Pathfinders

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (18:49:54):

Recently I was fortunate to tour a few Pathfinders facilities in Armidale. I met with its CEO, Allan Brennan, senior business development officer, Lex Lutherborrow, executive and governance manager, Karen Lawlor, and respected Elder and director, Rosemary Curtis, OAM. What a character Rosemary is. She recently received her Medal of the Order of Australia. She had wonderful stories to tell, but unfortunately I only have five minutes. Pathfinders Ltd is a not‑for‑profit company and registered charity with a large footprint across the New England, north‑west and mid North Coast regions. Pathfinders operates a broad suite of programs, projects and services aiming to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of children, young people and families.

First stop on my tour was Tilbuster Station, just north of Armidale, which was gifted to Pathfinders so that the property could be used for child and youth development, and by families. The property supports disadvantaged young people by providing skills development, training and educational opportunities in agriculture, horticulture and trade. This training helps foster a real sense of self‑esteem as the young participants become skilled, capable and independent, whilst at the same time experience belonging. I met a few of these young people in passing as they went about their everyday activities and I was extremely impressed by the care and pride I could see them taking in their work and training. Tilbuster Station is also where pumpkins are grown for the annual Pathfinders Pumpkin Run. Pumpkins are grown and harvested by out‑of‑home care children and young people and then donated to provide healthy hot meals for people in need right across New South Wales. Last year the pumpkin run travelled to the Northern Rivers area and communities impacted by flood. This year it travelled to Sydney to youth refuges and homelessness centres.

After Tilbuster, we travelled to Rose Villa, a former motel that has been converted into a supported independent living facility that can house 10 to 13 young people. They each have their own room in either one of 10 units or in the three‑bedroom residence, and there is a combined kitchen, dining and recreational lounge as part of the facility. Supported independent living is for young people aged between 18 and 24 and assists in the transition to adulthood by providing an opportunity to experience independent living with personalised support. Whilst living at Rose Villa, young people learn the skills necessary for living self‑sufficiently and being employed but with the care of caseworkers and mentors on hand to provide intensive support. Through Rose Villa, these youth are equipped with the knowledge and experience that will enable them to move forward and to live independently.

My last stop was the Pathfinders Armidale Youth Refuge. This is a crisis accommodation centre for young people aged between 16 and 24 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This site provides short‑term emergency accommodation for up to four young people at a time. The refuge is exactly that—a place of safety where young people can work towards their goal of independent living or family restoration. There they have access to caseworkers, mentors and services to assist them in finding their path. These are just a few examples of the many services Pathfinders provides, which include foster care, out‑of‑home care services, specialist homelessness services, Family Connect and Support, family youth support, a national Aboriginal birth certificate program, the Aboriginal Early Years Program, and a disability support service.

The vision for Pathfinders is to develop thriving communities in which all people can fully participate and develop freely through mutual trust and acceptance. It is achieved through collaborative strategies and best practices, a strong and respectful workforce, and bold and progressive ideas. One of the young people said to me, "Hey, Miss, I think I know you." Indeed, he did know me—in my previous role as a community corrections officer. But I did not let on, because he had a smile from ear to ear and a heartfelt sense of belonging and understanding. He is getting a second chance. Pathfinders is doing great work, making change happen and empowering our young people, with wonderful employees and volunteers who put their heart and soul into the work they do. As is all too often the case, they are underfunded and have much more work to do. Through their efforts, young people can hope to reach their full potential. It would be great if Pathfinders could also reach its full potential.

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