Artful Dodgers Studios

Jesuit Social Services

Abbreviation	JSS
Established	1977; 40 years ago (1977)
Purpose	Social justice
Location	326 Church, Richmond Victoria, Australia
Region served	Australia-wide
Official language	English
CEO	Julie Edwards
Programmes	Sally Parnell
Communications	Julie Prideaux
Support	Phil Hodgson
Parent organization	Australian Jesuits
Affiliations	Jesuit, Catholic
Budget	$6,500,000/year
Website	JSS

Jesuit Social Services (JSS) is a consolidation of several services under Jesuit auspices, going back to 1977. Centered in a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, and with widespread outreach programs in Australia, by 2006 JSS had an annual operating budget of $6.5 million, with 65% coming from government sources.

This effort by the Australian Jesuits began in 1977 when they opened four residences for youth released from Victoria correctional institutions; by 1996 they oversaw housing for 171 of these youth. Over the years the centre addressed youth employment needs, in part through a small farm. They also initiated a youth addiction and mental illness program (1989), buttressed in 1995 with an $890,000 grant. In 1987 outreach to Vietnamese youth was added, with in 1992 “Rising Sun” half-way house; in 1996 a video on cross-cultural problems followed. The year 1988 saw the first of their many outdoor and wilderness programs for inner-city youth.

In 1996 the name Jesuit Social Services Limited was officially registered. Its headquarters was then at 140 Park Drive, Parkville. The same year JSS began training personnel for the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program, and took charge of New Family Home of Jesuit Refugee Service (that went back to 1988) for young, family-less Vietnamese in secondary or tertiary studies. JSS also began training personnel for Parenting Australia, and Richmond Community Care and the The Outdoor Experience were incorporated into JSS. In 1997 when Pentridge Prison closed JSS conducted public tours and later commissioned artists to decorate the cells with paintings for an “In the Can” exhibit, drawing 360,300 people in all.

In the following years JSS worked with the government as the programs mentioned above evolved and other programs were inaugurated dealing with domestic violence, community building (Yarra), youth art exhibits (Artful Dodgers Studios), advocacy for comprehensive health care, support after suicide, restorative justice, and in conjunction with University of Melbourne working on courses and social work placement.

In 2006 Jesuit Social Services was awarded the International Spirit at Work Award in New York. In 2006 also, it was granted Registered Training Organisation (RTO) status in Business Services, Community Services, Visual Arts and Craft Design, and Outdoor Recreation training.