News 2008-08-15 13:Aug:th 2008-08-15 13:Aug:th http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au katep@lighthousefoundation.org.au Copyright 2008 Lighthouse Foundation Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:43:21 +1000 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:43:21 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/30 Are you interested in a career in the youth work field?

Lighthouse Foundation is offering exciting pathways into working with young people through the LIGHT Program.

A fantastic opportunity now exists for those studying in the field of Youth/Psychology/Social Work or those soon to graduate.

We are offering a program that can get you the skills, support and experience required to work in the field.

Refer to links below for more information and application form. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +1000 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/26 Lighthouse is expanding! Go to 'About Lighthouse' to learn more about current opportunities to join the Lighthouse Foundation or see attached position descriptions below.

-Lead Tenant postions - in the Heathmont & Boronia areas
-Live In Residential Youth Workers/Carers
-Live out Respite Residential Youth Workers/Carers
-LIGHT PROGRAM - Studying in youth/psychology/social work

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:52:27 +1000 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:52:27 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/28 Homelessness on the national agenda – what does this mean?

We have all witnessed a change in thinking on homelessness in this country.

It commenced with our newly elected Prime Minister declaring a plan to tackle homelessness a national priority. He and his MPs visited homeless shelters to understand this priority better.

This was followed up with a Green Paper and a soon to be released White Paper which will set out a national plan of action to 2020.

In April during National Youth Week significant research findings of the National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness were launched. The findings of that independent inquiry were significant and prompted intense debate on the issue.

We all caught a glimpse of homelessness via the ABC’s outstanding documentary The Oasis filmed in and around one extraordinary homeless shelter in Sydney. It was raw, confronting and disturbing.

Recently in Victoria, proposed legislative changes include a recommendation that homelessness be included as an attribute in the proposed new Equality Act. This would make it illegal to discriminate against a person based on homelessness.

Last week the latest Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) data was released. It estimated that about 190,000 people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, received some form of assistance from SAAP during 2006-07. This startling increase was viewed by many as a national tragedy and triggered renewed calls for urgent investment in homelessness services.

And this week is National Homeless Person’s Week. Launched in Sydney on Sunday the week presents a calendar of wonderful events around our country involving peak organisations. Events include the launch of innovative new centres and programs, screening DVDs of raw stories, a book launch, photo exhibition, a sausage sizzle and much more.

There is plenty going on. It is all great work. It is about creating a framework for ending homelessness in this country.

But what should we all make of it? It is not the peak homelessness organisations attending the events of this week that need convincing or help with understanding the issue. Does the increased national focus, described above, alleviate or agitate community concern?

I know some of you view a documentary like The Oasis and feel guilt. Or you feel exasperated by how difficult, frustrating and unrelenting the issue is. Dramatic statistics like “on any given night around 100,000 Australians are homeless” is a seemingly intractable problem, one which you as individuals cannot end.

Environmental sustainability and the issue of climate change create similar feelings of guilt - the pressure and expectation to reduce your carbon pollution emissions, to conserve water, to recycle. You are all faced with your own personal challenges – increased interest rates, fuel and food prices, pressures at work, within your families and friendship groups and the maintenance of personal health and happiness.

For me National Homeless Person’s Week is about the people. It’s not about policy papers, new definitions, reports or a forum to shock you. In our work with homeless young people we take small individual steps – provide a roof, stabilise physical and mental well being, build trust, respect, interdependence, empathy. If we focus on the statistics they will eat us up.

The Government’s social inclusion agenda wants to change the debate about disadvantage from one about ‘welfare’ to one about ‘human capacity building’.

A young person in our care has always wanted a garden in her backyard. To grow her own plants and veggies. To look after them and to love them. So she has now planted her plants.

Is this ‘human capacity building’? I am not sure. But I know it will help give her a chance.

Kane Bowden is the CEO of the Lighthouse Foundation. Anna Maloney is a writer for the Lighthouse Foundation.
Thu, 15 May 2008 14:12:36 +1000 Thu, 15 May 2008 14:12:36 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/24 Lighthouse CEO Kane Bowden recently joined Paul Moulds and Jon Faine on The Conversation Hour, Radio 774, to discuss the issue of youth homelessness. For a podcast of the segment, please copy and paste the following address into your internet browser: http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2008/04/10/2218689.htm?site=melbourne

Father figure, counsellor, saviour, and an orphan himself, Paul Moulds is nothing short of a legend amongst street kids who stumble into Sydney's Oasis Youth Refuge at breaking point. No story is too horrific, no circumstance too dire, no kid too damaged. During his chaotic 25 years of service Paul has helped hundreds of young people.

The Oasis documentary was shot over two years, and is a confronting look at a group of kids who are incredibly damaged, often forgotten by society, whose world has collapsed around them. For 25 years, Paul has been father figure, counsellor and saviour to these kids, as they stumble into the Oasis youth refuge, often at breaking point. He is determined to help them realise their dreams of a better life, and often, he succeeds in doing so.

Kane is the CEO of the Lighthouse Foundation. He comes from a pretty extraordinary family. The Bowdens are: Judy, an amazing Mum and recently retired educator, and Dad Mike who is active in Indigenous Affairs in the NT and is a former Grand Finalist with the Richmond Football Club in the 70's.

His brother Sean is also heavily involved in Aboriginal issues in the Top End (lawyer); brother Charlie lives and works in Mildura as a mechanic; brother Rhett is on Christmas Island teaching; brother Joel is a current Richmond player and All Australian AFL star; brother Patrick an up and coming Richmond star; and sister Majella is completing her teaching studies and working in Alice Springs in Aboriginal Education.

Coming from a family that is committed to social justice, has confirmed Kane's belief that homelessness can be eradicated in a country like ours. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:40:20 +1000 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:40:20 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/22 Youth homelessness in Australia remains a matter of significant and urgent concern.

It is recognised that almost half of all homeless people are under the age of 24 years, and in Melbourne, the disturbing trend has hit record numbers.

With the release this week of the National Youth Commission’s Inquiry into Youth Homelessness, there is finally recognition that this is an issue which can no longer be ignored.

To assist in combating the number of teens on the streets, Honda Australia Motorcycle and Power Equipment Pty Ltd (MPE) and the Lighthouse Foundation have entered into a partnership to offer much needed respite for youths in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Lighthouse provides a family home to young people who would otherwise be homeless, and through their long-term, Live-in Care Program offers a nurturing family environment for up to six young people at a time in each of its homes.

The Lighthouse program is unique and highly successful, however it could not continue to operate without ongoing financial support such as that provided by Honda MPE.

Honda has not only supported the Foundation through the donation of $267,000 over the last three years for building renovations and funding support for more carers in Lighthouse facilities, but is also now financially supporting the establishment of a "Honda Home”.

Honda will provide $850,000 in total including establishment and capacity support of an initial $350,000 followed by $250,000 per year for two years.

According to Honda MPE Managing Director Stuart Strickland, this is the biggest social contribution MPE has ever made to any one organisation.

“The work the Lighthouse Foundation is doing for homeless, disadvantaged kids is unparalleled and we are very pleased to support them,” Mr Strickland said.

“Lighthouse provides a family home, care and a loving environment to some of the most vulnerable youth in our community.”

“They support and guide these young people to find meaning in their lives and become valuable members of the community”.

Mr Strickland said Honda’s philosophy is “the power of dreams”, and projects such as the new Lighthouse home is an excellent way for young people in Victoria to realise their own dreams of a better future.

Based on a model created by Susan Barton AM, who prior to the establishment of the Lighthouse Foundation, had cared for young people in her own home for 16 years, the Foundation’s housing and outreach program responds to the urgent and complex needs of young people who are at risk.

The Lighthouse Program is designed to support young people within all aspects of their lives. This can include providing assistance with issues related to health, education, self-identity, relationships, social skills, emotional development and self-care.

Since its establishment in 1991, the Foundation has provided much needed practical assistance to more than 300 young, disadvantaged people.

The "Honda House" will be established before the end of this year and will be located within the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Lighthouse CEO Kane Bowden said “At Lighthouse, our aim has always been to make homelessness a thing of the past. Our vision is that every young person in Australia has a home.”

“Honda MPE is setting a new benchmark in corporate-community partnerships with the establishment of the Honda Lighthouse this year, and we are thrilled to be working with them to create real, sustainable change in the lives of our young people”.

10 April 2008
Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:55:31 +1000 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:55:31 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/20 The findings of the National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness validate the approach taken by the Lighthouse Foundation for the past 17 years.

Mr Kane Bowden, CEO of the Lighthouse Foundation, “Our aim has always been to make homelessness a thing of the past. Our vision is that every young person in Australia has a home. We believe the recommendations in the NYC report, fully supported by the Commonwealth Government, will make this an achievable goal. At last, the issue has risen into the consciousness of our national leaders and there is now a genuine commitment to ending homelessness. We applaud the goal of achieving such an outcome by 2030.”

Mr Bowden is particularly encouraged by the solution-focused actions in the report. The NYC recommends a large percentage of the Commonwealth Government’s funding be directed to developing a new layer of youth housing for homeless young people connected closely to education, training and employment and with appropriate outreach support that will ensure young people can sustain their independent living.

Mr Bowden said the report provides hope and encouragement for the work of his Foundation.

“Whilst we have delivered sustainable outcomes to many homeless young people in Victoria and we have always been willing to share our model and work with others, we welcome the Government’s commitment to help those of us in this sector overcome the awful fact that today over 100,000 people are homeless in our ‘lucky’ country”.

Lighthouse commends the vision of the NYC in engaging homeless young people to provide evidence at the inquiry. Such evidence provides wonderful insight into the needs of homeless young people; needs which are rarely seen, felt or understood in our community. The NYC inquiry reveals the common needs of homeless young people are to have a stable home; friends; healthy nutrition; to be cared about as individuals; to have adequate educational support; help when they need help; and reliable adults in their lives.

The Lighthouse Foundation provides long-term accommodation and support to homeless young people in Victoria. It offers a unique live-in care and outreach program where young people are engaged in employment, education, therapy and personal development to meet their long-term needs and to help break the generational cycle of homelessness.

The core Lighthouse philosophy focuses on relationships, community, providing young people with an environment where they are trusted, challenged, and can thrive. The Lighthouse approach aligns closely with the recommendations of the NYC Report.

10 April 2008 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:25:40 +1000 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:25:40 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/18 With more than 20,000 young Australians homeless, Honda Australia together with the Honda Racing F1 Team’s earthdreams initiative is assisting the Lighthouse Foundation to bridge the digital divide by providing hundreds of young people in Victoria with the opportunity to gain access to the information, education and skills to enable them to be self-sufficient.

The widening digital divide, as it has become known, is increasingly an issue amongst those who are already disadvantaged through lack of access to information and communication technology.

Understanding the role technology plays in reaching dreams, Honda Racing F1 Team drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello today presented $100,000 to the Lighthouse Foundation team at its headquarters in Richmond.

“Young people who lack consistent access to the newest digital technology are at risk of falling behind their peers. For young homeless people the digital divide is of greater concern as they are already the most marginalised people in our community,” said Kane Bowden, CEO, Lighthouse Foundation.

“Thanks to the generous contribution to the Honda Racing F1 Team and Honda Australia, our young people will be empowered to truly engage with their peers and with the opportunities that new technology brings.”

The Lighthouse Foundation, which responds to the urgent and complex needs of young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, has cared for more than 300 young people in Victoria. Almost half of the homeless people in Victoria are under 24 years of age.

The funding will provide access to the latest technology for more than 350 people, enabling the Lighthouse Foundation to connect young people with positive futures through education and schooling support.

Speaking at the event, Lindsay Smalley, Senior Director, Honda Australia, said: “Each young person who gets caught in a lifelong ‘career’ in homelessness is said to cost the community around $1 million. Honda is pleased to support the Lighthouse Foundation and connect young people to a better future with the latest technology.”

The $100,000 was presented to the Lighthouse Foundation with equal contributions from the Honda Racing F1 Team’s earthdreams programme and Honda Australia’s Honda Foundation.

Combining their efforts for the Lighthouse Foundation, the Honda Foundation, formed in 1992, has disbursed more than $5 million in grants to a wide range of applicants from the Australian community.
The Honda Racing F1 Team’s earthdreams is a unique programme in F1 and world sport, which invests in inspirational environmental and social projects to make the world a better place.

“Committed to engendering goodwill for the benefit of Australian communities, the Honda Foundation is thrilled to unite with earthdreams to provide support for the Lighthouse Foundation,” said Mr Smalley.

“By working with the Lighthouse Foundation, Honda will enable these young people to realise the power of dreams by building technology infrastructure that is backed with a solid educational and training program.”

Nick Fry, CEO, Honda Racing F1 Team, said: “The Lighthouse Foundation is exactly the sort of inspirational project that earthdreams, Honda Racing F1’s positive marketing programme, was established to support.”

Further demonstrating the partnership between Honda and the Lighthouse Foundation, Jenson Button donated at the event his first official race suit for the 2008 season, which he personally signed. The Lighthouse Foundation will auction the suit on its online auction house, which will be launched in April.

About earthdreams – powering dreams one lap at a time

In 2007, the Honda Racing F1 team broke new ground not only in F1 but in sport when the team launched the ‘earth car’ and helped raise environmental awareness through the global reach of F1.

The initiative received critical acclaim from the environmental community by winning two prestigious green awards and connected with fans across the world. Over 70,000 people pledged their support and made donations to environmental causes and their names were carried on the Honda RA 107 race cars.

Since last year’s launch, the environment has become an even bigger issue for our planet and in our sport. This year, we are further developing our environmental initiative and moving the focus from raising awareness to action as part of a significant and deep-rooted ongoing commitment.

A key element will be investing in inspirational environmental and social projects that have a positive impact on the world around them through the creation of earthdreams – a unique global sports marketing program whose message will be carried by the RA 108 race cars and supported through all aspects of the Honda Racing F1 Team.

13 March 2008
Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:17:13 +1000 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:17:13 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/16 Lighthouse is currently recruiting for Live-in Carer Positions.

For full details on these positions, please visit the "About Lighthouse" section of this website and follow the prompts to "Employment Opportunities". Alternatively, you may contact Vicky Chettleburgh on 9093 7533 or email vickyc@lighthousefoundation.org.au.
Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:04:44 +1000 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:04:44 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/14 On Thursday 6 December, Lighthouse Foundation’s Patrons Deborra-lee Furness and Brian Burdekin joined Susan Barton AM (Founder), Vicki Vidor OAM (Chair) and Kane Bowden (CEO) to officially open the organisation’s new Youth Resource & Administration Centre in Richmond.

Victor Smorgon, one of Australia’s best-known entrepreneurs and philanthropists, led the generosity of many others by gifting the building in which the new “Lighthouse HQ” has been established. Mr Smorgon "cut the ribbon" to mark the official opening of the building, before an audience of some 200 comprising the wider Lighthouse community including its young people, carers, volunteers, board members, corporate supporters and donors.

Patrons Deborra-lee Furness and Brian Burdekin addressed the gathering before a special “Ceremony of Light” led by Susan Barton (Founder) with participation of Lighthouse young people.

The new building symbolises a redoubling of efforts towards solving youth homelessness.

CEO Kane Bowden explained, “Our dream is to make homelessness a thing of the past. Our vision is for every young person to have a home. We believe this is an achievable goal. The support we continue to receive from the community shows just what can be done when we work together – putting our collective ‘shoulder to the wheel’. One step at a time. One child at a time. A home, a family and a community for every young person."
Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:52:05 +1000 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:52:05 +1000 http://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/news/id/6 The Monash Journal has joined forces with the Lighthouse Foundation to help it provide long-term support for people aged 15-22.

As well as supporting the Foundation, the Journal has committed to sponsoring the house for a month. And once a month for the next year we will bring you a story about the Foundation, the young adults who give it life, and the businesses and individuals who ensure its houses continue to thrive.