Category: Blog

This week is Foster Care Week and Veritas House celebrated with a Carer Awards ceremony recognising the significant contribution local foster carers make to the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

The ceremony featured the inaugural presentation of the Carer of the Year Award to Julie Everson, an exceptional carer who displays the Veritas House organisational values of compassion, innovation, inclusion, individualised care, cultural sensitivity, fairness and honesty. Julie has been a carer with Veritas House for almost 3 years and cared for five children and young people, as well as providing respite care to numerous others. A loving, warm and accepting carer, Julie makes every child that comes into her care feel included as part of her family, and incorporates anything that is special or significant to the children into her own life, including attending cultural events with Aboriginal children in her care, ensuring they continue to remain connected to their culture.

“I became a foster carer because I wanted to give the kids who don’t have a loving home the home that they deserve,” said Julie.

“I would encourage anyone considering becoming a carer to just go for it. It’s emotional, but it is so worth it, especially when you see these kids blossom and grow.”

In addition to the Carer of the Year Award, Veritas also presented 16 foster carers with awards acknowledging their dedication and contribution to children and young people over more than 10 years’ service as carers.

According to Veritas House Operations Manager – Permanency Support, Jacqueline Ashleigh, the awards acknowledged the significant contribution local foster carers make in providing a safe and supportive home environment for children in out-of-home care.

“Our foster carers play a critical role in assisting children and young people in their care to grow and develop in a happy and healthy way and our awards ceremony was an opportunity to honour and celebrate the contribution they make to our community,” said Ms Ashleigh.

“To have so many of our foster carers reach the milestone of ten years as carers is also significant and demonstrates just how rewarding the role can be,” she said.

However despite this, Veritas House remains in urgent need of new foster carers, with the number of children and young people entering Out of Home Care in NSW growing from 10,000 in 2006 to 18,000 in 2016. A wide range of carers are needed including respite – which can be as little as a weekend a month; emergency; long term; extended family or kin; guardianship and adoptive parents.

“Children and young people are taken into care because they cannot safely remain with their families and through no fault of their own,” said Ms Ashleigh. “We urgently need local families and individuals to put up their hand and say ‘I can help a little one’ because these children deserve to feel special and worthy and loved.”

Anyone considering becoming a foster carer must be over 18, an Australian citizen or permanent resident, in good health and without a criminal record. Carers can be single, married, in a de-facto or in a same sex relationship. If you would like information about becoming a foster carer, visit: bit.ly/VHFosterCare

Two members of the Veritas House team will have a cold, uncomfortable night sleeping in their car on Saturday, 5 August to raise funds and awareness to alleviate the plight of homeless people in the Orange district.

As part of Homelessness Week, Matt Gerrey and Jack Mckenna will join a national campaign organised by Fusion Australia, which will involve sleeping in their cars in the Fusion Community Centre and Uniting Church car park, at 217 Anson Street, Orange. All of the funds raised from the night will be distributed between Fusion’s Community centre and Veritas House.

Veritas will use funds raised to purchase essential and urgent supplies for local homeless young people such as school bags, uniforms, shoes, clothing; and to purchase basic whitegoods and furniture for young people setting up in supported rental accommodation.

Fusion works with young people, and adults who are at risk of homelessness, or who are socially isolated.  Funds raised will assist with the running of the community drop-in centre, and the regular Thursday night “Come to the Table” community meal.

Please support their campaign by making a tax deductible donation at: https://sleepinyourcarorange17.gofundraise.com.au/page/MatthewGerrey or join in the activities and fun that will take place on the night, commencing from 7pm at the Fusion Community Centre.

Veritas House will again conduct the popular Positive Parenting Program or ‘Teen Triple P’ commencing on Tuesday, 15 August and is urging Bathurst parents and carers to register now to reserve their place.

The program involves five 2-hour group sessions, and participants can attend either in the mornings from 10am-12, or in the evenings from 6-8pm. Facilitated by the Veritas Adolescent and Family Counsellor who is an accredited Triple P trainer, the program is designed to provide carers of children in Years 5-11 with the information and skills needed to deal consistently and decisively with problem behaviour and to encourage positive behaviours.

“Teenage years certainly bring many challenges and Teen Triple P is designed to assist parents and carers to provide a home environment that guides and supports teenagers as they strive to become independent, well-adjusted young adults,” explained Veritas Counsellor, Graham Palmer.

Through funding from the Department of Family and Community Services, Veritas is able to deliver the course free-of-charge, but numbers are limited. To reserve your place or for more information, contact Graham on 6332 3882.

Bathurst City Centre has launched its Winter Appeal and selected Veritas House as the recipient of its campaign.

Throughout the month of July, Bathurst City Centre is accepting donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries, hygiene products, jumpers, blankets, shoes, socks, scarves and woollen gloves at the collection point located next to The Reject Shop.

All of the items received will assist local children, young people and families who are supported by Veritas. Bathurst City Centre (commonly known as ‘the new shopping centre’) is located at 210 Howick Street, Bathurst.

Entering into foster care for the first time is a daunting experience for any child. To help reduce some of this stress, one Veritas supporter has created ‘Kindness Kits’ – backpacks filled with essential toiletries, school supplies, toys, books and a comfort item. Kits come in four age groups: Babies, Toddlers, Primary and Secondary. If you would like to contribute items or make a tax deductible donation towards producing these kits, please contact our Corporate Services Manager, Maureen on 6332 3882.

Veritas staff are frequently humbled by the generosity of individuals and organisations who share our passion for helping vulnerable children, young people and their families, but the ongoing support received from one group deserves special recognition.

On a regular basis, Veritas receives donations of knitted and crocheted blankets to support children who can no longer reside with their families and enter into Foster Care, or who stay at our youth refuges. The generous ‘knitting ladies’ who wish to remain anonymous, ask for nothing in return for their donations other than the request that the blankets are ‘gifted’ to the children and young people, so they can be comforted and warm during a difficult time, and know that their blanket is theirs to keep with them, wherever they go.

If you enjoy knitting or crochet and would like information on how you could contribute, contact Narelle Stocks on (02) 6332 3882.

Veritas House staff recently undertook a two day workshop designed to further develop skills and knowledge to work with children and adolescents who have, or are experiencing abuse and trauma in their lives.

The ‘Understanding Complex Trauma Workshop’ was delivered by educator and Clinical Psychotherapist, Joanne Murray, and participants included staff from Veritas’ Out of Home Care team, Specialist Homelessness Services and the Non Placement Support Service.

“Through the training, our staff have developed an enhanced understanding that trauma can occur not only in a child or young person’s relationship with an individual or individuals, but in his or her relationship with society, and that consistency, reliability and predictability in casework is crucial to working with people with experiences of complex trauma,” explained Veritas Operations Manager, Jacqueline Ashleigh.

“A key learning for our staff was that positive, safe and healing relationships and experiences are key to trauma-informed practice and we believe this training will continue to improve the quality of supports we provide to vulnerable children, young people and families in our communities,” she said.

Wednesday, 5 April 2017 is national ‘Youth Homelessness Matters Day’ (#YHMD2017) and Veritas House is calling on local residents to mark the occasion by considering how they can support young people in Bathurst and Orange who are at risk of experiencing homelessness.

More than 26,000 young Australians aged 12-25 are experiencing homelessness every night. In most instances, they do not have a home because they are escaping conflict and violence; and they find it difficult to find a home because of the housing affordability crisis in Australia.

According to Veritas House CEO, Jody Pearce, YHMD is an opportunity to breakdown the stigma and stereotypes attached to youth homelessness.

“A common misconception is that young people leave home because they want to or because they want more freedom to live without rules and restrictions, but we know that this is simply not the case for the vast majority of local young people we have supported over the past 30 years,” she explained.

“Some 70% of young people experiencing homelessness are escaping a negative home environment, which often includes an abusive, violent or broken home and most are hidden from view through couch surfing or sleeping in cars.

“This is why there needs to be more focus on educating the public on what to do if they identify a young person who is at risk of, or is experiencing homelessness, so they can be supported to access specialist homelessness services, like the Veritas refuge, to get the help they need to get back on their feet,” she said.

If you or someone you know needs assistance or advice on options, contact Veritas House on 6332 3882 during business hours or 0407 188 877; or Link2Home on 1800 152 152.

Another way local residents can help make a change is by supporting the campaign for a national plan to address youth homelessness.

“Youth homelessness needs a strategic approach at a national level to ensure we can support young people at every stage, from early intervention to crisis support. The online petition at youthhomelessnessmatters.net aims to demonstrate to government that there is significant community support for action on this important issue,” said Jody.

Veritas House is a not-for-profit organisation that was established in Bathurst more than 30 years ago and has grown to become one of the largest providers of foster care and youth homelessness services in the region, supporting more than 300 children and young people in Bathurst and Orange each year.

Year 9 students from Blayney High School conducted a two week campaign at the end of term last year to raise funds for Veritas House as part of their Social Issues – Disadvantaged Youth and Homelessness studies in English.

The students brainstormed a range of fundraising ideas and, after consultation with teaching staff and Veritas House, implemented a range of activities.

In addition to a cake stall, raffle and barbecue which raised an impressive $1,284, students called for donations of clothes, canned food and Christmas gifts, all of which were distributed to young people staying at the Veritas House youth refuges in Orange and Bathurst over the Christmas period.

“All of our staff are passionate about the work that we do and the young people, children and families that we assist; and we are delighted that Blayney High students share our enthusiasm for doing everything we can to support young people in Bathurst, Orange and surrounds who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The initiative and creativeness shown by Blayney High students is a credit to themselves, their loved ones and communities. Thank you and well done Blayney High, you shine a bright light on our future,” said Veritas SHS Team Leader, Sarah Luff.

The funds raised by BHS were used to fund trips to Lake Lyell near Lithgow and to the Elvis Festival at Parkes; and to purchase additional Christmas presents for the residents of the refuges.

Thank you to StreetSmart Australia who has generously provided Veritas House with our second grant in two years to support young homeless people in Orange. Last year we purchased vouchers for haircuts and independent living packs packed into washing baskets which contained:

• cleaning products – mops, brooms, cleaning products, cloths, pegs, toilet brush, laundry detergent, dishwashing equipment etc.
• self-care products – body wash, shampoo, conditioner, soap, band aids, disinfectant, toilet paper etc.
• long-life food – milk, tins of food, teabags, coffee, sugar, cereal, rice, pasta etc.

The independent living packs have greatly assisted young people with a history of homelessness to successfully move towards sustainable accommodation.

“The grant we have received from StreetSmart Australia this year will enable Veritas to support homeless young people in the Orange community to purchase birth certificates, Opal Cards and cooking packs, which we will use in our living skills program and provide to each young person at the completion of the workshops,” explained Veritas House CEO, Jody Pearce.

“Young homeless people face a range of barriers which prevent them from gaining independence. These include access to personal identification, money for access to public transport, cooking skills and kitchen equipment to prepare healthy and economical meals. The grant from StreetSmart will enable Veritas to assist to break down these barriers in the year ahead,” she said.

StreetSmart Australia was established in 2003 to break down prejudices against homelessness, raise funds for small, local organisations and help connect them to their community. In August last year, cafes, coffee roasters, sponsors and coffee drinkers across NSW took part in CafeSmart 2016 to raise record funds to contribute towards the 118 community grants distributed by StreetSmart Australia, including Veritas House.

For more information visit: www.streetsmartaustralia.org