A Farm Home For Foster Teenagers
“Compassion and care for foster teens”
OUR MISSION
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending”
To help as many young people as possible.
To provide a dedicated, family home to teenagers who don’t have one.
To give them what is every child’s right – a home environment that offers love, respect and boundaries.
We want to break the cycle of abuse and addiction.
To provide an alternative solution to foster group homes.
Who We Are
We are an independent, community based organisation established by a determined and passionate handful of individuals who want to help the worryingly high number of young teens in Australia who don’t have a permanent foster placement.
What's Wrong
These young people are currently housed in motel rooms or in residential group homes and supervised by a rotating roster of youth workers.
These young people deserve a whole lot better.
BREAKING THE CYCLE
We have a core purpose – to lift vulnerable young people out of trauma, affirm their worth and support them as they develop a new path for their life.
We do this by providing a dedicated, loving family home to teenagers who have been denied what is every child’s right – to establish emotional connections and experience love, respect, safety and boundaries.
The young people that come to live with us have been subjected to horrific domestic violence, sexual and emotional abuse, alcoholism and drug addiction. They have then been moved around multiple foster care placements before being brought to us. We mindfully work on breaking the cycle of neglect, abuse and hopelessness that our teens have experienced so they can heal and take their place in the world.
They Deserve
A chance to heal
The healing process for these kids needs careful consideration. These children have mostly endured extremely unpleasant and challenging life experiences so therefore conventional mainstream models won’t work for them.
A chance to live
In a loving, safe, inclusive environment. As close to a family model as possible…
A chance for education
We need to give them a chance to be educated but not necessarily in a conventional mainstream classroom environment.
A chance for relationships
We need to GIVE THEM A CHANCE to form meaningful relationships based on trust. A program delivered by positive, kind adult mentors who can use firm but kind behaviour management strategies to slowly rebuild confidence and motivation.
In The Media
Police granted powers to charter plane to fly at-risk teen from secret location to safe house in Sydney
The Supreme Court has given New South Wales Police extraordinary powers to recover and relocate an at-risk teenager by flying her to a safe house in Sydney.
Vulnerable Children Deserve Our Best Possible Care
When conditions are so bad in the domestic environment that a child is considered to be safer living in out-of-home care, then a great responsibility is placed on the state.
No safe place to call home: Vulnerable children housed in hotels amid foster carer crisis
Vulnerable children staying in hotels and motels, a shortage of caseworkers and an increasing demand on residential care have led to an urgent plea for more foster carers in NSW.
OUR SUPPORTERS
HELP US HELP THEM
“Where do you use the donated money?”
An excellent and fair question…
The most valuable thing that can be given to these children is
TIME and KNOWLEDGE
We need MENTORS, TEACHERS and EQUIPMENT/RESOURCES
Please help us help them – You’ve heard that expression… “It takes a village….”
DONATED FUNDS are channelled into:
- Paying professionals to conduct educational workshops.
- Paying mentors to spend time on the farm sharing their practical knowledge in a hands on way.
Vet
Teaching children about animal care and how to practically manage animals in a farm setting.
Chef
Explore what foods can be planted and harvested on the farm; learn the basics of cooking and the importance of using fresh ingredients to maintain health and well being.
Farmers
Teaching children about self sufficiency and sustainability using the farm to illustrate these concepts. Explore the basics of where our food comes from, how it is grown and processed for sale.
Gardeners
To encourage children to understand about the fundamentals of growing food , preparing the soil; reducing organic bin waste by composting.
Mechanic
Teaching basic skills involved in maintaining a vehicle eg: engine care, changing tyres etc.
Musicians
Music Lessons
Carpenters / Builders
Instruct children in basic carpentry and help design and build proposed treehouses.
Accountant
explain budgeting, tax, superannuation, etc..