Our Experience
The work behind CWTFAM has grown from years of working with young people, families and communities.
Many of the conversations that shaped our thinking began through youth groups and youth mentoring. Over time, that experience developed further through work in marginalised communities, including the HASA program, where we saw first-hand some of the pressures that can affect families and young people.
What became increasingly clear was that most parents want to do well by their children. But life can make that difficult. Financial pressure, displacement, limited support and other circumstances can leave little room for parents to focus on the things they know matter.
For some families, the effects can extend beyond the immediate pressures — influencing relationships, wellbeing and the way young people understand themselves and the world around them.
People are stronger when they have someone in their corner.
Young people need people they can trust and rely on. Parents need support too — particularly when they haven't had the opportunity to develop those skills themselves, or didn't experience them growing up.
This has shaped the way we approach our work. We don't approach communities assuming we have all the answers. We listen, learn from people's experiences and look for practical ways to build capability, strengthen relationships and create opportunities for people to move forward.
Experience that continues to shape our work
- –Youth mentoring and mentor coordination
- –Community programs
- –Educational workshops
- –Resume workshops
- –L2P programs
- –Work alongside Jesuit Social Services
- –The Man Box program
- –Trauma-informed training alongside psychologists
- –Homework programs through JDI
- –Health-focused initiatives across physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing
- –Community work through Cross Purpose Church and Equip Nights
- –Developing the Can We Talk For A Minute? book series
We are now bringing that experience together through our parenting programs, educational workshops, community conversations, family support and the book series.
The work continues to evolve. We're exploring new ways to support personal skills development, engage young people and strengthen the support available to families and communities.
We don't see this as a finished body of work. We're continuing to listen, learn and build — with the people and communities we're here to serve.