Innovative Jesuit Social Services program set to help even more job seekers
Abbotsford Biscuits is a Jesuit Social Services Program that has been providing work placement and training opportunities for severely marginalised people since 2005. The Kitchen produces a range of bakery products and enjoys strong community support. Following a rigorous consultant review and market analysis in early 2009, Jesuit Social Services has made the desicision to grow The Kitchen to become a sustrainable social enterprise and has recently learnt that its application for funding to the Federal Government's Innovation Fund has been successful. The Kitchen will now move to realise this dream over the coming years and welcomes the opportunity to provide training and employment to even more young people in our community.

Jesuit Social Services thanks the partrons of Abbotsford Biscuits for your support since 2005 and looks forward to providing you with more delicious products in the future.

Read the full media release.
Purchase Abbotsford Biscuits online now.

Jesuit Social Services and NAB team up for Run Melbourne

On Sunday 28th June, staff from Jesuit Social Services and NAB came together to participate in Run Melbourne and raise money for Jesuit Social Services. With over 100 staff, NAB entered the largest corporate team and won an extra $1,000 for Jesuit Social Services!

Thank you to everyone who braved the chilly Melbourne morning and to those who sponsored them. Together, we exceeded our fundraising target of $10,000!

Stay tuned for the announcement of the final amount raised.
Photo left: Jesuit Social Services and NAB participants together enjoyed Run Melbourne 2009.
Photo right: NAB participant, Dave McCall, NAB Deputy CEO, Michael Ullmer and Jesuit Social Services CEO, Julie Edwards.
Photos: Krystelle Stephens 

2009 Federal Budget comments: Social inclusion in the hard times
There is no doubting Treasurer Wayne Swan is correct when he says these are complex times in which to frame a federal budget, courtesy of the global economic crisis.
The budget includes a mix of welcome initiatives to stimulate the economy and support jobs, along with some well targeted long-term savings measures to help with overall fiscal sustainability. However we were disappointed there wasn’t more of a focus on the Government’s Social Inclusion agenda, including lack of attention to the basic income support needs of our most disadvantaged unemployed people.
Julie Edwards, Chief Executive Officer

Read full article

For a summary of specific initiatives, see Budget Briefing from Catholic Social Services Australia.
Read Jesuit Social Services' Letters to the Editor about the Budget

Just Leadership Breakfast Series
The second breakfast in the Just Leadership series was held on 4th June. Over 100 people were inspired by guest speakers Peter Ellyard and Rita Sully to explore the question: As ‘ordinary people’, do we have the power to reimagine and reinvent the world and, if so, where do we begin?
Reflection by Just Leadership breakfast participant Shane Gladigau 

 Peter Ellyard and Rita Sully addressed over 100 people at the second Just Leadership Breakfast

 Marcus Coleman (Mallesons Stephens Jacques), Peter Ellyard (Guest Speaker, Executive Director of the Preferred Futures Institute), Pamela Webb (Jesuit Social Services), Rita Sully (Guest Speaker, Manager of Sustainability and Community Engagement, Western Power) and John Prior (NAB)

Get involved!
Find out about upcoming Just Leadership breakfasts