(MissionNewswire) Youth Off the Streets, a Salesian program in Sydney, Australia, provides services to more than 3,700 youth each year. The program was started 30 years ago by Father Chris Riley as a comprehensive service network for at-risk youth.

Throughout his career, Fr. Riley has worked as a teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential care person and school principal. He has always believed that there is no such thing as a child born bad, but instead youth face harmful environments, circumstances, and families that can negatively impact them and their behavior.

Fr. Riley’s vision was to empower youth experiencing disadvantages by providing positive options to help them build a better future for themselves. From modest beginnings, Fr. Riley spent three decades growing Youth Off the Streets into a leading non-denominational youth services organization.

Don Bosco House, the program’s first refuge in Sydney’s Inner West, opened its doors in April 1991. In 1996, Fr. Riley opened the Key College in Redfern, the first Youth Off the Streets high school for youth who had become disconnected from mainstream education. Fr. Riley went on to expand educational services within Youth Off the Streets to include six accredited independent high schools across Greater Sydney, the Illawarra region and the NSW Central Coast.

Fr. Riley also developed and implemented innovative strategies to help youth deal with trauma, abuse, and neglect. Many of these strategies have been adopted by schools and government agencies across Australia. Youth Off the Streets now offers a wide range of integrated support services and programs for youth and their families. These services are delivered by more than 200 staff and a community of over 330 dedicated volunteers.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Lex Lutherborrow, the chief executive of Youth Off the Streets, in a recent “Homeless Week” article where she said family breakdown and conflict more broadly, not necessarily including violence, was the biggest driver of youth homelessness. “Young people tend not to be the ones that you see on the street. They’re either in temporary accommodation or crisis accommodation shelters or sleeping in cars or tents or they couch-surf, staying with a friend or extended family until they outstay their welcome.”

Salesians in Australia and around the globe provide social support and education so that vulnerable and at-risk youth can find shelter, have their basic needs met and gain the skills for later employment so they can become productive members of their communities.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Australia – Saving one by one: “Youth Off The Streets” 30 years

Youth Off the Streets

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More than 200 young men and women are enrolled at the school to learn farming and other high demand trades. Courses are offered in planting and care of crops such as rice, corn, vegetables, root crops and fruit trees as well as basic fish farming and forestry. There are also courses in basic mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, computer skills and dressmaking. In addition, literacy and music classes are available in the evening.

The center recently marked its 10-year anniversary with a celebratory gathering that was attended by more than 500 young people. The event included talks on leadership and youth taking responsibility for the future of their nation, numerous sporting activities and a vibrant concert that showcased a variety of talents.

“Most of the students who attend the center are from poor families who have dropped out of traditional schools,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “At the Don Bosco Rural Training Center, these students are getting a second chance to acquire skills that will enable them to find a job and support themselves and their families.”

The center benefits from a partnership with the Rotary Club of North Balwyn, located on the outskirts of the city of Melbourne in Australia, which helps provides program and infrastructure support as well as encouragement to the Salesian missionaries and teachers who operate the center. The club’s support has injected new life and enthusiasm into the center through new ideas and practical suggestions.

Over the last few years, the Rotary Club of North Balwyn has made several donations to the Don Bosco Rural Training Center. This monetary support has funded a three-month intensive training course in rice cultivation for the center’s deputy principal as well as the installation of three new water pumps, a concrete rice-frying platform, 400 mosquito nets and timber for new bunks at the student boarding house.

One of the most important contributions to the center was the purchase and installation of a windmill in 2013, made possible by financial assistance from the Rotary Club, that ensures the supply of fresh water to the rice paddy fields that are integral to a feeding program for the students and teachers. Considered one of Don Bosco Rural Training Center’s greatest achievements is expanded rice production throughout the Solomon Islands by former students who applied the skills learned in Don Bosco programs in their home villages.

“Don Bosco Rural Training Center has the potential to be one of the Solomon Islands’ greatest producers of a new generation of youth who possess the energy, technical skills and integrity to help advance the country,” adds Fr. Hyde.

With almost 40 percent of the population living in poverty, the Solomon Islands is one of the poorest countries in the Pacific region, according to UNICEF. About 20 to 25 percent of youth in the country never attend primary school with 30 percent of those attending, never completing. Limited access to education and an adult literacy rate of less than 35 percent perpetuates the cycle of poverty from generation to generation.

Eighty-four percent of Solomon Islanders reside in rural areas and rely on subsistence farming for their livelihoods. Access to health and other social services is very limited and the poor to non-existent access to reliable transport, electricity and telecommunications infrastructure compounds already challenging economic conditions. With the majority of youth living in remote areas with limited educational and employment prospects, overcoming poverty is an uphill battle.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions Australia Province Newsletter – Year in Review 2015

Salesians – Australia – Pacific

UNICEF – Solomon Islands 

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Although Samoa has made impressive progress in social development, many rural communities in the country grapple with an unequal distribution of wealth and benefits. Poorer communities in remote parts of the islands are particularly vulnerable, especially in areas most likely to be affected by cyclones or other natural disasters. Gender inequality is apparent as women strive and often fail to find the same work and income opportunities as men and youth find it increasingly difficult to find livable wage employment in the country.

Salesian programs in Samoa are working to provide youth with an education and training as well as the necessary resources to find and keep employment. Don Bosco Technical Center in Alafua, a town just outside the capital city of Apia in the north central part of the country, provides vocational education and trade skills programs to prepare students ages 15 to 23 for employment.

“Salesian missionaries in Samoa work directly with poor and disadvantaged youth to provide hope for a positive future through education and training as well as sporting, recreational and cultural activities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries have established a presence in local communities allowing them to experience firsthand the issues residents face. This way, they are able to adapt their programs to meet each community’s individual needs.”

The Don Bosco Technical Center provides a second chance for close to 270 young men, many of whom have struggled to successfully complete or continue their education in mainstream schools. Both two-year and four-year training programs are offered with specialties in welding, motor mechanics, woodwork, electronics and plumbing. In addition, students study Samoan, English, mathematics, technical drawing and life skills.

Significant emphasis is placed on workshop and practical experience to help students apply skills learned in the classroom to real life work environments. Because of the quality of education provided and the lack of trained tradespeople in Samoa, more than 85 percent of graduates secure employment in the country. Some graduates have chosen to emigrate to New Zealand or Australia and have had success finding employment in those countries as well.

The center also offers sporting and recreational activities including fautasi (long-boat), games and traditional singing and dancing in addition to promoting personal development. In an effort to expand and meet the needs of students, the school plans to introduce solar electricity and complete a computer laboratory and internet facilities for staff and students.

“Salesian missionaries living and working in Samoa are able to tailor educational programs to ensure the best employment opportunities for students after they graduate,” adds Fr. Hyde. “The addition of life skills training and personal development opportunities help students make good life choices and become better employees.”

Sources

Don Bosco Technical Center Alaufa

World Bank – Samoa

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In addition, limited access to health care, social services and reliable transportation, particularly in rural areas where close to 84 percent of the population reside, on top of a weak electricity and telecommunications infrastructure, compounds already challenging economic conditions.

The Salesian-run Don Bosco Technical Institute Henderson in the Solomon Islands’ capital city, Honiara, is bringing new opportunities to poor youth in the area. The institute has been providing education and skills training in the electrical, automotive, carpentry and machine fitting maintenance trades as well as life skills training and employment assistance, for the past 10 years.

While the majority of students are male, the institute is working to increase enrollment of female students by encouraging them to take courses in more typically male-dominated trades as well as providing opportunities for those who previously left school due to marriage or pregnancy. Currently, most young women begin at the institute with life skills training followed by courses in teaching and nursing.

The Laura Vicuna Hostel, operated by Salesian Sisters in Honiara, is home to 25 young girls from distant villages and surrounding islands who have come to the city to study at the Don Bosco Technical Institute and other local schools. In addition to their school studies, many of the young women here learn new skills such as music, sewing, basket weaving and gardening. A recent donation of sewing machines by the Rotary Club of North Balwyn in Australia, is helping students practice their new skills with the hope of future employment.

“Most of the students at the Don Bosco Technical Institute are from poor families and many have dropped out of traditional schools,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “There, they are getting a second chance by learning skills that will enable them to find employment to support themselves and their families.”

This past year, the institute introduced a new course in the basics of hospitality and tourism that provides training for young men and women seeking employment in hotel management and the hospitality industry.

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Sources

UNICEF – Solomon Islands

Salesians – Australia Pacific

Salesian Missions Australia Province Newsletter – Year in Review 2013

Don Bosco Technical Institute, Solomon Islands

The post SOLOMON ISLANDS: Salesians Help Young Men Learn Trades, Find Stable Employment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The majority of children living in the Solomon Islands live in remote areas where access to education is almost unheard of. Combined with few employment prospects, youth face an uphill climb out of poverty.

A new program at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Honiara is helping youth overcome these challenges, bringing hope and fresh opportunities. Recently, the Australia-Pacific Technical College—an Australian government program—chose the Salesian-run Don Bosco Technical Institute as the location for its new campus. Set up as a technical and professional training college for youth in the Pacific, the Australia-Pacific Technical College is sustained by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

Supporting investments in training and skills development is a key focus of the Solomon Islands-Australia Partnership for Development and, more widely in the Pacific, for AusAID. The Australia-Pacific Technical College was established in 2007 to increase the number of skilled workers in the Pacific, and improve employment opportunities for Pacific Islanders. More than 4,950 Pacific Islanders have graduated with new skills from the college’s four campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

The new partnership with Don Bosco Technical Institute allows for many more students to receive critical job training, education and skills than previously had access. The partnership will fund tuition for students and support upgrades to Don Bosco’s facilities.

“Up to 300 students will now have the chance to gain internationally recognized qualifications in automotive repair and construction over the next three years,” says Peter Baxter, director general of the Australian Agency for International Development. “They will join more than 490 Solomon Islanders who have already graduated from Australia-Pacific Technical College and now have the skills, training and confidence to take advantage of job opportunities, either in Solomon Islands or in the region.”

Students from all over the Solomon Islands will have an opportunity to study and achieve internationally recognized certification in automotive repair or construction, engineering, hospitality and community services. The demand for these specialized skills means economic opportunities and brighter prospects for youth who come from generations of poverty.

“I am pleased that we are partnering with Don Bosco—an important institution of teaching, learning and training in Solomon Islands,” adds Baxter. “This partnership will give more Solomon Islanders the chance to learn new skills and secure a job.”

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Sources:

ANS – Solomon Islands – The Salesian Institute in Honiara will host an APTC campus

UNICEF – Solomon Islands

Don Bosco Technical Center

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WWF Global has noted that India faces increasing competition for water among various sectors, including agriculture, industry, domestic, drinking and energy generation. The competition is causing this natural resource to dry up, and increasing pollution is leading to the destruction of wildlife that live in waterways.

Since 2007, WWF Global, along with its international partners, has promoted Earth Hour which is celebrated each year in March. This past March 23, close to one billion people switched off their lights at 8:30 p.m. (local time) for one hour in a display of universal commitment to protect the planet.

Begun in Australia, the event has grown to include celebrations in 5200 cities in 152 countries. Earth Hour was created to unite people to show a respect for and desire to protect the planet, encourage and empower people to carry their action beyond just the one hour and to work towards a global, interconnected community all working towards a sustainable future.

Greenline, the Salesians of Don Bosco’s environmental organization, in collaboration with Don Bosco Matunga Campus in Mumbai, India, participated. For one hour all electric lights were turned off to motivate the public to counter climate change and to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

“Becoming more environmentally conscious is important for every one of us,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “It’s important to instill these lessons in youth who will become our leaders of tomorrow. We must all work together to find sustainable solutions to address environmental concerns in India and around the globe.”

The Salesians had 350 participants including school and college aged youth from various parts of the city. Mumbai’s Mayor, Sunil Prabhu, also participated in the Earth Hour event. He congratulated the city for its growing interest in environmental issues and expressed his delight in the many young people attending the event which he indicated was a sign that Mumbai would see a greener future.

When the lights were turned off Mayor Prabhu lit the first candle and presented it to the youngest participant. After all the participants had lighted their candles, the Candle Lit Rally began. All along the rally’s route, the participants sang environmental awareness songs that had been composed for the occasion. The event walk culminated in a flash mob.

Beyond this one event, GreenLine has long promoted environmental causes in Mumbai and continues to do so with its work on several environmental issues currently concerning the city.

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Sources:

ANS – India – Earth Hour Celebrations

Earth Hour – Event Website

WWF Global – Earth Hour

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The participants enjoyed plenty of social time during meals, recreation and beach activities throughout the weekend. Salesian-run programs in Australia focus on educational and technical training for poor youth. These programs work to educate youth and help them develop job and leadership skills, setting them on the path to a productive life.

A 2012 report by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) found that one in eight Australians are living in poverty. Roughly 2.2 million people live below the poverty line and close to 600,000 of them are children. In addition, the report concluded that people who are unemployed, children (especially in lone parent families) and people whose main source of income is social security payments are the groups most at risk.

“Don Bosco Camp is a great opportunity for youth to continue their education, gain leadership skills and build relationships within their communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We want youth to lead happy productive lives and the summer camp helps us to further their education, teach values and help them on the road to a brighter future.”

For close to 68 years, Don Bosco Camp at Safety Beach has been providing a vacation retreat for children from nine to 16 years of age. Youth who have grown up with the Salesian influence participate in a range of activities to develop them further as leaders in their communities.

Begun in 1945 by the Salesian Father Joseph Ciantar, Don Bosco Camp was created to give young students from Rupertswood Institute of Sunbury a place to enjoy themselves and grow up once lessons were over. As the years passed, the camp became a focal point for many youth, some of whom later went on to become camp leaders.

“Youth have a great opportunity to learn valuable leadership skills and then put those skills to use by becoming leaders at the camp and helping younger youth develop those same skills,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Every opportunity we have to help educate poor youth is vital to their future. Don Bosco Camp provides a place where youth can continue to learn in a fun, relaxing environment.”

Source

ANS – Australia – Students Leadership Weekend at Don Bosco Camp

ACOSS Study – www.acoss.org.au

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