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After more than 30 years in the non-profit space, Open Family Australia is proud to announce its decision to merge with Whitelion, a complimentary charity providing our same target group with different services.
Since 1999 Whitelion has supported vulnerable young people in the Child Protection and Out of Home Care system, and those within and at risk of entering, the Youth Justice system. Whitelion recognises that these young people can become trapped in a cycle of disadvantage that may be impossible to break without external intervention. Whitelion provides this positive intervention in the form of opportunities – a job, a mentor, intensive outreach, role models, leadership and other programs.
In 2011 CEO of Whitelion, Mark Watt, and I built a close working relationship, recognising that both organisations share the philosophy of never giving up on a young person, and working with the most marginalised youth in our community. We were exploring program partnership options, and also the possibility of shared accommodation and support systems which would lead to efficiency savings. These discussions lead to the realisation that a merge would provide better services for clients, a louder voice for disadvantaged young people in the community, greater opportunity for staff development, and more efficient operating systems.
The merged entity will provide young people with wraparound services that will take them from homelessness – with acute health, safety and shelter needs – to a real job with real wages, a mentor and other positive opportunities to support them on this journey. With a continuous service model through the complementary programs currently offered separately by both organisations, we can offer young people a better chance in life.
With more than 32,000 young Australians sleeping on the streets every night and over 14,500 young people per year in contact with Police, courts and jail, it is in the best interests of vulnerable young people, services and staff that both organisations merge to make a more efficient entity. The merged organisation will provide more comprehensive, end-to-end services for staff that would ensure better individual outcomes.
The larger scale of the company will mean more opportunities for staff to learn and grow as well as have better resources and education tools to assist them in the important work they do. Both organisations will continue to operate business as usual under their respective names.
I will be stepping down as CEO of Open Family Australia into an exciting new role at Mission Australia, and heading up the newly formed organisation will be Mark Watt. Mark is co-founder and CEO of Whitelion and has fantastic experience and knowledge working with marginalised youth in Australia.
Our operations will now expand to cover Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia and we are all looking forward to this great step forward for the charities, our staff, clients, and the areas in which we will now operate.
Best Regards,
Emma Cassar
CEO
Open Family Australia
