We want to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
This past year was special for all of us, in part due to Covid-19 and in part due to the expansion of our services into the Inner West, Eastern and South East Sydney. We were busy and all for the right reasons!
We have so many people to thank for their support and guidance. Particular thanks go to our Board made up of dedicated volunteers, supporters from all levels of Government, members of our business community, philanthropic organisations providing money for special projects and all the wonderful, generous individuals we come across and who support us throughout the year. And last but not least, the young people in our care who we build relationships with. We appreciate you, every single one of you. We see you, we hear you and we celebrate your achievements with you.
We wish you all the very best for Christmas and look forward to spending 2021 with you.
It is almost Christmas – a typical family time when some of our young people feel intensely isolated and lonely. Christmas evokes images of happy times spent with family and friends and it can hit children and young people in care hard as it shows up what they are lacking. We, of course, try really hard to make it a special time for the young people in our care, with presents and extra attention.
The Youth Support Fund
This is where you come in. We wish to raise money this Christmas to provide young people with the opportunity to access a fund they apply to for items that make a difference in their lives. It could be new shoes for an interview, a laptop to study online, swimming lessons for their child or a moving in pack for a new residency. We believe it is important to support young people’s independence and provide them with choices they would experience in a family context as well. Please take a look at our Christmas 2020 Appeal and our Youth Support Fund and see if you can help in any way. You might like to organise your own Christmas fundraising event and nominate Burdekin as the beneficiary! If you can, please donate to the Youth Support Fund!
Live-in Foster Carers
We have vacancies and need Live-In Foster Carers in the Inner West, Eastern and South East Sydney. Please have a look at our Carers page, our Carers FAQ page and our Meet Our Carers page and see if this is something you or someone you know may be interested in. If it’s not for you, please share this link with someone you think would be a great fit for Burdekin.
Simone is 15 and one of 7 children. She has lived with her aunt and uncle since she was 5 but her behaviour has become unsettled this year.
She was suspended from school for rudeness to teachers. Following this, her aunt and uncle have said they can no longer care for her. Simone is remorseful and is looking to make a fresh start with a welcoming family. Simone is waiting for someone to welcome her into their home. Could this be you giving her a second chance?
We acknowledge the Aboriginal people of the Cadigal and Gayamaygal Clans. We acknowledge the Country on which we live, work, and gather as being Aboriginal land.
We acknowledge the lands, waterways and skies that are connected to Aboriginal people. We honour them and pay our deepest respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
We respect their rightful place within our communities, and we value their ancient cultural knowledge and practices.
We deeply respect that this will always be Aboriginal land and we will honour and follow the first peoples’ values in caring for the Country and for preserving their culture.
We deeply value that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the oldest living culture in the world and we will continue to work with their peoples and communities to ensure their cultures endure and remain strong.
