Our impact

Building a just society means creating opportunities for everyone.

For the child born into a home of sustained disadvantage.

For the father who’s made mistakes but hopes to change his future.

For young men who need guidance on what it means to be a man.

For the teen mother who needs skills, education and prospects to support her child.

For the refugee, fleeing a war-torn country, with dreams of working in a hospital and helping others.

For remote and disadvantaged communities.

For the organisations working to improve access to services and supports.

For all of these people—and for so many more—our work to repair the web of relationships with self, with family, community and earth can be profound.

We know we are only part of the solution but we hope to lead by example, go where others won’t go, and build communities of justice to ensure our work has a lasting impact.

We’re dedicated to continue and grow this work and inspire more people to join us, so we can continue to build a just society where all people can live to their full potential.

As a social change organisation, we demonstrate our impact across three key focus areas:

Supporting people to flourish in a network of healthy relationships

Please note, all statistics relate to a one-year period from 2021-22.

Some examples include:

• 2,137 people participated in Jesuit College employment programs. With a range of practical, vocational courses designed to help people prepare for the world of work or further study, these people are now better equipped to achieve their career goals.
• 1,254 people were supported after the suicide of a loved one, through counselling, groups, or our online community.
• 1,956 people were vaccinated against Covid-19 through our Western Sydney vaccination outreach program.
• 662 young people who had disengaged from education were supported by the Navigator Program. The Navigator Program provides assertive outreach to young people who are disengaged from school, to support their re-engagement with education, training and employment pathways.
• 340 young people involved in the justice system received after hours support.
• 146 participants with mental health and/or substance abuse problems supported through Connexions counsellors and outreach. Connexions engages with young people in a way that promotes trust, safety and understanding, and supports them to improve their wellbeing while working towards their individual recovery goals.
• 63% of participants improved their hope for the future while involved with Jesuit Social Services, which is over 7,500 people.

Yasmeen came to Australia as a refugee with her mother and younger sister on a Women-at-Risk visa when she was 14.

The family escaped war in both Iraq and Syria. Yasmeen dreamed of studying medicine after seeing the atrocities of war. She studied hard and, after finishing high school in Australia, was offered a university place in biomedical science.

Yasmeen needed to work in order to support her studies. But as a young Muslim woman, she had been rejected for work many times. Some employers even told her they would be happy to hire her as long as she took off her hijab, which she refused to do.

Yasmeen was referred to one of Jesuit Social Services’ education, training and employment programs, where she received support to complete her qualification to become a traffic controller. She was also supported to purchase equipment for the job, including a two-way radio.

Yasmeen is now financially independent and studying her Bachelor of Biomedicine while working part-time. She hopes to one day become a neurosurgeon.

Empowering communities to participate and create positive change

Please note, all statistics relate to a one-year period from 2021-22.

Some example include:

• 7,966 participants from schools engaged in social justice sessions in Western Sydney.
• 6,300 people were inspired by participant stories of struggle and survival through Just Voices. The Just Voices Speakers Program connects with the community in unique and unforgettable ways. We offer inspiring motivational keynote speakers, musicians and story tellers from diverse communities, cultures and lived experiences.
• 4,673 school students unpacked masculinity through Man Box research. The Man Box is a study on being a young man in Australia. Its findings shed a new light on the social pressures that young Australian men experience to be ‘a real man’ and the impact this can have on their wellbeing, behaviours, and the safety of our wider community.
• 5,994 people tuned in to the online Dropping off the Edge report and website launches.
• 4,480 people heard participant stories of resilience and survival through the Just Voices speakers’ program.
• 3,990 culturally appropriate hampers delivered through the Ecological Justice Hub, including 1650 halal meals to Afghan refugees.
• 3,775 participants engaged through Schools and Community Engagement in social justice activities, learning and reflection.
• 1,500 drop-ins for community connection and support to the Hub at Mount Druitt.

Dave* exited prison and spent time in our Maribyrnong Community Residential Facility (MCRF). In Dave’s own words, the program has helped him break the cycle of reoffending and get his life back on track.

“I haven’t had much help in the past and so getting help from the MCRF team was good. Even a month after leaving, I picked up the phone and asked for a letter of support for a job and within 24 hours they had it done.”

“I have got further than I thought I would. I sort of feel like I can beat this and I can stay away from jail. I’ve been out for 14 months, before that I’ve been in jail 13 times – that’s nine years of my life. I really didn’t see much of life changing. I sort of can now – I just need to keep strong now and I can see myself falling away from that lifestyle.”

*Dave’s name has been changed to protect his identity.

Changing hearts, minds and systems

Please note, all statistics relate to a one-year period from 2021-22.

Some examples include:

• 250,909 views of our Policy & Strategic Communication submissions, news stories, blogs and media releases through the Jesuit Social Services website.
• 30,235 Facebook views of our social justice advocacy.
• 51,651 opportunities to engage with Worth A Second Chance online advocacy campaign to raise the age of criminal responsibility and promote a fairer youth justice system.
• 1,006 voices raised through the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA) Action for Afghanistan campaign.