February


Respect the workers
Jesuit Social Services supported The Australian Services Union (ASU) Respect The Workers Campaign rally on Tuesday 10th November at 11am. The ASU is seeking better pay for our work so the community sector is sustainable into the future, and the people we work with receive the support they deserve. Jesuit Social Services encouraged staff to attend.

ARTFUL DODGERS EXHIBITION
'Out of my head'
The critical battle of the growing individual to manage issues like mental illness, societal prejudices, family hardships and the misuse of drugs and alcohol inspires the work. The centrepiece installation is an outsize ganglia/neuron station representing the thunderstorms and lightning-struck inspirations of the brain. The second group-devised installation features footwear: shoes, boots and sneakers layered with the vivid and maddening detritus of life. The venue will be filled with sounds created in the Artful Dodgers music studios under the Living Music program.
More...


October 2009

Just Leadership Series

Just Leadership Breakfast 4
8th October 2009
The fourth Just Leadership breakfast held on October 8, 2009, filled the main room of Chapter House for a discussion with three insightful social reformers. The theme for the morning, “Just Markets: Harnessing capitalism for the greater good,” fit perfectly with the recent work of Andy Kuper, Lillian Masebenza and Cheryl Kernot. Their stories of social enterprises around the world generated excited discussions at the tables, and some impressive commitments from a crowd that seemed genuinely empowered. More...















Previous Breakfasts:
Just Leadership Breakfast 3, 12th August 2009
Just Leadership Breakfast 2, 4th June 2009
Just Leadership Breakfast 1, 2nd April 2009 

---

ANTI-POVERTY WEEK, 11th - 17th October 2009
"More and more people are being forced to live on the margins, relying on the support of organisations such as Jesuit Social Services to get by.” Julie Edwards, Chief Executive Officer
Jesuit Social Services and Melbourne Citymission are Victorian co-chairs of
Anti-Poverty Week 2009. For a full program of events, see www.antipovertyweek.org.au

---

Stairway to  international student security
Although a tad shabby, this stairwell is one of Melbourne's best academies of learning, a place where real insights can be gained. More

Young Somalis are Australians too
Here is a challenge for all of us. A stronger sense of communal responsibility needs to be rediscovered, a recognition that if there is a problem, then we all own it, not just the figures of authority and the bureaucrats who devise 'policy solutions'. More

Articles written by Jesuit Social Services volunteer, Ben Coleridge, pictured here at the African Program Homework Tutoring Club (photo: second from right).



September 2009

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 decision to grow The Kitchen to become a sustainable 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 patrons 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.


August 2009

Loyola College walks to support Jesuit Social Services
A big thank you to the students from Mannix House, Loyola College for their recent fundraising effort; raising $3445 for Brosnan Youth Services. The Mannix House students along with their classmates took part in the annual St Ignatius Day Walkathon to raise money for their chosen House charity.

November

December

The human faces of Christmas Island
The Director of Jesuit Refugee Services Australia, Fr Sacha Bermudez-Goldman SJ, has urged the Australian public to place itself in the shoes off asylum seekers and try to imagine and understand their plight.


November

Artful Dodgers publication
'This is what i do' launch
On the 30th July 2009, Artful Dodgers and Living Music launched their most recent publication, 'This is what i do' in spectacular style with an event at The Crom in Collingood. 

'This is what i do' launch - pictures and words

Copies of 'This is what i do' are avaialbe from the Artful Dodgers Studio at 1 Landridge Street, Collingwood. Work by the Artful Dodgers can be viewed and purchased from www.artfuldodgers.tv

June 2009

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!

April 2009

Frank Costigan
The Jesuit Social Services community is very saddened by the news of Frank Costigan’s death. Frank had been involved with Jesuit Social Services since 1987 when he joined the Management Committee of the Brosnan Centre. He was appointed by the Jesuit Provincial as an inaugural member of the Board when Jesuit Social Services was formed in 1995. He resigned in October 2008 due to ill health. With grace and humour he shared generously his insight, intellect and wise counsel. Read more.  Read the eulogy by Frank Brennan SJ.

March 2009

Annual Fundraising Dinner 2009
In his speech at the Annual Fundraising Dinner, young Muslim community leader, Waleed Aly, challenged us to rethink what participation means in our society, particularly for refugees.

February 2009

Apology, one year on - 13th February 2009.
Jesuit Social Services joins many across the nation in commemorating the first anniversary of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to members of the Stolen Generations. One year on, the speech remains a watershed in relations between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians. The anniversary is a time to reflect on what we have done over the past year towards eliminating the major disadvantages that continue to face Indigenous people in health, housing, education and employment, and a reminder of the challenges ahead. The apology will not have meaning outside concrete improvements in the lives of Indigenous people, families and communities. Our involvement in supporting young Indigenous people involved with the justice system is a constant reminder of how far we still have to go to create a just society for all Australians.

For further information and resources:
Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation
http://www.antar.org.au/

Reconciliation Australia
http://www.reconciliation.org.au/i-cms.isp

The National Close the Gap campaign, including details of the National Close the Gap Day
http://www.closethegap.com.au/

A copy of the Prime Minister’s Sorry Day speech
http://www.pm.gov.au/media/speech/2008/speech_0073.cfm

Patrick Dodson’s Sorry Day address at the National Press Club
http://www.abc.net.au/news/opinion/speeches/files/20080213_dodson.pdf

December 2008

Frank Brennan SJ to lead Human Rights Consultation
Jesuit Social Services Board member Father Frank Brennan SJ AO was this week announced to lead a public consultation into Australia’s opinion on human rights. The consultation will ultimately decide if Australia will have its own Bill of Rights. The announcement, made by Attorney-General Robert McClelland, came with high praise from many circles, including the legal profession and across the media. Fr. Brennan is highly regarded for his work for social justice and human rights and in his position as eminent professor of law at the Australian Catholic University. He was awarded an Australian Order in 1995 for his services to Aboriginal Australians.
Julie Edwards, CEO of Jesuit Social Services, commented that “Frank Brennan is a leader in human rights and a great choice for this significant investigation into what Australians value and how we should protect those who may be socially excluded.”
Frank Brennan has been a Board member with Jesuit Social Services since April 2007. http://www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au/

October 2008

Australian Catholic Bishops Social Justice Statement 2008
Jesuit Social Services is passionately committed to ensuring that those in our community who are most affected by poverty in our affluent country are given an opportunity to find their rightful place in society. Our mission of building a just society is embedded in all we do and in the way we do our work day to day. We strongly support and endorse the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference statement: A Rich Young Nation: The challenge of poverty in Australia. A copy of the report can be downloaded here. Julie Edwards, Chief Executive Officer.

September 2008

Support After Suicide website launch
The new Support After Suicide website www.supportaftersuicide.org.au was launched on 10th September 2008, World Suicide Prevention Day.
The website provides support and information for those bereaved by suicide.

August 2008

Artful Dodgers Studios Mural wall at Austin Hospital Artful Dodgers
Studios participants were invited to design and paint a mural on a yard wall at the Austin Hospital
Read more and view photos

June 2008

Jesuit Social Services Annual Fundraising Dinner
The Annual Fundraising Dinner was held on 24th May 2008 and was attended by nearly 500 people.
Julie Edwards, CEO spoke about planting the seed in faith followed by guest speaker The Hon. Jenny Macklin MP.

Taxi Driver Theatre of Transformation
The African Program presented the Theatre of Transformation production, Only a Taxi Driver, on Thursday 10th June 2008.

April 2008

Reflection on participation in the 2020 Summit – Julie Edwards CEO
“By 2020 Australia should be known throughout the world for its diverse, fair, compassionate and respectful society…. and ….Australia should be an inclusive society with an economy, not the other way around.”
This key statement from the ‘Strengthening Communities, Supporting Families and Social Inclusion’ stream of the 2020 Summit resonates with the vision and values of Jesuit Social Services. I was a member of this working group which was co-chaired by The Hon. Tanya Plibersek, Federal Minister for Housing and Rev. Tim Costello. The group had a real commitment to affirm the importance of inclusion for everyone and to define how social inclusion can be realised particularly for the marginalised and disadvantaged. Read more...

Julie Edwards, CEO to represent Jesuit Social Services at the 2020 Summit
Jesuit Social Services represented at 2020 Summit Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards has been included in the Strengthening Communities, Supporting Families and Social Inclusion group of the Australian Government's 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation's future. "This is a terrific opportunity for us to talk about the very people we work with - those who need strengthening, supporting and including in our society," says Julie Edwards. Also chosen for inclusion at the 2020 Summit are two of Jesuit Social Services' Board members, Fr Frank Brennan SJ and Ms Patricia Faulkner for their outstanding contributions in their own fields.