer with the railways. He generously shared with his captive Senior’s Week audience his precious, and infamous, chicken curry recipe. Outreach client Dorothy proudly announced she would soon be turning 70 years old, before confidently breaking into song with her version of ‘How Great Thou Art’ and ‘The Yodeling Cowgirl’. The selection of speakers also included volunteers of both the Outreach and the Men’s Shed program. For more information on Mary MacKillop Outreach please call (02) 9560 8666.
NEWS
NEW OFFICE • INTRANET • GRANTS & FOUNDATIONS • NEW PRESIDENTS
New State Office Building New Grants and Foundations Officer Maxine Morrision has joined the Society as the State Council Grants and Foundations Officer. Already Maxine has assisted a number of local Dioceses and Special Works with CDSE Grant applications, the Vodafone World of Difference submission; the Telstra Volunteer Grant and the Crimes Act submission since January. For more information on the grants, trusts and foundations that are available to the Society and for assistance in making a submission please contact Maxine Morrison on (02) 9568 0211 or maxine.morrison@vinnies.org.au. The ground floor slab for the new State Office was poured on March 18. Paynter Dixon, was contracted by the Society in early 2007 to design and build a budget, environmentallyfriendly, open-plan building to meet the needs of the Society for the next 50 years and beyond. Key elements of the design are its flexibility, eco-friendly heating and cooling system and open-plan office environment. The new offices are scheduled for completion in February 2010.
New State ‘Vintranet’ The Society’s new intranet, recently named ‘Vintranet’, will be similar to www.vinnies.org.au with familiar internetlike functionality and navigation but with internal restricted access. It will allow Vinnies to communicate more effectively across the organisation and refine processes and strategies. Thank you to members, Diocesan Executive Officers, Special Works and other State representatives who have engaged with the project team to date. Their input provided an excellent foundation for Vinnies to take the project forward. The primary focus is to deliver on the priorities and then look to improve and grow use of the GWIS Portal over time. The Community & Corporate Relations Team have already launched a ‘name our Vinnies intranet’ competition which closed on May 22. The top three names will then be voted on by all Society stakeholders in June. For more information on the intranet contact Prema Nagarajan on (02) 9560 8666.
New Diocesan Presidents elected in Wagga Wagga and Wollongong The St Vincent de Paul Society has elected new Diocesan Presidents in Wagga Wagga and Wollongong Dioceses. Des Goonan commenced as Wagga Wagga Diocesan President on June 1 2009. Des has been involved with the Society for many years, starting with the North Dubbo Conference in 1973. During his Presidency, Des aims to continue to recruit younger people to the Society; improve communication across the Diocese and the State; work closely with the Bishop and local parishes and in consultation with the State Council members, make the right decisions in leadership and ensure our Special Works continue their great service. Cynthia Fenemore was elected as the new Wollongong Diocesan President on 7th February 2009. Cynthia first became involved with the Society when she was CEO of Bankstown Catholic Club in 1980. She joined the Conference of St Christopher’s at Panania and was treasurer of Bankstown/Kingsgrove Regional Council. In 1994, Cynthia moved to the Campbelltown area, joining the Holy Trinity Conference at Minto as President. As a member of the Wollongong Diocesan Council, Cynthia held the positions of Treasurer, Diocesan Centres President and Vice President. Cynthia is committed to strong leadership while keeping her sights clearly set on the mission and vision of the St Vincent de Paul Society. WINTER
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NEWS
NEW CENTRES • ROYAL EASTER SHOW • OLC
Two new Vinnies Centres A Day at the Show Buddies Days are all about open in Western Sydney giving disadvantaged
children the opportunity to enjoy new experiences. Fifteen children from Amelie House and St Louise Lodge were treated to a Buddies Day at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on April 15. Students from Brigidine College, Randwick, assisted on the day along with a team of Sydney Vinnies’ Young Adult volunteers. None of the children had ever been to the Show and weren’t sure what to expect. The excitement on the childrens’ faces when the group entered the gates and saw the crowds of people was amazing. They saw farm animals, participated in a magic show, and even managed to go on a few rides. Kids and leaders alike had a fantastic time and all wished they could stay longer.
Tia Gauci, Mary Gersbach and Margaret Thomas at the new Baulkham Hills Vinnies Centre. Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy, Hills Shire Times. Two new Centres have opened in western Sydney, at Penrith and Baulkham Hills. The brand new Penrith Centre, located near a major shopping centre, is bright, spacious and modern and has proven a real draw card to shoppers keen to find a bargain from the good quality fashion, bric-a-brac, manchester and homewares. Vinnies hasn’t had a Centre in the heart of the Penrith shopping district for many years and locals are thrilled to have a beloved icon back in the area. The Baulkham Hills Centre, on the Old Northern Road, is also in a prime location, and replaces the previous Centre which was located in a small arcade opposite. It too, is modern and well-ordered and had locals literally waiting outside for the doors to open. The Society now has a total of 267 Vinnies Centres around the State. For more information on the Society’s Vinnies Centres please contact Elizabeth Krop on (02) 9560 8666 or elizabeth.krop@vinnies.org.au.
Thanks to the school community of Brigidine College who enthusiastically fundraised to make the day possible. The smiles at the end of the day made it all worth it.
Celebrity chef introduces cooking classes at OLC
The aromas emanating from the Ozanam Learning Centre have been hunger-inducing and tantalizing since a recent visit by guest celebrity chef Victoria Hansen. Victoria stepped into the Centre’s kitchen to show the clients how to cook. Really cook. Victoria spent a day in April at the Centre, part of Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, taking clients through the basics; demonstrating how to make various sauces and gravies; how to cook rice and pasta; and how to do lovely things with fruit and veggies. She also gave the men the rundown on roasts, biscuits and crumbles. For the next five weeks the clients worked in groups to put into practice what she had taught them. This is much more than a how-to-boil-an-egg class, but a lively and relevant introduction into creating healthy meals. Victoria has generously committed to running several of these cooking courses during the year, and Breville has donated a range of cooking appliances that had featured on her previous television segments
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NEWS
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Tackling Social Justice in Regional NSW
Trish Evans, of the Northern Rivers Social Development Council addressed the Forum, highlighting affordable housing as a key element of social inclusion. She provided statistical evidence supporting both the labour and housing squeeze in the Northern Rivers Region, and the higher-than-average incidences of family breakdown. This was useful information for Conference members, as it offered support to their own experiences, strengthening their advocacy ability. Youth homelessness is an issue of particular concern to local members. The experience of local members in dealing with issues like this is invaluable. It further provides a platform from which the Research Team can conduct research, which may prove useful not only in the Lismore area, but in Dioceses state-wide.
Dr Andy Marks, Senior Researcher; Margaret Goulding, Lismore Diocesan Social Justice Advisor; and Cassie Douglas, Research Officer. The St Vincent de Paul Society’s Lismore Social Justice Forum took place at the Lismore Workers Sports Club on March 28. Invited by the President of the Lismore Diocesan Council, Kevin Walsh, Senior Researcher Dr Andy Marks and Research Officer Cassie Douglas travelled to Lismore to deliver the forum, which featured workshops and speakers, with an emphasis on attendee participation. The purpose of the day was to foster regular contact between members of the Diocese and the Research Team, with a view to stimulate information sharing. Conference members are an invaluable resource for the Research Team to tap into as they are best placed to identify problems on the ground. The Lismore region is very active in identifying social justice concerns – as demonstrated by the Diocese appointing a Social Justice Advisor – and increased information sharing will allow the region to make use of the resources and capacity of the Research Team. The active participation of all forum attendees enabled common themes in Lismore and surrounding areas to be identified. These included the characterisation of social isolation, the over representation of single-parent families, and the impact of the extreme housing shortages in the region.
Jenny Dowell, Mayor of Lismore City Council spoke to the forum, providing a local government perspective of Social Justice issues in the area. She identified reasons for the housing affordability crisis including a high population growth, below average incomes, and a lack of community housing. She further identified the Lismore transport crisis, which exacerbates poverty and social isolation in the area, citing Nimbin as an example. The only transport between Nimbin and Lismore is the school bus, and a bus service which runs at midday. Neither of these options suit the requirements of workers, rendering it extremely difficult for residents of Nimbin to access employment. Her insight provides the information that local conferences need in order to advocate on behalf of the disadvantaged. The Research Team intends to deliver similar forums throughout NSW, in order to effectively address localised social justice issues, and to provide increased support for members. If you feel that your area would benefit from such a forum and would like more information, please contact Andy Marks on (02) 9568 0267 or Cassie Douglas on (02) 9568 0281.
• Lismore’s unemployment level is 4% higher than the national average. • The primary industries of employment in the Lismore area are health and hospitality. • The median household income for Lismore residents is $267 less than the Australian average. WINTER
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VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE APPEAL
NSW Aids Fellow
AUSTRALIANS
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IN CRISIS St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
In the last edition of Vision we outlined the overwhelming response from the NSW community to the Society’s Victorian Bushfire Appeal. A donated warehouse the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Rowville, Victoria, was filled to the brim with food, clothing, furniture, whitegoods, tools and machinery. These goods have now all been dispatched to the 100 Centres around Victoria for fire survivors to access what they need, when they need it. In Victoria, the Society’s Phase Two responsibility calls on the Society to provide relief to victims into the future and to assist them in rebuilding their lives. Nationally, the Society has ensured that every donation reaches those in need by sending all donations directly to Victoria. NSW has already sent in excess of $500,000 from our generous members and donors across the State. This figure does not reflect some large donations that have been pledged, but are yet to come through from businesses. The Society would like to specifically thank the more than 450 Conferences in local parishes across the State that participated in the bushfire relief efforts. Without this generous support, the Society in NSW would not have been able to support our fellow Vincentians in Victoria who will be lending a hand of support to bushfire victims for some time to come.
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1. Julie McDonald, Manger, CCR, receives donation from Holy Savior School’s student fundraiser; 2. Julie McDonald, Manager, CCR, receives donation from St Patrick’s Strathfield from Brian Roberts, Principal and Andrew Martin, teacher; 3. Cheque presentation from students at La Salle Academy, Lithgow with Disaster Recovery Coordinator Brian Emms; 4. Rob McKay, Managing Director, Truck Mania, facilitated delivery of collected goods to Victoria; 5. Julie McDonald, Manager, CCR collects cheque from Steve Corbett, Director and Chief Executive, Centennial Parklands and Moore Park Trust
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NEWS
CEO SLEEPOUT
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St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
The St Vincent de Paul Society’s upcoming 2009 CEO Sleepout has seen a huge growth in momentum since launching the website www.ceosleepout.org.au at the beginning of April. High profile ambassadors including Dick Smith; The Hon. Linda Burney MP, Minister for Community Services; Steve Martin, President, the Real Estate Institute of NSW; John Latham, Managing Director, Pfizer; Dr Jerry Schwartz, CEO, Schwartz & Co; and Bernard Fehon, Principal Financial Planner, Tactical Solutions have attracted widespread support from industry and government alike. Graeme Innes of the Australian Human Rights Commissions as well as the CEOs of Fairfax Media, Brian McCarthy, and NRMA, Tony Stuart and their peers from leading law firms, tourism and industrial organizations are ‘rising to the challenge’. The event, to be held at Luna Park on June 18, challenges business leaders including the Society’s own CEO John Picot, to experience homelessness on one of the coldest nights of the year. This coincides with the 2009 Winter Appeal and comprises a major PR component of the appeal campaign. Money raised through sponsorship of participants will directly assist the Society in providing relief to people experiencing homelessness through crisis accommodation, domestic violence support, access to budget counselling and legal advice as well as education and recreation to facilitate better choices in life. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, homelessness is a reality for more than 105,000 Australians, although the figure is probably much higher. Many of these sleep out rough each night. The CEO Sleepout aims to raise an understanding that this is the community’s problem, and that business leaders through their power and influence - have a role to play in addressing it. The funds raised by the CEO Sleepout will go towards the Society’s 37 homeless services, including the new Vincentian House for families, to be opened in inner-city Sydney later this year. Businesses across NSW are pitching in to help. Qantas has donated space in their Business Club Lounge to
display event banners; The Shangri-La Hotel Sydney has donated one night’s luxury accommodation as an incentive prize for Executive Assistants to ‘dob in their boss’; Wilkinson Media has come on board as a gratis media partner to help build further awareness of the event; Staging Connections are providing the Audio Visual; Campbell’s soup will provide the evening meal and Luna Park have of course offered their venue as well as the participation of their own CEO. As well there has been significant media interest in the event, with radio station Mix 106.5 confirmed for a live outside broadcast the following morning and the CEOs of DMG and Austereo both registered to attend. Official Event Partner, The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales is busy garnering widespread support from their 5,000-strong membership base. The CEO Institute, headed by CEO and Sleepout participant Yvonne Howie is also a key supporter of the event and hopes to recruit a number of participants from their business elite. “The Vinnies CEO sleepout is a great grounding experience, one that helped put the rest of the year into perspective,” one of last year’s participants, David Elliott, CEO, Civil Contractors Federation said. “Spending the night as a homeless person, talking to the homeless and experiencing a life style so reliant on the generosity of others sharpened my focus on the way my organization deals with businesses facing hardship. It reignited my passionate belief that man’s greatest gift is one which offers dignity to others.” Bernard Fehon, Principal Financial Planner, Tactical Solutions said the CEO winter sleepout was an event unlike any other. “Getting a bunch of business leaders together to experience some of what it is like to be without a home is a great way of connecting with parts of society we normally would not,” he said. “It helps us understand issues like addiction and how our decisions in business can impact on those employees and customers who are stakeholders in our organisations. I am sure that taking part in this event will change perceptions about the marginalised in society and you will meet and have conversations with other leaders who want to make a difference in the community.”
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CHILDREN
DAY CARE CENTRE - WESTERN SYDNEY
A haven for
Little Hearts 14
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
T
he two-year-old is squealing with delight. She can’t quite believe what she’s just done. Not only has she managed to pull out the yellow pussycat from the puzzle in front of her, she’s also got it back in. A perfect fit.
The incredibly devoted staff – several of whom have worked here for more than a decade – find themselves also working closely with the families. The greatest challenge is readying the older age group for school. Without intense support, now and later, many would be unable to cope.
The little bloke beside her, busily negotiating his own challenge in the form of a stubborn green truck that won’t be manipulated into his wooden board, looks up to see what the fuss is about. “Cat,” he says helpfully, and she laughs and laughs. Success, it seems, has never tasted so sweet.
But, of course, the children don’t know all this. They just know there is an awful lot to do here. Today, the playdough has had red glitter kneaded through it. “Sparkles,” a child says solemnly, pounding it into shape, his brow knotted in concentration. Another is using the cookie cutters to produce hearts.
It’s a warm autumn afternoon and, with lunch and sleeps out of the way, the children at the Vinniesrun day care centre in Western Sydney, are playing outside. There’s a traffic jam on the slippery dip; someone has herded all the baby dolls into a pink carrier on his back; and in the sandpit, it is standing room only. It’s an everyday moment of peace and play, overlaid with the poignancy that for all these children, now distracted and happy, life has already posed some pretty tough challenges.
The day’s activities are recorded in a big, accessible day book, where photos of the children at play and work are assembled. Other activities are incorporated into their personal portfolios. Professional learning and child protection systems and procedures back up everything that goes on.
Welcome to one of the Society’s most special Special Works; and as ordinary as it might seem, this is no ordinary childcare centre. Its children mostly come from disadvantaged backgrounds, with some of them having special needs of one kind or another. Many come from homes where there’ll be no hot meals this week, and their language skills are impaired. Indeed, most also need the help of a speech pathologist who now works at the centre 20 hours a week. A significant number are under the full care of the Department of Community Services, and others have DoCs involvement with their families. Suffice to say, childhood for some hasn’t been particularly gentle.
It’s a beautiful place, a cocoon from a big, harsh world outside. Aptly, perhaps, a small boy, eyeing off a doll with brightly coloured wings firmly in the grasp of a bigger girl, cups his tiny hands up to his face to shield the secret he is about to share. It’s hard to decipher at first, but he’s determined to make his poorly formed words clear. “I want to be a butterfly,” he whispers. And, judging by the look on his face, he really means it.
So this place, a non-descript building on a busy road, is their haven. Bright, happy, and busy inside, it’s where they find care, nourishment and learning. Run by the Society since 1976, the centre caters for 45 children, aged two to five. They’re fed, cared for, encouraged and affirmed. It’s all about them. Like all good centres, this one takes a hollistic approach, and is committed to providing every child with the opportunity to make choices, maintain and build relationships, develop language and literacy skills, develop problem solving and mathematical thinking, enjoy expressive arts, and enhance their physical abilities. In other words, to grow and learn, as is their right. WINTER
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YOUTH
is just as vibrant. We were shown a Johannesburg that existed behind its preceding reputation. It was a place of extreme poverty, a place still lingering in the aftermath of apartheid – and at the same time, a place full of spirit and determination; where the people we met, living in poverty and hardship, showed us how proud they are of what they do have – as opposed to being ashamed of what they don’t.
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arlier this year I was privileged to take part in an Encounter Africa program, put together through a partnership with the FAMVIN office in Sydney and the Society of St Vincent de Paul in South Africa. I undertook this trip in a personal capacity as a volunteer. The aim of the program was to allow participants to see extreme poverty first hand and to see the way it unfolds in a culture foreign to our own. It also allowed us to connect with Vincentians in South Africa and the people they assist. The Society of St Vincent de Paul in South Africa is a smaller entity than that of Australia, but one that
Along with the other six Encounter participants I visited and assisted in the operating of many of the Society’s projects, including home visitations into townships of excruciating poverty. We visited these places, were welcomed into their homes, delivered parcels of food and offered companionship – continuing the tradition of home visitation that is the essence of the Society. It was humbling to help out at a Society-run soup kitchen, visit a crèche run in one of the townships bordering Johannesburg, an aged care centre and an orphanage and children’s home. The more I am involved in the works of the Society, the more I realise that out of the hardships of poverty and disadvantage, we can often find people with such generosity and determination that they can often give us as much or more than we give them.
Parramatta Youth Coordinator
Liam Duncan
Youth spread
Vincentian Vision
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ast November, I was fortunate to be part of a life-changing post-World Youth Day aboriginal immersion to outback NSW organised as part of the Edmund Rice Centre and Broken Bay Vinnies’ ‘Let’s Talk’ local initiative. The aim of the pilgrimage was to prove – through dialogue-based outreach in remote indigenous communities of Brewarrina, Bourke, Goodooga, Lightning Ridge and others – that the simple ‘let’s talk’ philosophy can have a colossal effect on coexistence between different cultures in our world today. Through the immersion, the group of youth from NSW gained insight into indigenous traditions, history, sacred spaces, beliefs, politics, dance and painting from Aboriginal Australians. With Uncle Brad Steadman, we toured sacred sites such as the Barwin River and Brewarrina fish traps, which are now sadly all highly degraded lots of crown land. We travelled through the barren grounds of Brewarrina Mission, the Cobar mines, and the Hospital Creek massacre site where 100 innocent Aboriginal people were killed. Emotions of disgust and shame were felt by all, as we witnessed the way in which our society has transformed sacred country to earth. Differently, on visiting Goodooga central school and youth centre with Mindy Gibbs, we witnessed a strong sense of hope for the future of indigenous culture. I have never met a group of such captivating children, whose pride to share their culture through
Marissa Scopelliti the creative bridges of dance and art was truly moving. As we journeyed further into the heart of Yuaalaaray, Murrawarri, and Kamillaroi country – endless space, ancient flat red earth and still blue sky – came an indescribable sense of serenity and soul. This particularly captured me. I reflected upon how much we can learn from the beauty and simplicity of the Aboriginal lifestyle based wholly on communal expression and intimate respect for the land; a lifestyle so sadly juxtaposed to the environmentally damaging, individualistic culture of mainstream Australia today. The immersion revealed to me the role for us as young Australians, to advocate local social justice issues. We still bear witness to the gross mistreatment of indigenous Australians in all levels of our society, as human rights continue to be denied to Aboriginal peoples all over Australia. We must have the courage to challenge our society to reject such prejudice in the future, so that there may be a coexistent future for Australian indigenous culture and its many intricate traditions. Back in Sydney, I long for the country we travelled through and the stillness and peace it offered. I recommend the amazing experience of outback pilgrimage to everyone and pray that one day our Vincentian dream of achieving one human community will be achieved in Australia through the simple concept of mutually beneficial inter-cultural discussion.
LOBE
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YOUTH
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St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
ave you ever visited a place where you couldn’t quite put your finger on what it was that made it special? This happened to me on a recent trip to Fiji. It wasn’t the dodgy souvenirs, ‘Fiji time’, or kava. It was a feeling I had while I was there - a sense of complete welcome and relaxation. In February, I travelled with four other young Vincentians to Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu to rekindle FAMVIN friendships, a product of WYD, and visit some Vincentian parishes. Just weeks before our visit, Fiji had been devastated by floods that displaced more than 10,000 people and tragically led to the deaths of eleven others. Even now, Fiji is struggling to rebuild. Yet in spite of such adversity, we were greeted with warm smiles from complete strangers. Coming from a city where you generally keep to yourself, it was a nice change to have people greet you on the street, not just as a one off, but as the norm. What made the experience magical, was sharing it with our friends from FAMVIN - Maria and Alissi from Suva, our Seminarian brothers – Vincent, Suwane, Romano and Benjamin and Fr Larrio. While we hadn’t seen each other in seven months, the jokes and conversation quickly took off as though FAMVIN were yesterday. We also spent some time with Fr Alan Fynn and the Daughters of Charity - Sr Pat and Sr Cath and the local youth group in Nausori. They all do such incredible work and the sense of community is truly inspiring. Fr Fynn took us on a roving tour of all things Vincentian including the local primary school and the formation house. After Sunday Mass we joined the parish youth group meeting and spoke about Vinnies and the works we’re involved with here in Australia. We also visited the Computer Centre established by Sr Pat, which provides training for locals to help them become job ready. It never ceases to amaze me of the unique ability of Vincentians to make you feel at home, no matter where you are in the world. This was never more true than our invitation from one of the local parishioners to join their family for dinner. The Antonio’s are incredibly dedicated to their family and the parish. We were treated to some great Fijian food and kava, but what made it so special was that we were made to feel like members of an extended family. Everywhere we travelled, from the Vincentian parish in Nausori to the Vin’s mission in Notovi, we were met with the same warmth and generous hospitality. We were welcomed into their villages and their homes. It was a blessed experience. We were lucky enough to share in some traditional welcoming ceremonies with the infamous kava, but it was the stories we shared and the relationships we formed that made it so special.
Vice President, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
H
Alicia Webster
We had a precious insight into culture and life in Fiji and these memories will last a lifetime. We are so grateful for their time and their friendship. Long after the last bus departed from Stannies in Bathurst, it’s these friendships that keep us intrinsically linked no matter how great the distance between us.
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HOMELESSNESS
KATOOMBA
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esearch conducted by the St Vincent de Paul Society in Katoomba found correlations between high levels of social and economic disadvantage, and the rate and complexity of homelessness in the region. The study, undertaken by the Society’s senior researcher Dr Andy Marks, arose in response to anecdotal reports from State Councillors Beverley Kerr and Des Kinsella regarding a surge in homelessness in the region, particularly among adult males. Dr Marks conducted in-depth interviews with several people experiencing homelessness in the region, learning of the many challenges they faced and discovering how their perceptions of their situations changed over time. The report also captures the telling insights of local St Vincent de Paul Society members and people from other agencies working together in the region.
between different stages of homelessness such as rough sleeping and marginal accommodation. For some participants, the interviews were a worthwhile experience. “This is the first time I’ve told anyone my whole story,” Tony, who is homeless said. “Most people aren’t interested”. While some commonalities were common in the experience of homelessness in the region – for instance, difficulties in accessing adequate support services – other aspects of the stories told were distinctly different.
The finished report, entitled ‘Known Territory: A Study of Homelessness and Marginalisation in Katoomba’ is an example of the Society’s ongoing commitment to ensure its response to homelessness remains informed by best practice and current research.
Sixty-one year-old Brian says he first came to Katoomba in 1993 from Tamworth. “I worked as a tradesman, a lead lighter”, he says. “I had my own business with my wife. That fell apart.” As the report details, Brian’s homelessness initially stemmed from the breakdown of his marriage, yet his journey since has been difficult and complex. An active volunteer in the local community, Brian has recently been forced to sleep in the back of a car due to the lack of crisis accommodation. Despite his fractous housing predicament, Brian remains committed to staying in Katoomba where he feels he is a part of the community.
The findings of the ‘Known Territory’ report suggest urban-rural junctures like Katoomba present greater representations of mobile or transient homeless persons. Not only do these persons exhibit a higher than average propensity for locational shifts, but they also experience more frequent transitions
Anthea, a young mother of two, tells how she has survived domestic violence and homelessness. Having found the strength to leave her partner, she then endured what she perceives as indifference from some agencies she contacted for support. She recalls pleading down the phone with one
Adrift 20
IN KNOWN St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
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HOMELESSNESS
KATOOMBA particularly unresponsive bureaucrat, crying, “Aren’t you meant to help families no matter what?” Since receiving assistance from the St Vincent de Paul Society and a range of local agencies, Anthea is back on her feet and looking to recommence her nursing studies. Other research participants like Tony tell how their experience of homelessness continues to change their lives. Attributing his homelessness to the lack of support he received as a victim of childhood sexual abuse, Tony spent much of his adult life on the streets of Melbourne and Sydney. His current housing in the Blue Mountains village of Blackheath enables him to stay in touch with his friends who remain homeless, yet maintain the physical and emotional space he needs to stay well. “I love talking to people,” he says. “Hopefully I can help them know they’re not alone.” Tony is convinced that no matter how stable he appears, the trauma of homelessness has left part of him irrevocably damaged. “I’m still scarred inside.” For him, Katoomba is a place to heal.
“When every part of a ‘known territory’ For forty-two-year-old Randle, Katoomba offers what he calls “middle ground”, a safe space between the intolerable noise and chaos of the city and the crippling isolation of remote rural areas. Suffering from schizophrenia, Randle spent several weeks sleeping in his car, working his way down the coast to Katoomba after his housing, in a Northern Rivers caravan park failed. “Sleeping in the car is terrible”, Randle says. “You’re just tossing and turning all night and you don’t know who’s out there. You’ve got to be careful where you pull up. I try to go down side tracks.”
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St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
Since arriving in Katoomba the Society has provided Randle with improvised emergency accommodation in a shared room above a local pub. Vinnies members have also helped Randle get in touch with local mental health resources. Clearly in the grip of debilitating depression, Randle is convinced that Katoomba is a place where he can recover. “All I want to do is get back on track”, he says, his hands trembling. “That’s all I can do, you know, keep trying.” The report’s title, ‘Known Territory,’ came from an interview Dr Marks conducted with Malcolm, a deaf and mute man in his late 50s, recovering from an especially traumatic period of homelessness. The report reveals how his homelessness, in part, resulted from the refusal of a financial institution to negotiate with Malcolm about his loan repayments when he lost his job. “They wouldn’t provide an interpreter”, he explains with the aid of an AUSLAN representative. Malcolm wanted to honour his loan, yet the bank did not reciprocate. Having lost his house, Malcolm now lives in a Housing NSW flat
to varying degrees in localised populations like Katoomba just as they are elsewhere. However, other aspects of homelessness related to environmental, socio-economic and cultural factors are distinct to Katoomba.” Dr Marks says particular regional characteristics, such as Katoomba’s “exceedingly high proportion of part-time workers, above average unemployment, and low uptake of tertiary education place many people at a heightened risk of homelessness.” “Exceptionally low individual and household income levels offer additional evidence of the pronounced and entrenched level of socio-economic disadvantage in the area. The region’s poor health and morbidity indicators”, he says, “only compound the already significant array of problems.” “Although no two experiences of homelessness are the same the ‘Known Territory’ report confirms that the trauma of displacement that accompanies homelessness is to varying degrees ameliorated
person’s life seems adrift, the importance of cannot be underestimated.” close to the Katoomba Vinnies Centre. While he was initially to be relocated to more suitable housing in Western Sydney, Malcolm was determined to stay in Katoomba. “I want to stay in Katoomba”, he told local Vinnies members. “This is my place. It’s known territory.”
by the sense of belonging a place like Katoomba provides.”
Highlighting the study’s key findings, Dr Marks says, “The Known Territory report shows that some aspects of homelessness are common to many locations. For instance, issues surrounding mental health, addiction and comorbidity are evident
For a copy of Known Territory, please contact Dr Andy Marks on andy.marks@vinnies.org.au or (02) 9568 0267.
Dr Marks concludes, “When every part of a person’s life seems adrift, the importance of ‘known territory’ cannot be underestimated.”
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CENTRES
DONATIONS
Kindness A Clearinghouse of
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worker holds up a woman’s pink shirt, turning it carefully, before smoothing it out on the table in front of her. “This is really lovely,” she says, “And look at this brand. It’s designer all right, and by the looks of it, hardly worn.” “We get a lot of items like this,” she says, before putting it into a pile that’s destined for a new, recycled life in a Vinnies Centre. Welcome to the Society’s Distribution Centre in western Sydney: the hub of the donation process. It’s a well-ordered warehouse, filled with mountains of donated goods waiting to be sorted, towering over rack upon rack of cleared clothing ready to be sent out to the Centres. Only the best make it into the stores, which means every item is carefully checked for stains, rips or tears. Clothing has to be free of all three to win the right to carry a Vinnies price tag in one of the 267 centres around the State. This clothing, along with good quality toys, books, furniture and household items, is given to people in the community who need it the most and sold to bargain hunters to raise much-needed funds to support these people in need. “The stores get only the best quality,” the Distribution Centre’s Manager, Richard White says. “The rest that isn’t shop quality is either bundled up for rag merchants or sent off to one of the Society’s three recycling warehouses.” To the uninitiated, the quantity of clothing passing through the warehouse is staggering. Who can believe there are really that many unwanted shirts and blouses in Sydney? Thankfully, they’ve come to Vinnies, where they will either be given to people in need, or sold to fund the Society’s ‘good works’. A staggering 1.5 tonnes of clothing is turned around each month, having been generously donated via a Centre or one of the distinctive collection bins. Nothing is surplus here and no stock stagnates. What doesn’t sell in one Centre will be sent back to go out to another.
supervision, a team of almost 40 staff process the never-ending supply – a bin overflows with flannelette pajamas, another with corduroy and denim. Coats are here; shirts over there. Clothing is measured by the lineal metre, of which there are hundreds. When a store needs some more skirts, it asks this warehouse for them by the metre rather than number. The clothing comes in, and it goes out. Perplexingly, men’s clothes are in short supply. There’s only a half lineal metre of male jumpers, for instance, not much more than a dozen or so. “Clearly, it’s women who go through their wardrobe more often,” Richard says, brushing past a rack of fashionable blouses. But, of course, it’s not only clothing that is given to Vinnies. Bric-a-brac and household goods turn up here too, although the volume in this warehouse is less, as most of it stays at the Centre to which it was originally donated. Shelves of electrical goods, all tested and tagged by a qualified electrician, are ready to go. Bundles of books are sorted and checked by a volunteer expert, as is anything else that might be of significant value. Learned eyes peruse trademarks. Organisational systems are the key. Last year, sales of more than $50 million passed through the Society’s Centres. Men, women and children in need were clothed and supported from these piles. Shoppers found bargains, and fossickers unearthed treasures. Looking down on the warehouse, it’s revealed as a steady production line that’s testimony to the gratitude with which all these donations are received. After all, these are items of clothing, worn by one human being, and now handed on to another. Vinnies is the middleman; the custodian for a moment of that first person’s commitment to help another. There’s a great energy in here; it’s that of an act of charity in motion. It is an act that ensures that people are provided with the material support they need to rebuild their lives.
Today, goods will be dispatched as far afield as Lightning Ridge and Moree. Under Richard’s
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FINANCIAL CRISIS
THE IMPACT
FINANCIAL CRISIS Having registered two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, Australia has now met the technical definition of a nation in recession. Of course we are not alone; most of our trading partners are in a similar, if not worse, position. This extraordinarily difficult economic predicament provokes two key questions: firstly, how long will the recession last; and secondly, who will be most adversely affected? As to how long the recession will last, debate rages. The most optimistic estimates suggest we will begin to see signs of recovery early next year. How will we know? Basically, it is a matter of stability rather than rapid improvement. Most analysts concur that we need to see the economy enter what is commonly called a ‘holding pattern’ before we can contemplate a sustained recovery. This means a plateauing of unemployment at the predicted rate of around 9 or 10 per cent – one million Australians – and a steadying of the Reserve Bank’s cash rate. If current government estimates are correct then we could be in this position by the close of the next financial year. Worst estimates point to a sustained downturn lasting four to five years minimum. While some calm has been restored to financial markets, investor confidence is shattered and world trade figures (important indicators of the health of the ‘real’ economy) are at the lowest they have been in more than 80 years. Furthermore, the inter-dependency of national economies makes recovery a difficult and protracted process subject to an array of unpredictable global events.
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St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
While it is difficult to find two economists who agree on the severity and length of the recession, it is unfortunately all too easy to determine who is being affected most adversely. As always, it is the most vulnerable members of our community who are bearing the brunt of this economic crisis. For a family member who has been retrenched, questions relating to global economics and financial markets are secondary to more pressing matters; such as paying the rent, putting food on the table, keeping the kids in school, getting proper health care, and managing growing debt repayments. Unemployment poses the biggest threat to disadvantaged families and individuals across the state. Throughout western and south western Sydney, unemployment has risen well in excess of the state average of 6.3 per cent. Areas like the Shoalhaven, currently enduring nearly 10 per cent unemployment, and the Richmond-Tweed, 9 per cent, confirm regional areas of the state are also feeling the impact of the economic crisis. For many rural communities, present labour market deteriorations come on the back of more than a decade of drought. Rising unemployment only heightens the pressures caused by the ongoing housing crisis. Vacancy rates in the rental market remain at record lows of less than 2 per cent in areas such as the Northern Rivers, Wollongong, Newcastle and Sydney and weekly rents come close, and in some cases exceed mortgage repayments. Monitoring our own figures, the St Vincent de Paul Society has noted a series of locational trends, most notably, an increase in debt among the people we serve. In the space of two years, the level of assistance the Armidale Diocese has provided to people caught in unmanageable debt has increased 10-fold. In the Sydney Archdiocese a 4-fold increase has been noted, while the number of people in the Wollongong Diocese crippled by debt has also increased dramatically. Bathurst and Wilcannia/Forbes Dioceses have also recorded increases. The Society’s records concur with figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing that over the past 18 years the total amount of debt owed by Australian households rose almost six-fold. Credit card debt is especially common among lowincome groups, with 180,000 of the nation’s most disadvantaged households reporting individual debts of more than $5,000.
The links between unemployment, debt and poverty are clear. A Newcastle University study into consumer debt in NSW found that unemployment is the most common cause of financial crisis, followed by excessive use of credit. A study of more than 2,000 financial counselling sessions led researcher Dr Margaret Griffiths to conclude “unemployment was behind almost 30 per cent of cases, followed by credit problems, ill health, family break up and gambling.” Dr Griffiths said the research highlights the fact that “there are risks out there that people face, beyond those they have reasonable control over. Nobody aims to become unemployed, become ill or have their family break up.” Aware of the growing problem presented by issues such as unemployment and debt, the St Vincent de Paul Society has responded by expanding and improving its research, advocacy and preventative budget counselling programs. Greater efforts are also being made by Society members to make contact with people before their debt reaches unmanageable levels. Recognising that issues like depression and anxiety are closely linked with financial stress, the Society also continues to ensure that families and individuals in the grip of burgeoning debt have the resources they require to maintain good mental health and access to the services they require. As the global financial crisis continues, the Society will continue to work towards meeting the challenge. The practical measures currently in place are complemented by the Society’s ongoing efforts to focus attention on the real nature of the current crisis. Like our founder, the Blessed Frederic Ozanam, we do not claim to have all the answers but we are committed to asking the right questions. The real test of our ability to weather the worsening financial climate will not be measured in economic terms; rather it will be a question of how well we have served the most vulnerable members of our community. For more information about the impact of the global financial crisis or to discuss any of the issues raised in this article, please contact Dr Andy Marks on: (02) 9568 0267 or andy.marks@vinnies.org.au
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VOLUNTEERS
GROWING WORKS
Resources Available List your Volunteer Needs www.vinnies.org.au
New people registering online with the hope of volunteering for the St Vincent de Paul Society are often disappointed to find few opportunities. We can put them in touch with these services where help is needed by listing your volunteer needs on the new Vinnies website. Contact Kate Scholl to use this service.
Recruitment Resources for Conferences
A Recruitment Resource Kit is available for conferences ready to undertake recruitment. Please contact Kate Scholl to receive a copy. In addition, there is a PowerPoint presentation available for Conferences holding an information event. If you would like a copy, please email Kate Scholl.
Tell us your great stories!
These pages are dedicated to our members and volunteers and their Growing Works. We’d love to hear about what you are doing in your area. Contact Kate Scholl, Volunteer Development Coordinator: E: kate.scholl@vinnies.org.au T: 9560 8666 F: 9564 3622
Conference Member receives Papal Blessing
Len O’Shea, pictured here with his wife Patricia, recently received a Papal Blessing at St Mary’s Church at Toukley in the Broken Bay Diocese. Len has been an active member since he first joined the Society in 1954 at St Patrick’s Conference, Sutherland. Congratulations to Len. 28
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
Members of St Joseph’s Oatley Conference. Seated left to right: Edvina Prest, Bernice Graham, Seb Arena Standing left to right: Paul Doepel, Barry Gilmore, Janet McEwen, Bill Quigley.
Recruitment News
Bill Quigley from St Joseph’s Oatley Conference in the Sydney Archdiocese, shares some of their conference’s experiences using the resources from It’s Time to Grow recruitment kit: “I can report we held the information session, and from the responses I got, it was a great success. The key things I believe contributed to that success were the PowerPoint presentation, careful planning and nurturing of support and involvement in the Conference, parish and school. I placed notices in the parish and school bulletin over a few weeks running and myself and another Conference sister announced the evening at the weekend Masses. Comments we received from some women indicated their perception of the Society as a male or maledominated organisation. Therefore we decided to have both a female and male contact person listed.
The preparation required for an information night is truly worth it. The presentation including the DVD, No Time Like Now, engendered an invigorating and revitalising experience of the Society for members and visitors alike. Regardless of how many members we recruit, there are many parishioners who now know much more about what we do and why we do it. We will continue to let people in our parish know we are here and always want and welcome new members. We are on the Oatley Parish website, have Come Grow with Us brochures in the Church vestibule and pictures St Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederic pinned on the notice board.”
Parramatta Vinnies Van Volunteers: Helping the Homeless for 10 Years
Vinnies Youth, Maitland/Newcastle Diocese: Ben Peterson, Bec Martin, Alison Smith, Taryn Dignum, Chris Reilly, Sarah McFetridge, Nick Williams. Stuart Quinn, Charles de Souza and Frank Aquilina volunteer with Vinnies Van Parramatta.
Mums and Kids Weekend
Vinnies Van recently celebrated 10 years assisting those in need in Parramatta Diocese. The van began with a small group of young Vinnies volunteers who saw the need to help people in Western Sydney who were experiencing homelessness. The Sydney Vinnies’ Night Patrol had been operating for more than 30 years, and so they adopted this successful model and set up their own van.
The Mums and Kids Weekend in the Maitland/Newcastle Diocese is a wonderful program where members of all ages work together to serve those in need.
The purpose of the service is to offer food and companionship to those who are homeless and socially isolated and to provide an opportunity for young people to volunteer. The team of volunteers borrowed a van and set up small kitchen facilities in a tin shed and recruited another 100 volunteers. There are now more than 600 volunteers each year, with an extensive waiting list, including students and teachers from 14 Catholic high schools. As part of their study of social justice and practical religious education, students engage with the homeless face-to-face. They are able to push aside stereotypes and fears after just their first Vinnies Van experience. For more information contact: Alison Bryett, Vinnies Van Coordinator T: (02) 9689 1500 or email: alison@parravinnies.org
The program, that is in its third year, is a joint initiative of the Migrant and Refugee Special Works and Vinnies Youth in the Maitland/Newcastle Diocese. The groups offer a weekend of relaxation, empowerment, education and social interaction to migrant and refugee mothers and children on Mother’s Day weekend. The Migrant and Refugee Special Works team enable the mothers to relax, gain new skills, have a chance to talk to Centrelink staff as well as get to know one another. Vinnies Youth coordinate fun activities for the children such as kayaking, a giant swing, craft projects and listening to guest speakers while making new and lasting friendships. On the final day, everyone comes together to celebrate each other’s similarities and differences in song, dance and group games. Michelle Kot, Youth and Young Adults Coordinator, Maitland/Newcastle Diocese T: 02 4967 6277 or email: Michelle.Kot@vinnies.org.au
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SPIRITUAL REFLECTION
PASSING OF A FRIEND
A true Vincentian I hope you can indulge me this opportunity to commit some thoughts on my father to the printed page. What follows is by no means the definitive portrayal of Carey but rather my attempt to express thoughts I failed to share with him while he was still with us.
providing the volunteers (who he was in awe of) with better working conditions, often overlooked in the pursuit of helping those in more immediate need. For dad’s sake can we make sure air conditioning is available to all those working in above 40 degree conditions.
I admired my father for his love of the poor and his humility. He did not prize accolades or achievements. To him, he had reached the highest office in the St Vincent de Paul Society when he became a member of the Beverly Hills parish conference.
He met a great many good people through the Society. I think he had the greatest admiration for an employee of the State Council by the name of Bob Grace. Bob was a member of the maintenance staff who passed away a few years back. Bob had been institutionalized in his early life. Not only did Bob teach himself to read, he also found his own independent accommodation which he then offered to two of his friends, one of whom would never have left institutional life without Bob’s determination and generosity.
Dad started his working life in Woolworths after a small time in the coalmines. I think it was only for a week but we were always reminded of his time down the pits of Stanwell Tops. He became an insurance broker for Leckie and Wilkinson before becoming the NSW Manager of Catholic Church Insurances. During this time he was editing The Record and accepted the offer to serve as President of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW State Council. His passion for the distribution of Christian literature eventuated in him working in the Society’s Literature and Distribution Centre. The opportunity to serve the Society as an advisor on Insurance and later OH&S meant a further career move. He became “Scary Carey” as he conducted audits on the Society’s Special Works. The emphasis of these audits were always focused on 30
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
Prayer played a significant part in dad’s life. He attended daily Mass and even fashioned a chapel in my sister’s old bedroom. He would greet each morning with an hour’s contemplation in his rocking chair praying for the Church, the Society and the four dogs that joined him each morning. In one way it was a blessing dad left us when he did as Basil had just about chewed through the leg of his chair. I love my dad and probably speak to him more now he’s gone. I know he’s looking down on us and I’m sure he’s touched at the way the four dogs wait by his chair each morning. By Anthony Tobin
NEWS
WINTER APPEAL
Tomorrow
: TODAY
TODAY:
can be different
W
inter is setting in and the economic situation in Australia will remain bleak. The St Vincent de Paul Society has already seen an increase in calls for help from many people experiencing homelessness for the first time as a result of the economic crisis and natural disasters ravaging NSW. Winter is the hardest time for those living on or below the poverty line and the current economic crisis will make things even worse this winter season. Following on from the successful ‘This time its personal’ campaign of Winter 2008; the Vinnies Winter Appeal 2009 will continue to give a voice to the voiceless, this time through real-life journal entries.
TODAY:
The Winter Appeal introduces the thoughts of real people. We asked some of the Australians we come into contact with every day, who have been overwhelmed by life’s hardships, to contribute to a journal. It would show one thing: what today meant to them. The collection of drawings, thought-provoking sentences, poems and collages illustrate an individual’s struggle with homelessness, mental illness or other challenges life has dealt them.
Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes attended the Winter Appeal Exhibition at the Glasshouse at the State Library of NSW to launch the Winter Appeal and lend his support to the Society. Visit vinnies.org.au to see the complete journal.
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TODAY
!
Tomorrow can be different with your help. ❏ $50 ❏ $30 ❏ $80 ❏ $100 ❏ $200 ❏ $500 ❏ OR $.................... Title: DR/MR/MRS/MS/MISS Name: .................................................................................................................................... Address: ................................................................................................................................. Suburb: ................................................................... State: ................ Postcode: ................. Phone no: ............................................................................................................................... Email: .....................................................................................................................................
WINTER APPEAL Thank you for your generosity. All gifts over $2 are tax deductable and a receipt will be sent to you. Please return this coupon and your gift to the St Vincent de Paul Society. NEW SOUTH WALES PO Box 19, Petersham NSW 2049 Telephone: (02) 9560 8666
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