Sir David Martin Foundation is proud to stand in solidarity with First Nations communities in their ongoing campaign for sovereignty and self-determination. We believe there needs to be crucial and urgent action for the traditional custodians of this land to receive the acknowledgment, respect and equality that they deserve.

In step with what we believe, we have signed the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) Statement of Solidarity with First Nations Communities. The statement brings acknowledgement to the ongoing injustice and institutionalised racism that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face, calling for action to end this disparity.

“As a community sector, we commit to:

• Solidarity and action with First Nations communities in their ongoing campaign for sovereignty and self-determination, including Voice, Treaty, and Truth-telling.
• Ensuring our own decision-making processes respect First Nations voices, leadership and right to self-determination.
• Developing partnership principles that ensure we are not competing with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations who are best placed to develop policy solutions and deliver services for their communities.”

It is a crucial time to unite in solidarity with First Nations peoples. We cannot change what has happened in the past; but now we can build a future that brings justice and equality, the way it should have been a long time ago.

You can read and sign the Statement of Solidarity with First Nations Communities here.

Sir David Martin Foundation is excited to announce that we have joined the campaign to raise the age of criminal reponsibility in NSW.

Together, we can #RaiseTheAge in NSW.

We are coming together with First Nations organisations, peak bodies, frontline services, workers, human rights advocates and legal experts because we not only understand the issues – we can build a better way.

In NSW, kids as young as 10 can be arrested. The earlier children come into contact with the system the more likely it is that they have ongoing contact with the system.

This contact is traumatic, and it doesn’t deliver safer communities.

Children become teenagers, teens become young adults and adults become parents. All children deserve to flourish and thrive.

The campaign in NSW is building significant momentum and we encourage you to be a part of that. Organisations and individual supporters can join us.

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If you would like more information about the Raise the Age campaign, please reach out to [email protected]

In welcome news, the NSW Drug Court has announced that it is expanding, giving more drug-dependent people an alternative to prison.  

The Drug Court takes a holistic approach to drug offences and prioritises treatment and rehabilitation over jail time. This evidence-based approach focuses on treating the underlying causes of the person’s offence and breaking the cycle of reoffending.  

However, the Court currently sits just one day a week and only takes 40 participants each year. Its expansion will see it move to full time in January and increasing its capacity to 160 participants. For young people convicted of drug offences this could offer a much-needed alternative to entering the prison system.  

The program supports drug-dependent people to find housing and a job and provides them with counselling and holistic support. By giving these people the opportunity to recover, the long-term impacts of drug dependency can be avoided, both for individuals and the community.  

The expansion will begin on September 20, 2023, with the Court sitting three days a week instead of the current one. It will begin to sit full-time, or five days, in January. Participants who are successful will have their supervision loosened over time by the Drug Court. There are consequences for participants who fail to make progress in the program, including short-term suspended prison sentences.  

This expansion of the Drug Court is a step towards the legal system recognising that addiction is a health issue and providing people with the support they need to get well. To break the cycle of drug offending, particularly for young people, it is essential that drug offences are treated as more than breaking the law; they are part of a deeper cycle that people are able to recover from with the right support.  

References

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-19/sydneys-drug-court-in-downing-centre-court-expands/102749866 

https://lsj.com.au/articles/nsw-drug-court-full-time-in-sydneys-cbd/ 

https://cityhub.com.au/a-specialist-sydney-drug-court-is-expanding-who-wins/ 

This Reconciliation Week, Sir David Martin Foundation stands united in solidarity and reverence for the First Nations peoples of our land. As an organisation with a Vision of safety, hope and opportunity for all young Australians, we recognise the significance of honouring the rich history, culture, and resilience of Indigenous communities, and we are committed to advocating for meaningful reconciliation.

We accept the invitation issued in the Uluru Statement from the Heart to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for a better future and we support a First Nations Voice to Parliament with constitutional recognition.

We proudly lend our support to the Yes campaign for the Voice to Parliament, a critical stride towards empowering First Nations voices and fostering a more equitable future for all Australians. We understand the transformative potential of a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice, which provides a platform for self-determination, decision-making, and shared responsibility.

Reconciliation is not a singular event but an ongoing journey, and this week serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing efforts required to forge stronger connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. By endorsing the Voice to Parliament, we strive to amplify Indigenous voices, facilitate genuine engagement, and cultivate a society where every Australian is heard and valued.

Together, we can walk the path of healing, understanding, and unity, as we shape a brighter future founded on principles of justice, equality, and mutual respect.

Position Statement

Sir David Martin Foundation acknowledges the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia and we pay our respects to elders, past, present and emerging.

We accept the invitation issued in the Uluru Statement from the Heart to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for a better future and we support a First Nations Voice to Parliament with constitutional recognition.

Young people are the future of Australia and our First Nations youth will carry on the culture and connection to land that has existed for sixty millennia.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart clearly explains why this is so important for young people:

• Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.
• We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.

Walawaani is a Dhurga word meaning “safe journey”. It’s also the name of Mission Australia’s new youth residential rehabilitation facility in Batemans Bay on the South Coast of NSW.

On Friday February 24, 2023, Foundation staff, donors, and the Martin family attended Mission Australia’s official opening of Walawaani. Based on the Triple Care Farm model, the program aims to help young people, aged 16 to 24, manage their recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

The new facility is based on 17 acres of bushland and is a space where youth in crisis can be nurtured through rehabilitation and given the best chance to break the cycle of addiction. Over the course of 12 weeks, young people receive medical care and psychosocial skills, counselling and case management as well as living skills and vocation and educational training.

The opening ceremony featured a powerful Welcome to Country from Roderick Slockee of Walbunja and Minjungbal heritage, a local man who shared the story of his people, and of the surrounding Country and Land that we were gathered on to celebrate. He also shared how important it is having services like this available to young people in the Batemans Bay region, so that they can receive help closer to home.

Walaawani was then officially opened by the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Her Excellency Mrs Hurley. The event was hosted by Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister, Chairman Ian Hammond and Executive of Community Services Ben Carblis. As part of the proceedings an official plaque was unveiled to commemorate the opening of the new facility.

During the ceremony, Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister said,

“When a young person experiencing illicit drug or alcohol abuse is motivated to seek change, appropriate rehabilitation facilities like Walawaani must be available. There is a growing demand for such services, and we hope these service models can be expanded to other locations, including in rural, remote, and regional areas. This wonderful new facility will provide the young people with the support they need, when and where they need it.”

Walawaani welcomed its first residents in early February and there were three young people onsite, starting their rehabilitation journey at the time of the opening. With a 10-bed capacity, more young people will be making their way to the new facility in the coming days.

Sir David Martin Foundation supports the Triple Care Farm Walawaani campus by funding a full-time qualified Aftercare worker, as part of our national Youth Network. This means that each person who completes the program has a dedicated youth worker supporting their reconnection with family or community networks, healthcare, education, and importantly, employment opportunities, as they transition back into the community.

This crucial period of support underpins a brighter future for each young person, free from the pitfalls of addiction and offering safety, hope and opportunity.

Martin Youth Foundation today announced the creation of a National Youth Network of Aftercare workers, to help break the cycle of addiction and connect more young people with community, education and employment pathways.

In partnership with Mission Australia and based on an evidence-based model of care at Triple Care Farm, in NSW Southern Highlands, Aftercare programs will be expanded to another four youth residential rehabilitation sites across the country (Perth, Coffs Habour, Dubbo and Batemans Bay)

Drug and Alcohol Youth Services (DAYS) in Perth is the first location thanks to the support of the Minderoo Foundation, McCusker Foundation and the Neilson Foundation.

Aftercare is recommended as an effective wraparound program and is fundamental to vulnerable young people’s ongoing health and wellness. The program is designed to empower and build independence to transition young people back into the community post rehabilitation. When a young person is in Residential Rehabilitation they set their goals and meet their Aftercare worker. By the time they finish the program three months later, they have a trusted support network to allow them to re-enter society reducing the threat of relapse

By having access to a youth worker to support their connection with family, community, re-engagement with education and preparation for employment, they are set up for a better future.

“The DAYS program is the only youth-specific residential rehabilitation program in Western Australia and Aftercare will help address the current crisis that exists for young people with drug and alcohol addiction, many as young as 12 years” said Helen Connealy, General Manager of Sir David Martin Foundation.

“Our collaborative network aims to create a systemic change, breaking the cycle of addiction and setting young people up for success.”

The Foundation invests $50,000 to help a young person get well through residential Withdrawal and Rehabilitation programs. It only costs another $4,000 to provide six months of Aftercare to the young person to avoid the cycle of addiction. This keeps them safe and allows them to reach their goals of stable housing and pathways to education and employment.

An independent evaluator will work across the five sites to assess the impact and efficacy of the network over three years and a report on the Youth Network expansion will be published in 2024.Sir David Martin Foundation is a family Foundation helping young people in crisis. Our annual report 2021-2022 is available here. For more information please contact [email protected]

Sir David Martin Foundation’s 2021-22 Annual Report is now available online.

The report details the impact of our Foundation’s support for young people in crisis, as the major funder of Mission Australia’s Triple Care Farm.

In 2021- 2022, despite the enormous challenges of the pandemic, Triple Care Farm continued to deliver life-saving care for vulnerable young people in a COVID-19-safe way.

Highlights include:

Impact on young people in 2021

• Zero lives lost
• 83% in safe housing
• 83% engaged in education and employment or actively seeking
• 87% reduction in chronic drug and alcohol use

To find out more about how you can get involved with Martin Youth Foundation and support our lifesaving work visit our Get Involved page or Donate Now

Sir David Martin Foundation today announced an expansion of its Youth Advisory Group (YAG), bringing together youth advocates from across Australia to contribute to discussions around youth health and wellbeing.

From June 2022, founding member Lucy Stronach, (pictured) the 2020/21 Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations, University Lecturer and Youth Programs Officer from Perth, WA (Whadjuk Noongar land) will chair the group.

Sir David Martin Foundation General Manager, Helen Connealy  said the group plays an important role in deepening and broadening the Foundation’s understanding of the current challenges facing young people.

“We are first and foremost a youth foundation, and the health and wellbeing of young people is at the heart of everything we do.”

“Through our partnership with Mission Australia, we have been helping young people in crisis for over 30 years, raising over $70 million to enable best practice youth drug and alcohol treatment programs. Our newly expanded Youth Advisory Group ensures a youth focus is front and centre in our Foundation’s work.

“We are so excited to learn from their experiences and viewpoints on a wide range of issues affecting young people. Their contribution will help inform our direction and activities in a very meaningful way.”

The Youth Advisory Group launched in April 2021 with four founding members, Lucy Stronach, Corey Tutt OAM, Jasper Garay and Youth Ambassador and Triple Care Farm graduate, Elli Reinhard. To date they have contributed to the inaugural ‘Don’t Judge Me’ destigmatisation campaign and participated in Foundation and sector events, bringing valuable expertise and fresh perspectives to the Foundation’s work.

The addition of seven new members ensures a greater diversity across age, geographic location, culture, gender, sexuality and lived experience with mental illness and disability. Meet our new YAG members here

“Through our long association with Triple Care Farm and other youth drug and alcohol services, we know that youth addiction never occurs in isolation.”

“Mental illness, trauma, disadvantage, stigma, discrimination, homelessness, school pressures and family breakdown are just some of the factors young people are struggling with, alongside problematic substance use. The enormous strain of COVID-19 and rising cost of living have only exacerbated these struggles.

“In expanding the group, we wanted to bring together a diverse group of young people who through their own experiences, relationships and areas of interest felt they had something to contribute on these issues.”

“I am absolutely thrilled to be working alongside these incredible young people, and grateful they will join our Foundation in bringing safety, hope and opportunity to more young Australians in crisis.”

Representatives of the YAG will attend youth conferences and forums and report back to the Foundation.  One of the first priorities of the group will be working on the next stage of the Foundation’s destigmatisation awareness campaign, due to launch this September as part of Youth Recovery Month.

Gender diverse young people, those living in Victoria and NSW, and students have reported higher proportions of negative impacts from COVID-19 on various aspects of their lives including mental health, according to a new report from Orygen and our major partners, Mission Australia.

The majority of young people reported the top three areas of their life most negatively impacted by the pandemic were participation in activities, education and mental health.

Of the more than 3,000 young people who rated their mental health and wellbeing as poor, over three quarters (76.5%) indicated the pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health.

The report – Clusters of COVID-19 Impact: Identifying the impact of COVID-19 on Young Australians in 2021 – reveals the alarming impact of the once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic with data analysed from Mission Australia’s 2021 Youth Survey – an annual Australia wide survey of more than 20,000 young people aged 15-19 years.

Download the full report here

If this content raises any uncomfortable issues for you or a loved one, please reach out for help. Sir David Martin Foundation has compiled a list of available resources here