Inner West Archives - Page 2 of 7 - The Burdekin Association

Causes of youth homelessness – bereavement

March 17, 2023

Youth Homelessness - parental bereavement

According to CREATE Foundation, there were 45,000 children and young people living in out-of-home care across Australia between June 2018 to 2019. However, this number changes every year as children and young people come in and out of the care system… you can read more here.

What is the leading cause of homelessness in young people?

According to AIWH, in 2019–20, three of the main reasons young people aged 15–24 sought assistance from specialist homelessness services were a housing crisis (17%), family and domestic violence (17%) and inadequate or inappropriate dwelling conditions (12%).

Bereavement

Another reason we might not hear about is parental bereavement. Did you know that 1 in 20 children in Australia will lose a parent by the time they’re 18?

Death of a parent can be an extremely stressful time for a child or young person even if they have the support of the other parent. What if they don’t – who takes care of the children? Usually it would be settled by the court in consultation with family but in the event there is nobody able or willing to, then the child would be placed in out of home care and the agency would try to find a suitable foster family.

When the bereavement happens with a young person they may come to Burdekin, where we offer wraparound, therapeutic care for the child or young person.

We recently listened to Dr Justin Coulson’s Happy Families podcast with his guest speaker Kristy Thomas, Co-Founder of Feel the Magic and the topic of Helping Kids Cope With Grief. Kristy says’ Feel the Magic was borne out of her own and her husbands bereavement and lack of resources in Australia.

Feel the Magic hold virtual and face-to-face camps teaching emotional literacy, coping strategies, tools to self-regulate and self soothe and they also get to meet others who are going through the same thing. Anxiety, dysregulation, overwhelm, isolation, withdrawal and risk-taking behaviours. A child who has had a significant bereavement before the age of 18 is six times more likely to die by suicide. Have a listen. Helping Kids Cope With Grief

Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program

February 21, 2023February 15, 2023

Burdekin recently partnered with the City of Canada Bay Council and Ethnic Communities Council of NSW to deliver the Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program.

The aim of the program was to help build participants’ skills in leadership, advocacy and community engagement, enabling participants to become more effective leaders in their neighbourhood.

The program was funded by the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government. Special thanks to Deputy Mayor Stephanie Di Pasqua, Deputy Mayor of the City of Canada Bay and mentors April McCabe, People & Culture Advisor at City of Canada Bay and Vivian Kosseifi, Nurturing Emerging Communities Officer, City of Canada Bay – Library & Community Services. Many thanks also to the rest of the team.

Our CEO, Justene Gordon and Out-of-Home Care Manager, Jacqui Gildaly both provided presentations as part of the program. Team Leader Stephen Dukich joined as a mentor.

“On Saturday I finished up as a mentor on the Future Leaders Canada Bay program. This was a great program to be a part of and I am really thankful for the opportunity to be a mentor representing the Burdekin Association. I’ve learnt so much from the presenters April McCabe, Vivian Kosseifi and the rest of the team.

This program pushed me to think outside the box as a mentor, allowed me the chance to guide and role model for a mentee and make great connections.

The sessions were packed with worthwhile information and there were great key speakers Sally Sitou , Justene Gordon and Jacqueline Gildaly. Definitely a worthwhile project to be a part of.”
Stephen Dukich, Team Leader, The Burdekin Association

For the last 18 months, Burdekin has partnered with Canada Bay Libraries to deliver the Youth Space Project. Canada Bay Council Facebook

The Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW (ECCNSW) is the peak body for all culturally and linguistically diverse communities in New South Wales. Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW Facebook

More about the program – Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program

Christmas Spirit

January 23, 2023December 12, 2022

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

We have been able to decorate our properties for our young people thanks to the donations from our amazing community!

We really want to make this time of year as magical as possible, Christmas, while it comes with a mixed bag of emotions, is also a great opportunity to build up a new bank of positive memories and traditions for the future.

Community

22 handmade wreaths were donated to us to decorate our properties where our young people live – which is just amazing, see in the photo below how we used them.

Oxford Falls Grammar School

Thanks to the staff and students from Oxford Falls Grammar for these amazing Christmas hampers – the children and young people in our care will be so excited! Thank you so so much for your ongoing support!

Christmas campaign

We have received numerous donations from individuals and organisations. Our Patron, Brian Burdekin, AO has pledged $5000 towards our Youth Development Fund.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Home Sweet is back!

October 18, 2022October 18, 2022

Five years after the initial Home Sweet event, and three years since the follow up event, the Link Wentworth team are back at it again, raising much needed funds for homelessness with Home Sweet 2023.

Home Sweet commenced in 2017 and now, five years later, its needed even more due to the ever worsening housing crisis. There are more than 116,000 people experiencing homelessness across Australia and more than 17,000 Australian children under the age of 12 have no permanent home.

The Home Sweet campaign has raised over $300,000 across the two events in 2017 and 2019. This year, with your help, we hope to raise $200,000 plus. Money raised will be donated to The Burdekin Association (youth homelessness service), Women’s Community Shelters (providing safe accommodation for women escaping domestic violence) and Link Wentworth Scholarship Program (helping social housing tenants access education and employment training).

The event will be hosted on 17 March 2023 at Freshwater Surf Club with an added option to join virtually.

What’s next?

Donate, support a “sleepee” or sleep over yourself at Freshwater Surf Club on17th March 2023 to raise money for this valuable cause. You can also join virtually on the night by sleeping out in your car or backyard. Our CEO and some of our staff members will be sleeping over at the event and you will have the option to donate to the organisation or to an individual. More information.

Sponsor the event

Are you a business or individual who would like to sponsor the event? Please let us know if this is something you would be interested in supporting — we would love to hear from you! 2017 Press Release.

Famous faces in the past include: Brad Hazzard, Andrew Reid (Reidy), Christian Wilkins, Michael Regan, Jay Lenton …

You can read more about the event here: Home Sweet 2023 and/or download the Sponsorship Proposal.

The Home Sweet 2023 sleepover event is the perfect way to connect and reunite following a difficult couple of years, it will also provide economic, social and cultural benefits too! So we hope that you will jump onboard with great enthusiasm and support a wonderful community event that supports a number of initiatives.

Organisers:

Link Wentworth is one of the largest community housing providers in Australia, managing approximately 6,400 homes with around 10,000 residents and 200 staff. Link Wentworth is committed to providing more homes and delivering better services to enable a brighter future for people facing housing stress and homelessness. Read more…

Some photos from the 2017 event:

[Show slideshow]

Westfields Local Hero

September 14, 2022August 4, 2022

Winner update

We are so, so proud of Jacqui and her achievements on behalf of the children and young people we support.

Congratulations on being recognised by your community as a Westfield Local Heroes finalist for Westfield Hurstville for 2022. To be nominated by your community and selected as a finalist is a wonderful achievement. Jacqui was awarded a $5,000 grant to support the continuation of her work!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote – it is much appreciated! Thank you also to Westfields Local Heroes grant for the amazing opportunity!

Westfield Hurstville Local Hero finalist: Vote for Jacqui Gildaly and help her win $20,000 for Burdekin!

Burdekin’s own Jacqui Gildaly is one of three finalists for Hurstville in this year’s Westfields Local Heroes Awards. Jacqui is a passionate Program Manager for young people in out-of-home care.

Caring Jacqui Gildaly digs deep to keep life regular and happy for children in out-of-home care. In her role with The Burdekin Association, she is always willing to go the extra mile to find carers nearby children’s original community so they don’t need to change schools and can see their friends.
Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities. The finalist with the most community votes will become the Westfield Hurstville Local Hero for 2022, receiving a $20,000 grant for the organisation they represent. If Jacqui is successful, The Burdekin Association will put the grant towards its Uplift Fund, which pays for a therapist for the children, tutoring and needed items such as school laptops.

It only takes a minute to recognise and give back to someone in your community who is doing amazing work. Vote for your Westfield Local Hero today. Visit Jacqui’s profile on the Westfields Local Hero’s page – Jacqui Gildaly, Hurstville.

VOTING CLOSES 22ND AUGUST – BE QUICK!

VOTE FOR JACQUI GILDALY

Genuine. Caring. Passionate

Westfield Local Heroes is a recognition and awards program that shines the spotlight on individuals in Australia and New Zealand who make a positive impact to their local community or environment.