Our thinking Archives - Page 32 of 35 - Jesuit Social Services

Dehumanising human services
- 9 November 2016
Across Australian jurisdictions the trend towards marketisation continues apace. Examples of this can be seen many areas of government from ports to poles and wires. So perhaps unsurprisingly we’ve now reached a point in which the one area where you might reasonably least expect the market to go – human services – it is now…
Year of mercy
- 3 November 2016
To conclude the year of mercy Pope Francis will celebrate two special Masses: one for prisoners and the other for the homeless. Just as the year of mercy took us into the Pope’s vision of the church and the world, so these two Masses show what is dearest to him. Prisoners turn up everywhere in…
'Naming and shaming' young offenders would only further marginalise
- 28 October 2016
There has been growing attention given to issues of youth crime, with talk of ‘thugs’ and youth gangs widespread in the media. As a tough on crime response to these issues, the Victorian Opposition recently proposed the introduction of reforms which relate to the naming and shaming of young offenders. These proposed reforms would include…
There's room at the table for the poor ... if we make it
- 17 October 2016
One of the most misused passages of Christian scripture tells us we shall always have the poor with us. That is a statement of fact, often repeated by those who are not poor in order to dismiss any project that involves public expenditure or private generosity to people who are poor. In practice they mean…
Breaking down barriers to employment
- 20 September 2016
Immigrant communities often face the issue of not being able to obtain employment in their field or at a level commensurate with their experience and qualifications. There are systemic barriers to entry which mean that many people within these communities work in roles where they are significantly under-employed or unable to gain meaningful employment. The…
Why justice reinvestment works
- 19 September 2016
Two months ago, the Northern Territory’s youth justice system was placed in the national spotlight with ABC TV’s Four Corners’ revelations of abuse and brutalization carried out towards vulnerable young people. The program led to the establishment of the Royal Commission into the Child Protection and Youth Detention Systems of the Northern Territory, and posed…
Strategies to address youth offending must address the drivers
- 15 September 2016
This week, Jesuit Social Services is presenting at the 2nd Australasian Youth Justice Conference, which is hosted in partnership by the Australasian Juvenile Justice Administrators (AJJA) and Griffith University. Jesuit Social Services is pleased to have this opportunity to meet with key stakeholders, researchers and policymakers to discuss issues of youth justice, and in particular…
Addressing insecure work must be accompanied by addressing disadvantage
- 8 September 2016
Last week, the Victorian Inquiry into Labour Hire and Insecure Work handed the Victorian Government its final report after receiving almost 700 submissions from individuals and organisations, including Jesuit Social Services. We look forward to the report being made public in due course and commend the Government’s focus on improving the safeguards and supports for…
Strengthening accountability and giving young people a voice
- 25 August 2016
For nearly 40 years, Jesuit Social Services has been working with young people, particularly those who are disadvantaged and disengaged. We know from research and experience that young people in detention are especially vulnerable and have complex support needs. As identified by the Youth Parole Board, 62 per cent of children and young people in…
Disadvantage must be considered as a central issue in response to disability
- 12 August 2016
Jesuit Social Services recently provided a submission to the discussion paper of the Victorian state disability plan for 2017-2020. The Victorian state disability plan is a government policy framework for improving the way services and environments work for people with disabilities. Our submission, highlighted the issues for people with cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice…