'I had come to work
within an organisation whose reputation for standing up for human rights was
legendary', says Cathy Guinness in Doing
Justice, a new Jesuit Social Services publication which celebrates the
organisation's first 30 years. The book gives a fascinating insight into the
memories of a variety of people who experienced the spirit and ideals of Jesuit
Social Services from its inception in 1977.
Below is an excerpt from
the publication about Cathy's experience working with the Communities Together program.
'At the time Cathy
Guinness came to work for Jesuit Social Services, a "whole-of-neighbourhood"
approach to tackling poverty and disadvantage was being launched. It was now
understood that poverty affects whole communities, not just individuals. Old
ways of managing disadvantage were being replaced by a respect for people in
need, and an understanding that this was their community and that they wanted
to be a part of making it change for the better. Cathy remembers how hard it
was to break new ground and take risks.
It was challenging because our organisation was moving into
a new sort of work and up to this time, Jesuit Social Services had been focused
in a different way. I was breaking new ground for the organisation and it was a
terrific challenge for me. I had come to work within an organisation whose
reputation for standing up for human rights was legendary. I had to make
mistakes and deal with them. I was in the front line, at the community level,
working with new cultural groups and new languages. Jesuit Social Services
expected me to take risks. I felt part of a bigger enterprise which could bring
about changes in government policy as well as run programs at the front end of
disadvantage.
The work broadened from
Richmond to include the housing estates at Collingwood and then Fitzroy. In
2001 the program took the name Communities
Together. Cathy sees her work as an act of faith.
I believe that communities have within themselves the
understanding of what needs to be done and that they are the best people to do
it. I have got a great passion for community and for the energy that is within
the idea of community. I have seen it over and over that each community can be
helped to find the things that they are really interested in themselves and
really want to get changed. If people with leadership and energy from within
those communities become engaged, huge change can come about. The workers may
come and go but the community is always there.
High-rise housing estates
are richly diverse. Communities Together
supports people to express their different cultures in ways which connect them
to others. The issues that worry residents are diverse. Security, opportunities
for connection, opportunities to influence decisions about their quality of
life are just a few of their concerns.
The African Program at
the Flemington housing estate was inspired by the work being done by Jesuit
Social Services within another migrant community. Son Nguyen and Kim Nguyen had
been working at the Vietnamese Welfare Resource Centre, on the Flemington
housing estate for a long time. More recently it became the home of many of the
African people who fled war and unrest in their homelands. Abdul Rachman Ozman,
a leader in the Somali Community, came to Son for advice. He recognised that
the support the Vietnamese community was receiving was just what his people
needed. A dialogue began with Jesuit Social Services, and so the African
Program started in 2004. Cathy Guinness recalls the beginning.
It was a huge adventure. There is a great energy within the
idea and the reality of community.
The African Program is alive with that energy. There are possibilities
created through listening to and supporting communities, through being open to
new challenges.
Doing Justice is currently available in chapter form at http://www.jss.org.au/about-us/30-year-history.
The printed version of the book will be
available for purchase for the first time at the Jesuit Social Services Annual
Fundraising Dinner on 20 March, and copies can be ordered from the Jesuit
Social Services website after that date. For advanced orders or enquiries
please contact Jesuit Social Services on (03) 9427 7388 or jss@jss.org.au