Mission Australia
Our Vision is to see a fairer Australia by enabling people in need to find pathways to a better life
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Vodafone Australia Foundation |
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| Tuesday, 25 March 2008 23:07 | ||
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a multi-faceted partnership In July 2004, the Vodafone Australia Foundation (VAF) launched the Young People Connected Program in conjunction with Mission Australia, Barnardos and Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Streets. The program - which aims to help disadvantaged young people stay connected to friends, family, agencies and support services - has expanded over the years and is now fully integrated into 13 Mission Australia youth services across three States. Our clients range in age from 15 to 25 years old, are either homeless or at risk of homelessness and have highly complex needs such as alcohol and/or other drug dependency, mental health issues, disabilities, educational barriers, legal problems and/or are victims of abuse. This program has helped improve young people’s connectedness; assisted them in times of crisis; and enabled our case workers to provide round-the-clock support. In 2006, the Foundation provided funding to Mission Australia to rollout the Stay on Track program in Tasmania. This program seeks to prevent or curb the onset of clinical depression in young people via peer education in a school-based workshop setting. Research has shown that 75% of mental illness occurs between the ages of 15 and 25 and so the use of peers to deliver Stay on Track helps to breakdown the barriers young people may have around discussing mental health issues and provides tools to assist them. The VAF has also supported Mission Australia’s Youth Arts Project (YAP) which ran during 2006 until mid-2007 in Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania. YAP was an innovative arts program which engaged disadvantaged young people aged 14-19 who were at risk of leaving mainstream education. Local Tasmanian artists along with a Mission Australia coordinator worked with young people in a mentoring capacity to develop their creative skills and talents and assist them in building self esteem and confidence. More recently, the Foundation became a major partner in Mission Australia’s Artworks! program. Artworks! is designed to give at-risk young people an opportunity to explore their personal issues through creativity. During the process, students gain skills and experience in many aspects of visual arts and are encouraged to express their ideas within a safe, non-threatening environment with one-on-one professional tutoring and support. Artworks! provides a positive learning experience for people who, for many reasons, are unable to participate in mainstream education. Alongside this significant financial support lies a passionate volunteering ethic which has led hundreds of Vodafone Australia staff to participate in a range of volunteering activities with Mission Australia incorporating everything from large-scale renovations through jet boating to climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge! We value our multi-faceted partnership with Vodafone Australia and look forward to many more years of working together to support disadvantaged young people. 
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