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More than 200 people gathered at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 1st for Jesuit Social Services’ Annual Dinner. The event has traditionally sought to deliver a thought-providing keynote on important social justice issues, give attendees a chance to network and mingle, while raising funds for the organisation’s work. But this year, fundraising took a back seat in favour of more time to connect and build relationships.
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Proud to be named an inclusive employer
Jesuit Social Services was recently named on a list of Australian organisations leading the way in diversity and inclusion. The independent not-for-profit peak body Diversity Council Australia’s tracks the state of inclusion in the Australian workforce through its Inclusive Employers Index. We are proud to be listed on the 2023-24 Index, which recognises organisations demonstrating a higher level of dedication to diversity and inclusion than the broader Australian workforce.
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How dialogue helped Billy reflect on harm caused
16-year-old Billy* did the wrong thing under the influence of drugs and older peers, but took responsibility for his actions through our Youth Justice Group Conferencing program. ...
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School work that’s out of the box
Ignatius Learning Centre students wrap their hands before boxing class. Teacher Nick Porter describes this as a “beautiful moment”. “It is a calming place – a time to clear their heads and set goals for the session.“
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Art classes ‘helped me to feel pride in my culture’
At our Willmot Community Hub in Western Sydney, up to a dozen Indigenous men have been gathering. Here, they paint canvases and Indigenous artifacts, and talk about their lives. ...
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Connecting with someone who gets what it’s like
“When I was bereaved by suicide, I was not just grieving the loss of a friend but grieving for all LGBTQIA+ people who face a transphobic and homophobic world each day,” says Immy Money, Project Officer at our new Support After Suicide Hub (SASH). “I was realising just how many in our community are suicide bereaved.”
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Helping Donna and Shayne make ‘a contribution beyond our caring’
Donna and Shayne’s fulltime role as carers to Jasmine saw them nominated for the lived experience reference group for Western Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect – our recently launched resource and support hub for carers of those experiencing mental health or substance misuse issues. Donna and Shayne’s 23-year-old daughter, Jasmine, has autism and associated mental health and mood problems – frequently experiencing anxiety, particularly when life lacks structure and order.
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Jesuit Social Services gets the ‘Rainbow Tick’
Jesuit Social Services staff member, Alex Fraser, is one of several team members who led the organisation towards Rainbow Tick accreditation over the last four years. The organisation set up a Rainbow Tick advisory group made up of interested staff from across the organisation, started a newsletter sharing LGBTIQA+ resources, began intentionally marking key dates – such as Wear It Purple Day and the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia, and Intersexism – with staff events and on its public platforms, updated its data collection practices and materials provided to participants, and set up an LGBTIQA+ Cultural Safety position, among other things.
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Nine Yarra neighbourhood houses join forces to strengthen local climate resilience
Nine Yarra neighbourhood houses gathered this week to launch a plan to reduce their environmental footprint and support the local community to adapt to climate change.
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Volunteering at Ignite Café ‘a privilege’ for Chee Ming
Chee Ming was food shopping at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market when she stumbled on an employment-help stall staffed by Jesuit Social Services. After hearing about her interest in hospitality, Jesuit Social Services connected Chee Ming to Ignite Café, our social enterprise café where people experiencing barriers to employment and training can come to build skills and connections to find work. Our staff also helped her find casual work in events.