Purpose & Philosophy
Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service a community services agency with a commitment to meeting the changing needs of low income communities in Victoria. We work side by side with people who are disadvantaged or oppressed, providing a range of services from family counselling to supported accommodation for the homeless; from 'no interest' loans to teenage foster care; and from financial counselling to emergency housing for victims of domestic violence.
We believe that everyone, regardless of age, sex, culture or religion, has the right to adequate income and shelter, opportunities for education and employment, quality health care and nutrition, and that everyone should be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.
A desire for social justice and a deep and genuine concern for people is characteristic of our work. Good Shepherd is about people caring justly, to build a better world.
Good Shepherd will not compromise its core values, and will always endeavour to:
- Provide quality services;
- Influence policy through research and through advocating on behalf of those with whom we work;
- Inform the community of the various social issues affecting them;
- Listen to the community's needs and respond appropriately;
- Participate in the lives of local communities;
- Work cooperatively with other organisations and groups in the development and coordination of effective services and strategies to bring about positive social change; and
- Ensure our services are culturally relevant, recognising and respecting different lifestyles, attitudes, religions and values within the community
Good Shepherd's services are all provided free and are available from centres in Collingwood, St Albans, St Kilda and Peninsula.
Mission Statement
We are Good Shepherd. Our mission is shaped by our inheritance of the vision, courage and audacity of St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier and the Good Shepherd tradition she began. Ours is a vision of promoting a world of justice and peaceful co-existence. Ours is the courage to embrace wholeheartedly innovative and creative ways of enabling people of all cultural, religious and social backgrounds to enjoy the fullness of life, which is the right of every human being. Ours is the inheritance to boldly challenge those structures and beliefs that diminish human dignity. We work to ensure the value of every human being, the communities that enable us all to thrive and the integrity of the environment that guarantees both.
Strategic Plan and the Community
Over recent years Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service has been looking at ways to improve its services to the community culminating in 2004 in a decision to develop and implement a formal strategic plan. Our Strategic Plan for the next five years directs us to:
- Give emphasis to working in local communities, to resource them and encourage self-determination
Maintain a commitment, but not exclusively, to women and girls
- Combine research and action to address systemic and institutional sources of harm and injustice and to be honest and transparent about success and failure
- Be flexible and to form cooperative alliances with others who share our values and a commitment to social justice
Click here to download your copy of Strategic Plan 2005-2009 |
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