Category: News

National Reconciliation Week.

In this video, CEO Deirdre Cheers, shares her reflections on the importance of this week and this year’s theme, “Bridging Now to Next.”

Take a few moments to watch, reflect and get involved. Reconciliation is a shared journey and each of us has a role to play.

READ BARNARDOS RAP

Reconciliation Week 2025: Bridging Now to Next.

The story behind the art by Shannon Smith:

I love painting and it comes naturally to me, it runs through the family. When the opportunity come up for NRW 2025, I instantly went with it and painted a story of what my interpretation of Reconciliation 2025: Bridging Now to Next.

“My interpretation of honouring the past, walking a path of reconciliation, nurturing a beautiful country where every voice is recognised and celebrated because everyone matters. This contemporary acrylic painting is not just a painting, it is a story of resilience and interconnectedness, a bridge toward a more promising bright future!”

During Reconciliation Week 2025, all Barnardos email signatured will be changed to display Shannon’s gorgeous artwork!

As we continue to recognise the hard work of volunteers for National Volunteers Week 2025, we would like to introduce two of our original volunteers here at Penrith CFC.

Cheryl & Patrick have been picking up our fresh fruit and vegetables from numerous locations for the last few years and without this volunteer support we wouldn’t have the food hampers we have today to pass on to the greater community.

Each morning these guys get their hi-vis vests on, grab the keys and off they go! Ready to haul in the fresh produce to be sorted and handed out.

Both know and see the difference the food they bring in makes to the families who receive it, and just how much we can go through due to the current demand.

We hope Cheryl & Patrick are with us for many more years, their hard volunteer work does not go unnoticed.

If you would like to volunteer for Barnardos you can learn more here

We are extremely lucky here at our Penrith Children’s Family Centre to have 4 amazing volunteers that do everything from gardening, building and educating us on our community garden & produce.

Our wonderful Barnardos carer, Helen, shared her story of becoming a foster parent on the Today show. As a mother of three young children, she loves all the colour and chaos that comes with it! We couldn’t agree more: every child deserves support, connection, and a great childhood. 💚

Watch online

On the 26th of April, Australian Mutuals Foundation hosted a Bunnings BBQ held at Bunnings Alexandria to raise funds for a bus to ensure children’s safe journey to the Yurungai Learning Centre.

The AMF team rallied together with great energy and enthusiasm, helping to make the day a sizzling success! Thanks to their hard work and dedication, over $4,600 was raised in support of the Yurungai Bus Appeal — a fantastic achievement that will make a real difference for the children and families we support.

We are so grateful for AMF’s ongoing partnership, commitment, and passion for helping create brighter futures!

You can learn more about the campaign, see the progress towards our $120,000 target or donate here: https://donate.barnardos.org.au/donate-now/yurungai-bus/ 

Photo from Left to right: Phil Crawford Co-Equal, Melissa Andrews- Barnardos, James Mulholland- Guwarra, Khalani Harris- Warrawong Tides participant

Barnardos Australia today announced the launch of “Warrawong Tides,” a four-year film project aimed at fostering community unity.  The initiative, a partnership between Barnardos Australia, Gawura Aboriginal Corporation, Warrawong High School, and CoEqual, is funded by Multicultural NSW.

“Warrawong Tides ” will empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) young people to become champions for community cohesion by providing them with the skills and platform to tell their stories and challenge extremism, hate, fear, and division.  The project will encourage local youth participation, fostering creativity and cultural expression while building sustainable networks and relationships.

Through workshops led by CoEqual, participants will learn film design, storytelling, production, and editing, culminating in the creation of short films showcasing their unique cultural perspectives and experiences. These films will be screened within the community, promoting understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.

This initiative recognises the vital importance of skills development, confidence building, and a strong sense of belonging in shaping positive futures for young people.  By providing young people with a creative outlet to share their stories, “Warrawong Tides ” aims to build a more inclusive and united community.