The biggest takeaway volunteer Hudson Kaddatz has from outreach is that you have such a different idea of what homelessness is until you see it.  

“Homelessness isn’t bad people who are making bad decisions every day. It’s not violence and drug users. That’s not the actual reality of it. The people we get at Rosies are people who make a bad decision – and we all make bad decisions – or get unlucky and they simply don’t have the level of support that a student like me or any of the kids at school would have had,” he said.  

The 24 yearold former TSS student is a current volunteer, who first became involved at school through the Rosies Youth Engagement Program (YEP). 

“If something goes wrong in our lives, we get a bit of bad luck or we make a bad decision, we’ve always got our family, our parent, our brothers, our sisters, our grandmother, a good friend or a friend of a friend to be there as a safety net; these people on the street don’t. So, if something happens or they lose their job, they can’t just go back to their mum and dad’s house – they end up on the street,” he said.  

“So yeah, it’s very different to what I thought it was before I went out (and started outreach). I understand the problem a lot more now and have respect for these people who are out in the street; more than you would have going into it for the first time.”  

Hudson first became involved with Rosies and the program in 2015, when he was a student at The Southport School and said it had changed his life.  

One of his teachers, Robyn Gibson, did a presentation at assembly encouraging students to take part in Rosies Youth Engagement Program. 

Hudson was familiar with Rosies, having seen the van on the Broadwater when he was assisting his mother who coordinated the street library. He and a friend decided to “jump in” and give it a go.  

“What an eye-opening experience it was,” he said.  

“I’m sure the boys that do it now have that feeling every time they come out on Wednesday with us. It’s such a good night to see what the reality of the community is outside of our little bubble.   

“You know, coming out of school when you’re young and arrogant, you think everything in the world’s ahead of you. It’s been great for me to humble myself and come back to Rosies and live that life of service.”  

From a personal perspective, Hudson said he felt participating in outreach had massively changed him as a person.  

“You just keep that humility and when you think something is missing from your life, life is tough or you’re having a bad day, bad week or you think you’re down on your luck and think, ‘Why is God punishing me?’ You go to (outreach) on a Wednesday night, and you go, ‘Oh jeez, I don’t have it that bad, do I?’” he said.  

“It’s been a wonderful tool for me to stay humble and lead the life I want to live.”  

After joining the program, Hudson said what kept him coming back was the connections he made with the patrons he’d met and the awareness that there was so much more you could be doing for your community.  

Now, years after that first assembly, Hudson is still working with former teacher Robyn, often attending outreaches together. 

“I love getting the TSS boys on a Wednesday, it just makes my whole week. I’ve been in their shoes. I know exactly what they’re thinking and what their lives are like back home and in school. I really appreciate Robyn requesting the boys be on my nights because I love keeping that connection with my school. It’s very special for me to connect with the boys and see what’s going on in their lives and help open their eyes to what’s going on in the communities.”  

Robyn, whose association with Rosies goes back a little longer than Hudson’s, about 17 years, was introduced to the charity first when she worked for St Michael’s College in Merrimac.  

The college was already involved with the Youth Engagement Program, and she brought Rosies to TSS community when she joined the team.  

“(Since his graduation) Hudson along with Gold Coast North Branch Coordinator Teresa Bettles, also come along to a couple of assemblies and have spoken about Rosies to our faith and mission classes during their project about homelessness,” she said.  

Robyn said she’d first introduced the school community to the idea of volunteering with Rosies by putting announcements in the daily bulletin, asking students to consider outreach, but now, 11 years later, she doesn’t have to advertise at all – the boys come to her.  

“Last year I started something, a competition amongst the houses. We’ve got 12 houses here for the boys and so the house that had the most volunteers for Rosies got a little plaque made for them,” she said.  

“I love hearing the boys’ comment about how appreciative the patrons are. ‘Ma’am, they were all so nice and they were all so grateful.’ And they just can’t believe, like Hudson said, you’re got this preconceived idea of what a homeless person is, but they’re just like you and I. They’re just down on their luck in one thing and don’t have the resources we would all have behind us.”  

Robyn said one of her favourite memories from outreach was of the late Chris Fairhill, a long-term patron of Rosies who recently passed away.  

“Chris would always be good with the boys,” she said.  

“Always crack corny jokes and want to talk to them about his motorbike or his van. He really brought the boys into his world. They were really devastated to hear about his passing.  

“When I met him back in 2007, he was a chronic alcoholic. And to see his journey then, where he had come to, it was beautiful to see the type of person he was, you know, underneath the alcohol.”  

Another important person in Hudson’s life from the Rosies team was Damian Costello, a volunteer who has also passed away recently. While Damian had struggles in his own personal life, Hudson said he was moved by the “grit and the love” that he had for helping others.  

“He would turn up no matter the night, no matter the day, just jump in and volunteer. So that was just a wonderful example to me, such an amazing memory of an amazing man.”  

Both Robyn and Hudson praised the program and encouraged others to be involved.  

“It’s amazing to get young people involved because it opens their eyes and gives them a new perspective,” Hudson said.  

“I don’t know any other program or classroom that can teach you what I learnt in a couple of hours at an outreach. It is the best way to change your perspective on life and help give young people an example of leading a life for service.” 

If you would like more information on how your school or youth/community group can be involved with Rosies please email [email protected]