About Us
Our Vision and Mission
Our Vision
To provide a continuum of support, care and accommodation options to young people and their families within a holistic and compassionate framework
Our Mission
- to offer services that are designed to enhance family relationships and prevent youth homelessness
- to respond to the changing needs of families and young people in crisis or at risk in the local community
- to provide quality short-term and medium-term accommodation, case management and support services
- to operate within the guidelines set by current SAAP agreements and pursue active networking with other agencies
- to promote the professionalism and quality of service provision through on-going education of staff
and the community - to embrace the principles of non-discrimination, understanding, compassion, diversity and acceptance.
Our Patron
Professor Marie Bashir,AC,CVO,Governor of NSW
Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir, AC CVO is the Governor of New South Wales. She was appointed the state’s first female governor in 2001 and in 2007 her appointment was extended until 2011.
Born in Narrandera, NSW, she completed the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and Bachelor of Surgery (BS) in 1956 at the University of Sydney, and worked as the medical resident officer of St Vincent's Hospital and of the Children's Hospital.
After completion of her post-graduate studies in psychiatry, she was appointed to establish the Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Service to provide comprehensive specialist consultative services for young people with emotional and psychiatric problems. Her key interests have included child and adolescent depression, mental health issues affecting refugee and immigrant children, juvenile justice and Aboriginal health. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. In 1993, she was appointed Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney, and in 1994 the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for the Central Sydney Area.
Professor Bashir is married to the former Lord Mayor of Sydney (and former Wallaby Captain), Sir Nicholas Shehadie.
Our Vice-Patron
Mrs Jillian Skinner MP
Jillian Skinner is the Deputy New South Wales Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health.
She was first elected as the Member for North Shore in February 1994 and has been re-elected at four subsequent elections.
Jillian has more experience in the health field than any other politician in Australia, having first been appointed Shadow Minister for Health in 1995. She has also held the Shadow portfolios of Education and Training, and Youth Affairs and Arts.
Jillian began her career as a journalist in Melbourne. She was the first woman journalist on the Victorian Parliamentary Press Gallery and she has also worked in Adelaide, Sydney and South East Asia and has spent a number of years living in the United States.
She has operated her own editorial, strategic planning and marketing consultancy and has also been actively involved in community issues and organisations for many years.
Prior to her election, Jillian was the Director of the New South Wales Office of Youth Affairs and she has served on a number of bodies such as the New South Wales Women’s Advisory Council and the New South Wales Youth Advisory Council.
Updated: January 2009
Our Board of Management
Chairman's Message
For the past 33 years Taldumande Youth Services has been providing services for homeless youth, together with facilities for enhancing family relationships and responding to the changing needs of families and young people in crisis or at risk. It is a service of which we are justly proud. Countless hundreds of young people over the years have been looked after by Taldumande and many have returned years later to tell us how we quite literally saved their lives and set them on the path to a fulfilling and successful life.
None of this would have been possible without the amazing dedication of the staff which we have always been lucky to employ, and, above all, the assistance which we receive from the community. They say that it takes a whole village to educate a child – it also takes a whole community to care for those in need, and Taldumande relies heavily on the generosity of people to maintain its vital services.
I would urge anyone visiting this site to click on the ‘Make a Donation’ button and send us what you can afford. Without you a great many young people may have to be turned away, which, in the long run, does nothing for the community in which you live. Every donation, however small, is valuable to us. I thank you for your consideration.
Michael Morton-Evans, OAM JP
Chairman | Michael Morton-Evans - Michael rejoined the organisation as Chairman in February 2009. Previously, his extensive leadership involvement with the organisation dates back to 1996 when he began a 10-year stint as chairman until his retirement in August 2006. | |
Treasurer | Susan Gosling - holds a PhD in economics from London University. She is Head of Capital Markets Research at MLC and has over 20 years experience in the investment management industry. She has held a number of senior positions and has particular expertise in asset allocation, scenario analysis, and risk management. Susan has broad experience, in private equity as well as listed markets, and has been a director of a number of organisations. | |
Secretary |
| Kirsten Davies - M. Sust. Mgmt. PhD candidate (USyd) |
General member | Val Whimp - a former HR Director in the corporate sector, has enjoyed the challenge and diversity of voluntary work since her retirement in 1998. For 8 years she volunteered at a Northern Beaches youth centre working with disadvantaged young people and then leading a very successful fundraising team. For 5 years she served as a voluntary board member at a Community Centre on Sydney's North Shore. She is delighted to be able to support Taldumande in the wonderful services it provides to homeless young people and those at risk. | |
General member | Virginia Howard – has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector as a former Mayor of Mosman, high school English teacher, Meals on Wheels Administrator, Red Cross fundraiser and more recently as Executive Director of the Wenona Foundation. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, fundraising, public relations and mediation. She has a BA, MA (Hons) and Dip. Ed. And also serves on the Board of Mosman Day and Evening College. | |
| ||
General member | Michael McKenna -holds a BA with specialisation in Politics, International Relations and Sociology from the University of New South Wales. He has extensive experience and expertise in the critical analysis of complex matters and problem resolution. Working closely with senior executives and having managed multidisciplinary teams, Michael has been engaged in a number of senior advisory roles providing advice at local, national and international levels to government officials on a range of public policy, change management, and other project management related initiatives. Michael’s involvement and activities in a number of community organisations gives him an appreciation of the structure, management and behaviour of volunteer and not for profit organisations and volunteerism generally. He has extensive experience in relationship building and liaison including fund raising and securing community and cross agency support for worthy activities. | |
General Member | Anne Pender -Until she retired in 2000, Anne was a partner with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, in charge of Change Management and Organisation Development, responsible for around 20 consultants working on major public and private sector projects. She has advised on the people aspects of mergers, commercialisation strategies and systems implementations. Her areas of expertise include performance management and development, employee and community surveys, operational reviews and restructuring and recruitment and counselling. |
Our Staff members
| Executive Officer | Charles Bond |
| Senior Caseworker & Program Coordinator | Christine Duggan | |
Senior Caseworker |
| Alison Clentsmith |
Housing Caseworker |
| Kristina Stoney |
Residential Caseworkers |
| Ed ChanMelissa Holmes Angela Baxter (on maternity leave) |
Residential Youthworker |
| Pete Scali |
Casual Youthworkers |
| Malcolm Viles, Katrina Howley |
Administration |
| Kim Cannon |
Fundraising & Promotions |
| Katrina Richardson |
Government funding
Taldumande Youth Services Inc. (TYS), a specialist homelessness service, is primarily funded under Federal programs addressing the issue of homelessness on a national level. The States and Territories governments are required to equally match allocated federal funds. From January 2009 onwards, the federal government will deliver the funding for specialist homelessness services via the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) as approved by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), which provides a national response in addressing housing and homelessness in Australia.
- The COAG is a peak government forum and its members are the Prime Minister, State Premiers and territory Chief Minister
- The NAHA focuses on social housing, assistance to people in the private rental market, support and accommodation for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and assistance with home purchasing.
- Under the NAHA, funding for specialist homelessness services such as TYS will be delivered through the National Partnership Payments (NPP) on Homelessness and the National Partnership on Social Housing.On a State level, NSW Treasury Department will be the decision maker with regards to where funding arising from NPP’s will be allocated across all its agencies involved in addressing the issues of homelessness such as, Department of Community Services (DoCS), Centrelink, Health, Employment, and Education. Specialist homelessness services such as Taldumande will have their funding administered though the Department of Community Services in NSW.
Taldumande very much looks to the community to work in partnership and be able to deliver the many smaller support services that make such a big difference to the lives of the young people.The funds raised from the additional sources above, provide the important support programs addressing the holistic needs for young people and their families which could not be provided through funds received from government.The additional support programs aim to assist young people in moving forward with employment, educational, health, well being, family reconciliation and personal development goals. The support programs cover the following areas:
- financial assistance to young people (educational fees, clothing, health and well being transport)
- recreation and camps (weekend recreation activities and a yearly holiday camp)
- early intervention and direct support to youth, parents and extended family members
Our History
1976
Three youth refuges, the first in Sydney- NSW, were established to address the ongoing needs of young people who were homeless and without safe and stable accommodation.
Taldumande Youth Refuge, based in Neutral Bay, was one of the first three crisis refuges established, accommodating 8 residents and receiving young people from across the state of NSW.
The property was obtained with the assistance of an agreement between North Sydney Council and the Department of Housing.
Taldumande Youth Refuge was governed under a ‘collective’ organisational model of management, where staff employed was largely responsible for all aspects of the organisation business, with the assistance of 2 to 3 community members.
As a crisis refuge it provided emergency accommodation to young people aged 12-18 years with up to 3 months lengths of stay, after which a young person was required to exit the program.
Over the years in providing the service, it became clear that young people often needed longer periods of accommodation to become stable and address the multiple issues they were experiencing.
1983
The Annexe, a second refuge, was opened by the organisation in Artarmon. Accommodating 4 residents and also providing an exit point from the Taldumande Youth Refuge, with up to 1 year length of stay.
1996
Federal and State governments formalise funding assistance to people who are homeless and at risk through the implementation of the Supported Assistance Accommodation Program (SAAP) in partnership with the Crisis Accommodation Program (CAP), Taldumande’s funding is administered through the state Departments of Community Services and Housing respectively.
By March 1986, the high number of female referrals prompted the organisation to provide a gender specific service for young women at The Annexe. The Annexe was one the only refuges to specifically work with girls who had been sexually abused and where family breakdown had occurred.
As the youth sector developed and the needs of vulnerable young people were recognised, additional services became available. With further government funding, the organisation auspices the sexual assault and the family counsellor services at Phoenix Youth Services until 1993.
1998
In December, the organisation acquired a newly renovated five bedroom property at Crows Nest for the Annexe, obtained via a Crisis Accommodation Program (CAP).
2000
The organisation and the Department of Community Services undertook an extensive formal external review to address the ongoing issue of lack of funds, whilst also reviewing the outcomes for young people accommodated.
The recommendations and findings from the review were to result in major changes for the organisation.
2001
Taldumande Youth Refuge closed for a period of 8 months whilst the house underwent significant upgrades to the property and the organisation prepared for major governance, staffing and service provision changes.
The Annexe continued to accommodate young women and operate as a residential program.
The organisation undertook to implement the recommendations from the Review of 2000, resulting in major changes across governance, staffing structure, service provisions and administrative systems.
The organisation changed from a Collective Management Model to one of hierarchical structure. With the:
- establishment of a community based management committee, consisting of 7 local community members with skills across business and the welfare sector.
- employment of a manager, implementation of a hierarchical staffing structure and recruitment of professionally qualified staff.
- increased focus on fundraising and promotion of the organisation by the management committee, which over the coming years achieved a great deal in resourcing the young people whom were accommodated and enabling an expansion of programs and services provided.
- significant improvements to financial and client data collection systems with increased accountability.
2002
Taldumande Youth Refuge in Neutral Bay reopened in March and the organisations office base became centralised and situated at the refuge.
Administratively improvements were implemented to assist with professional service delivery and included the implementation of a part-time Administration Officer and the establishment of an integrated and upgraded technology system.
The staffing structure changed to focus on recruitment of experienced case management staff who could work intensively and holistically with youth and their multiple and complex needs.
The Annexe refuge in Crows Nest was renamed Emmett House, and refocused once again on providing an exit option for both genders of young people exiting the Neutral Bay refuge. A care taker on site model was implemented to provide after hours support and an adult presence on the property assisting young people transitioning for the first time to shared independent living.
In response to recommendations to improve the outcomes for clients, the organisation reviewed its Mission and Vision statements and progressively worked towards proving holistic and ‘wrap around’ services to young people accommodated.
Service provisions underwent a significant change in focusing on supporting and accommodating young people from the local area (northern Sydney and inner city areas) and extending the lengths of stay up to 6 months in the Taldumande Youth Refuge and 18 months at Emmett House. Aimed at providing longer periods of support and based on evidence based practice, which had proven to increase the success of lasting outcomes for young people who are able to stabilise counselling and the reestablishment of family relationships. New service provisions were initiated and included the following:
- Centralised point of contact and referral
- Aftercare Program: 3 to 6 months of outreach case management support for young people exiting accommodation
- A strengths based and Solution Focused therapeutic approach in working with young people and across the staff team with the assistance of a clinical consultant
- Initiating a focus on working with parents and families to support young people in returning home and building relationships with family.
- Taldumande Youth Refuge is renamed to The Residential and Assessment Program.
2003
The Housing Program was established with an additional 4 single units resulting from a successful submission with our North Shore Community Housing partner and a $13,000 establishment grant from the Department of Community Services.
- The organisation expanded its services to accommodate young people up to the age of 22 years.
- The Housing Program case worker position was implemented
- Young people aged 17-22 years could now be provided with a supported and subsidised
- independent housing exit option and up to a further 2 years length of stay.
The Youth and Family Program pilot project and the delivery of early intervention and preventative services, (enabled through unspent funds from the refuge closure in 2001 and donations), was initiated with the undertaking of a 3-month area needs study.
Results from the study highlighted the need for:
- Direct family support services to parents and families experiencing difficulties where the young people were at risk of becoming homeless.
- The establishment of a northern Sydney area wide network, to enable services to work collaboratively towards improving referral and support systems for families and youth, whilst also up skilling workers through the sharing of knowledge and opportunities for joint professional development.
2004
Office premises were secured at Neutral Bay to enable the ongoing professional development of the organisation and expansion of its services.
With staff expansions and occupational health and safety requirements it was no longer viable to continue operating the entire team from the Residential Program premises at Neutral Bay.
The Residential Program could now focus on developing a home like atmosphere and quality residential services for young people accommodated at the house.
The Youth and Family Program Pilot is implemented with the recruitment of a Coordinator in December 2004. The initial focus is on:
- Preventative services and resourcing families and parents through community development projects
- Establishment of the Northern Area Youth Early Intervention Network (NAYEIN)
- Reviewing area needs and identifying service gaps within the local community
Project Passion is implemented from organisational donated funds and provides financial grants for longer term education and personal development opportunities to young people accommodated and supported by Taldumande Youth Services, Phoenix Youth Service or Community Youth Homes within the lower north shore of Sydney area.
2005
The Outreach Program is formalised and implemented and provides assistance to young people who are not accommodated but who require support and advocacy.
The Brokerage Program is implemented from organisational donated funds and also provides financial assistance to young people needing support with day to day costs in the areas of: education, employment, counselling, clothing, emergency accommodation, recreation and health.
The Taldumande Residential Program reduces the number of available beds from 8 to 5 due to Occupational Health and Safety requirements. This results increased stability for young residents and enables the service to focus on working with young people who have multiple issues and higher levels of support needs.
The Youth and Family Program develops early intervention and prevention service delivery to focus on direct support services to parents as a result of clear gaps of service provisions within the local area, delivering services both through the office base and by visiting families in their homes.
2006
The Youth and Family Program expands with the recruitment of an early intervention case worker, now providing direct support for up to 15 to 20 parents / families at a time.
2007
Internet resources are provided to residents at the Residential Program and Emmett House.
2008
Technology systems are upgraded and internet services are also made available to young people at the office base.
The Youth and Family Program winds down by the end of the year, as the organisation was not able to secure funds to maintain the extended service delivery.
Whilst the program was very successful in assisting parents and families over the two years, its capacity to assist is now limited and the service is reduced primarily to young people who are accommodated and to providing a referral point for families in need.
- The NAYEIN brochure, a resource developed for parents, families and agencies, identifies the early intervention services in the northern area of Sydney and is distributed throughout the area.
2009
A change in federal government results in significant changes to how the national response to homelessness will be delivered.
The government produces the “The Road Home” (The White Paper) a national response to reducing homelessness.
A primary objective is to achieve a ‘whole of government’ response in collaboration with not for profit sector and community based services.
The main strategies put forward aim to address:
- the causes of homelessness
- provide a framework for preventing homelessness
- provide a framework and strategies for improving and expanding existing mainstream government and specialised homelessness services
From January 2009 funding is allocated through the new National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA), as directed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), to the individual states and territories who match the federal funds allocated.
Taldumande’s government funding is no longer ‘tied’ to a specific federal program and a significant shift occurs in the decision making powers for individual states and territories, who are able to allocate the funds for homelessness across government and community agencies.
- On a State level, Taldumande’s funding continues to be administered through the Department of Community Services and for the next 12 months will continue as before.
Annual Reports
2007
| 2008 | 2009 |
Mosman Daily 14th January 2010
