Creating a future where all young people can thrive. · A future where all young people can thrive. Connecting Sense of belonging and connection Safe ee Fr from violence and harm

projectyouth.org.au

Creating a future where all young people can thrive.

Project Youth acknowledges the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people of this nation. We acknowledge their living culture and continuing connection to the land on which we work. We recognise that this always was and always will be Aboriginal Land and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

“We believe all young people, regardless of the disadvantage they may face, deserve the opportunity to thrive.

“

02 / Our Year in Summary

04 / Welcome

06 / About Us

08 / Our Programs 10. Early Intervention & Prevention 16. Homelessness & Housing 20. Education, Employment & Training

24 / Our Future

26 / Our Team

30 / Our Finances

34 / Thank you to our Supporters, Funders and Sponsors

contents

PROJECT YOUTH - 18/19 ANNUAL REPORT {01}

1819SUMMARY WE DID THIS THROUGH:

Together we supported

7,267

104families & parents

Young people to be connected, safe, achieving and healthy

1,262young people with intensive support

43courses and groups in

schools and the community

58amount of volunteers

supporting our programs

943young people

supported through early intervention

programs

48young people employed

through our programs

22Project Youth

services

52paid staff

189young people

supported into Education, Employment &

Training

5,999young people engaged through events and prevention programs

engaging

5,747community members in youth

homelessness campaign

Helping the government recover over

$258,789of debt owed by young

people

179young people

supported with housing

PROJECT YOUTH - 18/19 ANNUAL REPORT {03}{02} PROJECT YOUTH - 18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

It is a privilege to welcome you all to our 2018/2019 Annual Report for Project Youth where we reflect on the year, evaluate our impact, celebrate our

achievements and learn from our work.

As always we were committed to ensuring all young people, regardless of the disadvantage they face, had the opportunity to thrive. We achieved this throughout the year providing invaluable programs for young people in the Sutherland Shire, Georges River and Bayside areas.

Some key highlights for the past year included, development of our partnership with the Shangri-La employing and training young people; full workforce training in Trauma Informed practice; creation of a new 5-year strategic plan; embedding staff co-production in all areas of delivery; increased collaboration and partnership working in Georges River area; and stability of evidenced based provision across our housing and early intervention programs.

In addition to our program delivery, Project Youth continued to be a voice for young people providing advocacy and influence within Government, Council, community and the sector.

Our work is not possible without the valuable commitment and support from a range of volunteers, supporters, staff and partners. We have had a stable Board of Directors over the last year with all board members continuing from 2018. I would like to thank Jordan Ross, Pauline Barker, Naomi Bryant, Tanya Hardy, Deborah Holden, Sally Stewart and Peter Taniane for their governance and leadership over the past twelve months for Project Youth.

I wish to thank all our volunteers for the work they do in supporting Café Y, mentoring young people, raising

awareness of our work and fundraising. Our volunteers add incredible value to our programs and our impact would not be possible without them.

I would also like to thank all our staff who have continued to dedicate themselves to supporting young people and enabling Project Youth to build a diverse, dedicated and talented team. It has been a pleasure working with you throughout 2018/19.

I would like to thank our outgoing Executive Officer, Kellie Checkley who led the organisation admirably for 11 years expanding our delivery and impact, and we welcome Jodie Darge, our new Chief Executive Officer, who is already involved in building our future together.

And most importantly, to the young people who we serve, it is an honour.

We have set out an ambitious strategic plan for the next 5 years ensuring we are ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges that are ahead. I am proud that the last year has been a year of reflection, listening, learning and collaborating which strengthens our foundation so we can continue to live by our vision ensuring a future where all young people can thrive.

I hope you find this report valuable.

Louise Birnie Chair of Board, Project Youth

We have set out an ambitious strategic plan for the next 5 years ensuring we are ready to embrace the opportunities and

challenges that are ahead.

welcome PROJECT YOUTH - 18/19 ANNUAL REPORT {05}{04} PROJECT YOUTH - 18/19 ANNUAL REPORT

ABoUt US

At Project Youth we believe all young people, regardless of the disadvantage they may face, deserve the opportunity to thrive. We work

with young people 12-25 across Sutherland Shire, Georges River and Bayside areas offering programs to be connected, safe, achieving & healthy. Our work is based on trauma informed and relational approaches,

as well as being delivered collectively with partner organisations and the community.

We have developed a five-year strategy which builds on our 27 years of service to young people and details our ambition and plans. You can access the strategy at www.projectyouth.org.au

OUR V IS ION

OUR OUTCOMES

OUR VALUES

OUR PURPOSE

OUR STRATEGIC PR IORIT IES

A future where all young people can

thrive.

Connecting Sense of belonging and connection

Safe Free from violence and harm

Healthy Mental and physical well-being

Achieving Access to opportunities and development

Creating opportunities

for young people 12-25 to

determine their own future.

1. Strengthen Our Foundations

2. Increase our Impact

3. Be a Catalyst for Social Change

4. Scale & Grow Effectively

PARTNERSHIP

INTEGRITY RESPECT QUALITY INNOVATION


www.projectyouth.org.au

Project Youth is dedicated to delivering programs which are evidenced-based, needs led, trauma responsive and collaborative, to ensure our

impact is sustainable and life changing for young people. At Project Youth we have one integrated service with a ‘no wrong door’ approach ensuring all young people get the help and support they need, either directly through Project Youth or a referral to another appropriate service.

A young person, family member, friend or professional can refer a young person to any of our programs and we will engage with the young person to assess what they need and how we can best support them. Many young people involved with Project Youth will access more than one of our programs. Using our relational approaches, they will be supported by a youth worker to set goals and work towards achieving their full potential. All our programs through 2019 were committed to young people achieving one or more of our outcomes of being connected, safe, achieving and healthy.

oURPRoGRAmS

All our programs through 2019

were committed to young people

achieving one or more of our

outcomes of being connected, safe,

achieving and healthy.

OUR PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED INTO 3 TEAMS:

Please see the following pages for a description of each program and key highlights from 2019

Programs that intervene early to prevent, reduce and stop escalation of problems

1EARLY INTERVENTION & PREVENTION

Programs that prevent homelessness and

accommodate young people from crisis through to independent living (or

return to their family/carers home if appropriate/safe)

2HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS

Programs and courses providing pathways to

employment and education through our 2 social

enterprises, Cafe Y and Labour Y

3EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT &

TRAINING


C) SCHOOL PROGRAMS:

We run a range of programs in schools including healthy relationships, couch surfing and gender based groups. The youth workers provide both group and 1:1 support for young people who are identified as at risk by teachers within their schools. The program has shown to have efficacy with increasing school attendance and engagement with education and reducing the amount of young people who are not in education.

We host a school chaplaincy program which is designed to support the entire school community and supports social inclusion, group work and events within the school. This is our only program that works with young people under 12 years old.

D) HYAP:

HYAP (Homeless Youth Assistance Program) continues to work closely with young people 12-16 years of age who are at risk of homelessness. At Project Youth, HYAP encompasses the Mentoring Program and the Youth and Family Support Program. The mentoring program trains volunteer mentors who are matched to work with young people supporting them to feel safe, increase their connections, achievement and healthy lifestyles. Our family support program works intensively with young people to support re-connection with families, wider community networks or into long term transitional housing. Both programs are based on strengths focussed and trauma informed approaches which aim to embed continuity of care for young people through Project Youth services into independence. HYAP adds a lot of extra value to the existing housing offer within our service, ensuring a wraparound service for all young people at risk of homelessness.

Early intervention ensures young people’s problems are identified early and prevented from escalating, whilst also providing resilience,

strengths and skills to help young people successfully transition into adulthood. Our early identification programs reduce risk factors in a young person’s life that limit their social and economic opportunities, negatively impact their development, and increase their likelihood of health problems (physical/

mental), exploitation, criminal involvement and drug and alcohol use. These programs also increase protective factors across individual, family and community characteristics that can help mitigate the risks and increase a young person’s overall well-being and ability to thrive. Depending on the risks and needs identified, our programs can offer a range of support from universal prevention through to intensive support.

Our early intervention programs in 2019 included:

A) COMMUNITY EVENTS:

Our community programs are an effective way to engage the wider community in the work of Project Youth and the social issue we are trying to address. In 2019 we ran 17 events in the Sutherland Shire and Georges River areas including Christmas in July, Halloween and Easter events which were all very well attended by the community. We also worked in partnership with young people to run music events and support young people to be more connected to the communities they live in.

B) PEER EDUCATION:

Our peer education program employs young people to educate other young people. It is a format that has successfully run through Project Youth for many years and 2019 was another successful year. The program focusses on health education and prevention, including physical, sexual and mental health. This year the young peer educators engaged 48% more young people than the previous year, in health and well-being education.

1 EARLY INTERVENT ION & PREVENT ION PROGRAMS

COMMUNITY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

1408young people engaged in events

1884 community members engaged in events

PEER EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS:

24peer educators employed

48% increase in young people engaged

100% of young people reported positive outcomes

95% of peer educators had improved employment outcomes

SCHOOL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

40%of the school community engaged through chaplaincy

23groups run

80% increase in connections for young people

91% increase in school achievement

HYAP HIGHLIGHTS:

84young people supported

21 young people referred for mentoring

80%of young people had improved outcomes

Our family support program works intensively with young people to support re-connection with families, wider community networks or into long term transitional housing.


G) ADOLESCENT & FAMILY COUNSELLING PROGRAM:

The Adolescent and Family Counsellor works both in Project Youth and Headspace Miranda, providing support and counselling to young people and parents. This includes providing parents and teenagers with support to live together, improve their trust and respect and support to negotiate the difficulties that may arise on the path from childhood to adulthood.

H) OUTREACH:

Our street outreach program supports young people who are sleeping rough, hanging out in the streets or local parks, disengaged from services, engaged in drug and alcohol misuse, at risk, and/or involved in the criminal justice system. The program has experienced a busy year with a large number of interactions with young people in the community. The program cannot work in isolation and depends on effective partnerships with police and other local stakeholders, to identify new areas where at risk behaviours were occurring and to provide opportunities for increased engagement across the region.

E) MUSCLE UP/FIT 4 LIFE:

This year Project Youth again secured funding to run two concurrent fitness programs. The Sutherland Program was funded by Cronulla Sutherland Sharks and facilitated by Project Youth, Sutherland PCYC and NSW Police YLO’s and SLO’s. The St George Program was funded by Bayside City Council and facilitated by Project Youth, Rockdale PCYC and St George Police YLO’s and SLO’s. The aim of these programs is to work in partnership to provide assistance and support to young people at risk of disengaging from school and having contact with the criminal justice system. The aim is to increase positive relationships between young people and available support services, increase positive behaviours and increase school attendance. The program has a strong focus on fitness and encouraging the young people to actively participate in their community. The young people are picked up by staff from their home one morning per week of the school term between 6am and 7am and taken to a central location. The young people then engage in an hour of fitness between 7am and 8am with a qualified fitness instructor, supported by volunteer mentors. After the fitness the young people are provided with a healthy breakfast before being transported to school.

F) EARLY INTERVENTION & FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM:

The Child, Youth & Family worker provides targeted early intervention to young people through increasing social participation, running parenting programs, increasing family capacity, providing information/advice and intensive support. The Early Years parenting program is run in partnership with the Early Support Service provided by Orana and supports young parents with social connection and information.

MUSCLE UP/FIT 4 LIFE HIGHLIGHTS:

57 young people engaged

100% showed improved health outcomes

100%stayed connected in the program

EARLY INTERVENTION & FAMILY SUPPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

28 families supported


9 young parents engaged in parenting course

95% reported improved outcomes

OUTREACH HIGHLIGHTS:

1195young people provided advice and information

110young people provided additional support

38%of young people supported moved into other Project Youth programs

COUNSELLING HIGHLIGHTS:

76families supported

73% completed the counselling program

71% reported increased confidence in parenting

“ “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.

MICH*, 17 YEARS OLD, CRISIS REFUGE:

*All names have been changed


I) DROP-IN:

We provide structured drop-in programs at both our Menai and Miranda centres 2-3 days per week. These drop-in sessions provide an opportunity for young people to engage in a youth service, to feel safe, connect with other young people and speak with youth workers for advice and support if needed. These programs are an effective way to engage young people who have not previously been involved, are resistant to involvement, or had negative experiences in other programs or services. Through collaboration and consultation with young people who attend our drop-in we have formulated plans to implement further changes and improvements to our delivery in 2020. This is an area of work that is very valuable but currently unfunded even though evidence shows the need and outcomes achieved through these programs. Project Youth will continue to source funding where possible to provide drop-in programs in the future.

J) COURT SUPPORT:

Court support remains an integral pathway of early intervention support for young people. Project Youth coordinate a range of services to attend court in Sutherland on a weekly basis to engage young people in youth services, including legal aid. Court support runs with support from EDYS, St George Youth Services and Three Bridges.

K) WORK DEVELOPMENT ORDERS (WDO):

Young people who accumulate debt, in particular through fines, pay this off through a WDO. Project Youth continue to support all young people already engaged with our programs with their debt through this scheme. Under the WDO scheme, young people who face disadvantage or who have accumulated fines, can clear their debt’s by undertaking activities which benefit them and their local community.

DROP-IN HIGHLIGHTS:


66% of young people are repeat attendees

WDO HIGHLIGHTS:

60young people in the scheme

$25,864 of debt paid off in 2019

$258,789paid off to date through Project Youth program

Through collaboration and consultation with young people who attend our drop-in we have formulated plans to implement further changes and improvements to our delivery in 2020.

COURT SUPPORT HIGHLIGHTS:


100%accessed legal aid

100%reported improved access to services


I was involved with Labour Y who were helping me to find employment as I was not having much success. I also had some housing problems so finding work was extremely important so I could move out of the refuge and be more independent. Labour Y helped me explore my interests and then supported me to apply for and get an interview at the Shangri-La which was so exciting. Labour Y helped me prepare my application, get interview clothing and make it through 4 interviews! The best part was I got offered a job in the restaurant at the Shangri-la. I have now moved into transitional housing, paid off my debts and I have the opportunity to move to other roles within the hotel. I will always put in my best efforts because I feel very lucky to have this job and I’m grateful for Project Youth and all their help.

Youth homelessness is an issue in Australia that is continuing to grow. The latest census showed that over 60% of all homeless people

are under 34 years old and includes rough sleepers (6% of homeless population), living in overcrowded accommodation, sleeping in cars and on couches. In the areas that Project Youth work there are 1,628 homeless people recorded of which 24% are young people. However, sleeping on couches, otherwise known as couch surfing, is hidden homelessness, as it often goes unreported, so the actual amount of homeless young people is much higher. Couch surfing is also the first and most common way young people experience homelessness so prevention and awareness is a key part of what we do. Our programs start with the key element of early intervention and prevention to try and circumvent the risk of homelessness, as well as providing crisis refuges, semi-independent housing, and transitional housing. All young people in our housing and accommodation are provided with trauma-informed case support to address the underlying and complex issues that cause homelessness, including drugs, alcohol, mental health issues, family breakdown, violence, poverty, unemployment, gambling, abuse, neglect and/or not in education.

Our Youth Homeless & Housing Programs in 2019 included:

CRISIS REFUGES (THE BRIDGE & PENNY’S):

Project Youth have two crisis refuges called The Bridge (in Sutherland Shire) and Penny’s (in Georges River). Both refuges support young people in crisis by providing short term accommodation and intensive trauma informed support to move from crisis to semi-supported services, return to their family home or into transitional housing. This prevents homelessness, provides living skills and access to services to support social and economic stability. Some of the key areas the staff work on with the young people includes health (physical & mental), family restoration, education, employment, community connections, practical skills, confidence building, accessing identification and benefits, and increasing resilience. Each refuge can accommodate 5 young people at a time for up to 3 months. In 2019 there was an average stay of 40.8 days.

SEMI-INDEPENDENT HOUSING (HENRY’S AND JACARANDA COTTAGE):

Project Youth have two semi-independent housing programs, Henry’s and Jacaranda Cottage. We provide 8 beds across our semi-independent provision where young people can be accommodated and supported for up to 18 months. Henry’s is managed internally by Project Youth staff and Jacaranda Cottage is commissioned by Project Youth, and managed through Kingsway Community Care. All young people in our semi-independent provision are supported to transition to independence through an individualised case plan. Young people do not need to be working, studying or receiving an income to move into semi-independent housing, however support to engage in work, study and/or Centrelink would form part of their support plan. The young people participate in structured activities to develop their life skills, including house meetings, group activities and Life Hacks. At Jacaranda Cottage the young people host dinner parties and attend a camp where they can experience the connection that a family environment would provide.

2 HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING PROGRAMS “ “MARIE*, 20 YEARS OLD, EMPLOYMENT:



TRANSITIONAL HOUSING:

The Transitional Housing program supports young people aged between 16-24, who are experiencing homelessness, with accommodation and support for up to 18 months. We provide housing options across the Sutherland Shire, Georges River and Bayside Local Government Areas as well as accessing Rent Choice Subsidy for Youth, MY Foundations and other longer term accommodation options. The transitional housing program also assists young people through individualised support plans to address personal, social and educational barriers that may prevent them from accessing the private rental market. In Oct 2018, the new role of intake worker/coordinator of the transitional housing team was put in place. This has allowed more efficient processing of referral’s and a greater focus on support and program development. New and updated processes have enabled the program to work more effectively with young people with mental health issues and those not engaged in education and/or employment. We have also focussed on relationship building with other youth services in the Sutherland Shire and St George areas to ensure that young people have the right support, at the right time, from the right service.

TENANCY SUPPORT:

All young people engaged with Project Youth, who have a tenancy directly with Project Youth, private landlords, or St George Community Housing (SGCH) are supported by our Property & Tenancy Worker. A focus in the last financial year was to assist new tenants to understand the process of lease signing, their responsibilities and to negotiate when they fell into arrears, (e.g. assistance to work out a reasonable plan to pay back the arrears), to ensure that all young people have the best possible opportunity to sustain tenancy and transition effectively into independence. Support was also provided to tenants to resolve emergency maintenance issues; including liaising with tradespeople to attend to non-urgent maintenance issues in a timely manner. A key area of work within our tenancy support is relationship building with real estate property managers to acquire properties and provide flexible arrangements for property inspections.

YOUTH HOMELESSNESS MATTERS DAY (YHMD):

Youth Homelessness Matters Day (YHMD) is a national campaign designed to raise awareness of the issues related to Youth Homelessness in Australia and to bring our communities together to end youth homelessness. This year Project Youth hosted two events in partnership with our sector partners to engage the community in a conversation about youth homelessness. One event was at Hurstville and the other in Sutherland. This year we set up a local campaign called “I will…”, which called on the community to action. At our events and on social media we asked community members to say what they could do to help end youth homelessness. A range of ideas were generated, which inspired other people to see that they can also act and make a difference through collective impact. These ideas included posting messages on social media, sharing the campaign messages, volunteering for a service, providing emergency care packages, talking to family/friends, donating to homeless services, being a mentor for a young person, and providing a meal. To make this campaign a success we had support from 3Bridges, Headspace, Lugarno Lions, Jacaranda Cottage, Playsafe (Peer educators), Enactus (Student group – UNSW), Shopfront Arts Co Op, Headspace, Enough Is Enough, Orana, EDYS and The Beauty Bank.

HOUSING & HOMELESS PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

74 young people were housed in crisis refuges

14 young people were supported in semi-independent housing

93 young people were supported through transitional housing

57 young people held active tenancies

68% maintained their tenancies successfully

300 community members participated in the “I will” social change campaign

73%of young people who stayed in housing improved outcomes

5,747community members reached through homeless campaign

New and updated processes have enabled the program to work more effectively with young people with mental health issues and those not engaged in education and/or employment.


CAFÉ Y:

Café Y provides coffee with a conscience. It is a vibrant community café that provides training and work placements for young people who face disadvantage and would not be able to thrive without support. The Café is based in Menai serving quality food and coffee to local people and businesses, either on site at the Café or through catering to meetings and events. Café Y gives 60+ young people per year the opportunity to obtain the training and trauma-informed support required to achieve a certificate II in hospitality, pathways to further training and employment opportunities and traineeships within the cafe.

HOSPITALITY PROGRAM:

In 2018/19 Project Youth received funding through Give 2 Asia to fund a youth worker to support young people to attend and complete a TAFE NSW qualification in hospitality. The Youth Worker position is able to support 4 cohorts of young people a year through a Certificate II in Hospitality. The worker supports the young people from initial referral and engagement through to graduation as well as liaising with partners, families and TAFE NSW. Each young person is supported with removing barriers to successful completion of the course as well as with pathways into further education and employment once they have graduated. The program links into Project Youth wrap around support through housing, Labour Y and early intervention programs as required based on individualised plans. Due to the success of the program Project Youth has successfully sourced funding to continue the program through 2020.

There are currently 4,413 unemployed young people across the local government areas that Project Youth covers, which is 18% of the total

youth population. A young person is unlikely to break the cycle of disadvantage and homelessness without access to education, employment and training (EET). EET is a key determinant of a young person achieving social and economic goals, exiting homelessness and sustaining long term financial stability. Early school leavers are less likely than their peers to have the skills, confidence and positive role models to obtain and sustain employment, which impacts significantly on other areas such as health, well-being, connections and safety. It is also important to recognise that mainstream schooling is not always the best pathway for all young people and multiple alternative pathways need to be offered to ensure all young people have the opportunity to thrive. At Project Youth we have developed 2 social enterprises, Café Y and Labour Y, to specifically support young people on pathways to education and employment opportunities, in conjunction with a Hospitality program and a range of work related courses and training. As with all our programs, young people are provided with trauma-informed support to ensure any barriers to achievement are removed, so they form connections that can continue to support them once they have exited our programs.

Our EET Programs in 2019 included:

LABOUR Y:

Labour Y is Project Youth’s supported employment program working with young people aged between 16-24 years of age. This program supports young people who face disadvantage or have complex needs, on a pathway to education and employment. This is achieved through work readiness skills programs, employment courses, provision of equipment/clothing, relationships with businesses, mentoring and trauma informed support to remove any barriers to success. The support and encouragement young people receive gives them the opportunity to sustain education and employment ensuring they can thrive in society and avoid cycles of disadvantage including unemployment, poverty and homelessness.

3 EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT & TRAIN ING PROGRAMS “ “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 successfully get into a university degree to further my education. Thanks Project Youth!

JACK* 22 YEARS OLD, TRAINEESHIP:

LABOUR Y HIGHLIGHTS:

17young people in sustained employment

12 young people completed courses

58 young people supported through work readiness

80%of young people went on to further education & employment

95% of young people had improved outcomes

CAFÉ Y HIGHLIGHTS:

1 12-month traineeship

5 young people employed in Cafe

32 work experience placements

5 Volunteers supporting Café Y

80% transitioned into further education or employment

HOSPITALITY HIGHLIGHTS:

64young people engaged in course

4courses completed

77% of young people graduated

82%had improved connections



“ “I AM ... A sURvivoR

During my schooling years, I was a victim of significant and traumatic bullying. This led to me changing myself and my appearance to please others.Since leaving school, I have become more open (some would say “rebellious”) about who I am, and who I have become.

I am now on a journey exploring life and experiencing new and exciting things.

*All names and images have been changed


oUR FUtURe

OUR PLAN HAS 4 PRIORITY AREAS:

1 STRENGTHEN OUR FOUNDATIONS

• Strong leadership and management

• Practice that is based on evidence

• A skilled and well trained workforce

• Effective policy, procedure and risk assessment

• Effective collaboration & partnership

2 INCREASE OUR IMPACT

• Young people’s experience and skills are utilised

• Young people are in safe and affordable housing

• Timely and effective early intervention

• Pathways to achievement in education and employment

• Programs that are open, accessible and culturally appropriate

3 BE A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

• Empower the community to be a voice for change

• Share our knowledge and evidence with other organisations

• Advocate for young people at a policy level to break the cycle of disadvantage

• Work with government agencies to support effective delivery of commissioning

4 SCALE & GROW EFFECTIVELY

• Sustainable and achievable funding

• Social Enterprise sustainability & social impact investment

• Fill unmet need in our target population

• Diversify our workforce capacity

WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO PROGRESS ACTIVITY IN A VARIETY OF THESE PRIORITY AREAS. THIS INCLUDES:

• Set up of a youth representative group to co-create meaningful collaboration

• Reviewing our branding and image to ensure it is effective and up-to-date

• Providing ways for young people to have a voice and share their stories to inspire others

• Creating a drop-in space in Hurstville specialising in Education, Skills and Training

• Working with partners to develop consistent outcome measures

• Increasing our capacity to support volunteers

• Training for management in trauma informed supervision

• Review of all policy and procedures

• Implementation of an outcomes and practice framework

• New data and insights collection leading to improved decision making

• Focus on collective impact through improved collaboration with sector partners including co-location, joint supervision, joint training and outcome measure development

At Project Youth we are excited about what’s next for our organisation. We have a new Strategic Plan in place which is our

road map for the next 5 years. We look forward to broadening our collaboration, seeking new opportunities and increasing our impact.


At Project Youth we value our staff and the people involved with delivering our programs. We conducted a staff survey at the beginning of

2019 to ensure we were effectively listening and learning from the feedback. This survey was a part of a wider 360 review of the organisation and included partners and young people. This will be rolled out annually at the beginning of each calendar year as a continuous feedback loop into our planning and practice.

We were privileged in 2018/2019 to have 166 staff, volunteers & young people working together to make a difference for young people.

Thank you to all our staff, volunteers and students who have contributed to improving the lives of so many young people throughout 2019. Your commitment and dedication to both the work with young people and the development of our organisation has been invaluable. We look forward to working with you next year to grow, improve and continue to make a difference.

•

oUR teAM

8 Board Members

25 Full time staff

12 Part time staff

3.6% of our team are in

Management & Leadership

31%of our team are

paid to work in our programs

35%of our team

are volunteers (including Board

members)

29% of the team are young people

employed through our programs

15Casual staff

50Volunteers/Mentors

17Young People Labour Y

24Peer Educators

7Young People Café Y

8Students

This included:


“ “I AM ... An ex-GAnG memBeR

When I was a young teenager, I was part of a Greater Western Sydney gang.

I was involved in illegal activities to increase my reputation. Following a court date, I made the decision to move to Queensland for a fresh start.

Since leaving the Greater Western Sydney area, I have become an NRL Referee and am now passionate about being a lifeguard.

I am now a contributing member of my Community.

*All names and images have been changed


It is my pleasure to present The Treasurer’s Report for Financial Year 2019.

2019 has been another strong growth year for revenue.

Revenue has grown nearly 6% from $4,117,632 in 2018 to $4,360,952 in 2019.

We finished with an operating surplus of $53,781 which will be reinvested back into Project Youth to meet our strategic plan.

Expenses also increased, which included some one off expenditure from the resignation of our Executive Officer, Kellie and the recruitment of a new Chief Executive Officer, Jodie.

Our Income Statement reflects the strong management previously shown, which is supported by the very strong balance sheet. With little to no debt and strong cash position. Project Youth is well positioned to successfully action our Strategic Plan.

Our challenge into the future is to build on the current strong foundations and increase our impact in the community.

IN 2018 WE WERE THANKFUL TO HAVE RECE IVED FUNDING FROM THE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES :

• NSW Family and Community Services (FACS), Early Intervention and Placement Program (EIPP/CYFS/IFS/CB)

• Sutherland Shire Council• NSW Government Health

WE ALSO RECEIVED GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM DONORS TO ASS IST US TO ACHIEVE OUR MISS ION:

• Club Central Hurstville & Menai• Big Sister Foundation • Clubs NSW members• The Ian Potter Foundation• Breen Resources• Give 2 Asia

Plus, many more as listed in our Thank You section of this report.

I would like to thank Kellie for her hard work over the years, however as one door closes another opens. Jodie Darge, has provided a new perspective and is providing an excellent balance of continuity and change.

I would like to recognise Gillian, for overseeing the financial complexities involved in bringing the budgets and accounts together throughout the year.

Peter Taniane Treasurer, Project Youth

tReAsUReR’sRePoRt


BALANCE SHEET 2019 $ 2018 $

Current Assets

Cash Assets 1,159,158 992,931

Receivables 120,989 36,809

Investments 1,568,066 1,493,873

Total Current Assets 2,848,213 2,523,613

Non-Current Assets

Property, Plant and Equipment 95,670 120,787

Total Non-Current Assets 95,670 120,787

Total Assets 2,943,883 2,644,400

Current Liabilities

Payables 1,419,982 1,171,461

Provisions 583,717 634,920

Total Current Liabilities 2,003,699 1,806,381

Non-Current Liabilities

Provisions 312,563 264,178

Total Liabilities 2,316,262 2,070,559

Net Assets 627,621 573,840

Accumulated Funds

Opening balance 573,840 422,695

Surplus (Deficit) for the Year 54,181 151,145

Total Accumulated Funds 627,621 573,840

INCOME STATEMENT 2019 $ 2018 $

Operating Revenues

Government Grants 3,518,637 3,403,565

Rental Income 137,385 175,615

User Contributions & Café Sales 301,694 68,092

Donations 212,242 192,373

Interest & Investment Income 89,957 102,060

Other 101,037 175,928

Total Revenues 4,360,952 4,117,632

Less Expenses

Administration 116,803 135,352

Employment 3,320,528 2,816,103

Occupancy 300,507 270,889

Operating 313,343 329,844

Provisions 181,453 218,465

Depreciation 36,714 31,151

Repairs & Maintenance 37,823 164,682

Total Expenses 4,307,171 3,966,487

Operating Surplus / (Deficit) 53,781 151,146


Our sincere thanks to all our supporters and funders who make our work possible

Supporting young people within our communities is a shared responsibility. We are fortunate to work with a wide range of partners, sponsors, donors and individuals, which ensure that all young people, regardless of the disadvantage they may face, have the chance to thrive. Thank you for your support which enables thousands of young people opportunities they would not have otherwise had.

GOVERNMENT• Sutherland Shire Council

• Georges River Council

• Bayside Council

• Department of Communities & Justice

• South Eastern Local Health District

DONORS/DONATIONS• Empire Facades (5 x individual employees)

• Our other individual regular donors have requested to remain anonymous

CORPORATE & COMMUNITY SPONSORS AND DONORS• Shangri-la Hotel

• Club Central Menai

• Big Sister

• Ian Potter

• Matana Foundation

• ESG Foundation

• Breen Resources

• Commonwealth Bank

• Give 2 Asia

• Cronulla Surfing Academy

• Sharks Football Club

• Bennelong Foundation

• Salvation Army Hurstville

• Rotary Club Miranda

• Beauty Bank

• Caringbah High school

• IMB

• Specsavers

• Officeworks

• Kk technical service

• Thinking works

• Calvary hospital

• Bunnings Warehouse

• National Storage

• Sutherland Shire Toy restoration centre

• Sutherland Shire Netball

Thanks to www.dermotcarlin.com for volunteering your time for all Project Youth photography

tHAnK YoU We cAn’t do oUR woRK Alone We need your

support to make a difference to young people’s lives.

YOU CAN WORK WITH US TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE BY:• Committing to a regular gift• Joining us in a corporate

sponsorship• Payroll giving• Volunteering with us• Leaving a bequest• A donation• Fundraising for us• Being involved in social change

campaigns

Project Youth is a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR). Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

If would like any further information about supporting Project Youth, please contact our CEO Jodie Darge [email protected]


http://www.dermotcarlin.com

mailto:jodie%40projectyouth.org.au?subject=

“I THOUGHT BY THIS AGE, I’D BE DEAD. I’M NOT AND I’M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I’M THE HEALTHIEST AND HAPPIEST I’VE ACTUALLY BEEN EVER.”

“I feel more relaxed and I’m enjoying life. I’m not scared anymore”

“For me personally, being a youth mentor, has not only allowed me to work with some of our youth in a fun and engaging program, but also given me a sense of belonging to the greater Sutherland Shire Community. By tackling some of the issues and challenges that our young people face from day-to-day, not only do I feel that we’re helping them to make informed decisions in their lives, but I also feel that I am learning a lot about myself along the way. This program is fun, character building and life coaching for both the volunteer mentors and young people. Thank you to the team from Project Youth, PCYC and NSW Police. I’ll be back!”

“This is the only service which has been able to help my son.”

“I needed help to get through court and Project Youth were there for me.”

“I’m not homeless anymore and that is the best”

“We are more like a family now and laugh about things where we used to fight.”

“Project Youth are changing and willing to always improve and learn”

“PROJECT YOUTH ARE OPEN TO COLLABORATION AND HAVE ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO WORK WITH OUR ORGANISATION.”

“THANK YOU, YOU HAVE HELPED OUR FAMILY VERY MUCH”

“STAFF ARE AMAZING AMBASSADORS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE “

“Being a mentor for Project Youth has been inspiring, educational and challenging at times. I’ve received so much support at Project Youth and got so much out of the three-week training course which really opened my eyes to so many things. My young person went through some difficult times whilst we were matched and it only made our bond stronger at this time… she has taught me a lot.”

- YOUNG PERSON- STAKEHOLDER/PARTNER

- YOUNG PERSON

- MENTOR

- YOUNG PERSON

- MENTOR

- YOUNG PERSON

- FAMILY

- FAMILY

- FAMILY- STAKEHOLDER/PARTNER

- STAKEHOLDER/PARTNER


connectWItHUS

PO Box 333, Miranda, NSW [email protected](+612) 9525 7919projectyouth.org.au

@project_youth-inc@ProjectYouthInc @projectyouthinc

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Creating a future where all young people can thrive. · A future where all young people can thrive. Connecting Sense of belonging and connection Safe ee Fr from violence and harm