Money raised to date $86,140
We plan to cross 10 to 14 deserts in one journey to raise money for Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Street Charity
Please pledge amount per desert that we cross. For example if you pledge to donate $15 per desert we cross, and if we cross 10 deserts, your total donation will be $150 ($15 by 10 deserts). Just remember if we do indeed cross 14 it will be 14 times the amount you pledge!
View: Authority to raise funds on behalf of Youth Off The Streets
Most Recent Pledges / Donations
Betty & Nowell Tregurtha $2,000
Dominic Stevens $2,500 donation
Matthew Glascott $500 donation
Paula McGrath $3,000 donation
Anthony Merlo $300 donation
Richard & Melissa Pridham $100 donation
Michael Brooks $600 donation
100% of all donations went directly to Youth Off The Streets
Donate or Pledge to Youth Off The Streets now here:
https://foundation.youthoffthestreets.com.au/donate
YOUTH OFF THE STREETS
Please help us raise money for Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Street. The Charity directly helps youths that are in trouble and need help. The operation now encapsulates some 20 programs that employ 150 people and involving more than 800 volunteers. The program relies on 60% of its funding coming from private donations, so please help us.
Father Chris Riley
Father Chris Riley, founder and CEO of Youth Off The Streets, has worked with disadvantaged youth for more than 30 years in a variety of roles including teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential carer and principal. Father Chris Riley was inspired by the 1931 movie “Boys’ Town”, and at the age of 15 was determined to become a priest to take care of those kids who had no one else. He worked for the charity Boys’ Town in a variety of roles and finally as Principal.
In 1991, he left Boys’ Town and began to set up a variety of programs for troubled youth. The programs are always responsive to need and are designed to help them develop the skills and qualities that will enable each young person to regain control of their own lives.
Father Riley has implemented innovative behaviour modification strategies to help young people deal with a history of trauma, abuse and neglect including the Values Education Service Learning curriculum which is now available to schools across Australia as part of theYOUth Making a Difference teachers resource.
In 1997, Father Riley opened Key College independent High School and pioneered flexible education delivery model to help young people living on the streets and in temporary accommodation return to school.As CEO of Youth Off The Streets, Father Riley oversees the operation of 20 programs that employ 150 people and involve more than 800 volunteers.
With less than forty per cent of funding coming from government sources, Youth Off The Streets has become one of the largest youth services in Australia, offering residential rehabilitation, counselling, street-based programs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, specialist Aboriginal services, education and family support facilities.
Father Chris Riley believes there is no such thing as a “child born bad”, but acknowledges that there are bad environments, circumstances and families that impact negatively on our young.
Youth Off The Streets is a youth-specific charity based in New South Wales, assisting young people deal with issues of substance and other abuse, alienation from family and community and homelessness. We offer a continuum of care from assistance on the streets; crisis and short term accommodation to long term residential care, treatment and secondary schooling. We accept non-paying youth into our facilities and we offer our services on a fee-paying basis to government agencies.
Since opening in 1991, Youth Off The Streets has grown from a single foodvan delivering meals to young homeless people on the streets of Kings Cross to a major youth specific agency providing a wide range of services offering a full continuum of care. We provide crisis care for young people still living on the streets with our food van, youth refuge and outreach programs. We also operate an innovative drug and alcohol program specifically designed for young people.
Our accredited independent high schools in Surry Hills, the Southern Highlands and Merrylands, provide flexible educational opportunities and support for young people living on the streets or who are unable to attend mainstream high schools. Many of these young people go on to successfully achieve their School Certificate and, in increasing numbers, their Higher School Certificate. Merrylands, provide flexible educational opportunities and support for young people living on the streets or who are unable to attend mainstream high schools. Many of these young people go on to successfully achieve their School Certificate and, in increasing numbers, their Higher School Certificate.
Our medium to long term residential rehabilitation programs, located in the Southern Highlands and the Hunter Valley, provide support for young people who have made the commitment to living a drug and crime free lifestyle. While they are in our care the young people attend school as well as receive counselling, life skills and vocational training.
Once they feel ready to leave the residential programs we offer a semi-independent living and mentoring program which is designed to help young people engage in further study or to find meaningful employment. We support both the employer and the young person through their first year of working together.
More than a decade of experience has taught us that education is the most effective way to break the cycles of abuse that can trap young people. Our new ASPIRE program delivers innovative drug prevention and early intervention strategies as well as ‘time out’ programs to young people at risk of becoming disconnected from mainstream education. This program as well as our GetReel drug education competition and curriculum and our Values Education YOUth Making a Difference resource is now available to schools across Australia.
We are very honoured to have as our patrons, the former Governor General of Australia, Sir William Deane and Lady Helen Deane.
(02) 1800 06 22 88; info@youthoffthestreets.com.au
PO Box 6025, ALEXANDRIA NSW 2015 or visit our website www.youthoffthestreets.com.au
