St Eugene Catholic College in Burpengary takes part in our Student Engagement Program. Alisha, one of the students involved, describes it as a life changing experience. The school has been involved with Rosies for the past ten years. It is an eye-opener for many students. They realise the power of listening to people while sharing a cuppa and a bite to eat.
“Prior to arriving at the location where the Rosies Van is set up, I was extremely nervous and I didn’t know what to expect. When we arrived, I felt intimidated at first, but once we started to interact with our friends on the street, you realise that they are just normal people just like you and me. Hearing some of the patron’s stories was really heartbreaking and challenging, and it’s very upsetting knowing that this goes on without any of us knowing about it”.
Rosies has been outreaching in Annerley since September. We welcomed our first friends at our new outreach on the very first night (pictured). The branch now outreaches in our capital every day of the week in different locations thanks to the support and engagement of the local community. The Annerley team goes out on Tuesday from 7.00pm-9.00pm at Mary Immaculate Church Annerley and on Thursday morning from 9.00am-11.00am at the Church of Christ Annerley. The remaining days our Brisbane team meet at Emma Miller place in the city from 7.30pm-9.30pm (7.00pm – 9.00pm on Sunday).
In our previous edition we introduced Lisa, our new branch coordinator in Beenleigh, who recently helped move us to a new outreach room. Rosies volunteers are working hard to improve our local street van outreach services to those in need. Thanks to their efforts they are doubling the number of patrons they support. The word is definitely getting out there. The branch also teamed up with the team in Logan for a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle to support both branches. Awesome work guys!
Vacen Taylor is an Australian author and a Rosies volunteer. She is also a screenwriter and emerging playwright. Vacen joined Rosies as part of our Street and Schoolies Safety Response outreaches in 2011.
“I have always believed that I should be more than the sum of my own world. I should actively support and assist others and not just those who surround me either through family or friendship networks. That means to support those people who are often strangers and sometimes the most vulnerable people in our community. That’s what drives my continual commitment to night outreach. It’s not so different for Schoolies Week.”
Our Rosies volunteer elaborates on the risks school leavers might face at Schoolies and why it is essential not to ignore the need to support them by taking part in the Schoolies Safety Response outreach.
Often this week brings a lot of first time experiences for young people who are away from their family. They encounter new and sometimes different emotions and situations. Caring, supporting, assisting those young people who reach out to us over this time is why I myself and our Rosies volunteers are so passionate about Schoolies Week. Another very important part of why I enjoy the Schoolies Response is because of the wonderful volunteers I work with each night over that week. They are the true essence of Rosies, the most important people within our organisational framework.”
The impact our wonderful volunteers make on outreach can sometimes be explicitly expressed.
“One story I remember so very fondly was supporting a young schoolie who wasn’t feeling well. He had experienced lots of new things, along with tiredness and missing his mum and dad and it had become all too much. I sat with him for a long while, listening mostly. When he started to feel better I wished him well and to stay safe. The next night he returned with a box of chocolates for me. He thanked me for looking after him. I always accept, with gratitude, such wonderful acts of returned kindness for I have always believed we must acknowledge those who go that extra distance to thank us. This acknowledgement completes the cycle of support and kindness, and we all feel good about our actions.”
Rosies has a long tradition of youth and student engagement, having been established in Queensland in 1987 as a youth mission. We continue to engage with youth and students through education, awareness, and volunteer programs, which play a vital role in prevention and support.
Oliver O’Callaghan (pictured) illustrated this engagment as a Year 8 student at St Laurence’s College in Brisbane when he decided to base his school presentation on Rosies. Here is a fresh view of how Rosies is percieved from a 13 year old…
“Rosies is run and operated by the work of its volunteers, through their love for neighbours, they reach out to those in need through the simple act of conversation and compassion without ever ‘boasting’ about their great work.”
Oliver stresses our identity as a community of people sharing the Oblate spirit of daring. Inspired by the Gospel, Rosies reaches out to those most abandoned, to be present with them, offering them experience of community and belonging.
“Jesus always reached out to those who are less fortunate in his society and time. Likewise Rosies reaches out to the less fortunate by loving thy neighbour. Solidarity is one of the Catholic Social Teachings and is about ‘valuing our fellow human beings and respecting who they are as individuals’. Rosies demonstrates how we can all live the Holy Spirit by giving every person we meet a sense of belonging, community, and family. Rosies preaches ‘Love thy neighbour’. Rosies gives the gift of presence to those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or simply lonely through the most basic need of human contact.”
Oliver beautifully summed up what Rosies is all about.
“1 Corinthians 13:1-13 tells the exact story of what Rosies is trying to achieve in the tireless work of the volunteers. This is evident in the scripture reading that says ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.’ This ideal explains that love can change anything and is everything. In relation to Rosies, it is the love and community that comes with every drop of coffee”.
Thank you Oliver. It is students like you as well as our volunteers, and all our supporters, who make the difference to Rosies and our friends.
Hannah Walker, Social Justice Leader and Year 12 at the Cairns State High School shared her experience with Rosies. Her insight was published in the Cairns Post…
“I recently volunteered with Rosies and it was an amazing experience. The most profound experience I had was being able to create connection. Rosies has taught me that human connection is the most precious gift of all.”
Hannah was on outreach with her friend Christina when one of our friends on the street approached them with a smile to simply thank them for being there.
“God bless you. I think it’s great what you do and I really appreciate it.”
We tend to forget how the simplest things in life can truly impact others.
“That night, we had a powerful purpose. I really felt connection could change lives. An act of kindness, a word of gratitude or even starting with a smile can make a world of difference. Helping out Rosies has become a valued Cairns State High School tradition for our senior leaders to be invovled in.”
Theresa Sheppard is an original team member, and Life Member, of Rosies. She was involved in our support team in 1987 and took part in the Schoolies outreach in 1988 as a volunteer in the inaugural school retreat program with Rosies. Today, Theresa runs her own business with Norwex (chemical free cleaning and personal care products).
She shares with us her experience at Rosies from our genesis as a Catholic Youth Ministry in Wynnum Manly…
In the mid 1980s Fr Paul Costello OMI noticed a need on the Gold Coast over the Summer holidays. He realised that young school leavers were left on their own with nothing to do but to drink, hang around on the street, and look for any sort of mischief. It reminded him of his days outreaching in Rosebud, Victoria while studying at the Oblate Seminary. Fr Paul came back to his youth ministry group in Wynnum Manly and challenged his young audience, ‘Can we do something about it?’. Word spread and soon there was a group of about 50 young adults recruited from various young adult ministries throughout Brisbane, and Oblate communities in Sydney and Melbourne.
The decision was made to go to the Gold Coast for two weeks, twice a year, over the Schoolies and New Year’s Eve periods. “The objective was to create a community and a sense of belonging between participants and youth at risk. The group organised recreational activities in the afternoon and outreaches at night serving coffee and hitchhiking services to anyone needing support.”
The group soon created an area where people could sit and enjoy a chat, a cuppa, a bite to eat, and the hospitality of the first ever Rosies team at the local church in Surfers Paradise. Soon after people who were homeless, at risk of homelessness, or simply lonely, seized the opportunity to spend some time with the dedicated team members.
“At the end of the program, whilst wishing everyone farewell till the following year, one of our new friends on the street declared ‘We might not be here next year. What are we supposed to do now?’. A phrase that deeply moved us. We realised the need was not limited to youth at risk over the Summer’s celebrations. In fact the need was permanent for all ages.”
Rosies in Queensland was born. In 2017, we celebrate 30 years of providing friendship.
Darcy told me at outreach recently that on a cold night in August he was hobbling through Groom Park in Toowoomba when confronted by a young bloke wanting a smoke. Darcy was hobbling because he was still recovering from a broken ankle and was wearing a moon boot. Unfortunately, the encounter ended badly as the young bloke didn’t believe Darcy was out of smokes and lashed out with a knife severely lacerating Darcy’s left hand. Darcy, however is always cheerful, in spite of his many injuries, when he comes to Rosies outreach, an inspiration to us all.
The community of Beenleigh is working hard to connect up by holding monthly events in the new Town Square. Along with Lisa, Rosies new Branch Coordinator and our volunteer Dave, I spent an enjoyable afternoon at the October event – Straight Outta Beenleigh – serving coffee and cordial and getting to know some other wonderful organisations. Our new outreach room hosts, Beenleigh Uniting Church were there. We are enthusiastic about how various groups can complement each other in reaching out to the marginalised across all our branches.
Shane and Nicole were very gracious hosts at the LJ Hooker Race Day on 5 November at the Gold Coast Turf Club. For the second year running they and eight other LJ Hooker Principals provided their staff and some Rosies representatives with a fantastic day at the races. Wendy, our Gold Coast Coordinator moved the crowd with stories of encounters on the street, and LJ Hooker’s wonderful fundraising efforts are symbolic of the regard our supporters have for the efforts of our volunteers and the needs of our friends.
As I reflect on these various encounters, it reminds me that Rosies is not so much a human service as a dynamic of human encounters. These encounters involve our family of patrons, volunteers, and supporters. And each of us brings our own gifts, personalities, prayers, and experiences to these encounters. No wonder it works.
The wonder of Christmas is that God became human so that we could recognise him in our humanity. Through the presence of Jesus our encounters are transformed with divine life.
In gratitude for your presence in the
Rosies family. Thank you.
Andrew O’Brien
Rosies General Manager
Your support, and the presence of our wonderful volunteers, is what makes a difference especially over
what is often a very lonely period for many.
I am so pleased to be part of Rosies celebrations providing 30 years of friendship. Last financial year Rosies added two outreach services with seven already added this year.
During 2017, we will take time to recognise our past as well as building our future. We will focus on our sustainability, maintaining low support costs, and the development of further services. Strategically this focus is essential to ensure Rosies can continue to meet the ever-increasing needs of those who need us most, when needed most.
We invite you, and those within your personal circle of influence – your family, friends, colleagues – to celebrate and join us on this journey. Your continued support, large or small, will enable Rosies – on your behalf – to continue to bring the gift of ‘presence’, now and in the future. Thank you . You really make a difference.
John Scoble
Rosies Board Chair
Find out how you can get involved.
The team meets with young people on Fridays from 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Everyone is welcome to enjoy a cuppa, bite to eat, and a chat with our wonderful volunteers. The branch recently trialled an outreach at a new location with the local PCYC. While there were some benefits the team and the PCYC decided that they could best deliver the Rosies mission at the skate park. See us at the skate park.
