For nearly three decades. St John’s Youth Services and St Peter’s College Mission Guild have partnered to change the trajectory of young lives in SA. This support goes beyond financial assistance, it offers hope, dignity and a genuine pathway forward for young people in crisis.
Last year Mission Guild donated $40,000 to St John’s Youth Services. Some of the funds were directed to Youth 110, SA’s youth crisis accommodation service for young people aged 16-21 who are without a safe place to stay.
The program helps young people transition from crisis accommodation into stable, long term housing with each recipient receiving a tailored Starter Kit to furnish their new home. The Starter Kit allows them to choose household items they need, from bedding and kitchenware to cleaning supplies and furniture, and these provisions not only provide essentials, but also a sense of choice and dignity.
The most recent Mission Guild donation has helped fund 10 Starter Kits for 10 young people like Lisa.
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Lisa’s Story
Lisa is one of the 10 young people who has already benefited from your recent donation. Her journey shows exactly how the Starter Kit program and the wraparound support at Youth110, creates lasting change.
The challenge
At just 20-years-old, Lisa was determined to give her baby son what she’d never had: a stable, loving home. Growing up, Lisa experienced the opposite. After her dad passed away, her mum’s drug use left Lisa and her sister without care or security. Love and support were absent when she needed them most. Despite these challenges, Lisa pushed forward. She completed school, finished a business course, and secured part-time work she enjoyed. When she became pregnant, she took maternity leave and moved into a share house, hopeful about building a life for her child. But the share house quickly became untenable. Noise complaints and tension from housemates created an unsafe environment for Lisa and her newborn.
The turning point
Youth110 gave Lisa the chance to reset. Living in a safe, self-contained studio apartment, she could finally focus on what mattered: caring for her baby and planning for their future.
The support was comprehensive:
• Weekly parenting guidance through the Together4Kids program helped her build confidence as a new mum
• The Youth110 team helped her navigate the complex housing system, registering with multiple providers and preparing applications
• Most importantly, she had stability – a place where she and her son were safe Then came the news Lisa had been waiting for: she was accepted into Findon Family Housing. “It was the best news I’d had in a very long time”, she recalls.
Your impact
As moving day drew closer, Lisa faced a daunting reality – her new apartment was empty, and she had limited funds to furnish it. This is where your generosity made all the difference. Through the St Peter’s College Mission Guild-funded Starter Kit program, Lisa received support to purchase essential household items. She chose bedding for herself and her son, kitchen supplies, cleaning products, and furniture. The Youth110 team helped her set up her new home and stayed connected during those critical first weeks to ensure she was settling in well.
The outcome
Today, Lisa and her son are thriving in their Findon home. She’s proud of the stable, nurturing environment she’s created, a stark contrast to her own childhood. It’s a home filled with the love and security she always wanted to provide. Your support didn’t just help her furnish an apartment. It helped her build a foundation for her son’s future, one that breaks the cycle she grew up in.
