young people Archives - The Burdekin Association

10 reasons to fulfil a young person’s Christmas wish

December 11, 2024December 11, 2024

The children and young people that Burdekin works with need us to meet not only their basic needs, but to create memories of normal experiences of childhood that we all take for granted.

Like the simple joys of a Christmas, which gives personal meaning to the occasion. They need to be seen, heard and valued. They need to feel loved.

It is a sad reality that teenagers and young people are often overlooked when it comes to gift-giving. At Burdekin, we want to show them how unique and special they are and that someone is thinking of them – after all your gift might be the only one, they receive this holiday.

What to give?

Here are 10 reasons to fulfil a wish of one of our young people, by buying them a gift card this Christmas:

Empowerment and Choice: Gift cards allow the young person to select the gift of their choice, giving them a sense of control and autonomy. We are all for sharing the power!
Practicality: The young person might be facing financial hardship and the gift card/s can be used for essential items like clothing, food, or school supplies, meeting their immediate needs.
No Pressure to Be a Perfect Gift-Giver: Finding the right gift for someone in need can be challenging. A gift card takes the guesswork out of the process, ensuring the recipient gets something they truly appreciate and want.
Increased Access to Opportunities: If the young person uses the gift card to buy things they might not usually afford – like books, educational tools, or technology – it enhances their learning and personal development.
Promotes Financial Independence: Receiving a gift card teaches valuable lessons about managing money and budgeting, financial literacy is a very useful skill to gain.
Fosters Self-Care: Many of our young people prioritise helping others or meeting their own basic needs, over-looking their own welfare. A gift card allows them to treat themselves to something special without feeling guilty.
Supports Local Businesses: Purchasing a gift card to a local store or restaurant supports small businesses and the local economy. This makes the purchases especially impactful in strengthening communities.
Personalised: Our team of Youth Workers are across the wishes of our young people and have developed an individualised Wishlist. We match the gift with the right young person, fitting their unique interests and circumstances, making it a very personal gift.
Reduces Waste: We avoid the risk of giving something to our young people that they won’t use or like. This is important for the environment, as well as for employing our scarce resources responsibly.
Spreads Holiday Cheer: Giving a gift card is an act of kindness and generosity that can brighten a young person’s Christmas and provide hope and encouragement, making them feel valued and seen.

A gift card is a thoughtful, practical, and empowering present that meets the unique needs and desires of a young person who’s currently facing challenges.

You can also donate to our Christmas Appeal.

Launch of Beaches Youth Hub in Avalon…

October 2, 2024

Beaches Youth Hub Launch in September 2024.

The newly renamed ‘Beaches Youth Hub’, formerly Avalon Youth Hub, was launched in its new space at the Avalon Recreation Centre, Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach last month, on September 18, 2024.

In May this year, Northern Beaches Council endorsed the development for the Hub, offering it the former Avalon Customer Contact Centre, enabling the expansion of its services and the provision of additional support to tackle the challenges faced by young people. The space has since been refurbished and renovated.

What is the Beaches Youth Hub?

It is a community service destination with its goal being to provide a range of free wellbeing services to young people aged 12-24 in the Pittwater region of the Northern Beaches.

It’s a successful collaboration of support services, with Burdekin as the lead agency. The service providers work together to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of young people, providing free one-on-one counselling, case management and mentoring, advice, referrals and general support to young people.

Mental health services are provided by KYDS, Mission Australia Northern Sydney, SDECC (Sydney Drug Education and Counselling Centre), headspace Brookvale, Lifeline Northern Beaches and Burdekin.

Why the re-brand?

The Youth Hub was originally opened in 2018, following a spate of teen suicides. Having demonstrated success in supporting the mental health of young people and reducing the incidence of suicide, the rebranding to Beaches Youth Hub will allow it to expand its footprint across Pittwater.

Launch Event

Over 50 people attended the launch event, with Northern Beaches Council (represented by Kylie Walsh – Executive Manager of Arts and Culture), Jacqui Scruby – Teal Independent candidate for Pittwater, Georgia Ryburn – Former Deputy Mayor and Liberal candidate for Pittwater, and Dr Sophie Scamps – Federal MP for Mackellar.

“The new Beaches Youth Hub represents hope and support for so many. With this larger space and enhanced resources, we can do even more to address the unique mental health challenges faced by young people. Whether through one-on-one counselling or group activities, we’re committed to providing a safe, inclusive environment.”

Nelly Martin, Community Engagement Officer at Beaches Youth Hub

“It has been my absolute privilege to be part of the Avalon Youth Hub for the past five years. It’s a wonderful community. And, I just feel really privileged.

My part in this afternoon’s launch is to talk about the service partners who deliver counselling here for us – they’re so important and we couldn’t do it without them. There have been partner agencies from the beginning – including KYDS and Mission Australia. And, we have some new partners here too – SDECC – Sydney Drug and Education Counselling Centre – and it’s great to have them and Lifeline Northern Beaches returning.”

Tanya Preston, Coordinator Youth Services, Burdekin

The Beaches Youth Hub is located at the Avalon Recreation Centre building at 59 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach.

The new operating location will allow the Beaches Youth Hub to extend its opening hours, which are currently:
Monday 9.00am to 5.00pm, Tuesday to Thursday afternoons 1.00pm to 5.00pm, and Friday 10.00am to 3.00pm. Drop-in visitors are welcome, or phone 0487 936 875.

To discover more about Beaches Youth Hub, click here.

Success in Securing Grants!

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024

Grants to Burdekin are put to our Youth Support Fund to make a difference to young people's lives.

We’re very excited to report that Burdekin has been successful in obtaining a number of grants that will have tremendous impact on our young people’s lives.

A grant from Canada Bay Club and a separate grant from Club Fivedock RSL. The money will be donated to Burdekin’s Youth Support Fund.

Burdekin’s Youth Support Fund aims to be responsive to the needs of our young people, by funding a number of initiatives they have requested, to allow them to live their best lives.

Requests are made by our young people to the Youth Support Fund for financial assistance and these are assessed by our staff every month. Such requests could include a request for $279 from a 16-year-old girl for spectacles, so that she can continue her higher education.

The funds donated to the Youth Support Fund are solely dedicated to supporting young people in their endeavour to become independent.

A grant from Community Building Partnership – to pay for the renovation of three Burdekin office meeting rooms including the installation of partition doors, so that the space is more welcoming and accessible to young people, family and the local community. The grant covers the purchase and installation of partition doors.

Burdekin's Youth Support Fund - partition walls being installed in our Marrickville office. — The front desk area prior to the partition walls being installed.

The Community Building Partnership team administers the NSW Community Building Partnership Program on behalf of the Premier’s Department. The Program aims to create more vibrant and inclusive communities by supporting community infrastructure projects that encourage community participation, inclusion, and cohesion.

A grant from the Golden Stave Foundation – to pay for a ‘Burdekin Camp’ for our young people.

Burdekin Camps provide the opportunity for our young people to laugh and find joy in this world. The children and young people Burdekin works with have been exposed to a high degree of trauma in their short lives.

While at camp, the young people engage in physical activities – from skiing to fishing, climbing a wall, building a camp fire, to making damper. Burdekin staff creatively weave discussions and activities with the young people around important life lessons they need to address – from keeping their room clean, cleaning their teeth and planning their day. These are simple life lessons that build up their transferable skills, which they’ll require back in the real world.

Would you like to make a donation to our Youth Support Fund?

You can help by supporting the Burdekin Youth Support Fund too. The funds donated are solely dedicated to supporting young people in their endeavour to become independent.

Donate to Burdekin’s Youth Support Fund

Vote for Burdekin’s Local Heroes

August 23, 2024August 22, 2024

Toby Williams and Sian Gordon at Burdekin finalists in the Westfield Local Heroes

We are so excited to report that Burdekin has two employees that have been nominated as finalists in the Westfield Local Heroes – Toby Williams for Westfield Warringah Mall and Sian Gordon for Westfield Hornsby.

The successful hero for each of the 42 Westfield destinations is awarded a $20,000 grant for their organisation, and each finalist receives a $5,000 grant for their organisation or group.

Now in its seventh year, the Westfield Local Heroes program will have contributed $8.6 million to more than 860 successful Local Hero organisations since it began.

About Westfield Local Heroes

Westfield Local Heroes is a recognition and awards program that shines the spotlight on individuals in Australia who make a positive impact to their local community or environment.

About Burdekin’s Westfield Local Heroes

Sian Gordon is an integral part of Burdekin’s Youth Housing program that’s delivered across Hornsby and the Northern Beaches, which supports homeless young people with accommodation and case management. Over the last five years at Burdekin, Sian has demonstrated dedication, commitment, and deep care for the young people that she supports in her roles as a Case Manager and Team Leader.

Vote for Sian

Caring, Committed, Determined

Sian goes above and beyond in her role, as she seeks out support from the local community for donations and goods that go towards providing a welcome and safe environment for the young people to live in. Sian draws out the best in her clients as she works alongside them, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary life skills to transition into more steady accommodation when they are ready to leave the program. The wrap-around supports that Sian provides include linking young people to education, teaching living skills and budgeting, advocacy and lastly, supporting reconciliation with family, where appropriate.

Sian is a committed and passionate community leader who is a true role model for her young people and team. This is reflected in her genuine care for everyone that she works with.

Voting closes at 6pm on Monday September 9.

Toby Williams

Toby is a member of our Risk and Safety Compliance team and has been with Burdekin for the past 15 months. He works to ensure organisational compliance and the safety of the many children and young people we care for, and our dedicated staff who deliver that care.

Vote for Toby

Burdekin assists Toby to support his local Northern Beaches’ community in other ways as Burdekin understands that young people who are connected and maintain an interest in their local community have a protective factor in their lives.

Burdekin encourages and supports Toby in his volunteer endeavours in his role as President of the Manly Warringah Football Referees Association and President of Swimming Metro North East, which is the official swimming district for the Northern Beaches and North Shore areas.

What would it mean to Toby to win the $20,000 grant?

“It would mean the difference between children and young people having access to all that their peers do, and not missing out. Burdekin will use these funds to ensure that young people and their families can purchase the tools they need for their apprenticeship, buy a formal dress and tickets, purchase some work clothes for an interview, and to ensure that they don’t become homeless. Burdekin has also indicated that it will allocate 15 per cent of the funds to support young local referees and 15 per cent to support young local swimmers.”

Toby Williams, Risk and Compliance Office at Burdekin

At times, children and young people are forced to drop out of sport, carnivals or opportunities due to financial constraint. We know sport helps our mental health, as well as providing a positive connection to local communities, as well as adult mentors. The money from the grant will be used to establish a fund for children and young people that’s aligned with the Manly Warringah Football Referees Association and Swimming Metro North East, ensuring every child and young person has the same access to opportunities as their peers.

Please remember to vote for Sian and Toby in the Westfield Local Heroes award program before 6pm on Monday September 9, 2024.

Why giving back matters

October 2, 2024August 14, 2024

When we lift others up it's good for us too!

If you’re reading this, you are most likely someone who already knows why giving back matters and you most likely share our concern about social issues, including youth homelessness, and may want to do something about it. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and it is difficult to know where to start.

Many, rightly believe, that it is our moral obligation to look after those less fortunate in society. But, did you know that people who give back tend to be happier, healthier and live longer?

“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Chinese proverb

The power of giving back

Volunteering your time, energy, attention, expertise and financial assistance doesn’t just make the world a better place, it also makes you better as a person. You could be the most successful person in the world, but what does it mean if we don’t use it to make a difference and share with others? True fulfillment in life comes from lifting each other up.

In times of uncertainty, nurturing empathy and kindness buffer us from the various negative narratives around us. In fact, being kind and altruistic can offer a solution to many of the problems we face as a society.

Kindness: The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. From a survival point of view, kindness makes sense – we have evolved to understand that kindness and cooperation means inclusion and safety.

Empathy: Humans are hard-wired for empathy. It helps us to connect with and respond to our babies, but it is also a skill that develops over time and is why, perhaps, some people are more empathetic than others.

Kindness and empathy are good for us as a species and because of this, we intuitively know that our happiness depends on the happiness of others.

Altruism: True altruism is the unselfish concern for other people, doing things out of a desire to help, not because you feel obligated to out of duty, loyalty, or religious reasons. Altruism is about reducing another’s suffering, without expecting anything in return.

Kindness is contagious: If you dropped a single pebble into still water, the water would ripple outward in widening circles. Kindness contagion is much like the ripple effect of the pebble and the water. Even just witnessing an act of kindness motivates us towards acts of kindness ourselves.

The ripple effect of doing good. — The ripple effect of giving.

Health benefits of giving

‘Helpers high’ refers to the feel-good chemicals our body releases when we do something good – release endorphins (oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine) – that make us feel good and therefore are ways of supporting our own wellbeing too.

As mentioned, we have evolved to understand that acts of kindness and altruism improve wellbeing and foster social connections – making us both personally happier and stronger and more resilient as a community. Doing good, makes you feel good, and because it is contagious, we do more good.

Wellbeing: Small and large acts of kindness help reduce stress, depression, anxiety and loneliness and increases our levels of life satisfaction, happiness and self-esteem, diverting our attention away from ourselves, giving us a sense of purpose. We can have all the success in the world, but if we don’t share the success with others – what does it matter? We need a community to belong to – something that is bigger than us.

Physical health: Giving back may also improve our physical health by lowering blood pressure, strengthening our immune system, staving off disease and lowering cortisol levels. Ultimately, helping us to live longer, happier, healthier lives!

Sometimes we will never know the impact we have had on someone’s life – so, do it anyway.

Do you ever experience helpers high? — You might never know how much your support means to someone.

Ways to give back:

Give time: get hands-on, we are always looking for volunteers to help us make a difference.
Expertise: do you have a special skill or service that could help us? Get in touch.
Partner: would you like to partner with us to solve youth homelessness?
Be a carer: Burdekin foster carers, care for children and young people in a variety of settings.
Fundraising: make a difference by fundraising for youth.
Donate: your donations make our work possible.

Further reading