Wesley Mission Annual Report 2020 - Flipbook - Page 53
Venues and catering
Education and events with heart
In 19/20,
5,184
parents
supported
Wesley Mission’s venues are perfectly equipped to host and provide activities and catering.
In addition to our highly professional and quality service, our venues also contribute to funding
the valuable community work that Wesley Mission does.
586
program
participants
Opportunity Pathways brings
careers to life
In October 2019, we celebrated the launch of Wesley
Mission’s Opportunity Pathways program in the
Illawarra, on the Central Coast and Mid North Coast
areas, where unemployment is higher than the NSW
average.
Wesley ParentsNext builds confidence
It’s been a year of firsts for Jemimah and Arthur: a new
home, new study opportunities and new memories as
a family. At just 20, this single mum says her
almost two-year-old son is the light of her life.
Six months after Arthur was born, Jemimah
received a call from Wesley ParentsNext – a
program which helps parents achieve their
education and employment goals. Unaware of the
program, Jemimah had no idea of the amount of
support she was about to receive.
“I went and saw Anita and she was just so
beautiful. Anita’s always thinking of my needs
and goes above and beyond in our time
together,” she says.
52
Straightaway Wesley ParentsNext Senior
Employment Consultant, Anita supported
Jemimah with emergency relief, including food
and fuel vouchers. “She told me that any time I
needed anything, to just ask,” explains Jemimah.
Anita then organised for Jemimah to study a
(CHC32015) Certification in Community Services
at Wesley Vocational Institute (RTO Code 90091).
Jemimah couldn’t believe how quickly everything
fell into place. “It was literally the second time I
saw her that she got me into the course.”
After juggling studying all while caring for an
active toddler, Jemimah says she feels more
confident. She’s ready to take on the world and
she’s already begun.
Opportunity Pathways helps to support people who
receive community housing assistance to access
education, training, work and housing.
At the launch, Wesley Mission CEO, the Rev Keith V
Garner AM interviewed Paige, a single mother who
suffered from social anxiety to the point where she
struggled to leave her own home. Thanks to
Opportunity Pathways, not only can Paige now leave
her own home, but she confidently engages with
customers at her newly acquired job at Coles.
Through Opportunity Pathways, Paige completed
training to develop the necessary skills for her to
thrive in the workplace. Paige says she is now more
confident in herself and as a parent.
“My son has noticed a change in me.
He always says, ‘You’re so happy mum’.
He can definitely tell the difference.”
Wesley Conference Centre
Vision Valley: the next chapter
In the last year, Wesley Conference Centre has
implemented a program of upgrades to increase the
flexibility of our venue to support events both large
and small.
In March 2020, Wesley Mission decided to close
operations at Vision Valley and to look for a suitable
buyer to continue the vision for the site. The sale will
continue to support the work of Wesley Mission in
delivering essential community services.
Staff received excellent feedback from clients
including other community service organisations
who conducted important training with us, events
held for children and young people and large
corporates who utilised our unique, 787-seat
theatre for functions.
“It was a difficult decision to make after 48 years
and I particularly want to thank the team for their
passion and efforts. Your commitment to this
location, for some over decades, will leave a legacy,”
said the Rev Keith Garner.
The Wesley Conference Centre team are fully
equipped to host events to strict COVID Safe
standards, along with livestreaming and integration
of multiple locations to bring teams together where
travel may be restricted.
53,830
guests welcomed
Wesley Clinical Education & Training
11,831
people inspired
Adjacent to both Wesley Hospital locations at
Ashfield and Kogarah are our clinical training
facilities. These spaces respond to the increasing
demand for mental health training and education
among nursing and medical students as well as
health and allied health professionals.
305
professionals
educated
53
