A home away from home

Maybe the children are facing mental health issues, psychiatric or learning disorders, ongoing health issues or disabilities, or maybe their carers are fighting their own battles. There could be so much going on in their lives, and between home and school, they may not have a place to be themselves and feel comfortable or safe. To me, that’s what the Vinnies Youth Programs are about; giving children a home away from home. For the ones who may not have a safe place to call home and the ones whose families are desperately trying to maintain one.

About the artist, Sarah O’Neill has been a volunteer in the St Joe’s Youth Program since 2016 and was previously the Vinnies Captain at her secondary school. She is now actively involved in organising the school holiday camps and weekend activities, as well as in training new volunteers in the program.