Cheryl: Opening new doors
“It’s the little things, like being able to cook with something other than a microwave. Or being able to do a load of washing whenever you want.”
Rosie Bell: An abundance of resilience
“I think there are always going to be challenges for First Nations staff in any organisation across Australia. Racism is strong across all our communities [but] I believe in YFS and our values – we have a genuine, authentic approach to supporting each other and a strong understanding and awareness of diverse needs.”
Jackson Hills: Better together
“YFS is always on the precipice of wanting to better understand the community’s needs, so they can position their service to be as effective as possible.”
Chris-Maree Sultmann: Building Capacity for Care
“With rapid growth and expansion, organisations and people within them can oftentimes lose their way…I think YFS has done a remarkable job of holding on to its founding ethos of existing for this community – to confront disadvantage and to walk alongside those in need.”
Nick: Solid foundations for the next generation
“When [university] students come in we try to give them the best possible placement so they are ready for whatever journey they take. You only get one chance to lay the foundations for your practice and you want to get that right.”
Amy: Strategic steps to safety
“They were like a breath of fresh air, right from the start. They literally pulled everything together…I will be forever grateful to the team.”
Tamara Charlton: Family and doing what it takes
“I realised that I’m not in this world to make money for other people. I’m in this world to help people who are doing it tough.”
Cath Bartolo: Like a family…a very big family.
“By being at YFS for a long time, I was privileged to see the changes that occurred in our clients’ lives over many years. They would return to YFS to tell us about their employment, their homes, and their children’s education – a result of YFS’ influence in their lives.”
Rangi: Kicking goals, creating change
“You can’t change someone, they have to want it for themself. [But] you can speak truth to them, check in on them.”
Philip Beresford: A commitment to morality
“YFS is making such a difference to the community that I live in that it encourages me to keep giving and try to make it more effective to achieve [even] more for more people.”