Sisters of Charity Outreach

In Sydney before any Outreach project commenced, a feasibility study was undertaken to determine the unmet needs of disadvantaged groups. A campaign to recruit volunteers brought a response from three Sisters of Charity and seven ladies, and the first Volunteer Training Programme was held in May, 1990. Counselling and referral services opened at the Outreach Headquarters within St Vincent's Clinic, Darlinghurst and the official Outreach Foundation Day, September 25, 1990, was marked by an Inaugural Seminar at the Darlinghurst Office. The need for a Management Committee was recognized and the first meeting was held in February, 1991.

The first Outreach Project was the opening in February 1990 of a Child Care Centre in Cranebrook in Sydney's outer west. The next two years were marked by rapid expansion and diversification into projects to provide accommodation for country visitors arriving for study or appointments, language classes for Timorese women, support for those attending the Courts at Darlinghurst, Liverpool and Fairfield, telephone counselling, a Living Skills and Learning Centre at Lewisham, (initially a counselling facility but subsequently a venue for wellness, education and hospitality), and a telephone network (Telepal) between children from city and country schools. In March 1996, the Court Support Service was extended to include the Downing Centre Courts. Volunteers included professional counsellors and a legal expert so these services were available.

Further research indicated the need to establish a Family Support Programme at Malabar and a low-cost coffee shop in Enmore. However, when these services were later offered by other agencies, they were discontinued in accordance with Outreach policy, the former in December, 1992 and the latter in April, 1996.

There was also an urgent need for a Safe Haven, a house for victims/survivors of domestic violence. While there were Government refuges for such people, there were some families who did not fit the Government's criteria for admission. However, there were insufficient places and, in addition, some refuges did not offer a twenty-four hour service. This became the special project for the Fundraising Committee which held its inaugural meeting in July, 1994. The efforts of the Fundraising Committee were rewarded when the Safe Haven which was opened at Casula in March, 1996, was purchased in March, 2000. In the same area in April, 1996 the NEWPIN Parenting Program was introduced to assist mothers and newborn babies.

Because of the success of various programmes, Outreach received public recognition and accordingly, in August, 1994, the Country Care Link was given responsibility together with the Salvation Army for the distribution of $12m funds from the 'Farmland' scheme. This was a campaign whereby urban communities rallied to support farmers who were affected by a prolonged drought. This was given considerable publicity in the media. The training courses conducted for Outreach volunteers in Court Support and Family Care Services were accredited by VETAB, the NSW Volunteer Education and Training Accreditation Board in February 1998 and January 2000 respectively.

The Sisters of Charity have provided extensive welfare services to migrants and refugees. These services have included English language classes in groups or at home, orientation and familiarisation programmes as well as assistance with obtaining housing and basic household items. In 1999, three Sisters undertook a course to qualify as Migration Agents, to provide free legal advice to migrants.

Following major administrative changes that occurred in February, 1998, the existing programmes were retained and some new initiatives introduced. These included the publication of Links, a regular newsletter, and an agreement for the coming together of the Christian Concern Community at Randwick and the Sisters of Charity Outreach. The following year saw the extension of the Parent Support Group to Warwick Farm and, in May 1999, the establishing of a Youth Outreach Service for grief and suicide counselling.