project_youth

Project Youth September 2025 Newsletter

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 01:07:56 GMT

Project Youth Newsletter - September 2025

Dear Supporters,

It’s been a season of growth, change, and new beginnings at Project Youth. We’ve welcomed inspiring young people into YPAC (Youth People Advocating Change) , our RAP working group, and onto our Board, ensuring lived experience continues to lead. We’re celebrating culture through the Pasifika + Indigenous Fusion Festival, farewelling Café Social as it reopens as a mobile coffee cart, and rolling out Tastes Like Home, a new program building life skills and wellbeing through food.

And there’s more to come! We’re getting ready to launch the BEAR Project (Be Engaged, Act, Rise), host our AGM, and drop fresh episodes of our podcast ‘Beyond Homelessness: Conversations That Matter’ (catch up on the previous episodes on Spotify while you wait). We’ve also been advocating hard by making a submission to the SCHADS Award review on gendered pay, sharing YPAC’s ideas with HOMES NSW for a new Young People Homelessness Action Plan, and contributing lived experience insights to NSW Health’s new Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We also have a new event coming at the end of this year called Unfiltered: From streets to stories, an opportunity to connect with young people and hear what they have to say about ending youth homelessness.

Keep an eye on our socials across Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @projectyouthsydney — big things are happening, and we can’t wait to have you on the journey with us.

Kind regards,

Jodie CEO, Project Youth

Welcome to Our New Lived experience workers

Young People Advocating Change (YPAC) - Project Youth is proud to welcome the newest members of our Young People Advocating for Change (YPAC) group: Quinn, Grace, Aries, Harry, and Sig. These inspiring young people bring with them lived experience, along with a deep commitment to advocacy, representation, and driving meaningful change within their communities. At the heart of YPAC is the belief that young people’s voices matter. Quinn, Grace, Aries, Harry, and Sig will play a vital role in shaping the direction of our work, ensuring that youth perspectives remain at the forefront of everything we do. https://www.projectyouth.org.au/what-is-ypac

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) - Project Youth is excited to welcome JZ and Daniel as the newest members of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working Group. We're proud to have two passionate young people with lived experience joining the conversation and contributing their voices to this important work. Their insights will be invaluable as we continue to walk the path of reconciliation, guided by truth, respect, and action. https://www.projectyouth.org.au/our-resources

Project Youth Board – We’re proud to announce that Aries and Shirley have joined the Project Youth Board as volunteer members. Their involvement marks an exciting step in strengthening youth participation at the highest level of our organisation. With their lived experience and strong passion for creating change, Aries and Shirley will play a key role in shaping strategy, challenging assumptions, and keeping us grounded in what matters most — young people. Having young leaders involved in governance is important to ensure we are leading with intention. We look forward to the insight, courage, and vision they’ll bring to the boardroom.

We’re excited to walk alongside all our new youth roles, encouraging them as they lead, challenge, and inspire change. https://www.projectyouth.org.au/our-governance

Welcome to our Lived Experience Ambassador

This year we also proudly welcomed our first Project Youth Ambassador, Ethan. Having journeyed through our programs and then worked with us as a Peer Worker for 18 months, Ethan has now moved forward in his career in another industry while choosing to continue his connection with Project Youth. Ethan wanted to keep giving back and supporting both our organisation and the young people we serve. As an ambassador, he will attend events, engage with funders, and share his lived experience to bring to life the realities of youth homelessness. Ethan’s journey is a shining example of resilience and leadership, and his continued involvement as an ambassador will inspire other young people while strengthening our advocacy and community impact. By embedding lived expertise into service delivery, governance, and leadership, Project Youth is not just delivering services for young people, we are building a future with them.

You're Invited: Fusion Festival Pasifika + Indigenous

Project Youth is proud to present the Fusion Festival — a vibrant, youth-led celebration of culture, creativity, and community. A cultural celebration led by young people for everyone in our community .

Project Youth is proud to present the Fusion Festival — a vibrant, youth-led celebration of culture, creativity, and community.

Date : Friday, October 10th, 2025
Time : 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Location : Gunnamatta

FREE & open to all community members

Join us for an afternoon filled with:

Live performances by Pasifika and Indigenous young people
Food stalls featuring a rich variety of cultural cuisines
Creative workshops in weaving, carving, jewellery making, and painting
A Smoking Ceremony with Uncle Dean

This event celebrates the strength, diversity, and voices of young people while fostering community connection through culture. Proudly presented by Project Youth, with the support of Sutherland Shire Council. Let’s come together to honor tradition, celebrate youth, and connect through shared experiences. We can't wait to see you there!

View flyer here

Farewell to Café Social – Thank You for the Memories

After 12 years of serving up great coffee, conversations, and a welcoming space for connection, we closed Café social on 25 ^th July 2025

Café Social was more than just a café it was a community hub, a safe place for young people, and a space where friendships, creativity, and support could grow. From youth-led events to barista training and employment pathways, Café Social played a unique role in the lives of many.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to every young person, staff member, volunteer, and community member who contributed to the café’s success over the years. Your energy, passion, and presence made it truly special.

While we say goodbye to this chapter, the spirit of Café Social lives on in the work we continue to do creating spaces where young people feel empowered, connected, and supported.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

We’re excited to announce that Café Social will now operate as a mobile coffee cart , continuing to provide employment opportunities for young people and a warm space for community connection.

Find us in the courtyard behind 3A Stapleton Avenue, Sutherland

Launching Monday 15th September

Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Come for your morning brew and meet our fabulous young barista , who’s not only serving great coffee but also gaining valuable skills and experience through this youth employment initiative.

Thank you for supporting Café Social over the years and we look forward to welcoming you at our new spot in Sutherland.

Stay tuned for more details on our website https://www.projectyouth.org.au/cafe-social

Tastes like Home

Tastes Like Home is an innovative online cooking and wellbeing resource designed specifically for young people with lived experience of homelessness. It was developed in partnership with young people, a professional chef, and a qualified nutritionist to address a significant gap in access to basic life skills and nutritional education.

The program aims to build confidence in the kitchen and support young people’s physical and mental health through food. Recognising that many young people have not had the opportunity to learn how to cook due to unstable housing, lack of access to kitchen facilities, or limited support systems. Tastes Like Home provides a practical, inclusive, and supportive alternative.

Key features of the program include:

A library of 12 simple, affordable recipes tailored to young people’s needs and budgets
12 step-by-step cooking videos, filmed with and by young people with lived experience
Nutrition tips developed by a qualified nutritionist to support healthy eating on a budget
A mindful eating guide available in both video and written format, linking food and mental wellbeing

The content is designed to be approachable and realistic and focuses on building everyday life skills. The program also considers the barriers that traditional online cooking content presents, such as inaccessibility for those without basic cooking tools, skills, or stable housing.

Tastes Like Home is being rolled out across Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) in NSW and is available for any young person interested in building these important skills.

https://www.projectyouth.org.au/tastes-like-home

Youth Mental Health First Aid Course

At Project Youth , we believe mental health is just as important as physical health, and knowing how to support a friend in need can make all the difference.

That’s why we’re proud to offer our Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Training Course, a nationally accredited program designed to equip young people, parents, educators, and community members with the skills to recognise the signs of mental health challenges and respond with confidence, care, and knowledge.

This engaging, evidence-based course will help participants:

Understand common mental health issues affecting young people aged 12–25
Recognise warning signs and risk factors for mental health crises
Learn how to approach, support, and refer a young person to professional help
Reduce stigma around mental health through open, informed conversations

Whether you’re a young person wanting to support your peers, a parent keen to connect with your teen, or a professional working with youth — this course is for you.

View flyer here

Thanks for reading we will see you at the next one

Our amazing photos are courtesy of our volunteer photographer Dermot Carlin. www.dermotcarlin.com

Donate Now

Project Youth partnership with NSW Young Lawyers Association

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:52:16 GMT

Exciting new partnership

We are proud and deeply grateful to be selected by NSW Young Lawyers as their Charity of the Year .

This partnership is a meaningful recognition of the work we do at Project Youth to support and empower young people facing homelessness and disadvantage. The support of NSW Young Lawyers will directly contribute to programs that build skills, confidence, and brighter futures for the young people in our community.

NSW Young Lawyers is a Committee of the Law Society of New South Wales that represents the Law Society and its members on issues and opportunities arising in relation to early career lawyers (those within the first five years of practice or up to the age of 36). The mission of NSW Young Lawyers is to support the Law Society in its strategic objectives as they relate to supporting the growth, engagement and professional development opportunities for this cohort.

Each year, the NSW Young Lawyers Patron and Charity for the following year are voted on and selected by attendees at the NSW Young Lawyers Annual Assembly.

In 2025, the NSW Young Lawyers Charity chosen was Project Youth. As the chosen charity, between January 2025 - December 2025 the NSW Young Lawyers Committee would fundraise, raise awareness and otherwise provide support or collaborate with Project Youth.

Please watch the video below to hear about Project Youth and see how the partnership with NSW Young Lawyers will work.

Watch video here https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/z1rxxi2ti5tl0h7p7a8ro/NSWYL-x-Project-Youth-Promotional-video.mp4?rlkey=tzl50rvsdoiubv1ho7hoy5000&st=95m5ccqe&dl=0

EOFY Campaign 2025

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:39:48 GMT

958 young people were turned away last year. You can help change that.

This End of Financial Year, you can help rewrite a young person’s story

Behind every statistic is a young person with dreams, fears, and untapped potential.

At Project Youth, we support young people experiencing homelessness — often hidden from view. They’re couch surfing, staying in unsafe homes, or living in crisis accommodation.

Last year, we had to turn away 958 young people because we simply didn’t have enough resources.

You can help change that.

With June 30 fast approaching, your tax-deductible donation can provide something life-changing:

�� A safe place to sleep
�� Support to finish school
�� Guidance to find a job
�� Someone to talk to when life feels overwhelming

You may never meet the young person you help — but they’ll never forget the difference you made.

“If it wasn’t for Project Youth, I honestly don’t know where I’d be. They believed in me when no one else did.” — Jordan, 18

✨ Donate now to change a young life — and claim your EOFY tax benefit.

Even a small act of kindness can be life-changing.
Please give what you can before June 30.
Help a young person feel seen, supported — and safe.

Watch video here

Election Voting Guide: for young people by young people

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:59:16 GMT

'How to Vote Guide' for young people, by young people

Election Voting Guide:

for young people, by young people

WHY should I vote? WHO do I vote for? HOW do I vote?

Why you should vote

It’s not just to avoid the ﬁne:

We know voting is legally required in Australia — but it’s more than ticking a box. It’s your chance to say what kind of future you want; it’s your power to shape how Australia runs.

You don’t need to be an expert:

Politics can feel overwhelming — that’s normal. Just ﬁgure out what matters to you, then vote for someone who stands for those things.

One vote feels small — but together we’re massive:

Young people are a huge part of the population. If we all vote with care, we can change the result of an entire election.

If you don’t decide, someone else will decide for you:

Not voting (or voting randomly) is still a choice. It’s a choice to let someone else decide what happens to your life, your money, your rights

How to find out who to vote for?

You don’t need to know everything — but here’s some ways to find out:

1. Tools to help you know who to vote for:

Answer questions to see which parties align with you.

a. Vote Compass

Vote Compass Australia 2025 - Australia Votes - ABC News

b. Build a Ballot

Build a Ballot - Get election ready

Tip: Vote Compass can a bit jargon-y — so don’t stress if it’s confusing.

I personally ﬁnd Build a Ballot is better – clearer, and easy to use.

2. List three things that matter you the most:

For example, Housing? Jobs? Human Rights? Cost of living? ….

Now check which party cares about those things the most.

Search the party’s name with policy, such as “Green policy”

3. Look up your local candidates

You’re voting for a person to represent your community in Parliament. It’s worth knowing who they are and what they stand for.

Who are my candidates - Australian Electoral Commission

Tip: Don't just vote for the name you’ve heard the most — vote for who aligns with your values.

How you can vote

It’s easier than you think — and you’ve got options.

Step 1: Enrol to vote

You can enrol from 16 but vote at 18. Check dates for when enrolment close online.

Confirm my enrolment

Moved house? Changed your name? Make sure it's updated before election day!

Step 2: Choose how you want to vote

Pick what works for you:

On election day at polling booths (Saturday 3 May 2025) You can find your nearest polling booth here
Early voting (if you're working or away on the election day)
Postal vote (they mail it to you — you send it back)

Voting options - Australian Electoral Commission

Step 3: Vote on two papers

You’ll get:

Green paper – House of Representatives

o This is for your local candidate

o Number every box in the order you prefer (1 = your favourite)

Tip: This is a preferential vote – your order matters!

Voting in Australia

White paper – Senate

o This is for your state-wide reps

o Option 1: Vote above the line – number at least 6 parties, or

o Option 2: Vote below the line – number at least 12 people

How to vote in the 2025 federal election | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

Final thoughts

You don’t have to be an expert. You just have to care enough to show up prepared

Because when young people vote with purpose, you don’t just participate in democracy — you shape it.

Beyond Homelessness - Conversations that matter

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:14:52 GMT

Beyond Homelessness: Conversations that Matter is a podcast that amplifies the voices of young people with lived experience of homelessness.

These are not just stories — they are calls to action. In each episode, we dive into honest, powerful conversations that expose the realities of youth homelessness, challenge the systems that fail young people, and highlight the strength, resilience, and leadership of those most impacted.

This is a platform for truth-telling, advocacy, and disruption — where young people speak for themselves. It’s a space to inspire change in communities, influence government policy, and reimagine a future where every young person has a future without homelessness.

Tune in, listen deeply, and join the movement to go beyond homelessness — together.

Listen now on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2fNH08cwsZqe3KiBuZJfSn...

Listen now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist...

Project Youth Raffle

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 02:21:26 GMT

Purchase tickets here

Dear Friends and Supporters of Project Youth,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Education Raffle , an opportunity for you to win fantastic prizes while making a meaningful impact in the lives of young people facing significant challenges.

By participating, you’re directly supporting Project Educate , our transformative program designed to help young people facing homelessness, mental health struggles, and barriers to staying in mainstream education. By purchasing a ticket in this raffle you are directly supporting Project Educate.

Your support helps fund the education of 10 students each year, empowering them to complete Year 9 and earn their Record of School Achievement (RoSA) . These students have often been out of school for up to three years, facing complex and difficult circumstances, and were previously at risk of a future with very limited opportunities.

100% of the students enrolled in Project Educate last year successfully graduated and achieved their RoSA - a life-changing achievement for each of them.

We receive no government funding to Project Educate and that’s why we rely on the generosity of our community to ensure these students stay in education where they can build a future.

To support you can buy a ticket (or multiple tickets) in our Education Raffle . Every ticket sold brings us one step closer to giving these young people the opportunities they deserve.

Please help spread the word by sharing this with your friends, family, and networks.

The raffle commences 1st April 2025 and will be drawn Thursday 26 ^th June 2025 at 3.00pm

1 ^st Prize - $2000.00 Visa/Mastercard Card

2 ^nd Prize - $ 900.00 value – Marriage celebrant for your wedding donated by Rubydo

3 ^rd Prize - $ 600.00 Value – 1 nights accommodation with Breakfast at the Shangri La

4 ^th Prize - $ 199.00 Value – Facial and Massage donated by Ameera Beauty Kareela

5 ^th Prize - $ 199.00 Value – Facial and Massage donated by Ameera Beauty Kareela

6 ^th Prize - $ 100.00 Value – Voucher for Delicious Meal at Café Social

1 ticket for $ 10.00

2 tickets for $ 20.00

3 tickets for $ 30.00

4 tickets for $ 40.00

5 tickets for $ 50.00

10 tickets for $100.00

Is ending youth Homelessness a reality?

jodie@projectyouth.org.au (Jodie Darge) — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 23:21:23 GMT

Is Ending Youth Homelessness a reality in 2025?

At Project Youth, we believe that every young person deserves the chance to thrive, despite the disadvantages and trauma they have faced in their early lives. Over the years, we’ve made significant strides in providing solutions and support to young people facing homelessness. However, as we enter 2025, it’s clear that ending youth homelessness is s2ll far from a reality. In fact, the challenges we face today are more urgent than ever.

It weighs heavily on my mind that, despite all our efforts, youth homelessness continues to be such a pervasive issue.

A recent message from the CEO of NCOSS highlighted that:

Our sector’s journey has been one of transformation, beginning with grassroots eﬀorts rooted in

volunteerism and mutual support, growing into a professional community of mission-driven

organisations, dedicated to addressing some of the most complex and pressing social issues—youth

homelessness being one of the most urgent.

We know that our sector needs to be adaptive however, we battle with the ethics of competitive tendering, which pits us against one another rather than encouraging collaboration. We face fears around privatisation, which will reduce the quality of care while forcing charities to compete with lower pricing models. We struggle with unit costing proposals that leave us unable to run safe,

eﬀective services, especially when beds are empty (for valid reasons), but we still must pay the bills and wages. We deal with short-term funding contracts that fail to provide security for our staﬀ, and we face constant uncertainty due to the shifting political landscape and the ongoing restructuring of contracts.

This, combined with the growing crises of housing aﬀordability and increasing living costs, means the pressure on services like Project Youth is at an all-time high. The number of young people seeking support continues to rise, and their needs are increasingly complex and overlapping. This makes it even more essential to provide specialised, wrap-around services that can support long-term

care and sustained stability.

The Reality of Systemic Underfunding:

The stark reality we face is one of underfunding. As demand for services has reached unprecedented levels, our sector is under immense ﬁnancial strain. In fact, many organisations—including Project Youth—are being forced to make impossible decisions.

We are facing decisions where we ask:

https://www.projectyouth.org.au/donate admin@projectyouth.org.au

• Do we scale back services to ﬁt within our limited funding?

• Do we cut staﬀ and resources that are essential to maintaining the quality of support?

• Do we expand fundraising eﬀorts, relying on the generosity of our community?

A recent survey from NCOSS painted a troubling picture of the current situation:

• Two-thirds of service providers report their operating costs exceed available funding.

• 90% say their costs are rising faster than the funding they receive from the government.

• 70% are cutting staﬀ hours, reducing training, or scaling back staﬀ numbers altogether.

• 60% have been forced to reduce their services, even though demand is higher than ever.

It’s heartbreaking!

Youth homelessness isn’t a simple problem that can be ﬁxed with short-term, underfunded solutions. We need long-term, holistic approaches that address mental health, housing, family breakdowns, youth justice issues, drug and alcohol dependency, and employment needs.

Unfortunately, these ﬁnancial realities force us to focus on securing funding stay open, rather than focusing on providing the best possible care for the young people who rely on us.

"Pay What It Takes" Campaign: A Call for Fair and Sustainable Funding

This is where the "Pay What It Takes" campaign comes in. The campaign calls for fair and sustainable funding that reﬂects the true cost of delivering essential services. It’s a simple, yet profound truth: organisations like ours need adequate funding to do our work eﬀectively. It’s not enough to fund the “bare minimum.”

To deliver the best services, we need to be properly resourced. This means covering not just operational costs, but also investing in our workforce—the staﬀ who are the heart and soul of the support we provide. It means acknowledging the true cost of delivering services that make a real diﬀerence in people’s lives.

At Project Youth, we strive to operate as eﬃciently as possible. We’ve embraced innovation, technology, and international best practices to streamline our opera2ons and ensure we’re using our funding eﬀectively. But we can’t do it alone. We need sustainable, reliable funding from both government and philanthropic sources to maintain and expand these services.

The "Pay What It Takes" campaign is a call to ensure that the government and philanthropic bodies provide the true cost of delivering services—no more, no less. This isn’t about asking for more money—it’s about ensuring that we can do our work without constantly battling ﬁnancial constraints.

It’s about creating a system where services can thrive, not just survive. In return we will commit to ongoing learning and development to con2nue to provide eﬀective outcomes (not just output) through evaluated and evidenced based services that ensure young people can break cycles of homelessness. What we actually want is to eventually not exist – as this means youth homelessness has been ended.

https://www.projectyouth.org.au/donate admin@projectyouth.org.au

Youth Homelessness: A Complex, Intersectional Challenge

The challenges surrounding youth homelessness are complex. It’s not just about providing a bed for the night—it’s about addressing the underlying issues that drive young people into homelessness.

Many of the young people we serve face trauma, mental health issues, family breakdowns, and barriers to education and employment opportunities.

Our vision to end youth homelessness isn’t just about providing housing—it’s about giving young people the support and opportunities they need to thrive. This includes:

• Supported youth housing

• Specialist wrap-around support

• Mental health care

• Capacity and resilience building

• Life skills training

• Educational support

• Pathways into sustainable employment

But without secure funding, it’s diﬃcult for us to deliver these critical services eﬀectively.

The Road Ahead: It’s Time for Action

We know the financial challenges are significant, but the cost of inaction is far greater. Youth homelessness is an issue we can—and must—solve. To do so, we need the support of governments, communities, and stakeholders who understand that solving complex social problems requires a sustained investment in both services and people.

Here’s what we need:

• Place-based services that know their communities and can deliver services in partnership.

• Prevention programs that intervene early, including family support, mental health, education, youth justice and drug and alcohol dependency – including comorbidity

• Youth-speciﬁc housing options, with exit pathways into aﬀordable or rent-subsidised housing.

• Aﬀordable, accessible mental health care for young people who fall between existing services.

• Training and employment pathways that lead to sustainable careers.

• A long-term, bipartisan commitment to funding youth homelessness solutions.

• A seat at the table for young people with lived experience, to co-design solutions.

• Adaptability and innovation to pilot new ways of thinking and working that does not replace funding for existing essential service delivery

The time to act is now! We cannot continue to ask organisations to deliver life-changing support on unsustainable budgets. We need a system that works for everyone—a system that gives young people the tools and support they need to thrive, not just survive.

Together, with the right resources, we can create a future where no young person has to experience

homelessness.

https://www.projectyouth.org.au/donate admin@projectyouth.org.au

Project Youth October 2024 Newsletter

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:41:26 GMT

Project Youth Newsletter - October 2024

Ending Homelessness is our vision: Our new strategy for 2024-2029

In August, this year we launched our new 5-year strategy. It’s been quite a journey to get here, and we are excited for what’s ahead. We know we can’t be everything to all young people and a narrowing of our focus and utilising our resources effectively is a critical part of planning for our future in this new strategy. This new plan is for all the incredible young people we serve at Project Youth; therefore, we have co-designed this plan with young people and will continue to deliver this collectively over the next 5 years. Embedding the collective lived experience and expertise of young people who have experienced homelessness or other forms of disadvantage will transform Project Youth’s strategy, the future of our service delivery and deepen our impact.

The size of the issue of youth homelessness is large, complex and increasing. It cannot be ended by one organisation, program or policy
in isolation. This strategy is about the collective action that is needed to disrupt systems that are not serving young people facing disadvantage. This is about providing safe and secure housing, but it is also about adequate income, employment, education, health and wellbeing, and wrap around trauma healing support for as long as they need it.

My favourite quote from the strategy is: “We can only make the next generation better if we hear from young people themselves. Everyone has a story to tell and we need to listen to what they have to say. We all have a story that needs to be heard.”

our-vision-and-strategy

Young People Advocating Change at our Annual General Meeting (AGM)

On the 24 ^th September we celebrated the 23/24 financial year with our AGM. The event was truly energising! It was a powerful demonstration of young people stepping into leadership roles.

At Project Youth, we’re committed to amplifying the voices and experiences of young people in our governance, actively decentralising power and sharing it with those who matter most. The energy in the room was palpable as young leaders MC’d the meeting, led the acknowledgment of country, and shared a heartfelt letter reflecting their experiences with homelessness.

We also enjoyed an engaging fireside chat with our Board of Directors, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and accountability.

The evening wrapped up with some pizza and meaningful connections between Board members, staff, peer workers, and the incredible young people who inspire us every day.

As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue this journey together. With lived expertise central to our governance, this isn’t just a goal—it’s our new normal. We’re embracing our motto: “Not for us, without us.”

We excited about our role in creating a future where youth homelessness does not exist!

For more information please click on the link attached our-governance

The reality this Homelessness Week 2024 - 958 young people turned away

This year Project Youth had to turn away 958 young people due to limited resources and funding. So, we wrote a letter, a letter which is exactly 958 words long, each word represents a young person we have had to turn away.

As a part of Homelessness Week 2024 Project Youth shared this with MP’s, Councillors and politicians. The letter is a combination of quotes, feedback and comments gathered over the past year from young people at Project Youth.

We ask that you read the letter, hear their voices, and join us in advocating for actions to help us end youth homelessness.

We also took some drone footage with help from students at Jannali high to bring to life the reality of how many young people we needed to turn away in the last year.

Ending youth homelessness is why Project Youth exists. We know together we can make this a reality.

You can access this letter in the attached link.

958 letter

Introducing our new partnership with Tribe Social Fitness

This year, we partnered with Tribe Social Fitness in Taren Point to raise funding and awareness for youth homelessness in Sydney. Their incredible community came together for a 6-hour spin marathon, with some members tackling the entire duration while others formed teams to share the effort.

The trainers were fantastic sources of support and inspiration throughout the day, and the entire Tribe team rallied to make the event a success. Some staff from Project Youth participated, and our lovely Tash was there making coffees for the participants. It was a truly uplifting experience that highlighted the power of community!

Tribe Social Fitness became a partner of Project Youth in June 2024, we were invited to go to Tribe and let their workers know about what Project youth does in the Sutherland Shire and St George. The staff at tribe were very interested in talking with our lived experience worker who came along to the meeting. He was able to give them an insight into what young people facing disadvantage are facing each day. Within an hour of our meeting our partnership was formed.

They had 84 of their members donate directly to Project Youth for the chance to ride a spin bike. A total of over $11K was raised on the day including a pop-up coffee stall with payment by donation which was run by a lived experience peer worker, it was an amazing day, with everyone involved feeling the wonderful things that can come of a community getting together to do a good thing. Tribe is also supporting our program Project Educate by providing our young people in the program with fitness classes for up to 10 students a week, this is an opportunity they would not normally get. Our most sincere thanks to everyone who was involved with this fantastic day. The awareness from this day has been amazing with my emails being flooded from members wanting to know what they can do to help.

If you are looking for a partnership, please email me at: partnerships@projectyouth.org.au

Q&A with a regular Project Youth Donor

We asked one of our lovely regular donors a couple of questions.

Question 1:How long have you been donating to Project Youth?

Answer: I have been a regular donor for about five years

Question 2: Why did you choose Project Youth to donate to?

Answer: I Started going to the coffee shop good few years ago and felt an immediate connection to the work they were doing with the young people. It was so encouraging to see some of them who initially wouldn’t make eye contact with you gradually gain confidence and interact with customers and see their self-esteem grow and then move onto new careers and lifestyles.

Question 3: What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a regular donor?

Answer: I would encourage anyone to donate to Project Youth, giving time or financial support to invest in our youth of today. I personally think it is much more challenging for our young people today and feel any help or interest in them is a step in the right direction for their future.

Due to this lovely donors generosity, we have been able to provide opal cards to 30 young people when they first started working and were able to support 5 young people in Café Y with appropriate work wear.

Thank you so much for your support.

If you would like to become a donor please click this link

Donate Now

Sutherland Shire Xmas Fundraiser for Project Youth

PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY NOVEMBER 29TH WANDA SURF CLUB.

Want to support a good local cause this Christmas then this is the event for you

Simply scan the code for good times this Christmas and help change the lives of young people in your area, massive thanks to the @trustedbusinessnetwork for putting on this great event. The trusted business network not only does all this amazing work to bring this together but they also hold a weekly catch up at Cafe Y supporting Project Youth and the young people that work in the cafe. We cannot thank you enough for the dedication and hard work you all put into making this event one we look forward to every year

Thanks for reading we will see you at the next one

Our amazing photos are courtesy of our volunteer photographer Dermot Carlin. www.dermotcarlin.com

Homelessness week 2024

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:14:23 GMT

Homelessness Week 2024 Campaign

In the past 12 months Project Youth turned away 958 young people from housing due to capacity limits.

The letter below was written with young people using 958 words to create awareness on the issues of youth homelessness as part of our campaign during National Homelessness Week 2024

2 ^nd August 2024

Dear Changemakers, Politcians & Community Members

Re: 958 words

We write this letter with, and on behalf of young people who are experiencing homelessness in your local area. Every single word in this letter is representative of a young person turned away from housing by Project Youth.

This letter is 958 words long, for the 958 young people who will continue to be turned away from housing by services due to capacity limits. This is equal to the entire student population of a High School.

When we ask young people what they want you to hear, overwhelmingly the response is more. More homes, more support, more love, more opportunities, more community, more assistance, and more care.

A young person in our housing program described their experience as being forced into survival. Young people far too often have no choice but to sacrifice their youth, their rights, and their opportunities to navigate a housing system that is broken. A system that is set up to manage a young person’s homelessness rather than end it.

A plan creates focus, focus creates funding, and funding creates the potential for us to end youth homelessness. The NSW government does not currently have a plan where ending youth homelessness is the goal. Because this is the case, both young people and service providers are stuck in short-term thinking and are using resources trying to find loopholes, or creating programs that are putting band-aids on systemic issues.

Listen to the fatigue in our voices, it speaks volumes. We are frustrated, we feel unsupported, we feel ignored, and we are tired. We're drained from being under-resourced and having to turn away young people who deserve better.

We believe housing is a fundamental human right, and all young people experiencing homelessness need to feel it is their right to have safe housing.

We're heartbroken watching young people forced to choose between safety in housing and connection to their community, to education, or mental health services. We're disheartened by the dilemma facing young people: earn more income and risk losing housing subsidies, or remain stuck in poverty due to income caps. We're disappointed with the Government's inaction in failing to realise that without secure housing young people struggle to stay engaged in education and employment, furthering disadvantage.

We're outraged by Government benefits so inadequate they don't even cover rent, leaving young people in a perpetual cycle of disadvantage and struggling to survive.

We're tired of very limited pathways out of homelessness for young people.

We’re concerned that the Government does not acknowledge the risk of harm to unaccompanied children navigating the homelessness system, where they refuge hop until they are old enough to be eligible for independent services.

If you are a young person living in Sutherland Shire or Georges River, you will find that there are no crisis vacancies, longer term transitional housing are also full, and there are only 3 properties across all of the Georges River and Sutherland Shire that are eligible for the Governments Rent Choice Youth program. If you do get into this program you are competing against the open rental market who do not have the same barriers such as relying on government benefits, casual employment, being under 18 years, or not having rental ledgers. Where do you go when everyone says “sorry, we’re full”?

Currently, in the Sutherland Shire, the median rental price is $725 per week, while the median house-sharing price is $350 per week. The weekly Youth Allowance for an independent young person is $319.50 per week. It doesn’t add up? We invite you in the future to sit with our peer mentors with lived experience of the system and create a budget that includes housing on this income.

Homelessness is a labyrinth of complexities. It feels lonely, stressful, and unjust. It's further compounded when young people are also young parents, living with mental ill-health, experiencing domestic and family violence, dealing with justice issues, or substance abuse. Often, in these circumstances, young people are unable to share living spaces and are left with the choice of accepting shared accommodation that is unsuitable, or enduring homelessness.

It is much more than just four walls and a roof that will end youth homelessness.

Young people want you to see them and hear them. Are you listening? They feel invisible in a community that does not recognise we are in a crisis. We see the system riddled with outdated views of youth homelessness, when the stark reality evidenced in our data and stories, is that we are experiencing increasing demand that will further compound this crisis. Homelessness is more than rooflessness. It is not only experienced as rough sleeping, but also in hidden forms like couch surfing, overcrowded dwellings, or sleeping in cars.

We are not asking you to do the work, we are asking you to help us fight for what we need, to be able to do the work in our community. We are asking for improved tendering processes that are outcome based, long-term and non-competitive. We are asking you to consult and action feedback on the failings of the Rent Choice Youth program. We are asking you to consult with specialist homelessness organisations on a plan to END youth homelessness with support from NSW government. We are asking for you to consider unaccompanied children as a serious child protection matter.

We need you to show through action that young people matter. You are equipped with organisations, such as Project Youth, who hold invaluable insight into this crisis. We ask that when crafting policies that affect young people experiencing homelessness you ALWAYS work with young people with lived experience.

Your community has supported you to be in a position of power through trust, support, and faith. Please invest this back into the most vulnerable, young people experiencing homelessness.

Kind Regards,

The 958 Young People Turned Away

Youth Homelessness Matters

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:51:06 GMT

Youth Homelessness matters

YHMD is a day to raise awareness about the issue of youth homelessness and to come together as a community to end it! Project Youth held an event in Cronulla mall where we engaged with community members, politicians, funders, government and councils.

We are very grateful for everyone who came and chatted with us about solutions to this ever-increasing crisis that is hidden right here in our local community.

In one year at Project Youth we will turn away 958 young people who have reached out to us for housing support. We need this to change - we need more funding, more specialist youth housing services, and a national youth homelessness plan.

Together we can make youth homelessness a thing of the past and create a better future for all young people!

Youth Homelessness Matters because NO young person should be facing homelessness and ALL young people deserve the right to a future where they are housed and feel safe – it is a basic human right.

Please connect with us if you need more information: admin@projectyouth.org.au

Please watch video by clicking the link

The High School you don't see YHMD 2024

Newsletter March 2024

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:12:10 GMT

Newsletter March 2024

Project Educate Update: Empowering Futures

Project Educate has kicked off the year with success, welcoming back 6 students for year 9 or 10 and supporting 1 student in year 11 within our alternative school setting. Numerous others are undergoing assessment, indicating a growing need for our program. Our commitment to holistic education and personal development, extending beyond traditional academics, is reflected in various commendable aspects:

1. Excursions: Last year, students explored iconic Sydney landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Shangri-La hotel. These excursions not only created lasting memories but also offered invaluable learning experiences. From delving into the bridge's history to exploring career options in hospitality, students gained practical insights and developed real-world skills.

2. Employment Opportunities: Several students secured employment at the Shangri-La hotel through workshop participation and tours. This hands-on exposure to potential career paths is particularly valuable for young individuals facing barriers to employment due to various challenges.

3. Support Services: Navigating court appearances, apprenticeship presentations, interviews, and life skills activities are crucial aspects of our program. Addressing housing needs and facilitating access to further education and employment opportunities lays a solid foundation for the holistic development of our students.

4. Future Plans: Focusing on emotional skills development and enhancing computer technology proficiency aligns with evolving workforce needs. Structured support in these areas ensures students are well-prepared for both employment and further education opportunities.

In summary, Project Educate's commitment to supporting young people with social anxiety and mental health challenges, coupled with life skills development, has yielded positive outcomes. The high percentage of students gaining ROSA and transitioning to employment or further studies underscores the program's effectiveness. Continuing to prioritise student support and skill development will undoubtedly impact the lives of many more young people positively.

To sustain our efforts, we require financial support. It costs $25,100 to support one student for a full year, providing them with a safe and accommodating environment, including school necessities and daily meals. Young people incur no expenses while participating in the program. Your contribution can make a significant difference. Donate Now. https://www.projectyouth.org.au/donate

Addressing Youth Homelessness: Urgent Call for Support

In the past six months, Project Youth has encountered a significant shortage of crisis accommodation in the Sutherland Shire and Georges River areas. Vulnerable young people facing trauma are being turned away, with 343 cases recorded. This alarming figure highlights the urgent need for more resources and support in addressing youth homelessness.

Project Youth remains dedicated to providing guidance and referrals despite capacity limitations. However, the reliance on temporary solutions like couch surfing may exacerbate challenges and fail to provide the stability needed for these young individuals to thrive.

Our holistic approach, offering not only accommodation but also intensive support from experienced youth workers, is crucial. A safe space for up to three months allows these young people the opportunity to heal from homelessness and work towards long-term solutions.

While we continue to support young people with living skills, education, and employment opportunities, it is evident that more must be done at a systemic level to address the root causes of youth homelessness. Advocacy for increased funding and resources for crisis accommodation and support services is essential.

You can make a difference. Donate Now to support vulnerable youth and break the cycle of homelessness, empowering them to build better futures.

Graduation of Music Program: A Harmonious Achievement

Nine young people recently graduated from a joint TAFE / Project Youth Certificate ll in Music.

The achievements and successes witnessed are remarkable, reflecting not only the dedication and hard work of the participants but also the effectiveness of the program in fostering personal growth and skills development.

The fact that all nine participants successfully completed the course with nearly 100% attendance is a commendable achievement in itself. The graduation ceremony, where the young people performed for a supportive audience, adds an extra layer of celebration and validation for their efforts.

The various paths taken by the graduates, such as one securing an apprenticeship in lighting and live production, another becoming a peer mentor with Project Youth and continuing to write, perform and produce her own music, and another pursuing a Certificate III in Music, highlight the diverse opportunities that can arise from such programs. It's particularly heartening to hear that the connections and confidence demonstrated at the graduation were heartwarming, as these are crucial aspects of personal development.

The parent's comment about their child's transformation from a shy and reserved individual to a confident event MC is a powerful testament to the positive impact of the program on individual confidence and self-esteem. These outcomes are not only personally fulfilling but also contribute significantly to the participants' ability to pursue further study and employment opportunities.

It's clear that your program is making a meaningful difference in the lives of these young people, providing them with valuable skills, confidence, and a platform for future success. Congratulations to everyone involved in the program for this inspiring and impactful achievement. If there are future updates or if there's any way the community can further support your initiatives, please feel free to share.

International Women's Day Hughes Electorate Young Woman of the year awards

We are delighted to share the inspiring news of Natasha's well-deserved recognition as the winner of the Young Woman of the Year award for Hughes! Natasha's journey from being a recipient of assistance from Project Youth staff to becoming a Peer Mentor and the Manager of Café Y is truly remarkable, showcasing her dedication and resilience.

Natasha's seven-year involvement with Project Youth reflects her deep commitment and passion for supporting others. Her role in mentoring young people and managing Café Y, a social enterprise with a positive impact on both trainees and the community, is particularly heartening.

Her qualities of empathy and kindness contribute to her effectiveness as a mentor and manager, creating a positive and supportive environment for growth and development.

Natasha's educational achievements, including gaining qualifications in Community Services and nearing completion of a certificate in Leadership and Management, underline her commitment to continuous learning and personal development.

The Young Woman of the Year award is a well-deserved recognition of Natasha's outstanding contributions. This accomplishment marks just the beginning of what promises to be a remarkable journey for her. Please join us in extending our heartfelt congratulations to Natasha and expressing our admiration for her achievements and ongoing dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of others.

If there are any future updates or ways in which the community can support Natasha and the initiatives at Café Y, we will be sure to share. Together, let's celebrate Natasha's success and continue supporting the positive initiatives that make a difference in our community.

"While the start of the year may not offer immediate good news stories, our commitment to empowering young lives through education and support remains unwavering. Together, we forge a path towards a brighter future for every participant in our programs."

Thank you for your continued support of Project Youth!

DONATE NOW

December 2023 Newsletter

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 22:00:16 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

There is Hope this Christmas

This year Project Youth are running a campaign to raise money for young people doing it tough. Each year we provide a voucher to all young people in our care to wish them a Happy Christmas. For the first time many of our young people have asked for Coles and Woolworths voucher so they can buy food instead of buying themselves a treat or a present. We know it is a hard time for many in our community, however we are still reaching out to ask of you can provide support we would be very grateful. We would love to be able to provide both food vouchers and present vouchers to young people facing disadvantages this Christmas.

Donate Now

It’s been a big year at Project Youth

Thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout 2023. We cannot do this alone and it is only with the support of our partners, community and stakeholders that we can provide hope, care and healing to so many young people. This year we supported 2,400 young people across Georges River, Sutherland Shire and Bayside areas. The main reasons young people needed support included family violence and breakdown, homelessness and mental health issues. We helped young people recover over $42,000 of debt and supported 149 young people with education and employment pathways. We supported 419 young people with housing and homelessness support which included 20,535 occasions of support and the provision of 22,700 night of accommodation. We do this because we firmly believe that all young people, deserver the opportunity to thrive despite the disadvantages they may face.

You can read more in our annual report, click here to access

Annual Report

Big plans ahead

This year we started our planning for our next strategy. At the end of June 2024 our current strategy comes to an end so we are starting to create our next one based on our experiences, lessons, feedback and outcomes over the past 5 years. Central to this planning are the voices of young people with lived experiences. At our recent strategic planning day, we had the privilege of listening to 5 young people with lived experiences and they shared so many valuable insights with us. One quote the really stayed with us was:

“We can only make the next generation better if we hear from young people themselves. Project Youth saved my life - without them I don’t know where I would be – they got me a house, are the reason I’m clean and staying off drugs, they helped get on my feet completely, and constantly supported me. We often feel like we don’t have a say, it is great to know we have a support system and thank you for letting us have a say and not you controlling it all, this is amazing.”

We are excited to introduce Ethan our new Lived Experience Role

We would like to introduce you to Ethan who is the new Lived Experience Lead at Project Youth. This is a new role we have created to ensure young people’s voices are central to our planning, decisions, governance and strategy. Ethan has experience of being in the foster care system and has faced numerous challenges in his life. He generously shares his story to help other young people find their voice and to be engaged in decision making and to have influence. In my first meeting with Ethan, he said “Everyone has a story to tell, they just need to be heard”. This sums up this new role perfectly and we can’t wait to see what he achieves. Ethan will be co-designing a lived experience strategy for Project Youth as well as leading on a budget with a panel of young people to create something innovative and new for Project Youth – stay tuned for more details in the future!

A quote that sums up our year at Project Youth

A young person we are currently supporting in our housing program wrote this for Christmas and we wanted to share it with you:

“Even though Christmas is a time of bad memories and stress for many including myself, despite all that I am able to see Christmas is really about joy and giving, not about taking away, even though so many of us have had stuff taken away from us we still have the ability to give back no matter how small that is. It’s about keeping hope even when things are tough and reminding ourselves to have fun and with this in mind Christmas will always shine with that magical innocence of childhood. Just like rebuilding the snowman every year we start anew with a different Christmas every year just like different flavours of chocolate or the different seasons of storming, sunny or gusty.”

Wishing all our supporters, funders, partners and friends a happy holiday season.

Stay safe and healthy and we can’t wait to partner with you all again in 2024!

December 2023 Newsletter

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 22:57:25 GMT

Project Youth - December 2023 Newsletter

There is Hope this Christmas

Donate Now

It’s been a big year at Project Youth

You can read more in our annual report, click here to access

Annual Report

Big plans ahead

We are excited to introduce Ethan our new Lived Experience Role

A quote that sums up our year at Project Youth

A young person we are currently supporting in our housing program wrote this for Christmas and we wanted to share it with you:

Wishing all our supporters, funders, partners and friends a happy holiday season.

Stay safe and healthy and we can’t wait to partner with you all again in 2024!

We are excited to share Project Youth's Reconciliation Action Plan

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:46:51 GMT

Project Youth RAP

We acknowledge the Dharawal and Biddegal peoples, the Traditional Owners, Custodians, Elders of the land on which Project Youth conducts

its work. We recognise the Elders, families and forbears of the Dharawal and Biddegal people. We acknowledge that this land – which we benefit

from occupying – was stolen, that sovereignty was never ceded, and that treaties are yet to be negotiated. As a community, not-for-profit

organisation, we pledge our ongoing solidarity with the Traditional Owners, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in their

struggle for recognition of sovereignty, historical truths, justice and lasting, positive change.

Project Youth have been discussing reconciliation for many years in meetings, strategic planning and consultations to understand the impact of colonisation and working on land where sovereignty was never ceded. These discussions have led to how we as an organisation can play a key role in reconciliation for the young people we serve and the wider community we operate in. As an organisation we have taken some steps towards reconciliation to ensure it is not just a discussion.

Project Youth have reflected on the four RAP types as set out in the Reconciliation Australia framework and have decided on a Reflect RAP to

create foundational actions to build on the three pillars of relationships, respect and opportunities. This is the first RAP for Project Youth and therefore we are starting our journey of reconciliation by laying the foundations and preparing the workforce for all future RAPs to follow.

Even though we have established some core practices at Project Youth to establish cultural safety and contribute towards reconciliation,

creating a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is an important next step to ensure we can implement and sustain meaningful actions that can go

further with our reconciliation actions, improve our practices, improve our cultural safety and ensure we can lay a solid foundation for the next

RAP we develop and embed.

Through these actions and commitments in our RAP, we want to ensure there are benefits for all the First Nations young people we serve through

our programs, and the First Nations Elders and community members on the lands on which we operate our work.

An essential and important part of our Reflect RAP is to take the time to build sustainable and respectful relationships with First Nations

services, young people and community members as well as determine our sphere of influence in the sector and how we can leverage

this influence to advance reconciliation.

Please see Rap via link below

Reconciliation Action Plan

Free Tafe NSW Music Certificate II Course

dermot.carlin1@gmail.com (Dermot Carlin) — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 03:03:00 GMT

Gain foundational knowledge and skills for a music career and explore different industry avenues, including performing, staging, recording and music business. You don’t need any experience, just a keen ear and a passion for music.

Running on Thursdays on the following dates 23/11/2023 - 21/12/2023 ( 5 weeks ) 11/01/2023 - 22/02/2023 ( 5 weeks )

Location : Project Youth Menai, 34 Allison Crescent 2234.

Acknowledgment of country

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:49:01 GMT

Acknowledgment of Country written and narrated by a young person. Click link to listen

Newsletter September 2022

kevin@projectyouth.org.au (Kevin Crowe) — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 03:55:03 GMT

Project Youth September 2022 Newsletter

A message from our CEO

In August we highlighted Homelessness Week, during which we shared a series of videos on our social media about Youth Homelessness. If you haven’t had a chance, you can check them out on @projectyouthsydney Instagram or Facebook.

Also last month I had the opportunity to attend the National Homelessness Conference in Canberra, which was a great opportunity to connect with other services with the single vision to advocate for a ‘National Plan’ to both address and end homelessness. One of the key issues that is needed in this plan is the provision of more social and affordable housing, however there is also a need for evidence-based policy, funding for support services, Not for Profits at the table to help make decisions, lived experience at the centre of the plan, long term funding agreements and a welfare system that does not penalise people for being disadvantaged. An important consideration is how young people are provided for in this plan. We will continue to advocate for a dedicated Youth Homelessness Plan that provides specialist support and housing options for young people.

I had a poignant reminder this week about how young people can lead around the issue of youth homelessness, when I was approached by a friend’s 8 year old son who had to do a speech at their school and he chose Youth Homelessness as his topic. He asked me two questions: ‘How do we fix homelessness?’ and ‘How can the community help?’. What a privilege it was to have a conversation with this socially minded young man about how we can all work together to end youth homelessness. Young people no matter how old can, and do have a voice in these issues. The one thing that came out of this conversation was that homelessness is not a choice!

We also celebrated NAIDOC week and renewed our commitment to Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up. The young people in our Project Educate program spent a day cooking wattle seed damper, painting their journey on didgeridoos and experiencing a smoking ceremony. Our staff team also dedicated their quarterly meeting to discussing colonisation, intergenerational trauma and hearing stories from the experiences of our First Nations community. We recognise this is more than just a week and will be working with our local First Nations services and community to ensure we are culturally safe and appropriate for all the young people we serve.

Our newsletter this month explores 3 of our service areas and as always introduces you to one of our fabulous staff members and amazing young people.

Happy reading.

Jodie

Café Y:

Café Y is our wonderful thriving enterprise Café in Menai. We are so grateful to have so many loyal customers that continue to support us. We recently sadly said goodbye to Jen, our Café Y Manager as she spread her wings on a new hospitality adventure. It gave us pause to think about how to go forward with the Café.

Café Y is a social enterprise that provides up to 50 young people per year the opportunity to work, train, conduct work placements and work experience, so the simple answer was – let young people run it!

We were fortunate to have Tash, who has worked at the café for a few years now and has been a very strong supporter of Project Youth after having been involved in some of our programs through her younger years. Tash confidently stepped into the Café Manager role and she now leads a team of young people who, without Café Y, would not have had the opportunity for sustainable employment at this stage in their lives.

Tash and her team have made a few changes to the menu and are adjusting to the pressures of running a community café.

One of their new ideas was to have ‘LOVE’ vouchers that people could buy and gift to their loved ones or they can ‘gift’ them to a young person in Project Youth’s services. The first day we put them up we sold 2, both of them being gifted back to a young person facing disadvantage. It means a young person can come into the cafe and get a hot meal, it gives them a choice from the menu and an opportunity to sit and rest in a safe and inclusive environment. What a great idea to both support the café and a young person in need at the same time!

The next challenge they face is extending their catering offer and starting to serve more local businesses in the area. We look forward to seeing this grow over the next year.

If you want to find out more contact Tash cafey@projectyouth.org.au

Henry’s:

Henry’s provides semi-supported accommodation for 4 x 16–19-year old’s, meaning a youth worker is based at the property supporting the young people to increase their health and safety through building skills, resilience, and connections to society.

Henry’s is special as all the essentials are provided over the 12 month stay, allowing homeless young people to move straight into a warm and responsive environment as well as space to maintain a focus on treating underlying issues and trauma. Henry’s is often the first home where a young person has felt safe and cared for, a place to wind down and reflect, to develop their identities, values, and self-worth.

Young people tell us they love it at Henry’s as they feel protected, well supported, and connected. They say having a relationship with the worker permits trust, and their worker says having trust permits meaningful engagement. If you work at Henry’s you hear young people playing a musical instrument for the first time, affirm they deserve to be treated well by their partners, and take on your optimistic view of their future - including their successes with employment and support from specialised services.

After moving on from Henry’s, whether this be reuniting with family or into our transitional housing, young people generally stay connected with the youth worker and reach out for support and conversation. One young person on finding comfort at Henrys this year stated,

“For years I used to go out every day but now that I feel safe I have been staying at home”

Options are important for young people, especially young people that are facing homlessness. At Project Youth we are very grateful to be able to offer a range of options for young people in crisis , through semi-independent like Henry’s and into transitional housing on a lease. If you want to find out more about all of our accommodation options at Project Youth you can see the details on our website www.projectyouth.org.au or contact support@projectyouth.org.au

Studio Y:

Studio Y is a recording & production studio based at Project Youth in Menai. Studio Y has industry standard equipment & can produce professional recording & audio. Studio Y runs a program each year called ‘Sound Mind’ which uses music & creative art to engage with young people who face disadvantages. The Studio and Sound Mind program provides a space for young people to express themselves, their ideas and work through their emotions in a safe, inclusive and non judgemental environment which is supported by an experienced youth worker.

Music is a very powerful medium for young people. It can bring calm and peace to thoughts and emotions, it can create joy and bring energy, it helps focus and concentration and it can also be social helping to form connections with support workers and peers. Music can be a safe and therapeutic practice for young people in distress, facing trauma, feeling disconnected or disengaged from themselves and others. Music allows young people to have a voice and a way to express themselves, their inner thoughts and/or their emotions. We have also seen music provide an amazing community of incredibly talented and creative peers, especially for young people struggling to find their place in society.

Studio Y enables disengaged young people to access support services through music and is a great space to build rapport & relationships through playing, singing, writing or composing music.

One of the most important things our program does is storytelling - honest, raw, emotive, powerful stories of young people throughout their journey and experiences of life in all its hardships and all its joys. We invite you all to come on a musical journey with us through these beautiful stories - see links below.

Studio Y has produced some great works over the last year including the “Sessions 2022” EP & Jonathon Eid’s first single “Baby Steps” You can hear both these releases here:

https://soundcloud.com/you/tracks

You can watch the music video for the song “Holding On” featured on Session 2022 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sS_HlGdRhc&t=67s

We have some exciting plans for 2022 which we will continue to share on our social media platforms - stay tuned!

Our Studio program does not have recurrent or sustainable funding at the moment, so if you have any contacts in the music industry or any musical philanthropists who want to engage in a social impact venture around music and studio production, either as a supporter, donator or corporate sponsor - please contact jodie@projectyouth.org.au

If you want to know any more about our music program or studio, contact Pat studioy@projectyouth.org.au

Meet Ruby:

I’m Ruby, the new Crisis Accommodation Coordinator. I have been with Project Youth since April 2019 as a Support Worker at Pennys Refuge. I am lucky to work alongside the Refuge teams to provide our crisis accommodation services via The Bridge and Pennys.

What I enjoyed most about working in a Refuge was the unique ability to spend time with a small number of young people building our relationships and trust to be able to support them through the ups and downs of their journey. Being able to cook dinner and share meals together, teach life skills and witness growth over a young person’s stay is what makes our job so rewarding.

Transitioning into the Coordinator position allows me to strengthen our program and increase our impact through a different lens. I am afforded the opportunity to be able to invest in the incredible refuge staff, strengthening their practice, growing their skillsets and supporting them to always strive for the best outcomes for our young people.

I will be sure to continue to share the great things this team, and our young people achieve. Stay tuned!

Meet *Mel:

Our Emotion Skills group has run this term.

One young person who was referred to us from the Adolescent Interagency Meeting (AIM) for self harming behaviours has attended every session. Over the past 7 weeks she has come out of her shell, engaging in group discussions and forming connections with peers.

We have provided a safe space for the girls to learn strategies based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

After the 2 ^nd session this young person said ‘"I really enjoyed the group and feel as if I can be more interactive next time because I am slowly gaining confidence amongst everyone and feel more comfortable". During discussion she has shared examples of how she has implemented strategies learnt in the program which has reduced incidents of self harm. She has communicated "thank you for having me, I feel like this can really benefit and help my mental health and relationships with others". This young person has also expressed how she feels heard and that the youth workers in the program really listen to her and care about what she says."

*Name changed

DBT - Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

max@projectyouth.org.au (Max Prout) — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 23:21:04 GMT

What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and how does it benefit young people?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, or DBT, is a type of talking therapy. It is designed for the specific needs of people who experience very strong emotions. Project Youth will be working with St. George CAMHS and Sutherland CAMHS to provide support to “young people who meet the threshold for CAMHS but wouldn’t engage in traditional therapy”.

The DBT program that we’re partnering on is going to be called Emotion Skills Group, instead of DBT, because it is only going to focus on the practical modules of DBT – Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance and Emotional Regulation modules - and be focused on just the young person. DBT at CAMHS usually involves parents, but our program will just be with young people. The reason DBT usually involves parents is because young people’s difficulties are often systemic (and larger than themselves). We've decided to just work with young people so they can have the opportunity to speak without their parents around.

8 sessions – 1x Mindfulness, 3x Distress Tolerance and 4x Emotional Regulation
1 – 1.5 hours for each session
10 young people per group – 12-15 years of age
2x CAMHS workers - one person leads and one person presents
1x Project Youth worker – our role is to manage the group, facilitate safety within the group and support young people who may become distressed
PY staff will do their best to prepare young people for the group – e.g. “DBT is… , is this something you’re ready for and interested in?”

The traditional DBT that CAMHS uses has 5 modules:

Mindfulness - focusing on the content.
Distress Tolerance - ‘weathering the storm’
Emotional Regulation - increase the emotional literacy in young people and distinguish differences between thoughts and emotions
Interpersonal Effectiveness - how you communicate to get your needs met. It’s less practical, more theoretical.
Walking the Middle Path - how your environment can impact your emotional regulation.

The end goal of the program is to build up a repertoire of skills and resources for young men to use when they need to regulate their emotions. There is also an opportunity for the participants in the program to seamlessly enter into Project Youth's other programs that could offer additional support if they needed it. In a way, this DBT program will be a soft entry point and will allow young people to meet with Project Youth staff in a comfortable and safe setting. It also gives our staff a chance to talk with young people that we otherwise might not have a chance to speak with and provide support to.

We are certainly looking forward to trying this program out and seeing the benefits that it will bring. As the program wraps up, we will look to provide an update on how it went!

Jodie on Sabbatical - What is SILA?

max@projectyouth.org.au (Max Prout) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 02:48:29 GMT

Check out what Jodie is up to!

Our CEO, Jodie Darge, is on a 3 month sabbatical. She is one of a select amount of CEOs taking part in SILA (Social Impact Leadership Australia) Program. The program is a national capacity building and leadership program designed specifically for CEOs of Australian for-purpose organisations.

The sabbatical provides some rest, travel, and research. Jodie has completely disengaged from Project Youth and taken a period of leave. In her absence, our Operations Manager, Kevin Crowe, has stepped into the role and taken on the CEO duties until Jodie returns in June.

We are excited to get Jodie back and can't wait to see what insights she learned from her time in the SILA Program!

To learn a bit more about the program, check out the link to the SILA website below, and also check out Jodie's interview!

https://silaprogram.com.au/

Youth Week 2022!

max@projectyouth.org.au (Max Prout) — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 23:30:29 GMT

Check out all the great NSW Youth Week events happening in Sutherland Shire, Bayside and St. Georges River!

NSW Youth Week starts 4 April 2022 and there are loads of different events happening throughout Bayside, Georges River and the Sutherland Shire. Check out the below list of events and see if any are of interest to you!

Friday 1 April - Intergenerational Fashion Festival 12pm-1pm Southgate Sylvania

Saturday 2 April - Ador Precinct Activation 1-4pm Ador Reserve Precinct

Friday 8 April - Bayside Bounce Event 3:30-9:30pm Arncliffe Youth Centre

Friday 8 April - Outdoor Cinemas & Night Markets Markets 5-8pm Cinema 7-9:30pm Dunningham Park

Saturday 9 April - Greenhills Skate Comp 9am-2pm Greenhills Skate Park

Saturday 9 April - Remake, Redesign & Revamp 11am-2pm Hazelhurst Art Gallery

Monday 11 April - Bubble Soccer 12pm-2pm Tonkin Oval Cronulla

Tuesday 12 April - Coding Workshops 10am- 2:30pm The Family Co Youth

Tuesday 12 April - Basic Car Maintenance Workshop 4-5pm Alf Kay Eastlakes Community Hall

Tuesday 12 April - Trivia Takedown 4:30-6pm Sutherland Library

Wednesday 13 April - Comedy Workshop 11:30am-3:30pm Project Youth Menai

Wednesday 13 April - Parkour and Acrobatics Workshop 1-3pm Arncliffe Youth Centre

Wednesday 13 April - Short Stuff Film Festival from 6pm Hurstville Plaza

Thursday 14 April - Skateboarding Workshop 3:30-6:30pm Mutch Park Skatepark

Thursday 14 April - Movie & Chill 4-6pm Sutherland Library

You can check out the Sutherland Shire Council website , Bayside Council website , and the Georges River Council website for more information on the schedule of events and find something for you!

Young Person Profile - Blake

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 21:33:39 GMT

The following is from Blake. He wanted to express his story through his way and his words. Project Youth is proud that Blake felt empowered to do so.

"My name is Blake and I worked at P&H Fine Foods where I prepare and cook meat to be packaged. I got the job through Tash (Natasha). She really helped me out finding the job. I was jobless since I was 20 and I'm 24 now.

I was lucky that I didn't have the typical interview. I went in on a Monday, all dressed ready for an interview. They brought me in and chatted with me and asked when I could start. I started the next day on the afternoon shift and haven't changed since. It works best for me working the later shift because I have insomnia.

I really enjoy being able to get the job done and having that sense of accomplishment. Getting paid is also great, especially once you start saving money. The job has helped me because I battle a lot with depression and anxiety. I've been able to feel like I've actually achieved something and done something for the week.

I've learned two major things from the job and just from growing:

Not all criticism is bad criticism or negative
Even if you have a terrible day, you can always find an upside to the day or the day after. Push through the bad times so you can get back to the better times

Project Youth and Tash were a big influence with me getting this job. She supported me through every step. The team is great because they were able to help someone like me."

Blake was supported into full time work through Project Youth after he undertook our Job Readiness Program in 2021. Immediately, you could tell he was a hard worker and he communicated his strengths and interests to staff. His passion for smoking meats and showing his accomplishments to staff are what propelled him to his role now with P&H Fine Foods.

Blake is always willing to help out. Recently he allowed us to take some photos of him to use on our website. Check him out there as well as on our socials!

How you can help

max@projectyouth.org.au (Max Prout) — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 01:14:28 GMT

It's okay to feel uncertain, but here are some ways you can help.

It is hard to watch the events taking place around the world at the moment. From the floods in Australia to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The news at the moment can feel overwhelming and difficult to absorb. As with many people around the world Project Youth want to share a thought for all those affected.

It can be hard to know how to help, so please see below for some resources / organisations to donate to. This is not an exhaustive list and there are many organisations trying to help.

Also please be mindful to

- switch off the news and take a break - it can take a toll on your mental health and well being

- get your news from reputable sources - some social media posts have been found to be fake and asking for money etc.

Ukraine:

Floods:

Thanks to Probono Australia for the list of resources.

Project Educate - What's next for the students?

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 02:13:27 GMT

We are so proud of our students from last year!

Proud is definitely an understatement. We are amazed, overjoyed, and grateful we have an opportunity to see what our Project Educate students will be doing next.

In December, we celebrated all Project Educate students graduating or earning their RoSA. We held the graduation ceremony at our Hurstville location with students and Project Educate staff coming together after spending much of the school term in their own spaces doing distance learning and teaching.

Overall, there were two year 9 students who completed their year and five year 10 students completing their year and earning their RoSA (Record of School Achievement).

We are happy to share what all the students will be doing starting this year.

The two year 9 students will be coming back to Project Educate to complete their RoSA;
Two of the year 10 students will be joining our very our Tash in our Hospitality Course ;
One of the year 10 students found employment and will be working;
One of the year 10 students will be going back to mainstream schooling;
And the last year 10 student will be joining us again this year to complete year 11!

One of the students who will be returning to Project Educate next year had this to say,

"I’m excited about coming back to school. I’m so glad I was referred last year. I love Project Educate and didn’t think I would because I hadn’t been at school for such a long time. The pressure of not being in a big school and being able to work in a small class at my own pace is the best."

We can't wait to see this student coming back to Project Educate as well as the others who will be returning to us. We would like to wish those who feel empowered to go in their own directions the best of luck. We will miss seeing all their faces, but we're confident they'll do wonderful things moving forward.

If you'd like to read more about Project Educate, you can read up here and

Young Person Profile - Roslyn

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 02:13:24 GMT

The following paragraph was written by Roslyn. She wanted to express her story through her way and her words. Project Youth is proud that Roslyn felt empowered to do so.

"I came to Project Youth to help me improve my school attendance and to obtain my RoSA (Record of School Achievement). My physical health worsened as the years went by that I was a part of mainstream high school due to my mental health issues building up and going untreated for many years. The result of this was that my attendance got heavily affected and achieving a RoSA in year 10 became almost impossible. I was recommended Project Education as my last chance and I couldn't be more grateful for the work they have done for me. Project Educate has helped me graduate from year 10 and achieve my RoSA. They have helped me get back into a school routine again and have made me feel less stressed and anxious about school in general. The flexible schedule and understanding staff have helped me take the time I needed to get better and deal with my health issues and I am much better now than I was before. From my time of 6 months at Project Educate, I have gained my year 10 RoSA and normality to my everyday life. I have gained the confidence to ask for help if I need it and the connections to excel in ways I wouldn't have previously in mainstream school. I have gained friends in the form of the staff who I plan to keep in contact with even though I have left to go back to mainstream school once again."

To say we are proud of Roslyn would be an understatement. Her dedication and commitment to achieving her RoSA is simply wonderful.

From all of us at Project Youth, we wish Roslyn all the best moving forward and making her way back into mainstream school. We can't wait to hear what you accomplish next.

Court Support Program

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 02:03:37 GMT

Learn about the Court Support program

Every week on a Wednesday, when Sutherland Shire Children’s Court is operating, Project Youth provides Court Support for young people. This means engaging with young people, linking them to the Children’s Court Solicitor as well as making referrals to our internal programs or other organisations if appropriate. Our very own Youth Support Worker Tegan spends time offering support relevant to the needs of young people and providing guidance in what can be a stressful time.

When a young person goes into court for an offense, they’re typically making more than one trip. During these trips, Project Youth will ask the young people if they would like someone to talk with and guide them, provide them information about the process and what they can expect, or if they just need someone to sit in with them. Eventually, these young people could feel comfortable enough to engage in support planning and potentially engage in other programs to assist in education, family counseling, and even employment.

As you might have guessed, Covid has had a major effect with the programs that have been able to run and appropriate referrals for young people. While court still carries on, there is a lot of unknown about whether or not programs will be able to start up or resume. There is also the factor of support workers not being able to attend court for a variety of Covid-related reasons.

We work closely with other organisations. This is key to providing young people with the support they need and sharing the load between those we partner with. These partnerships are invaluable and mean that more young people can access this assistance and the support planning doesn’t fall just on Project Youth. With more organisations being able to help, obviously it’s for the better of the young people.

As we move forward, a goal we have for Court Support is a directory of programs and services from a number of organisations that the courts can choose from to suit young people that come through. This directory would hopefully lead to more positive outcomes and less guesswork for the courts to deal with.

Recently, a young person came to court who had a number of issues at home. They had been getting into trouble with drugs and alcohol which garnered the attention of the law. The young person became disengaged from school, which allowed for too much time on their hands which caused more trouble. When this young person came to court, they were linked to Project Youth. Once of the great things about our programs is that they intertwine and this young person was able to resolve issues they were having. They went through Family Counseling with their family, moved into our accommodation, and they enrolled in some TAFE courses. After some time in the programs, there was some more stability, the family relationships improved, the young person stopped using drugs and alcohol and they gained employment.

That is only one positive story of many that we come across from young people that enter into our programs from Court Support and end up utilising the great programs we have. We highlight many more of these great stories on our socials. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more.

Young Person Profile - Shaun

max@projectyouth.org.au (Max Prout) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:53:42 GMT

Meet Shaun

The following paragraph was written by Shaun. He wanted to express his story through his way and his words. Project Youth is proud that Shaun felt empowered to do so.

"Project Youth helped me get on my feet while I was recovering from a bad environment and supported me through my housing journey. Sometimes when the struggle was too much Project Youth stepped in and gave me a helping hand and took the edge off and supported me to get rural employment, my life wouldn't be the way it is if it wasn't for Project Youth's support."

Shaun's hope is that young people will hear how his experience was with Project Youth, and may choose to seek support as well.

"If you put in the hard work and keep on pushing, that takes you far." -Shaun

Shaun is now a paid employee at BackTrack Works, an independent youth employment social enterprise. He helps facilitate more employment outcomes for young people coming out of the core BackTrack program. Shaun entered into Project Youth services at the age of 15 and throughout his journey at Project Youth, he completed courses, was sent out to do labouring work though Labour Y , was housed in Crisis Accommodation and Transitional Housing , and was been supported through case management. He was also instrumental in helping Project Youth secure funding by presenting to a group of Corporate Donors , where he told his story with truth and conviction and won the hearts of all he presented to.

Shaun is just one example of how young people can enter into the services of Project Youth from difficult circumstances and make changes that lead to positive outcomes. If you like Shaun's story, consider sharing in on social media via the buttons below.

Living Independently

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 03:32:38 GMT

A guide to living independently (ATLI) is a new program for young people in transitional housing.

It’s no easy task navigating the rental market at the best of times, particularly if you are a young person looking to take the leap. But imagine you are a young person who has been doing it on your own for a while or has been couch surfing or living in a refuge. Who would you turn to for trustworthy information and to find out what’s available on the rental market that would be suitable for your situation?

Project Youth understands that this step in a young person’s life is not only daunting, but with the wealth of information available, can also be very confusing! Our recent ATLI workshop (A Guide To Living Independently) provided young people, who are currently in our transitional housing program, increased skills and knowledge to live independently. This program is run as part of an exit pathway from our existing transitional housing program in order to set up young people for the best possible success independently in the open rental market or through the 'Rent Choice Youth' program.

With weekly two-hour sessions across four weeks, 13 young people completed the program which provided realistic expectations and information on current rent statistics; how Project Youth can support pathways into the “Rent Choice Youth” program, information from DCJ and how to apply to real estate agents.

“It has prepared me for the rental market and made me more confident”

Young people entering the Rent Choice Youth program will be supported by Project Youth when applying for properties, speaking with property managers and working with DCJ.

“I have a much better understanding about renting now.”

We were also very lucky to have long time local supporters, property agents Laing & Simmons, attend some of the sessions and present valuable information to the young people about today’s rental market and how to liaise with agents and landlords.

“I learnt about the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords."

Project Youth will aim to run this course 3-4 times per year, as the feedback from young people in attendance has been very positive. The young people commented on the knowledgeable presenters, the flexible format, feeling no pressure, easy to understand and of course good snacks!

“Program was in depth and went through everything to do with renting."

“I have a much better understanding about renting now.”

If you want to know more about the program or have any questions about how our housing programs support young people out of homelessness, you can go to www.projectyouth.org.au or contact our office on 9525 7919.

Educate, Inspire, Empower

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:13:37 GMT

We have been so excited to share this with you. A new venture, a new project. For a young person, a one-way ticket to a better life, a prosperous, independent, safe future.

‘The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.’ – Dr. Seuss

Have you guessed what it is yet?

After years of dreaming, planning, and campaigning, we can finally announce the launch of Project Educate, Project Youth’s Distance Education school.

Driven by our mission to create a future where all young people can thrive, the team here at PY understand the importance of education, and recognise that there are young people in our community that are not suited to the traditional education setting.

Project Educate will support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds that are missing from education, to re-engage them in learning.

Why is this so important, you ask?

Well, education has important social and employment outcomes for young people, as well as being a protective factor for well-being. Education is key for young people to thrive in society thereby avoiding poverty, homelessness and unemployment.

Without education, young people are less likely to participate in work or skill development, and are more likely to rely on financial assistance from government.

Without education, young people are more at risk of social isolation and mental ill-health.

Without education, young people could be more likely to commit crime. Truancy and crime are causally linked, as well as between failure to complete high school and criminal activity.

Yet because of reasons such as bullying, family dysfunction, homelessness, and mental-ill health, we know young people living in our community that do not attend school.

We also know that alternative education WORKS. Project Youth are currently involved with 44 young people, all under age 17 who are missing from education and are known to local home school liaison officers. 22 of these young people successfully attended and gained certification in a full time 8-week course with Project Youth in a supported learning environment.

Project Educate provides the long-term solution to youth disengagement at school - a flexible and socially inclusive education service. Based on a ‘wrap-around’ model, we won’t just provide a classroom and a teacher. We will collect young people from their home and transport them to school. We will have small class sizes, innovative teaching strategies, and one-on-one tuition.

We will provide trauma-informed support, personalised case management, court support, support with medical appointments, housing assistance, clothing, and food supplies where required. We will also facilitate effective transition to other support services, thereby removing barriers to education, including help for drug and alcohol dependency, and mental health support.

With approval from the Department of Education, we are thrilled to have enrolled our first student to start in September 2020 *cheering and applause*

But, this is just the beginning.

We need funding.

You can help to make Project Educate accessible for more than just one young student. You can help to build a community to be proud of by empowering all disadvantaged young people to get an education, get jobs, avoid crime and become a contributing member of society.

Project Educate aims to rewrite the future for young people that deserve the chance to build a better life. You can make Project Educate a reality.

To enquire about helping to fund Project Educate, please email fundraising@projectyouth.org.au

Job Readiness Program

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 23:44:08 GMT

Get yourself job ready!

If you're looking to get a job - our Job Readiness Program will give you all the help you need.

See the flyer (above) or contact meghan@projectyouth.org.au for more info!

Homelessness to Hospitality

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 07:03:03 GMT

You might recognise Tash. You can usually find her roasting your delicious cup of coffee as you admire the selection of baked goods on the counter at Café Y.

Yes that’s right, Tash is Café Y’s brilliant barista, wonderful waitress and front of house superstar.

You may not be aware, however, that Tash had a tough time during her teenage years. Her story of homelessness to hospitality is inspiring, and one which we are proud to share with you.

Tash first came to the attention of Project Youth when she was in Year 11. After a family breakdown, Tash faced homelessness and needed somewhere safe to stay.

For two years, Tash lived in Project Youth housing, a safe home which gave her the stability she needed to complete her HSC. She then moved into private rental, equipped with the skills she needed to manage a budget and live independently.

Tash completed her Certificate II in Hospitality with the help of Project Youth, and was enrolled into our Labour Y program. Tash’s warm personality and her excellent people’s skills shone through, and she was soon snapped up by the Shangri La Hotel, one of Labour Y’s fantastic partners.

As you can imagine, Tash excelled in her role, which paved the way for many young people to follow in her footsteps. Her manager at the time beamed with pride as he told the Labour Y team that Tash had ‘changed the face of the front foyer with her bubbly personality and enthusiasm’.

Unfortunately, after 6 months at the Shangri La, COVID hit. Nonetheless, Tash’s spirits stayed high, and Project Youth supported her to access online courses to add to her resume.

As the COVID storm subsided, a full-time job came up at Cafe Y. Tash is enjoying this new role, thriving in the busy Café environment. She especially loves training and mentoring other young people doing work experience at Café Y. Tash told us that she loves helping other young people to have a better future.

It’s safe to say that Café Y’s customers adore Tash, a ‘delightful waitress with just the right balance of friendliness and efficiency’, one customer wrote, ‘she was amazing, so welcoming and attentive’.

The popularity of our community café is testament to Tash’s glowing personality and contagious smile. We’re so proud to have played a small part in your journey, Tash - thank you for brightening up our café much more than any amount of pop-art ever could.

Every Young Person Needs a Home

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 06:41:47 GMT

This week is homelessness week, and this year the theme is Everybody Needs a Home.

As always, Project Youth are representing the youth voice in this nationwide campaign, reminding you that EVERY young person needs a home.

Mission Australia’s 2019 survey results show that 1 in 6 young people aged 15-19 have experienced homelessness. We are here to remind you that your hometown is no different.

What’s even more worrying is that these stats were recorded pre-pandemic. As you know, the pandemic has led to a rise in referrals, as young people have been isolating in dangerous households, can no longer couch surf and have lost their jobs.

Project Youth have 76 beds for young people facing homelessness in the Sutherland Shire and George’s River. There are currently no empty beds, and demand for our service is high.

As Mission Australia’s CEO James Toomey has said in response to the survey results, “This cannot be accepted as just the way things are. We can and must take action to make real and lasting change and commit to ending youth homelessness in our country.”

Youth homelessness affects local people in YOUR community. Project Youth are the largest youth housing provider in the Sutherland Shire.

We have 3 branches to our homelessness housing - crisis, semi-independent and transitional. Our crisis accommodation is for young people facing immediate homelessness. We have 2 refuges, each with 5 single bedrooms.

Young people are welcomed into our refuges, as a safe an affordable place to stay, with 24 hour support. Young people living in crisis accommodation can stay for up to 3 months, and work with their case manager to develop skills to live independently.

Transitional Housing is the next step to independent living. The majority of these properties are shared 2-3 bedroom homes. Young people can stay for up to 18 months, and engage in support meetings and support plans which help young people to sustain their housing and work towards an independent future.

We also have 3 semi-independent housing options which each have 4 single bedrooms. Young people living here are assigned a case worker for help Mon-Fri, and have access to an on-call case worker 24/7.

Project Youth subsidise rent and cost of living, and support young people to find employment and claim Centrelink payments.

We help young people to start a new chapter, and build a life as young adults. Donate today to support a young person every step of the way.

More must be done to end youth homelessness. The government MUST consider recommendations such as investing in youth specific employment programs for those facing homelessness, #raisetherate of Youth Allowance and Newstart to cover the basics, as well as housing and mental health support for young people.

Ending youth homelessness will not only benefit youth, but provide economic benefit to Australia as well.

Luke Howarth, Asisstant Minister for Homelessness, has said young people are a priority cohort under the National Housing and Homlessness Agreement - let’s make sure he sticks to his word.

ALL YOUNG PEOPLE DESERVE A HOME.

What can you do? Project Youth are your local organisation determined to tackle youth homelessness in our community: donate to Project Youth today to support a young person facing homelessness nearby – www.projectyouth.org.au/donate

Sponsor a Journey

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 00:18:03 GMT

We’ve got great news for you, our loyal supporters and donors. We have come up with a new way you can help a young person facing disadvantage, living just down the road from you.

You can walk side by side with a young person on their journey to safety, happiness and independence. You can sponsor a young person, and partner with them as they overcome their disadvantage.

You see, Project Youth is a ‘wrap around’ service, meaning each young person is supported in all walks of life until they can stand on their own two feet. Donors like you make this possible.

A young person often begins their journey at Project Youth by attending Drop In at one of our youth centres. At Drop In, they get chatting with a member of our friendly team for specialist support. A young person might then be paired with a mentor from our local community, or enrolled into one of our programs or courses.

If they face homelessness, the young person can receive grocery vouchers, and they might move into our crisis accommodation. After a few months, they often move into semi-independent housing, then to transitional housing.

During this time, the young person can also engage in court support, counselling, drug and alcohol support, education and training courses, fitness groups, mental health, peer support groups and social groups, all run through Project Youth.

You have the opportunity to partner with a specific young person, and truly transform their life. Once they achieve independence (employment, private rental, safety, happiness) you can take pride in the fact that you made it possible.

But, at what cost?

Click here to find out more about sponsoring a young person's journey.

Podcast fame: Have you Bean to Café Y yet?

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 23:59:18 GMT

Internet fame at last – Cafe Y hosted the wonderful team at ShirePod and are the latest stars of their roaming podcast The Bean There. Have you listened yet?

The Bean There aims to help Café’s like ours to reach more people in the Shire community, whilst discussing important community issues. For us, it was a fantastic opportunity to spread the word about the work we do at Project Youth in transforming the lives of local young people.

Annette Testa, youth housing consultant and Nicole Dargie, teen empowerment coach joined us on the live broadcast to talk about the challenges young people in our community are facing.

Of course, we also heard from Project Youth heroes Karen and Justin. Listen in to hear them discussing how youth are often forced to deal with displacement from their homes, overcoming trauma, homelessness and unemployment. We also celebrate the success of Café Y in reengaging young people in education and improving their employment opportunities.

Our personal highlight was hearing from Café Y’s front of house and talented barista Tash, who told her inspiring story about how her life was transformed by Project Youth. Tash – you are an incredible asset to Café Y, and we are forever grateful for your hard work and your contagious smile.

We also welcomed the lovely Sarah-Jo from So Shire to chat about environmentally friendly living. Sarah educated us about ‘contactless pour’, which Tash demonstrated – a method of using your reusable coffee cup without contact to ensure COVID safety. Think green – bring your reusable cups down to Café Y and test Tash’s contactless pouring talent.

So Shire were also impressed with Cafe Y’s new vegetable garden, for which we are currently accepting donations. Shoutout to Pip and the ShirePod team for their generous donation of a chilli plant – we can’t wait to serve a tasty dollop of chilli jam with lunch at Café Y.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Shirepod for giving us the platform to tell the community about what we do here at Project Youth, and why supporting Cafe Y is so rewarding.

Plug in your headphones and listen to the podcast over a cuppa at Café Y - https://shirepod.podbean.com

Youth can STILL do it!

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 23:51:18 GMT

A reflection on our hugely successful #YOUTHCANDOIT campaign – thanks to all those who donated.

Last month we ran our #YOUTHCANDOIT campaign, which encouraged you to take action in 2 ways:

1) donate to Labour Y to support young people facing disadvantage into employment

2) to speak to your employer about hiring a young person in your business

The campaign was a HUGE success - thank you so much to all of you wonderful community members who donated to help reach our target of $3000.

We are so PROUD to have incredible supporters who seek community solutions to community problems. As we discussed during the campaign, employing our youth is the best way to safeguard the future of our community, and the economy.

A job means so much to our young people - it’s a chance to become a contributing member of society, a chance to become financially independent and move out of crisis housing. In the words of a young person supported by Labour Y, a job is a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Thank you to our loyal donors who consistently stand with us in our mission to transform the lives of young people facing disadvantage living nearby.

However, we are here to remind you that this problem is not yet solved. Youth can STILL do it. Let’s maintain momentum and stay focussed on our goal to tackle youth underemployment.

It’s not too late to donate to Labour Y. Every day, our team work with young people to improve their job prospects. This involves all aspects of job readiness such as CV and interview prep, support paying for food, transport to interviews, interview clothing and more. Labour Y also run programs and courses (such as the Café Y Hospitality Course) aimed to support young people to get work experience and certifications. Your donations make this work possible – please click here to donate today.

It’s also not too late to speak to your employer about the transformational benefits of hiring a young person through Labour Y. This transformation is 3 fold: transform your corporate social responsibility program, transform your business’ outlook (gaining a fresh perspective) and transform your outlook on life. Make it your responsibility to partner with Labour Y and hire a young person in your workplace.

You see, this is not a quick fix solution. Please keep donating to Labour Y, and please keep pushing to employ young people.

Together we can build a community to be proud of, and that starts with young people.

Refresh

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 02:50:01 GMT

Here's a new program to help improve your wellbeing and fitness...

Welcome to our new Wellbeing and Fitness Program in partnership with Headspace Miranda.

This is a FREE 10 week program at Project Youth’s Miranda Centre open to young people aged 15-24.

Workshops include Mental Health, Nutrition and Relationships.

Every week the session will also include 45 minute workout with a fitness instructor.

Refresh and feel good.

#raisetherate

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 01:55:22 GMT

This week Project Youth join in a national campaign to #raisetherate of Youth Allowance and Newstart to cover the basics.

As we confront the post-pandemic economic crisis, more people than ever before will struggle to find paid work. Youth unemployment is at distressing levels.

The Youth Allowance and Newstart rate was raised during COVID to assist youth facing disadvantage. This was a welcome increase, which gave some of our young people disposable income for the first time.

We wanted to start by telling you a few stories of what our young people did with this extra cash.

Jessica was able to see a medical professional about a long-term health condition, which has been of great concern to her for years. The condition is not life threatening, but requires seeing a specialist doctor – a luxury she was not able to afford before now.

Jon saw this as an opportunity to create a savings account. He usually lives week to week, and this is the first time he has been able to set money aside. He is now saving up for a car, which will increase his job prospects.

Mikey has always had big dreams. The increase in youth allowance has enabled him to start his own business upcycling old clothes from thrift shops. Imagine how many other aspiring entrepreneurs are hiding in the shadows of debt and poverty.

Mo wanted to move into private rental for months, but could not afford the bond or furniture. The raise has allowed her to set up her own life independent of Project Youth’s housing, in private rental.

Lack of sufficient income also affects quality of life. Television, takeaways, tickets to the cinema. These simple pleasures are dependent on disposable income. Yes, some of these things are trivial, but they also contribute to a quality of life that most people take for granted.

It is also worth mentioning that disposable income could be the key to rebuilding our economy post-pandemic – food for thought.

This is not to mention the young people unable to make ends meet to cover the basic essentials of food and housing. At the very least, shouldn’t the allowance support young people to live without the crippling fear of missing payments of bills, of being evicted from housing, of debt?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to afford the cost of the train fare to work without having to sacrifice breakfast? Perhaps you’re really hungry that morning so you’d rather commit crime by jumping the ticket gate?

Hunger and food poverty is rife during the pandemic. An online charity directory reported more than 130,000 searches – over 2000 a day – for food charities in just two months. One charity reported an 80% rise in referrals for people seeking support. Raising the rate would ease the pressure on food banks and organisations like ours that struggle to meet demand for emergency food relief.

Additional income can inspire young entrepreneurs, and it can give young people access to basic human rights like health care. It allows young people to save, and eases the anxiety of living week to week. It curbs crime, assists in rebuilding the economy and it improves quality of life.

Above all, it means that young people can afford food, rent, and transport to work.

We are campaigning to ensure every young person has enough income to cover the basics of life – is that too much to ask, Mr Morrison?

What you can do:

Sign the statement https://raisetherate.org.au/

Contact your local political leaders, for example: Write to, call or tweet your local MPs, or political leaders such as Treasurer John Frydenberg or Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston

Follow this link for more info about how to take action https://raisetherate.org.au/national-day-of-action/

SHARE THIS POST to show your support ��

Back with a BANG!

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:08:11 GMT

The "Cafe Y" Feeling...

Arriving at Café Y, our wonderful young waitress, Tash, takes your order. Meanwhile, Ben, our amazing new volunteer, brews your coffee, blended by the infamous Reformatory Caffine Lab in Surry Hills – what a treat.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice the ‘Homelessness to Hospitality’ story displayed on the wall, explaining how every cent spent at Café Y helps to transform the life of a young person in your community. You order dessert too.

Surrounded by familiar faces, compassionate community members with the same desire to help those less fortunate, you take a seat.

Your coffee arrives in a colourful mug, in keeping with the vibrant pop-art theme. You take a sip, pleased with the option to have either Bonsoy or Milklab dairy alternatives, which complement the aromatic coffee perfectly.

Service with a smile, Tash sets down your plate of smashed avocado, fresh tomatoes, feta and perfectly poached egg with yolk dripping down the side of the crusty sourdough slice. Knife and fork in hand, you dig in. How good is that bread? Made with love by the Bread and Butter Project, a social enterprise bakery supporting the training of refugees. You smile.

You bump into Project Youth’s friendly team member Karen, who tells you the story of Nina, a young person who grew in confidence during the Café’s Hospitality Course, which encouraged her to pursue a career as a nurse. ‘Wow – my breakfast really does help to nourish potential’, you think.

You savour the last mouthful, and the final sip of coffee. ‘One for the road’, asks Tash, holding up a colourful takeaway coffee cup. ‘I’ll take a muffin too’, you reply.

Clutching your coffee in hand, you wave goodbye to the Café’s friendly team. As you step in to the brisk winter air, you are filled with a warm sense of pride, knowing that your delicious smashed avo, vanilla latte, and your raspberry and chocolate muffin helped to change someone’s life nearby.

If you could bottle that feeling, that warmth in your heart and the pit of your stomach, it would be more expensive than gold. Sure, like every other café, you get great coffee and you get great food But Café Y brings a sense of pure joy that you just can’t get anywhere else. Chase that feeling. Visit Café Y again, and again.

Thank you for supporting our Café. Thank you for changing the lives of local young people by making Café Y your regular coffee, breakfast and lunch spot.

We were truly overwhelmed by the community’s turnout at the reopening. You came in your hundreds. You came with empty bellies, on a mission to help local young people facing disadvantage. No chair, not even the bar stools, were left empty, and the buzz of a busy community café was music to our ears.

You met with old friends and marvelled at the vibrant new mural, you bathed in wintery sunshine in the courtyard, and you debated which delicious dish you would try first.

Above all, you left with a smile on your face.

See you again tomorrow, and every day after that.

Hospitality Course

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 23:37:15 GMT

This course is available to young people interested in learning about gardening and landscaping, or considering a career in labouring. The course is free.

When: to be confirmed
If you are, or if you know someone interested in the course, please enquire here.

Jennifer's Story

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 01:29:59 GMT

Jennifer grew up in an abusive household. As a teenager, she faced the difficult choice to become homeless, rather than remain at risk in her family home. Can you imagine becoming fully independent at such a young age? Can you imagine feeling terrified about what the future holds, and the prospect of facing it alone?

We asked Jennifer to share her story with you. She answered the following questions to describe her experience with homelessness:

How did you feel when you faced homelessness?

“There were a lot of mixed emotions around making the decision to leave home, but I vividly remember feeling a lot of guilt and fear for what was to ensue. I kept thinking if I should have persevered and continued living in that environment. I kept wondering what it meant to be homeless. I was riddled with a lot of questions for the unknown, however, I owe it to the support I received from many services such as Project Youth and to myself for choosing what was best for me.”

What was life like at Project Youth’s crisis refuge, The Bridge?

“Life at the Bridge allowed me to feel safe. It is the place where I learnt my self-worth and capabilities. It is the foundation that gave me the chance to break the cycle of abuse I witnessed growing up. It gave me the chance to be okay with not feeling okay. It is the foundation that allowed me to seek support for mental health and to learn the importance of self care.”

What happened when you left the Bridge?

“The Bridge helped me build the living skills to transition to a medium term service. The staff at the Bridge were very supportive and helped choose the best medium term service that was the best fit for me. At first, I was very reluctant to leave as I had finally settled down into a place, however I was still very excited. It took time getting used to medium term service but to this day, I’m still in contact with them as they continue to show unconditional support.”

Where are you now, and how do you feel about your achievements?

“I’m now working in a career that I have always had an interest in and enjoy. I am also living in private rental. Looking back from where I started, I have achieved a lot, but it took a lot of mistakes, time and effort to get to where I am now today. This path wasn’t easy to take and it still isn’t the perfect road but it is a continuous learning process that I am grateful for. I admit that I still struggle with mental health amongst other things but what this path has taught me is that having a group of supportive people and a ‘sense of being’ helps tenfold compared to when I had nothing. I hope for a day that the stigma that is affiliated with being homelessness is withdrawn, as it will help those in need of a safe place some reassurance in the right direction. It will also help communities and organisations come together to support those in need, a cause that is affecting people globally.”

Do you have any advice for young people facing homelessness?

“You’re brave for wanting to better yourself and that in itself is becoming a better you.”

You can save a young person from growing up in a dangerous household. You can give a young person a safe roof over their head. You can walk side by side with a young person as they find their independence. You can change a young person’s life for the better.

Jack's Story

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 01:10:43 GMT

“I had no confidence, especially at work, because I had been treated badly by other employers. I have trouble talking to people and being able to stay in a job because of a disability. I also really wanted to go to university but I thought this was impossible and I didn’t know how to apply. At Café Y I got the opportunity to work in a café with customers which really helped me. I learned lots of skills and even ran the whole café sometimes which was a great experience. I worked at Café Y for 12 months and got a certificate in hospitality. I now have great work experience and a qualification. This was life changing for me as I was then able to apply for and attend a university degree to further my education.”

– Jack, 22 Years Old

Leah's Story

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 05:36:09 GMT

In 2017, The Shangri-La Hotel, with Phillippe at the head, chose Project Youth to be their Embrace Partner. We felt instantly welcomed into the wonderful world of a 5* hotel and all the fantastic employment opportunities that it offers young people. Since then, the Shangri-La team have gone above and beyond to support Project Youth, so it is with great pleasure that we feature Phillippe in our first ‘Supporter Spotlight’.

At the partnership’s inception, we began putting young people forward for vacant positions at the Shangri-La, supporting them through the application and interview process. The warm and welcoming staff at the hotel made applicants feel at ease, and our first young person, Leah, started working at the Shangri-La in 2017. Phillippe was present at Leah’s induction to welcome her to the hotel, and instantly made her feel like part of the team.

Leah’s induction coincided with the hotel’s cake competition, which Project Youth were invited to join. We felt excited and proud to be introduced to Philippe’s network as friends and partners of the Shangri-La, and our cake even won first place.

Thanks to the Shangri La team, Leah has been able to learn and grow, and has gone from strength to strength in her role. She also set a fantastic precedent for the talent of our young people, and before long, the hotel invited others to trial. To date, the Shangri-La has welcomed 5 young people into their hospitality team, and 3 of these now work permanently on the Shangri-La’s books.

One of the highlights of our partnership so far has been the ‘Retreat Day’. Philippe and his team organised for 25 young people to attend a day of work experience workshops at the hotel, learning about the various employment opportunities the Shangri-La could offer. They made delicious cakes, and an amazing Mocktail called ‘The Project Youth’. We were able to check out the engineering area, and had loads of fun in a ‘Make the Bed’ challenge with the cleaning staff. We were also invited to participate in the All Staff Meeting, where we learnt about the running of the hotel, and could ask questions. The highlight of the day was when Phillippe and his team chatted with our young people over lunch, making them feel at ease – one young person said they felt “pretty special that the big boss had time for them”. At the end of the day, our young people left with new skills, and with a new enthusiasm for the chance to work at such an amazing establishment, as part of such a warm and welcoming team.

The Shangri-La team always make Project Youth (staff and young people) feel very welcome at the hotel, extending an invitation to many amazing events such as the opening of the Christmas gingerbread structure. These events are an opportunity for young people to meet the team and make a good impression, but also for PY staff to network, and spread the word about the work Project Youth do as a not-for-profit.

The Shangri-La team have changed the lives of many young people by opening their doors to Labour Y’s young people. Many of Project Youth’s young people have faced disadvantage, and are seeking employment as a way to start a new life, get independence, and determine their own future.

We have noticed that employment does not just give young people an income, but leads to a sense of belonging, a reduction in risk taking behaviours, improvements in housing, better family connections, improvements in overall health and an interest in engaging in further education and training. Philippe and his team help young people to reach for the stars and discover their true potential.

Project Youth strive to create a future where all young people can thrive, no matter the disadvantage they face. Philippe and his team have gone above and beyond to make this a reality at the Shangri-La. We are so grateful.

Noticed Our New Look?

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 04:53:23 GMT

Project Youth has got a new look! And no, it’s not a dodgy isolation haircut…

What a start to 2020 it’s been! The Project Youth team have risen to every challenge and continued to deliver our support services, AND we’ve managed to pull off a complete rebranding and website redesign. We don’t know whether we’re happier that self-isolation is over, or that we have ditched the lime green colour scheme.

Check it out www.projectyouth.org.au and let us know what you think.

How did we manage it? You ask…

Well, we have a few thanks to give. Firstly, you may have noticed that we’ve upped our marketing game in recent months, and we now deliver gorgeous, professional photos in every single social media post and newsletter. Project Youth are fortunate enough to have a volunteer photographer who has produced all the stunning shots you see on our new site. Dermot Carlin has a knack for delivering the perfect photo. Whatever we envisage, Dermot brings it to life. He is so talented, and we are so lucky to have his full support as an invaluable volunteer. Dermot – thank you for making this all possible.

Secondly, thanks go to the wonderful Project Youth family who have supported every request for information, be it about Project Youth services, or about themselves for staff bios. We think you’ll agree the “fun facts” on the ‘Who we are’ page is a riveting read. It has truly been a team effort to ensure the new site benefits young people who are seeking help, whilst making it easy for community members and businesses to support our cause and help vulnerable young people. A special shout out goes to the selected staff members who reluctantly released their inhibitions and posed for hilarious short videos for our launch-date countdown clips. Our video montages on social media are always a hit, especially when Youth Worker Brooke’s gorgeous pup Ivy makes a star appearance.

A shout out must also go to the incredible young people who were willing to share their stories on the new website. This is the best way for us to demonstrate what we do. Young people have stepped up to explain where they began and how Project Youth has helped them on their journey. After visiting our ‘Who We Help’ page, we think you’ll agree that these young people are truly inspirational. How does it feel, as a donor, to be a part of these stories? You make our work possible.

Fourthly, Jodie, Project Youth’s CEO, is the real brains behind the redesign. Jodie stood valiantly as Captain of the Project Youth ship throughout the storm that was COVID-19, ensuring that we all kept paddling along until the seas were calm again. Jodie – thank you for staying cool, calm, and collected when we most needed you – you are the central cog in this fantastic, transformative, life-changing machine. Jodie’s vision for the new website has made it informative and easy to navigate – it’s a great overview of who we are, what we do, and how we can help young people. Jodie – thank you for all you have helped Project Youth to achieve in the past 18 months, we are so lucky to have you.

Finally, a huge thanks goes to the fantastic Trina at Fruitful Creative. Trina is not only a hugely talented graphic and website designer, but a delight to work with. Communication was seamless, even whilst social distancing, which enabled Trina to capture our vision for the new site. We are so chuffed with the outcome, and we can’t recommend Fruitful Creative enough.

Amongst other highlights, we particularly like the new ‘donate now’ button – why don’t you try it out?

Kurt's Story

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 04:14:17 GMT

Even with supportive carers, growing up in foster care can be challenging for a young person. Some young people may feel unsettled, displaced or may even resent their situation, which all adds to the standard trials and tribulations a young person faces when growing up.

When these challenges became too much for Kurt to bear, he would abscond from the family home. At the age of 15, Kurt faced homelessness.

As a result, Kurt began getting into trouble with the police, and faced a number of fines for legal/police matters. This was a very difficult time for Kurt, and he reached an important crossroads of either descending into further trouble, or making positive changes to choose a better path.

I’m sure you would agree, no young person should feel they have no choice but to live on the streets or couch surf. No young person should feel their lives spiral out of control as they make mistakes, leading to fines, court trials and debt, and face it all alone.

Kurt’s journey with Project Youth began with his participation in the Mentoring program where he was paired with a community member for support and guidance. With his mentor and his Project Youth Case Worker at his side, Kurt arranged Work and Development Orders to pay off his fines. He then attended Adolescent Family Counselling with Project Youth and with support, became determined to turn his life around.

It is because of donors like you, that these programs exist to help young people like Kurt. You can support another young person like Kurt to create a better future for themselves. You can build a society where adolescents are supported to make good choices, and become contributing members of our community. You can give young people like Kurt a second chance.

All young people deserve a safe, stable home in which they feel happy and secure. All young people deserve a chance to make better choices.

Kurt went on to complete a number of short courses with Project Youth’s Labour Y team, and now has a full time job. He remains in contact with his Project Youth Case Worker, who he built a strong and trusting relationship with. If ever he needs help, or wants to talk, he knows Project Youth are still here for him.

Donate today to help another young person like Kurt.

Nourishing Potential

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 23:31:40 GMT

The long-awaited reopening of Café Y will be 1st July. Woops, cheers and applause

Order’s up! Your hunger for Jen’s infamous freshly baked scones, and Dec’s highly praised big breakfasts can finally be satisfied. If you close your eyes, you can almost smell succulent bacon and mouth-watering muffins wafting from the kitchen.

Café Y is making a comeback. Armed with our new slogan, and a gorgeous new mural on the wall, our staff and young people are thrilled to open our doors once again.

Your support is more important than ever. Make Café Y your regular coffee spot. Bring your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, and pets to Café Y for breakfast. You can make a difference in the lives of local young people facing disadvantage. You can change lives with every mouthful.

Do your bit to build a safer, happier, more prosperous community for years to come. The future of the Shire begins with young people today. Nourish potential. Choose Café Y.

See you on July 1st! We can’t wait.

COVID-19 Update Statement

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 10:42:31 GMT

All our housing programs and support services remain open and available for referrals. We are currently phasing back into our offices and youth centres in small groups. We are adhering to social distancing guidelines and hygiene requirements. Our group programs in our centres, including drop-in, are still postponed for now, however we are still running alternative on-line options. We are enjoying meeting up with young people again, face to face.

Shangri-La Hotel

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 06:07:52 GMT

Harry's Story

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 01:08:14 GMT

Harry has been involved in several of our programs, including our mentoring scheme and our family counselling. Project Youth also supported Harry into safe crisis accommodation. Harry is now enjoying his career as a butcher, and is living happily in his own flat. Listen to Harry speak about his experience with Project Youth. We are humbled to hear him say, “ they’re just incredible people, and it’s an incredible service” . We are so proud of how far Harry has come.

Tristan's Story

Wed, 27 May 2020 04:46:55 GMT

Listen to Tristan tell you about his experience as a volunteer mentor - he explains why you should volunteer at Project Youth.

Beth's Story

Tue, 26 May 2020 09:58:55 GMT

Imagine going through life without any support from friends or family. Imagine you had to crash on your mate’s couch for fear of going back to your parent’s house. Imagine not being able to afford your own food.

Imagine not having a safe place to call home.

For young people like Beth, living just down the road from you, this is the reality.

Beth became homeless after a relationship breakdown with her Mum and Dad. They argued, and these arguments soon became physical. Beth became unsafe in her own home.

You can save a young person from a dangerous household. You can feed a young person who is facing unemployment and hunger. You can give a young person a place to live, where they can sleep soundly at night.

Your sponsorship can truly transform the life of a young person like Beth.

Liam's Story

Tue, 26 May 2020 04:39:27 GMT

We wanted to share Liam’s story with you. We think Liam is best placed to explain how your donations can truly transform the life of a young person living just down the road from you.

“When I was born things were pretty tough for me. I was born addicted to drugs because my mum struggled to stay clean. My parents would fight a lot and it was scary at times when they would hurt each other.

Looking back now I know I made some bad choices. But I didn’t feel like I had any other options. I got into drugs and was getting in trouble with the police a lot. I didn’t go to school very much either, and I ended up crashing on my mate’s couches so I had somewhere to sleep at night . It was either the streets, or that. So, thankfully, I had a few places to crash.

I would often hurt myself, as it was a way to block everything else out. When you feel so alone, you do anything possible to cope and stay alive.

My friend was going to a fitness program run by Project Youth. One day I snuck onto the bus when they were picking up my mate. Thankfully, when they found me, they let me join in. It was actually pretty fun, they had a personal trainer, and gave me breakfast as well as dropping me home when it finished.

I got to know one of the youth workers who was running the program and he started to help me get sorted. It was great to have someone who would listen to me and get things sorted.

I wanted to leave school, so he worked with me to get me some work experience. I didn’t think this was possible, but he worked with me, the school, TAFE and Café Y. He helped me to get into a short course, and I actually got a certificate in hospitality, which was one of the first things I’d actually completed.

He also helped me get into one of the Project Youth refuges called The Bridge. I was only able to stay there for 3 months because it was a crisis refuge, but it was a great to stay in the same place and I didn’t have to keep moving around. After 3 months they supported me to move to another refuge called Henrys, where I could stay longer.

As it was all with Project Youth, I didn’t have to keep telling everyone about myself all the time, or keep doing new paperwork. I’d met lots of youth workers as well because I went to the drop-in at Miranda to hang out. The youth workers helped me with loads of things, such as getting on benefits, support with legal aid, clearing my debt, getting help with my health and medication I needed, getting ID, doing some courses so I could try and get work, and even helping me to get off the drugs.

I felt safe to talk about things I had never told anyone before. This was a big part of getting the right help. This took a while which was good as I don’t think I could have coped with doing everything at once. The youth workers helped me sort the important things first like getting on medication for my mental health so I could better cope and deal with everything else.

Having somewhere to live whilst all these other things were happening was the best part. Now I even have contact with my family which I thought would never happen. There was no magic pill and it was hard to get where I am now. I honestly didn’t think it would happen. I was pretty angry with the world and felt so alone. But I knew things were different when I actually wanted to get out of bed in the morning . It had been a very long time since I felt this way, I think I’d actually forgotten what it felt like.

One of the biggest things that helped was having somewhere safe to live and being supported by people who care. I hope that doesn’t sound stupid but I honestly wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for the people that cared they never gave up on me. I look back now and I am so grateful.

I am living with my girlfriend in another area, and I am in touch with my family. I’ve got a lot of things sorted, and I am happy.

It is not always easy though; I had a panic attack recently and had to move out of my flat. I texted Project Youth, and the youth worker had a chat with me. The difference this time is that I’m alright. I knew who to talk to and where to go for help. I found somewhere else to live and things are still okay.

It’s good to know when problems happen, I don’t have to go back to drugs or getting into trouble with the police. I can cope much better now.

Looking back now at my time at Project Youth, if I could say one thing, it would be… Thank you.”

YOU told YOUTH they MATTER

Fri, 01 May 2020 03:25:06 GMT

You spoke up, you donated, and you told homeless youth in your community, they matter.

These have been difficult times for us all. Your generosity during the pandemic demonstrates your empathy and compassion as a kind and caring community member, stepping up to care for our most vulnerable neighbours. Many young people were self-isolating in dangerous households, and many more now face unemployment and financial instability.

We have already seen a worrying spike in referrals around youth homelessness. Your donations allow us to respond to this increase in demand for our services.

Thank you so much for standing with us on our mission. Thank you for challenging the stereotype of homelessness to include couch surfing, as well as sleeping rough. Thank you for listening to our young people’s stories and raising awareness. Thank you for your kind donations.

You help to transform the lives of young people by giving them a safe place to call home.

A Project Youth Campaigner:

“Many young people facing this challenge often think their lives are now over they won’t go anywhere. Nowhere will employ them, they don’t have any routine. This can often rattle and overwhelm young people. All young people are just looking for a safe home and a safe haven. Many have come from places where they can’t trust anyone or feel safe. They are often scared of the stereotype that all young people who face homelessness are “hard to deal with” or “trouble”. With a minority of people realising that many who face this issue have had to care for siblings or family, grown up too fast or have had falling outs that they cannot resolve. As well as many just needing a shoulder to lean on or a voice.”

Bayan's Story

Fri, 01 May 2020 01:15:34 GMT

Bayan was born in Iran, and grew up in a region torn apart by war. To seek refuge and build a better life, Bayan and her family fled to Australia when she was 14 years of age.

However, her new home in Sydney was not the sanctuary that Bayan had hoped for. She experienced significant domestic violence, and faced the terrifying prospect of forced marriage. Late one night, Bayan escaped her home.

Can you begin to imagine how Bayan felt that night?

Thankfully, Bayan spoke with NSW and Australian Federal Police (AFP), who referred her to Project Youth for urgent housing. Bayan was accepted and moved into our crisis refuge the following day. She had her own bedroom, her own safe haven, for the first time.

In the following weeks, Bayan had many appointments with the AFP and lawyers regarding her case. Throughout it all, Bayan studied hard, and completed Business Studies at TAFE NSW Full-Time.

Later that year, Project Youth supported Bayan into Transitional Housing, where she lived happily, whilst studying to become a nurse.

Today, Bayan is an Australian Citizen, she has her drivers' licence and has saved up to buy her own car. Bayan is now employed as a Home Care Nurse, and has decided she will further her Nursing Studies at University. Bayan plans to move into Private rental, where she will continue to be supported by Project Youth.

COVID Crisis Can't Crush Us

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 23:36:57 GMT

COVID-19 has presented new difficulties for youth workers globally – but what better team up for the challenge than the PY squad? Project Youth has temporarily morphed into a partly online, remote service and we think things are going very well indeed.

Now more than ever, at a time of heightened anxiety, and with higher rates of youth unemployment, local young people need Project Youth’s support. And we aren’t going anywhere.

Skype, Facetime, Messenger, Whatsapp, Zoom, you name it – we can do it. If young people need a chat, our youth workers are only a call away. Our much-loved drop-in sessions are now online and open to all – we offer games night on Tuesdays, personal training on a Wednesday and ‘catch ups’ on Thursdays. Our Instagram and Facebook pages are rife with fun challenges, competitions and indoor activities such as a ‘keepy-uppy with a toilet roll’ competition that brought a laugh to young people and PY staff alike. Our social media platforms also provide self-care advice, reassurance, as well as information about COVID-19 regulations.

Our Labour Y team is working harder than ever to support young people in accessing free online training courses, Centrelink payments, and are side by side with young people in their job hunts during these testing times. We aim to have Café Y back up and running as soon as possible, serving delicious food and coffee whilst helping young people to learn and achieve.

It is suffice to say not all heroes wear capes - Project Youth’s housing team, key workers, have stepped up during the pandemic to ensure vulnerable young people are safe, and well. Now more than ever, youth homelessness is a prevalent problem. Imagine self-isolating in a dangerous household, or couch surfing with no consistent, safe place to call home.

These are very challenging times for young people at risk of homelessness, so we ran an online campaign to raise awareness and fundraise, captioned #YOUMATTER. Our crisis refuges remain open, fully staffed, and at full capacity, we are still supporting young people in semi-independent living, and we are still providing food, essentials and WIFI to those facing unemployment, hunger and isolation.

Improvise, adapt, overcome. Project Youth are proud to be a consistent support for young people facing disadvantage. Our essential services will remain available, come what may.

How Donors Like You Helped Liam

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 02:37:35 GMT

Liam's Story

As you can imagine, being born addicted to drugs was a pretty tough start to Liam’s life. Liam’s mum struggled to stay clean, and she and Liam’s dad would argue. Growing up, Liam watched them hurt each other, fight after fight.

It is often childhood trauma that leads to misbehaviour in teenage boys. In his adolescence, Liam had trouble with drugs, police, and he stopped attending school.

What do you remember about being 15 years of age? Liam was homeless, forced to choose between couch surfing, or sleeping rough on the streets of the Shire. He would often hurt himself, as a way to block everything else out. He was angry at the world and felt so alone.

By chance, Liam’s friend participated in a fitness program run by Project Youth, ‘Muscle Up’. One day, Liam snuck onto the bus. When found, the youth workers invited him join in, which involved a personal training session, breakfast and a ride home. Liam got chatting to a youth worker over breakfast. That morning, Liam’s life changed for the better.

Liam talked. We listened. He wanted to leave school, so we helped him to get work experience. Liam went on to achieve a certificate in hospitality at Café Y - an attainment to be proud of, for the first time in his life.

Donors like you helped Liam to claim benefits, receive legal aid, clear his debt, receive medication for his mental health, get ID, and overcome his dependence on drugs. Liam felt safe to talk about things he had never told anyone before. I remember him saying that he knew things were different when he ‘actually wanted to get out of bed in the morning’.

Liam moved into our crisis refuge, and three months later he was supported into ‘semi- independent housing’. With a stable home, he even rebuilt relationships with his family, which he did not think would be possible.
Project Youth never gave up on Liam. Today he lives with his girlfriend in private rental, he is safe, and he is happy.
Your donation to Project Youth can truly transform the life of a young person like Liam.

Mich's Story

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 22:52:36 GMT

“I was homeless before I went to Project Youth, and spent some time sleeping in my car. Being at Project Youth meant I could keep working and feel safe in a house. Project Youth helped me to get identification, make a Centrelink claim, and enrol in TAFE. They also supported me to get to appointments and claim any benefits I could get. I have even applied for a TAFE course and I start studying this year.”

Feels Like Home

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 02:32:01 GMT

Thank you for your generous donations this Christmas which gifted young people in our crisis accommodation with a voucher, enabling them to purchase items to make their bedrooms feel homely.

You helped us to raise over $1000 to gift to young people facing homelessness.

Homely items such as photo frames, cushions, rugs, blankets, lamps give each young person a sense of belonging as they can personalise their bedroom to feel like home. Some young people spent their vouchers on clothing and underwear that were not second hand.

Some young people arrive at our crisis accommodation with nothing except the clothes they’re wearing. Others have never had money to spend on themselves before.

Your gift was invaluable in helping a young person facing homelessness to have a sense of dignity and belonging, and to feel safe, and comfortable this Christmas.

Thank you so much – you are amazing.

How COG Marketing Transformed Project Youth’s Digital Presence

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 00:39:25 GMT

Case Study: How COG Marketing Transformed Project Youth’s Digital Presence

Project Youth is a not-for-profit organisation supporting young people aged 12–24 across Sutherland Shire, Georges River, and Bayside. Their programs are designed to help young people be connected, safe, achieving, and healthy. Project Youth works with those facing significant challenges, including homelessness, mental ill-health, substance dependency, family dysfunction, lack of education, unemployment, involvement in the justice system, abuse, neglect, and poverty.

By adopting trauma-informed and relational approaches, and working collaboratively with partner organisations and the wider community, Project Youth ensures that young people receive integrated support to fulfil their potential. Their vision is clear: a future where all young people can thrive, creating stronger and safer communities in the process.

As Project Youth expanded its programs and community impact, they recognised the need for a modern digital presence that reflected their mission, showcased their services, and strengthened engagement with young people, families, and community stakeholders. COG Marketing provided the strategy and digital solutions required to elevate their online presence and visibility.

The Challenge

Before partnering with COG Marketing, Project Youth faced several challenges:

Limited online visibility: Their website did not fully convey the breadth of programs, success stories, or community impact, making it harder for young people, families, and partners to understand their services.
Brand alignment: The digital identity did not fully reflect Project Youth’s mission-driven, compassionate, and collaborative approach.
Underutilised digital communications: Minimal search engine optimisation, social media presence, and online engagement limited awareness of their programs and community impact.
Operational limitations: Information about programs, events, and resources was not optimised for ease of access or user experience, reducing potential engagement from stakeholders.

Project Youth needed an integrated digital solution to modernise their online presence, highlight their programs and success stories, and attract engagement from young people, families, and community partners.

The Solution: COG Marketing’s Comprehensive Digital Services

Project Youth partnered with COG Marketing for a complete digital transformation. Acting as their strategic marketing partner, COG Marketing delivered an end-to-end solution that included:

Website Design and Development

COG Marketing designed a modern, user-friendly website that clearly showcased Project Youth’s programs, teams, and impact. The site highlighted program information, success stories, and pathways for engagement, creating a mobile-responsive and fast-loading platform that made it easier for young people, families, and community partners to access relevant information.

Branding and Visual Identity

COG Marketing refined Project Youth’s visual identity to better reflect their mission-driven, compassionate, and collaborative ethos. Colours, typography, and imagery were updated to ensure consistency across all digital channels, reinforcing trust and credibility while communicating the organisation’s community-focused values.

Digital Marketing Strategy

COG Marketing implemented a targeted digital marketing plan, improving search engine visibility for key terms and driving traffic from young people, families, and community stakeholders. Social media campaigns showcased programs, youth stories, and community initiatives, fostering engagement and building authority in the youth services sector. In addition, email campaigns were developed to share program updates, community events, and opportunities for support, strengthening connections with partners and the wider community.

Business and Operational Support

COG Marketing worked closely with Project Youth to ensure that digital initiatives aligned with organisational objectives, including community engagement, program promotion, and fundraising activities. Digital systems were optimised to improve user experience and facilitate access to information about programs, events, and youth resources.

Website and Email Hosting

COG Marketing provided secure, reliable website and email hosting solutions, ensuring Project Youth’s digital platforms were fast, dependable, and easy to manage. This allowed the team to focus on delivering programs and support to young people without technical distractions.

Printing and Promotional Products

COG Marketing extended Project Youth’s professional brand offline by producing high-quality printed materials, including program brochures, community engagement flyers, and informational resources for young people and partner organisations. These materials reinforced Project Youth’s mission and values, complemented the digital presence, and left a lasting impression on the community, helping to communicate the organisation’s programs, impact, and vision of supporting young people to be connected, safe, achieving, and healthy.

Results and Future Plans

Since partnering with COG Marketing , Project Youth has experienced a significant improvement in digital presence and community engagement. Their modernised website and consistent branding now convey professionalism, compassion, and credibility, while targeted digital marketing efforts have increased visibility among young people, families, and community partners.

Streamlined access to program information and improved communications have strengthened stakeholder engagement, supporting Project Youth’s mission to enable young people to be connected, safe, achieving, and healthy. Project Youth continues to work with COG Marketing as a trusted partner, ensuring their digital strategy evolves alongside the organisation, while maintaining a professional, mission-driven, and community-focused online presence.

Jennifer's Story

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 03:02:50 GMT

Jennifer grew up in an abusive household. As a teenager, she faced the difficult choice to become homeless, rather than remain at risk in her family home. Can you imagine becoming fully independent at such a young age? Can you imagine feeling terrified about what the future holds, and the prospect of facing it alone?

We asked Jennifer to share her story with you. She answered the following questions to describe her experience with homelessness:

How did you feel when you faced homelessness?

What was life like at Project Youth’s crisis refuge, The Bridge?

What happened when you left the Bridge?

Where are you now, and how do you feel about your achievements?

“I’m now working in a career that I have always had an interest in and enjoy. I am also living in private rental. Looking back from where I started, this path wasn’t easy to take and it still isn’t the perfect road but it is a continuous learning process that I am grateful for. I admit that I still struggle with mental health amongst other things but what this path has taught me is that having a group of supportive people and a ‘sense of being’ helps tenfold compared to when I had nothing.

I hope for a day that the stigma that is associated with being homelessness is withdrawn, as it will help those in need of a safe place some reassurance in the right direction. It will also help communities and organisations come together to support those in need, a cause that is affecting people globally.”

Do you have any advice for young people facing homelessness?

“You’re brave for wanting to better yourself and that in itself is becoming a better you.”

You can save a young person from growing up in a dangerous household. You can give a young person a safe roof over their head. You can walk side by side with a young person as they find their independence. You can change a young person’s life for the better.

project_youth

Project Youth September 2025 Newsletter

Project Youth Newsletter - September 2025

Project Youth partnership with NSW Young Lawyers Association

Exciting new partnership

EOFY Campaign 2025

958 young people were turned away last year. You can help change that.

Election Voting Guide: for young people by young people

'How to Vote Guide' for young people, by young people

Why you should vote

How to find out who to vote for?

3. Look up your local candidates

How you can vote

Step 1: Enrol to vote

Step 2: Choose how you want to vote

Step 3: Vote on two papers

Green paper – House of Representatives

White paper – Senate

Final thoughts

Beyond Homelessness - Conversations that matter

Project Youth Raffle

Purchase tickets here

Is ending youth Homelessness a reality?

Project Youth October 2024 Newsletter

Project Youth Newsletter - October 2024

Homelessness week 2024

Homelessness Week 2024 Campaign

In the past 12 months Project Youth turned away 958 young people from housing due to capacity limits.

The letter below was written with young people using 958 words to create awareness on the issues of youth homelessness as part of our campaign during National Homelessness Week 2024

Youth Homelessness Matters

Youth Homelessness matters

Newsletter March 2024

Newsletter March 2024

December 2023 Newsletter

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December 2023 Newsletter

Project Youth - December 2023 Newsletter

We are excited to share Project Youth's Reconciliation Action Plan

Project Youth RAP

Free Tafe NSW Music Certificate II Course

Acknowledgment of country

Newsletter September 2022

DBT - Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and how does it benefit young people?

Jodie on Sabbatical - What is SILA?

Check out what Jodie is up to!

Youth Week 2022!

Check out all the great NSW Youth Week events happening in Sutherland Shire, Bayside and St. Georges River!

Young Person Profile - Blake

How you can help

It's okay to feel uncertain, but here are some ways you can help.

Project Educate - What's next for the students?

We are so proud of our students from last year!

Young Person Profile - Roslyn

Court Support Program

Learn about the Court Support program

Young Person Profile - Shaun

Meet Shaun

"If you put in the hard work and keep on pushing, that takes you far." -Shaun

Living Independently

A guide to living independently (ATLI) is a new program for young people in transitional housing.

Educate, Inspire, Empower

Job Readiness Program

Get yourself job ready!

Homelessness to Hospitality

Every Young Person Needs a Home

This week is homelessness week, and this year the theme is Everybody Needs a Home. As always, Project Youth are representing the youth voice in this nationwide campaign, reminding you that EVERY young person needs a home.

Sponsor a Journey

We’ve got great news for you, our loyal supporters and donors. We have come up with a new way you can help a young person facing disadvantage, living just down the road from you.

Podcast fame: Have you Bean to Café Y yet?

Internet fame at last – Cafe Y hosted the wonderful team at ShirePod and are the latest stars of their roaming podcast The Bean There. Have you listened yet?

Youth can STILL do it!

A reflection on our hugely successful #YOUTHCANDOIT campaign – thanks to all those who donated.

Refresh

Here's a new program to help improve your wellbeing and fitness...

#raisetherate

This week Project Youth join in a national campaign to #raisetherate of Youth Allowance and Newstart to cover the basics.

Back with a BANG!

The "Cafe Y" Feeling...

Hospitality Course

This week is homelessness week, and this year the theme is Everybody Needs a Home.

As always, Project Youth are representing the youth voice in this nationwide campaign, reminding you that EVERY young person needs a home.

The long-awaited reopening of Café Y will be 1st July. Woops, cheers and applause

You help to transform the lives of young people by giving them a safe place to call home.