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Andy Hamilton SJ reflects on the true spirit of Christmas. In the Christian tradition, which we inherit at Jesuit Social Services, Christmas marks the point at which God shared our human experience. It is to wonder at the contrast between the completeness and self-sufficiency of God and the smallness, dependence and mean surroundings of the…
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Quality childcare and education crucial to achieve positive outcomes in adult life
Australia is below the OECD average in investment in early childhood education, and our political leaders must prioritise the care and education needed by children before they reach five, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Policy and Advocacy volunteer TONY SANTOSPIRITO. This year’s report Lifting Our Game: Report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian…
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Give people a home, and you give them a second chance to get their lives on track
Unstable housing is the most significant factor affecting the likelihood of somebody returning to prison. If we want to reduce re-offending and create a safer society, we must ensure people leaving prison have access to safe and secure housing, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Policy, Research and Advocacy Officer JEMIMA HOFFMAN. The recidivism rate in Victoria…
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Keeping young people engaged with school means better outcomes for the whole community
More than half of the young people involved in Victoria’s youth justice system have been suspended or expelled from school. The Navigator program helps keep vulnerable young people connected with education – and more children should have access to it, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. The links between disengagement from education…
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Victorian election is a time to commit to solutions to fix our broken youth justice system
The next Victorian Government must commit to solutions to fix our broken youth justice system – including a rollback of regressive sentencing practices, raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years and investing in diversion programs, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Policy and Advocacy volunteer AARON BATCHELOR. Youth justice is at a crossroads…
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World Migrant and Refugee Sunday (August 26) invites us to extend our compassion beyond our own suburb, city and nation, and reminds us that the plight of refugees and immigrants is worldwide, writes ANDY HAMILTON SJ. World Migrant and Refugee Sunday is celebrated by Catholics around the world. It invites us to extend our compassion beyond…
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This Homelessness Week, it is time to focus on young people
Many young people who have contact with the youth justice system have experienced insecure or unsafe housing, or homelessness. Jesuit Social Services’ Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN writes that this Homelessness Week, it’s time to focus on housing for vulnerable young people to ultimately prevent crime. More than 116,000 Australians are homeless on any given…
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NAIDOC Week - time to celebrate the strong women who have spoken truth to power in Australia
The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week – Because of her, we can – is timely for all Australians and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the strong women who have spoken truth to power in Australia, writes ANDY HAMILTON SJ. The origins of NAIDOC Week came out of a Day of Mourning for the destruction…
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Francis' ordeal reveals failings of NDIS and the prison system
The story of a young man named Francis reveals significant failings of both the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the criminal justice system – and his plight must lead to better outcomes for people like him in the future, writes Jesuit Social Services Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. In November 2017, a young man…