Hi, I’m Sue and I started at Barnardos in 1996 as a casual admin support. I was made permanent part time in Shellharbour arcade working alongside Kerry Moore, Jan Williams, Maria Corsiglia, Sarah Beale, Patricia Sirons, Margaret Wikie. We then moved to the South Coast Children’s Centre where I have been in my current role, Manager Program Support since 2014.
The most rewarding thing about working at Barnardos is that I love supporting everyone: clients, carers, children and our staff. I see all of it, the good and the bad. But I also see when our families turn the corner, the changes, the good outcomes. It’s just the best to see the incredible outcomes that we achieved and how hard the staff work alongside families. I love seeing the changes in children as they grow and heal. As an admin worker, I get to see it all. It is all about smiling, saying “Hello, how can I help?” to everyone!
Here in the South Coast Children’s Family Centre, we are one big community, a second family, my second family. Before coming to Barnardos, I worked in aged care as a nurse’s aide on the Central Coast and then I was busy being a mum, bringing up two boys. As a child who was born in England, I always wanted to travel around the world. I went to the 2006 World Cup in Germany with three other families and that was a great experience. I always wanted to have children and a family, and I did that. I didn’t expect the rollercoaster which was when my first son was born premature at 26 weeks in 1983. Fortunately, today he is a healthy strong man, but at the time that was very challenging.
In the whole 29 years with Barnardos, I have seen different systems come and the change is good. Barnardos has always been open to change and able to adapt to be at the top and I love how innovative the organisation is. During my time with Barnardos I have made significant lifetime friendships, people come and go but some of the amazing women I have met will remain in my life forever. The support, the encouragement, the opportunity to grow are what keep me here, they are the reasons why I have been with Barnardos for 29 years.
Make your End of Financial Year donation count and help us drive children to their brightest future!
Donate to the Yurungai bus appeal here.
A huge thanks to Australian Mutuals Foundation for supporting the launch of our Yurungai bus appeal, with a generous $50,000 donation!
The Yurungai Learning Centre supports children with a nutritious after-school meal, literacy, numeracy and homework support, as well as cultural activities. Without supervised transport, many children would not have the means to attend the Learning Centre, or take part in associated educational visits, cultural excursions, and sporting events.
The 2024 Barnardos Supporter Survey results are in.
Sent in January to more than 4,000 supporters and with an above-average response rate validating our sample’s representation, the data collected provided pertinent insights about our supporters, their motivations and their preferences. Receiving honest feedback about us as an organisation is crucial and we are pleased to share that, overall, feedback was very positive with many respondents taking this opportunity to congratulate the work that we do on a daily basis.
We thank each and every one of them for having taken the time to fill in this survey, as a Champion for Children, their voice matters!
Highlights from what our supporters told us include:
Last week, our staff at Penrith’s Children Family Centre came together to celebrate Reconciliation Week. We created different artworks together as a team while sharing stories on how we could strengthen relationship with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities. These new artworks are looking fabulous on our reception wall.
2024 marks the 27th anniversary of the Reconciliation Walk and Gathering at Dawson Mall in Mount Druitt.
Some of our Penrith Children’s Family Centre staff represented Barnardos on the gathering. Even though the weather on Saturday wasn’t perfect for a walk, we still showed up and joined many other organisations and community members in celebrating this important event and the true meaning of Reconciliation – the building of mutual and respectful relationships between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians.
Auburn Children’s Family Centre
Reconciliation Week serves as a reminder for us all to continue to strengthen our relationship with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It is not only important for our staff but also crucial for our young children to understand the history, and our roles in creating a respectful relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Last week we have joined our Auburn Early Childhood Educators to celebrate Reconciliation Week with our children. We shared dreamtime stories, created art works, and danced together while listening to didgeridoo music.
On Tuesday, Barnardos Australia Sydney Metro Children’s Family Centre hosted a BBQ to celebrate Reconciliation week.
The event was attended by team members from across our centre and included a BBQ run by our Sydney Youth Services (and attended by over 100 local young people), bag decorating and a photo booth. The afternoon ended with a beautiful yarning circle facilitated by the Yurungai Learning Centre where children and staff discussed what Reconciliation means to them.
We also welcomed Lynette from Reconciliation Australia who was keen to engage with the team and hear more about our work.
BLUE Mountains Musical Society has raised $8000 for Barnardos Australia from a limited concert season of the Gilbert and Sullivan musical comedy, the Pirates of Penzance.
The two charity performances at the Blue Mountains Theatre in Springwood on April 27 were a smash hit with audiences – while also raising money for the children’s charity.
The initiative came about as result of the sheer amount of performing talent on offer in the Blue Mountains. With BMMS holding cast auditions for two productions each year it is forced to turn
away many talented hopefuls because there simply aren’t enough roles.
“It’s kind of disheartening to say ‘Hey, you’re a phenomenal talent, we’d love you to be in our show but we just can’t put you on stage because there’s too many people already’,” said BMMS
president Aubtin Namdar.
So when almost 150 people auditioned for less than 50 roles in the society’s upcoming season of The Sound of Music (opening on May 25), the committee decided to stage an extra show to take
advantage of this excess of talent. The new show would be in a concert format with a strictly limited season, allowing for a shorter than usual rehearsal period with the added benefit of having
lower production costs.
Enter the Pirates of Penzance. The Gilbert and Sullivan favourite was brought to the stage with just five rehearsals, including one dress rehearsal at the venue on the night before it opened. A full
BMMS production usually involves twice-weekly rehearsals over three months.
The Gilbert and Sullivan favourite was embraced by local audiences with both performances greeted rapturously by packed theatres.
With no elaborate sets, the concert format also allowed the orchestra to be featured prominently on stage rather than hidden from the audience.
Mr Namdar said they would love to make the concerts an annual event but this would depend on other commitments, including plans to produce a third production each year featuring under-18s performers.
First published at the Blue Mountains Gazette here
Kidsfest’s signature event, Shellharbour Communities For Children Play and Picnic Day will be held on Thursday May 23, 2024 from 9:45am to 12pm.
The 2024 festival theme is Bouncing Through Bumps is inspired by this year being the United Nations International Year of Camelids (camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos) and the significant role they play in adapting to climate change. The camel’s hump is a store of energy for when food is scarce enabling it to be resilient. For children, the pandemic has been a big bump in their lives. Bouncing through bumps, being playful and present, is a reminder of the value of community, nature, creativity and play for children and their families to survive and thrive.
Join us for a day of family fun at the Shellharbour Communities for Children Play and Picnic Day, a highlight of the Shellharbour Kidsfest program. On this special occasion, the Shellharbour CIVIC Centre will transform into a kid-central hub, celebrating the importance of play in a vibrant and exciting community setting.
The aim of the event is for children and families to explore new ideas and activities that they can recreate at home. On the day families can expect to find the following free activities and giveaways:
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a memorable day where laughter, creativity, and community spirit come together. The Shellharbour Communities for Children Play and Picnic Day promises a delightful experience for the entire family. Join us for a day of play, discovery, and connection in the heart of Shellharbour.
Further information: kidsfestshellharbour.com.au
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