Category: Blog

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

Veritas House’s accredited trainer will deliver ‘Shared Stories, Shared Lives’ training for potential Foster Carers in Bathurst on Saturday and Sunday, 11 and 12 February, 2017 from 9am–5pm.

This is a mandatory training program for anyone who is considering becoming a Foster Carer or who has already registered to become a Foster Carer with an out-of-home care agency. The course covers topics such as understanding the child protection system, understanding difficult behaviour and working with children who have been abused and experienced trauma, and building resilience, identity and self-esteem.

Attendance at the training is free for participants, but places are limited.

If you are registered to become a Foster Carer but not yet undertaken the ‘Shared Stories, Shared Lives’ training, or are interested in finding out more about becoming a Foster Carer, contact Rhys Smith, Veritas House Carer Recruitment and Support Coordinator on (02) 6332 3882.

More than 60 Bathurst children and young people will spend this Christmas in Foster Care and local community organisation, Veritas House is calling on local residents and businesses to help bring some Christmas cheer to these special children.

“Children and young people enter into foster care for a myriad of reasons, but generally they have experienced a degree of trauma, neglect and abuse that required intervention and removal for their own safety and well-being,” explained Veritas House CEO, Jody Pearce. “Veritas House Foster Carers in Bathurst provide a secure, safe and supportive home environment to these children and young people, but there is no doubt that Christmas can still be a tough time.

“We are hoping Bathurst residents and businesses will assist us to bring some joy into the lives of these special children this Christmas by donating an unwrapped gift, or making a donation towards our party on December 22, so that we can make it a special day the children and our carers will truly remember.”

Veritas House is asking local residents to donate an unwrapped gift and drop it off at their offices at 106-108 Russell Street Bathurst before Friday, December 9. Alternatively, businesses interested in donating food or making a financial contribution towards the Christmas party can contact Jordana Kissell on 6332 3882.

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 each year.

Veritas House Foster Carers open their homes and hearts and assist children and young people in foster care by providing homes with nurturing environments, that allows these children and young people to feel comfortable and supported so they can grow and develop in a happy and healthy way.

(L-R) Veritas Case Worker, Jordana Kissell accepts donations to the Xmas Gift Appeal from Bathurst Public School students Aislinn McBurney and James Hillsdon.