ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

St John’s Youth Services acknowledges with genuine respect the Kaurna people as the Traditional Owners of the Adelaide Plains region, the region where our sites and services are situated. We acknowledge the Kaurna people’s cultural, spiritual, physical, emotional, economic and intellectual connection with the land. We honour and pay our respects to Kaurna Elders both past and present, and all generations of Kaurna people, including children, young people and families, for their continuing struggle for recognition and respect in this country. We further honour and pay our respects to Aboriginal Elders, both past and present, and all generations of First Nations peoples from other language groups across this sacred land of Australia. St John’s Youth Services recognises and celebrates that Australia is home to the world’s oldest continuing cultures.

Breaking the cycle of homelessness

St John’s Youth Services works with young people in the Adelaide metro area who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. As well as individuals, we support young couples, families, single mums or dads, and their children. We believe in young people and refuse to define them by their temporary experience of homelessness. Instead, we focus on each young person’s talents and ambitions, and their capacity to overcome challenges in their past and take control of their future. Since St John’s Youth Services was established in 1981, we have supported more than 15,000 young people experiencing homelessness or crisis. We know what works and have a proud record of developing innovative service models to change young lives for the better.

Accommodation services include Adelaide’s only youth crisis accommodation facility, youth110, a partnership between Believe Housing and St John’s Youth Services. Youth110 provides 30 self-contained apartments over four floors, with office space for 24-hour case management and support. Located in the UNO apartment complex, youth110 is the world’s first apartment-based crisis service to be co-located in a mixed tenure residential building. Foyer Port Adelaide, a partnership between the SA Housing Authority and St John’s Youth Services, provides medium-term independent apartment accommodation for young people who want to re-engage with education, or seek training or employment.

Outreach services include transitional outreach support for young people who have stayed at our accommodation services, and Next Step — an intensive, individualised and long-term solution to homelessness that equips young people with the skills they need to live independently. Keeping my Place is an early intervention response that provides support for young people who are living in private rental, but at risk of losing their tenancy due to personal or financial crisis. Our goal is to break the cycle of homelessness, and our services interconnect to provide holistic, wraparound support tailored to individual need. Whether a young person is already experiencing homelessness, living in private rental but at risk of eviction, or ready to move into a place of their own, our range of programs assist young people at every stage of their housing journey.

THE ST JOHN’S YOUTH SERVICES TEAM

The St John’s Youth Services team is comprised of dedicated individuals who share a commitment to providing the best possible support to young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in South Australia. From the board room to the front lines of service delivery, each SJYS team member shares a belief in the capacities of young people to overcome the challenges that have led them to housing crisis, and a commitment to ensuring every young person in South Australia can make a place to call home. This commitment is reflected in the stability of the SJYS workforce, who on average stay with SJYS for almost seven years.

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leadership reports

From the Chair

Brent alexander

I am pleased to present the Annual Report of St John’s Youth Services Inc for the 2021-2022 financial year.

It would be remiss of me if I didn’t start by thanking our staff and highlighting both their amazing work and the brilliant young people who we have had in our service. The employees of St John’s Youth Services are truly the heart of the organisation, and they lead with passion, positivity and purpose. Nicole and our Service Managers summarise our services and many amazing stories over the following pages, and I would highly recommend each of them to you.

The 2021-2022 financial year saw a renewal of our strategic plan which was underpinned by the pillars of sustainability, early intervention, growth, brand and advocacy. It was a pleasure to see this plan come together, a collaborative effort between the Board, Senior Management and our valued employees who each contributed to the vision of growth in the best interests of young people.

Brent Alexander, Chair

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From the Ceo

nicole chaplin

Watch Nicole’s CEO Report below, or read the transcript here.

To young people – we believe in you, we are here to support you in whatever you want to do. We truly believe we’re a strength-based organisation and we want to help you find a place you can call home.

Nicole Chaplin, CEO

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our supporters

The life changing programs St John’s Youth Services provides are funded by an amazing community of supporters, who share our belief in young people and a commitment to ensuring every young person in South Australia can make a place to call home. While our accommodation services are funded by government, much more is needed to ensure young people have the support, resources and opportunities they need to break the cycle of homelessness for good. Thanks to the generosity of compassionate individuals, businesses, organisations and philanthropic funders, SJYS is able to provide a range of transformative programs including Next Step and Keeping my Place. This support also funds vital assistance such as furniture and household goods for young people moving out of homelessness, or individualised assistance to help young people succeed at study or work.

The Anthony Williamson Scholarship

The Anthony Williamson Scholarship honours the memory of Anthony Williamson, a wonderful and generous man who was committed to helping others. Established by the Williamson family, the scholarship helps ensure a young person’s experience of homelessness or crisis doesn’t define their future, and that Anthony’s belief in the value of education will continue to change the direction of young lives for years to come. In 2021/22, the scholarship supported a talented and hardworking young person to complete a university degree and pursue a career in the arts. Applications are now being accepted for 2023.

All donations to the Anthony Williamson Scholarship directly benefit young people who would otherwise face barriers to accessing tertiary education and help them achieve their educational goals. Click here to learn more or donate.