-
article
The Victorian Government must set public targets to reduce the number of young people in detention, on remand and who re-offend after exiting the youth justice system, in light of a new report that shows an almost doubling of spending on youth detention services over the last four years, says Jesuit Social Services. The annual Report…
-
article
Social security boost welcome; longer-term support needed
The Federal Government’s decision to temporarily boost the Jobseeker Allowance (formerly known as Newstart) and the Youth Allowance Job Seeker payment for six months during the unfolding COVID-19 health crisis is extremely welcome – and demonstrates the need for longer-term solutions to support people on the margins, says Jesuit Social Services. “The COVID-19 crisis has…
-
article
In times of crisis, what can we learn from refugees?
DANIELLE SHERRY is Coordinator of our Just Voices Speakers Program. She recently spoke to Just Voices participant ISAIAH LAHAI about the lessons that can be learned from the experience of being a refugee for those grappling with life during a global pandemic. Just Voices Speaker, Isaiah Laha “Rain does not fall on one person’s house…
-
article
COVID-19 holds a mirror up to us
Once we get a chance to catch our collective breath we need to lift our gaze and ask ourselves: what kind of world do we want to live in, writes Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards, who shares her thoughts on what that world might look like. In this global pandemic, everything feels strange. The…
-
article
Mental wellbeing during a pandemic – a chat with Support After Suicide
The social distancing, isolation and separation from regular routines and social connections that are now part of our daily lives as a result of COVID-19 have impacted us all in different ways. Dr Louise Flynn, Manager of Jesuit Social Services’ Support After Suicide program, discusses mental wellbeing during the pandemic and how the work of…
-
article
Navigator Case Worker, Annabelle Beckert-Berger Navigator is a program for young people aged 12–17 who, for a wide range of reasons, have disengaged from school. The program aims to work with young people and their families to understand what’s going on in a young person’s life and address those challenges to get them back on…
-
article
ACT shows the country it is time to #RaiseTheAge
The Australian Capital Territory has paved the way for other states and territories to provide ageappropriate responses to children in trouble, following its Legislative Assembly voting to raise the age of legal responsibility from 10 to 14 years. It is the first Australian state or territory to commit to changing its laws to ensure primary…
-
article
Spent conviction reform will support civic participation
The Victorian Government’s introduction of the Spent Convictions Bill 2020 into Victorian Parliament today will ultimately support people to reconnect with the community and reach their full potential, says Jesuit Social Services. “Victoria has been the only jurisdiction in Australia without a spent conviction scheme, so we welcome the introduction of this Bill which will…
-
article
Mental health funding welcome, but more postvention funding needed
The Victorian Government’s $868.6m investment into fixing the state’s mental health system, announced ahead of the Victorian State Budget 2020/21, will improve outcomes for millions of Victorians according to Jesuit Social Services. “The Victorian Government has shown a strong commitment to transforming our mental health system, including the establishment of the Royal Commission which will…
-
article
International Day of People with Disability
The International Day of People with Disability invites us to remember people who experience from different kinds of disability and to enter their lives compassionately, writes ANDY HAMILTON SJ. When we see the extraordinary agility and skills of tennis players and other athletes with a disability, the poetry written by people who experience mental illness,…