Prac at Oasis 1 .

Well, the time has finally arrived for Little Me to do Big (Unpaid) Prac.

I'm working in a youth crisis centre, in Surry Hills, called Oasis. It's a really interesting place for many reasons. First, as a core part of the program, it brings youth (16-24) off the streets and into accomodation, a large block of dorms are amidst the Oasis head office building where i work. As you can imagine, this really exposes all the workers to heaps of interesting situations, people (and lots of cops!). The organisation is not just about sheltering homeless youth. It has a long- term model/vision. While these youth are in accomodation at Oasis, they are provided with choices - alternatives to substance abuse, homelessness, and crime. Choices include attending different paid and unpaid learning courses, such as those available through work-for the dole. These courses are great- there's a wide variety including photography, film, radio and IT . There's also an OTEN, Tafe accredited, school teaching english, maths and science. There are counsellors, adventure camps, a gardening and cleaning business....and the list goes on. the vision is that Oasis provides accomodation, after that they provide counselling alongside a whole range of vocational ed. ops, and once the youth are ready, Oasis owns a few companies (gardening, cleaning, film and video) that then employs the youth and begins their path back into mainstream society! It really is an inspiring model from which some of the most disadvantaged youth are given a viable network to regain their footing in society, and overcome disadvantage.

Obviously, I can't be a part of everything, but i do try. So i mainly work in the social enterprises department where i help to get money, research, and basically come up with great business ideas like all those listed above. I'm just about to start working on something AMAZING- but that's a suprise that is waiting on some funding- and next week's blog!


And, despite the kicking and screaming, i am obliged to admit that being a social worker is not all that bad! It's inspirational and exciting, as you can tell. And not getting paid is a sure-fire way of preparing us ambitiuous social workers for our low-wage jobs awaiting us at the end of a high-cost university degree.

Yes, it's a mad house. Where one minute my attention is focused on the new baby whose parents are looking for food and shelter, and then next my boss is rushing past me to tell me there's a meeting with our board of dir's, all dressed in suits. It's a bit of a challenge to understand what exactly it is that i do here.

But it's also just a normal job, where you come to work, meet your other staff members, work and go home. In fact, I'm having a lot of fun with the other workers there. From my regular pre-work coffee with Clint, in a gorgeous little cafe where they have already latched on to my loyalty to macchiato, to my fun photography classes with work for the dole clients and Gary, who works across the hall from me and keeps my spirits up by collaborating against fellow workers on future practical jokes!

It's a great alternative to uni, too.

PS If you want to check out where i work, go to www.salvosoasis.org.au; and i will try to get some photos up for the next post