Essentials for life
Providing young people with what we take for granted.
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Help us to provide essentials that all young people need and deserve.
At Burdekin, we love to encourage our young people to make good decisions about how they learn best and create opportunities for them to pursue their interests and practice their skills.
The young people we work with are just like us, or how our younger selves used to be: students, young parents, young professionals in the process of building a life for themselves. The major difference for them is, that many don’t have an extended support network and need to get by with limited family and financial support.
Straight-forward expenses for essential items, such as course materials, computers and uniforms are often unaffordable due to the cost of essentials like food, rent and transport.
This is where you can help, by supporting the Burdekin Youth Support Fund. We ensure that, rather than fall behind because of external limitations, they can get ahead.
Needs are assessed by our staff every month, and the funds donated are solely dedicated to supporting young people in their endeavour to become independent.
Your donation helps!
Your donations big or small will help make a genuine difference to the development of these young people, enabling them to build the future they deserve.
What do we do with funds raised?
Where does the money go?
Burdekin is committed to fiscal responsibility. We appreciate every donation we receive and ensure each dollar is applied for the purposes it was given.
Your donations may be used for...
$40
a birthday present for a young person
$50
an hour of educational tutoring
$70
a driving lesson
$80
monthly internet access to assist with education
$100
a move-in pack: kettle, toaster, plates & cutlery
$150
stationery for a child at school
$200
food for a teenager for a week
$750
a laptop for a young mum to study online whilst caring for her child
$1000
helping a young person relocate to independent living
$1000
a fridge and washing machine for a young person setting up
$1200
an internet connection for an entire year in one of our homes
$3500
furniture & white goods to fit out one flat for our young people
$4500
provides re-carpeting of a 2-bedroom unit for our young people
$5000
contributes to university fees and textbooks for one young person
$15,000
provides five essential workshops for up to 20 young people run by professionals about Drugs and Alcohol, employability skills, parenting strategies, behaviour modification and health and well-being that will equip young people with the necessary life skills to become productive members of the community
$20,000
pays for a car, to assist with activities and moving houses for young people
$25,000
pays for innovative programs that reach 30 vulnerable young people & their families at risk of disengagement from school & family breakdown which is the number one contributor to youth homelessness in Sydney
Real life examples of small grants to young people
Request from a young mum aged 20:
$210 for six months of swimming lessons for her 2-year-old daughter to learn to swim.
Request from a young mum aged 21:
to fund a short course through TAFE in Real Estate, cost $550.
“It will help me land the job I am looking for.”
She successfully completed the course and started a new job within a week of completion!
New spectacles for a 16-year-old girl:
$279 for new reading glasses so she can continue her higher education after being accepted into college to complete her HSC. This girl grew up without contact with her biological parents, due to family violence.
Assistance with university books:
$176 for assistance to purchase university textbooks for a 22-year-old female.
"This will help me understand the lectures better and help with my assignments.”
Help with internet access:
$168 to help to pay for his internet connection so this young man, aged 23
"can continue to have remote access to university while I have limited casual work."
A nursing uniform:
$165 to help with the cost of a nursing uniform for this young person.
"I need the uniform for the practical placement, and if I don’t do the practicum, I won’t graduate."
A laptop for a young parent:
$378 to purchase a laptop for this 22-year-old and her 3-year-old child:
“I need a laptop so I can start studying again.”
An 18-year-old single mum with a two-year-old son and eight-month-old daughter:
$475 worth of trade equipment to undertake a TAFE Certificate III Beauty Services Diploma, including a 30-piece makeup brush set, a pedicure set. She also requested four hours of driving lessons and a driving test to help her gain independence and secure herself a job.
Why do we raise funds?
It is an unfortunate fact, children and young people in Sydney experience neglect and abuse. Family violence, or other forms of violence and abuse, are some of the reasons young people seek homelessness support, according to Homelessness Australia.
Burdekin believes that every child and young person deserves access to housing, education, health care, clothing, and items beyond the basics - birthday presents, educational tutoring, driving lessons, participation in sports teams, and similar experiences to what we may have enjoyed while growing up.
Burdekin has the drive, motivation and almost 40 years of experience to empower the lives of children and young people in need. We can do this through the generous donations from our supporters and partners, in addition to our core funding from the state government.
Our impact
Over the past year, 89% of children who left Burdekin’s care returned to their families. Of this group, 88% remained enrolled in education.
Our Education Program has resulted in 75% of children and young people returning to school or commencing TAFE or other education pathways. A life changing outcome.
45 young people and their families were helped over the last financial year (2023/24) by Burdekin’s Family Support Program.
In 2023, 234 young people were supported by Burdekin’s Youth Housing Program, which is dedicated to young people aged 16-24 who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness and need a safe place to find their feet.
Stronger, better, and more capable – together.
