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AUSTRALIA: 'YOUTH OFF THE STREETS' 3RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE DRAWS INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS
SYDNEY: 22nd November '03 - Salesian priest and 'Aussie icon', Fr. Chris Riley, in efforts on behalf of abused, neglected and drug-addicted young Australians, held his third 'Youth off the Streets' (YOT) Conference in Sydney from 17th-19th November. The Conference was dubbed 'A celebration of Australian Youth'. Three experts from the USA and two Canadian detectives who have made major inroads into dealing with child prostitution, joined forces with local experts who also share a passion for neglected young people often abandoned to or led into situations of vice and corruption.
YOT has become a major charity organisation, drawing funds from high profile donors and patronage from some of Australia's best known political, social and media figures. It gained early patronage from the erstwhile and revered Australian Governor General Sir William Deane, a prominent Catholic layman. Fr. Riley has preferred to develop the organization as a non-denominational, non-profit entity. Its early beginning, however, were under the auspices of the New South Wales branch of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Fr. Riley's own personal story became the subject of a book released this year: MEAN STREETS KIND HEART.
YOT features an impressive array of programmes: the food van service, which was amongst the very first initiatives 12 years ago is the only Sydney service operating 365 days a year. The Streetwalk initiative begun last year has trained community volunteers physically walking targeted streets in Sydney between 10 pm and 3 am each evening. Don Bosco House, Marrickville (inner city) provides short-term accommodation for homeless adolescents. Young people - the house holds 18 and is always full - may attend school at the internal Don Bosco Key College, where they are given opportunities to resume studies in ways appropriate to their needs. Dunlea Adolescent Programme for substance abuse, named after the founding figure of the now Salesian-managed Boys Town, Fr. Tom Dunlea, is a residential 2-4 week programme for 13-18 year olds. Mirvac House Treatment Programme, Sutton Forest NSW is for male adolescents who have sexual behaviour problems. it is the only programme of its kind in Australia. Additionally, but in some ways very typical of Fr. Chris Riley's own rural upbringing and training, are the four rural-based farms. These target homeless youth and provide residential programmes - farm life/work experience, education and employment opportunities. Lois House and Debra Benson House in Sydney are for teenage girls.
The list goes on - several more Houses for early offenders, school programmes, and a further House for teenage girls due to be opened soon. There is even a Vocal Ensemble Programme and what is called the 'Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Programme' which is offered to magistrates as an alternative to State institutions for young offenders. It came about in response to media coverage of young people involved in lighting devastating fires on the city outskirts a year ago.
All in all an impressive set of responses to the needs of the poor and abandoned young people of Australia's most populous State and city.
