Whitelion
Whitelion opens doors to opportunities, relationships and community for young people involved in the Youth Justice System or at risk of involvement. This is achieved through role modelling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, outreach services, and through prevention programs run in rural and metropolitan communities. Whitelion was founded in 1999 and operates nationally in VIC, NSW, SA and TAS. Whitelion supports young people at risk to reach their full potential, providing youth-focused, gender and culturally specific services that change young people’s lives. These include employment, role modeling, mentoring programs and specialist outreach support.
How Whitelion helps urban poverty?
Whitelion is a not-for-profit community organisation that supports and empowers young people at risk to reach their full potential.
Each year thousands of young people are disconnected from our community due to abuse and neglect, drug addiction and poverty. These young people have often had horrific life experiences with few positive role models and little family support. And find themselves caught in a ‘cycle of discouragement’ that is very hard to break.
Often, if this cycle is not broken, some young people become habitual offenders in our community and spend the majority of their young lives behind bars.
Whitelion opens doors to opportunities, relationships and community for these young people.
It gives them the chance to ‘break the cycle’ through role modeling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, outreach services, and prevention programs run in rural and metropolitan schools in disadvantaged communities.
Key messages
Whitelion supports disadvantaged young people to live more positive and fulfilled lives.
With your support, Whitelion can help young people who have been crippled by low self-esteem and a sense of hopelessness, to unlock their talents and reach their full potential.
Your donation will be used to deliver role modeling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, outreach services and prevention programs. All of which will:
- Create a positive and hopeful future for marginalised young people.
- Help to break the vicious ‘cycle of discouragement’ of early school leaving, drug and alcohol abuse and violence and crime that fractures communities.
- Increase social harmony, foster civil values and build respect.
Success Stories
SIMON
In early 2010, Simon connected with a Whitelion employment worker who helped him to take his first real steps towards achieving his dream of a fulfilling work career.
Simon always had a desire to make something of himself, and he knew he wanted to work outdoors with people, however he did not have the confidence, skills or support to pursue this goal.
The assistance and support offered to Simon as part of the Whitelion Employment Program meant that he could develop self-belief and the appropriate work ready skills to embark on his journey to meaningful employment.
Not only has Simon gained full-time employment, he has also developed both personally and professionally. His confidence has grown and he has demonstrated a great amount of persistence and dedication to his work. He is seen as an integral member of his team, has developed some great friendships and for the first time in his life, feels he belongs.
Simon’s outlook on life has changed and he has found hope for the future. He is enjoying his work more than ever and has recently been the successful recipient of a Victorian State Award.
“I’m proud of my achievements and I hope to continue to learn and develop in the area of horticulture. I also wanna be a good role model to help other young people.”
KRIS
At 16, Kris already had a life experience that would cause most adults to give up – he had a history of substance abuse, criminal behaviour, low school achievement and almost no literacy skills and was grieving after the death of his father.
Kris was referred to Whitelion South Australia’s Mentoring Program after being expelled from several schools. At first Kris reacted violently at times of stress and provocation, and was at high risk of receiving a custodial sentence.
Whitelion provided Kris with a bicycle so that he and his mentor could ride to school together and use this time to talk and get to know one another. Slowly, he began to develop a relationship with his mentor and together they attended a Whitelion camp, where Kris began to take pleasure in socialising and learned about health issues and nutrition. Kris’s school noted an improvement in attendance and his approach to course work.
With the support of his mentor, Kris has started to explore a previously unexpressed love of art by spending his free time with an Indigenous artist. Kris’s love of art was recognised with an award in a school based competition.
JESSE
Jesse has been with Whitelion Tasmania for eight months and during this time has dealt with a difficult family situation as well as peer pressure, loss of a relationship, disengagement from school and the trauma of being the victim of a serious crime.
The support of an outstanding Mentor has meant that Jesse, despite her personal setbacks, has been one of the most consistent young people involved with Whitelion programs. This was evidenced earlier this year when Jesse attended a Whitelion Camp – something far outside her comfort zone. Jesse has also been maintaining a consistent attendance at school.
The innovative Whitelion street art program in Launceston saw Jesse make some impressive contributions with her own artwork. With the support of her mentor, Jesse was also able to stand up in front of some of Launceston’s most influential people and tell everyone present about her involvement in the program and the benefits she had gained as a result.
“Without my mentor, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in these activities and pursue my interest in street art”.
SARAH & JOANNE
When Sarah and Joanne met during Sarah’s custodial sentence at the Parkville Youth Justice Centre (PYJC), little did they know that Joanne would help Sarah through some of the most significant events of her life – getting released from custody, completing a detox program and giving birth.
Sarah and Joanne met at an ‘Indigo Nights’ group mentoring activity, held behind the walls at PYJC to provide entertainment and external connections for the young women in custody. Following Sarah’s release, she moved to Bendigo and the two maintained a long distance mentoring relationship via telephone and email.
Sarah and Joanne’s relationship remains strong; they manage to catch up once a month in person and the bond they share is a gift that they both cherish.
