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Movin’ on up in Cairns

New South Wales native, regular Rosies patron and new volunteer Hayley holds the work of the organisation in very high esteem.

‘It’s a meeting place for people in the community, to catch up with friends and to make new ones over a coffee and a bite to eat.’

Hayley, 35, moved to Cairns just over a year ago to get a new start and heard about Rosies through church.

She attends nearly every night and has been volunteering for two months.

‘I love helping other people – those who cannot afford to pay their rent, food or power bills.’

She says the volunteers are kind and friendly and everyone wants Rosies to stay.

‘It’s a pleasure to work here. It’s great, I love it!’

She says that other patrons are proud that she is a volunteer.

Animal lover Hayley plans to volunteer some more, aims to become a Team Leader and encourage other patrons to join.

She would eventually like to find other ways to help in the community.

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New life, new home

With up to a third of supported accommodation seekers women fleeing domestic violence, the link between homelessness and domestic violence is clear – and the need for assistance is pressing.

Rosies Gold Coast branch has been forging links with local DV services, including Assist A Sista, to help women to rebuild their lives and move back into the wider community.

While food parcels are a regular offering for Rosies on the Gold Coast, for women who are leaving a refuge and trying to establish themselves in a new home, Rosies offers something a little different.

Along with regular food parcels, volunteers put together ‘Pantry Boxes’ to help establish a woman in her new kitchen.

The boxes are intended to help defray the initial costs of setting up a pantry, containing larger items that are used frequently but replaced only occasionally.

Gold Coast Branch Coordinator Wendy Coe says the boxes are made up of pantry staples rather than fresh fruit or vegetables.

‘They’re more items like flour, sauces, coffee, sugar, spices, cake mixes, or even washing powder,’ she said.

‘Not just something to get you through the next few days – these are items which help to set up a home.

‘If you have to go out and buy them all at once, it’s quite expensive – and for someone who’s starting out again with very few resources, just being able to go to the cupboard and add a few dried herbs to a meal or whip up a batch of pikelets is a big thing.

‘Part of feeling like you’re really home is being able to do those small things without thinking.’

 

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Unity and community: Cairns recipe for friendship

A partnership with Rosies intended to promote and maintain unity between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities has grown into a community-wide effort to feed Cairns’ homeless.

When Rosies Cairns branch coordinator Lyall Forde mentioned to Alma Mohammed he was looking for some volunteers to cook food for outreach, she thought she knew some women in the community who could help.

The biggest challenge ahead of her would be to raise money for ingredients.

Alma enlisted the help of her friend Renee Walker to come up with a solution – and from that partnership the Muslim Women’s Association of Far North Queensland was born.

‘Renee and I came up with the idea to create a market stall, which we have at the Gordonvale Markets once a month,’ Alma said.

‘It’s been great, and all of the food is homemade and cooked by women in the local community.

‘In fact, my mum has been doing most of the cooking!’

The pair sell home made sweets and pastries, with the proceeds used to buy ingredients to cook into meals for the homeless.

Those ingredients are then turned into meals which are distributed to Rosies patrons in Munro Martin Park once a month.

The Association’s stall has become a fixture at the markets, with the wider local community rallying around to support the fundraiser.

‘We have regulars, we take orders – we have people who come to Gordonvale from Cairns.

‘When we do miss a market, people send messages – “Where are you? Can I just give you the $10 instead?”’

The women were scheduled to provide meals to Rosies patrons on New Years Day, but there were no markets in December so no funds had been raised for ingredients.

The first of January was coincidentally also Alma’s daughter’s fourth birthday and she thought it would serve as the inspiration for a wonderful gesture of community spirit.

‘When I spoke to my 4 year old daughter, and said, “What would you like to do for your birthday?” she said, “We have to feed the homeless!”’
With that decided, the Association put out an appeal for food through their local mosque and then to the wider community.

The donations came flooding in, and a New Years Day banquet was assembled: roast chicken, crumbed Spanish mackerel, potato bake, and vegetable stew.

Festive fruit mince pies and quintessentially Australian lamingtons finished the meal, which was served to some of the local community’s most socially isolated individuals and families.

Most importantly, each person was provided with the opportunity to eat a hot meal from a plate in a communal environment of acceptance and friendship.
‘At the end of the night, everyone took away one or two meals with them – families with younger children took more,’ Alma said.

 

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Logan teen’s summer project a labour of love

While some spend the summer at the beach or relaxing in front of the TV, a group of Logan teenagers embarked on something different – a holiday project to help local homeless people.

Kuraby woman Aisha Abdallah, 19, came up with an idea: along with her friends, she wanted to do something to help people in her community feel good.
While watching overseas videos on the internet, inspiration struck – providing practical gifts to homeless people locally.

‘A man was going around asking homeless people what they wanted for Christmas,’ Aisha said.

‘They wanted little things, like a Starbucks coffee, just because they hadn’t had one in a while.’

Aisha was surprised by the simplicity of some of their answers, and realised that offering small but special gifts – ‘like a really delicious coffee’ – is a way of showing people they matter.

‘Such a little thing, done sincerely, can make someone really happy.’

Pooling their own money to buy the gifts, Aisha and her friends put together 30 bags filled with easy to eat items: snacks, noodle cups, biscuits with cheese, and small ready to eat tins, along with pieces of seasonal fresh fruit – ripe mangoes, nectarines, apples, and bananas.

The teenagers had originally planned to set out into Brisbane City on their own to find rough sleepers, but after contacting Rosies – Friends on the Street, they instead decided to distribute their gifts in their local community.

Four of the girls – Aisha, her sister, and two of her cousins – handed out the gifts to patrons attending Rosies’ Woodridge outreach.

They also spent some time talking with patrons and volunteers, as well as with staff from the Street Doctors mobile medical service who offer a GP clinic to the homeless.

‘We had heard of the Street Doctors, but I think it was a real eye-opener being a part of it,’ said Aisha.

Street team leader and Logan branch coordinator Margaret Harvey said patrons who come to Rosies are just like anyone else.

‘Some of them have had bad luck and some have an illness and no one cares about them,’ she said.

‘We have some pensioners who come every week – they’re isolated, they don’t have family so they come to us.’

Margaret says it’s common for Rosies patrons to feel like they are alone, and that many have difficulty finding opportunities to be social.

‘Some of our patrons have mental illness – they have a case worker who comes every two weeks, but no one else wants to spend time with them.’

She says most people who come to the Rosies van at Woodridge are not what many would consider ‘stereotypical’ rough sleepers.

‘Out here, you’re seeing the hidden homeless,’ said Margaret.

‘They’ve got a roof over their head, but nothing else.

‘Or families in cars. The kids are going to school every day, so nobody knows they’re homeless.’

Aisha said she and her friends enjoyed the experience, and planned to put together more gift bags for Rosies patrons throughout the year – with a range of different items like sunglasses, sunscreen, shampoo and conditioner and some homemade cupcakes.

Most of all, she hopes that the gesture will help some vulnerable people know they matter.

‘It’s just about saying hi to people, letting them know you’re thinking about them.’

To see the video that inspired Aisha and her friends, click here.

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Rosies appoints new General Manager

Rosies welcomes a new General Manager of Rosies Youth Mission Inc, Andrew O’Brien, who replaces previous General Manager Troy Bailey. Andrew was appointed to the position on January 15, 2015, after having guided the organisation in an interim capacity since November.

Andrew is an experienced executive with a particular interest in the services offered within the mission of the Church.

Andrew qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1983 and pursued a career in local government culminating as CEO of Mount Isa City Council from 1998-2003. Subsequently he worked for the Queensland Government in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, followed by two years in the Department of Infrastructure and Planning.

Between 2011 and 2014, Andrew worked for the Archdiocese of Brisbane in the role of Director Centacare Employment (Brisbane). Most recently, he acted as Interim Director of Centacare Toowoomba and assisted the transition to a new Director in September 2014.

Andrew has a strong interest in parish and community activities in his local area.

Rosies welcomes Andrew to the position and looks forward in 2015 to another successful year supporting our ‘friends on the street’.

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KAY VOLTZ RETIRES FROM ROSIES BOARD

Rosies – Friends on the Street today held a morning tea to acknowledge the significant contribution of Mrs Kay Voltz, who recently retired as minute secretary of the Rosies Board.

Mrs Voltz has had a long involvement with Rosies and with Iona College, having spent over 30 years with Iona College before assuming the role of minute secretary at Rosies in 2009.

‘Kay has been a quiet and unassuming presence at Rosies for many years,’ said Rosies Chair John Scoble.

‘We are thankful for her service to Rosies and to Iona College, especially through her last five years as Minute Secretary.

‘Personally, I was impressed by her dedication, her humble demeanour, and her calm conversation.’

Mrs Voltz worked with many Rosies stalwarts during her tenure, including former manager Bob Boardman, Chair Ron Bird, and chaplain Fr Pat Dwyer OMI.

Rosies – Friends on the Street would like to thank Mrs Voltz for her significant contribution, and wish her all the best in the future.

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THANK YOU: ST ANDREW’S REDLYNCH AND ST URSULA’S TOOWOOMBA

St Andrew’s Catholic College, Redlynch, and St Ursula’s College, Toowoomba are schools on a mission!

Recently, each school raised an incredible amount – in excess of $4,000 each – to support Rosies outreach services in their local areas, with Cairns, Toowoomba, and Ipswich branches receiving funds.

On Friday August 1, over 50 St Ursula’s students from years 10, 11 and 12 were sponsored to brave the cold for a 12 hour sleepout in Merici Courtyard. Now in its third year, the event has been enthusiastically supported by the girls – and they have become muhc more appreciative of the comfort and warmth of their own beds and homes as a result!

St Ursula's Sleepout St Ursula's Sleepout St Ursula's Sleepout

St Andrew’s Year 12 students held their own sleepout during Catholic Education Week on August 1, while Year 11 students ran a blanket drive. The younger students got in on the act too by putting together hygiene packs!

Both schools are participants in the Rosies Student Engagement Program, with students volunteering year round with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in their local areas. Students also provide material support to Rosies patrons in the form of emergency relief: food and hygiene packs.

Rosies would like to thank St Andrew’s and St Ursula’s for their continued generous support.

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UPDATE: AMAQ FOUNDATION FUND NEW VAN

Local Cairns GP Dr Sharmila Biswas and Australian Medical Association Queensland Foundation have raised an incredible $57,000 through their annual tax appeal to help secure the future of Rosies’ Cairns branch.
The current Cairns vehicle is the oldest in the Rosies fleet and no longer serviceable.
Funds raised will provide a brand new van with a custom designed and fitted servery tailored to the needs of the Cairns branch.
Homelessness rates in Queensland’s far North are double of the rest of the State, and in response increasing demand the Cairns branch last year expanded to a third night of street outreach each week.
A new van will ensure the branch will be in a position to expand services further if needed.
Rosies CEO Troy Bailey said the generosity of Queensland’s medical community is overwhelming.
‘The members of the AMA – they’re already working to help some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people out there,’ he said.
‘Then to donate they way they have to support our work here at Rosies – I can only say thank you. It’s really incredible.’
Our Spring newsletter is out – to download a copy, .

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YOUTH DETENTION: CHILDREN BEHIND BARS

Social contact with the outside world is crucial to the emotional well being of young people, but there are even more serious reasons for the existence of volunteer visitation programs. The transparency involved in opening institutions facilitates a form of community oversight which helps protect children from abuse by those charged with their care.

Fifteen years ago the Forde Inquiry examined the treatment of children in Queensland institutions including youth detention.

The Commission’s findings included a recommendation that visitors from the community be allowed regular access to correctional centres and other institutions.

Rosies first entered the Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Detention Centre in 1998. When that institution was closed – another recommendation of the Inquiry – the visitation program moved to the new Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.

Rosies volunteers currently visit boys and girls in the Centre on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons, engaging them in card games, recreational sport, and friendly conversation.

The centre’s residents are overwhelmingly from disadvantaged backgrounds. Indigenous youth are also concerningly over-represented: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise approximately 2% of the population, but represent around 50% of detainees.

Inquiry chair and Rosies patron Leneen Forde recently spoke of the importance of Rosies’ presence in the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.

‘One of the key findings that the (Forde) Inquiry made was for young people in correctional centres and institutions to have access to sympathetic visitors who visited them and helped them to get their lives back on track,’ she said.

Outside prison, volunteers are restricted from acknowledging young people they have met through visitation programs. It’s not unusual though for patrons to approach a street team and self-identify as having engaged with Rosies inside prison – often they are glad of a familiar face.

Because volunteers are present both inside and outside of prison, Rosies serves as a social anchor for young people who find integration into ordinary life difficult.

To support Rosies Youth Detention Centre visitation program, click here to make a donation.

Our Spring newsletter is out – to download a copy, .

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SCHOOLIES WEEK: WHAT’S IT WORTH?

Schoolies Week is a time for celebration, a time when young people come together to celebrate the closing of a chapter – but these celebrations also carry with them specific risks.

More than 30,000 school leavers register for the event on the Gold Coast, with a majority coming from Queensland. Unlike school leavers from most other States, the majority of Queensland schoolies are under the age of 18.

Many of these young people are away from home for the very first time, trusted to behave as adults in what can be a highly stressful environment.

Seventeen year olds occupy a difficult legal grey area. On the one hand they are not legally permitted to enter a licensed premises; but they can be tried and sentenced as adults. Choices made at Schoolies Week can have lifelong consequences.

To help mitigate these risks, Rosies volunteers collaborate with several other community groups as part of the Queensland Government’s Gold Coast Schoolies Community Safety Response – a massive undertaking involving 19 government and non-government agencies.

The Response aims to support young people to make responsible decisions while they celebrate. A safe space is cordoned off for young people to enjoy themselves without recourse to alcohol or drugs, and young people can access vital support services as required. Schoolies are encouraged to think about their behaviour and how their choices affect themselves, their friends, and the wider community.

Preliminary data suggests that the Response works: rates of drug and alcohol use by school leavers seem to be decreasing. The culture of school leavers is gradually changing for the better.

Despite these positives, there are still specific risks for young people at Schoolies Week. Although young people may feel excited and relieved at finishing school, they may also feel a sense of loss, anxiety or uncertainty – without the nearby support of their parents and family.

Rosies actively recruits volunteers with relevant skills to assist clients with complex or high-risk needs – especially youth workers, counsellors, and volunteers with suicide intervention or first aid training.

Shannon Pettigrew first volunteered with Rosies in 2010 as a psychology student. Having since completed her degree, she’s also an experienced front line drug and alcohol worker and crisis counselor.

‘School leavers are at a crossroads – there’s so much potential ahead,’ Shannon said.

‘I think it’s important to help them through that, so they get to the other side of it ready for the next phase of their lives.’

Shannon was on the ground in 2012 when Rosies volunteers were called to respond to a critical incident.

Staff and volunteers from several organisations worked through the night to identify affected young people, offer counseling, and ensure their safety until they reconnected with their families and support networks.

‘The thing that struck me about being a part of the critical incident response was that it really wasn’t about me,’ said Shannon.

‘We managed the welfare centre and were there to meet the needs of those young people and help them decide what to do next, but it was more about facilitating a community coming together to support the affected young people.

‘Our role was really to keep young people safe until they could go home, and we did that.’

Mark Reaburn, Independent Chair of the Gold Coast Schoolies Advisory Board, said the work that community organisations like Rosies undertake at Schoolies Week is vital to the success of the Response.

‘Rosies have been an imperative part of the delivery of the Gold Coast Schoolies Community Safety Response by providing practical support services and advice to young people during the official schoolies period,’ he said.

‘We appreciate the ongoing commitment and contribution made by Rosies and their volunteer network to enhance the safety of school leavers and the local community.’

Despite this, services face increasing funding pressure. Government cuts threaten resources across the not for profit sector, and there is intense competition for grant funding.

‘There needs to be someone there for schoolies,’ said Shannon.

‘I’m fortunate enough to have the skills to be equipped to keep coming back.’

To help fund Rosies’ Schoolies Week project, click here to make a donation.

Our Spring newsletter is out – to download a copy, .

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