St Vincent de Paul Society NSW

Income support payments are trapping people in a vicious cycle of poverty due to inadequate payments.   A third of people seeking support from St Vincent de Paul Society NSW members rely on Jobseeker as their primary source of income and depend on the assistance of charities to survive.   The Australia Institute released a discussion paper on ending child poverty in Australia which notes that the increases to income support payments during the pandemic effectively lifted children out of poverty. With one in six Australian children living in poverty, it finds widespread community support for action and recommends permanently increasing payments to lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty.   You can show your support by joining the End Child Poverty campaign to legislate for change: https://lnkd.in/g5PAJsuK

Ever wondered where your clothes go after they are donated to Vinnies? Here’s what happens to an item of clothing on its journey to a new home! Find out more about the lifecycle of a clothing donation: https://lnkd.in/gP3jW-_4

Vinnies shops have seen an increase in demand for winter gear very early in the season, as well as a significant drop in the number of donations. "We are after good quality, clean knit and jackets, both through mens and ladies. Warm clean blankets as well," said Meagan Moffat, Store Manager in South Tamworth, in an interview with Seven Network.   You can drop off donations at Vinnies shops during business hours. Find your local store here: https://lnkd.in/eg-jk2ii

Energy affordability is a leading social justice priority for the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW. At a time when energy bills and debt continue to rise and place pressure on households already in the grips of cost of living hardship, it is vital that we all hold the Federal and State governments to account to pursue a just and equitable energy transition. Some NSW energy concessions have increased and the extension of the Commonwealth National Energy Bill Relief Scheme has now come into effect. The NSW Government included $239 million in the State Budget to support the Consumer Energy Resources strategy, ensuring equitable and affordable energy efficient housing upgrades. The Society’s submission on this strategy highlighted the need to ensure decisions factor in people experiencing disadvantage and poverty so that they are not left behind.  Learn more about the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 and understand what this means for NSW transition to net zero emissions by 2050: https://lnkd.in/gWadPzmS

“We need some increases in density. We can't do that density though, at the expense of public open space.” Increasing density has been proposed as a means to address the current housing crisis, but as The Hon Graham West, St Vincent de Paul Housing CEO, referenced at our recent social justice forum, we should not view it as a silver bullet to one of the great challenges of our time. Watch the full session on Will increased housing density deliver housing justice for NSW?: https://lnkd.in/gdPiA9DG

St Vincent de Paul Society NSW youth leaders from across the state recently attended the National Vinnies Youth Training Conference, “Levelled Up”, held at Mary MacKillop Place. Our youth leaders discussed a range of topics, including building a vibrant youth community, effective advocacy and succession planning, and heard from a range of speakers including, from Kate Munro OAM (CEO, Youth Action), P. Toby oConnor (CEO, National Council), Mark Gaetani (National President) and Patrick Wallis (National Vice President – Youth). Thank you to St Vincent de Paul Society Australia National Council, the Spirit of Youth Committee and the Vinnies Youth leaders, who are not only leaders of the future but doing so right now in the present. Learn more about youth membership at: https://lnkd.in/gahPJYRr

Get ready, folks - it's nearly time for the Vinnies Community Sleep Out 2024! 🌙🌃 Sleep under the stars with your friends and family to raise money for Vinnies’ homelessness services at this year’s sleep outs in Greater Sydney, Albury, Armidale, Tweed Heads or Wagga Wagga. We will be sleeping out on 30th August to help raise funds for our homelessness and domestic violence shelters, education programs, food vans and much more. Register for your local sleep out or donate today! https://lnkd.in/g9BKj_qf

It's NAIDOC week! And there are many events happening to celebrate the amazing 60,000 year old culture of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the oldest continuous culture in the world. You can find an event in your local area here - https://lnkd.in/dexeVKVM Or, if you are interested in listening to our First Nations leaders, and learning more about #reconciliation, #recognition and #respect, The University of Queensland is holding a NAIDOC Week Keynote Lecture webinar with Professor Megan Davis "Reflections on the Referendum" on TODAY at 3pm. Sign up here to listen to the livestream event - https://lnkd.in/gbqAkG8E #NAIDOC2024 #NAIDOCWeek #BlakLoudProud

Ashvini Ambihaipahar, our Metropolitan Regional Director, recently hosted Ed Husic MP at our Emerton Hub in Western Sydney. It was a great opportunity to showcase the work of our Members and the assistance they are providing in the local community. Our members across Metropolitan Sydney provided assistance to more than 70,000 people in the last financial year, with 76% of people needing assistance with food and 44% of people experiencing housing stress. Our Vinnies Support Centres are client-centred support and referral services that offer face-to-face support to those in the community who require financial, food or material assistance. The support teams work with people to offer the best possible support for their needs and link in with the Society's Conference home visitation teams or Vinnies Services. https://lnkd.in/gfHysiRz