Marist180

20/10/2026

Marist180 invites local community organisations, businesses, government agencies and interested individuals to join the A Place to Call Home Western Sydney Action Group meeting.

Together, we can strengthen local responses, share ideas, and take practical action to ensure everyone has access to safe, secure housing.

Register to attend the meeting and be part of the movement to end homelessness in Western Sydney.

Scan the QR code below or visit: https://events.humanitix.com/a-place-to-call-home-western-sydney-action-group-meeting


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Homelessness Nsw Yfoundations Alliance for Youth Action
NSW Sydney Community Forum
Platform Youth Services Mission Australia Evolve Housing
Housing Vincent de Paul
Blacktown City Council

09/10/2026

On World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day, 10 October, we recognise the important connection between housing, mental health and the conditions people need to thrive.

A safe home provides more than shelter. It offers stability, security and belonging, helping children, young people and families stay connected and build positive futures.

In our latest article, we explore why housing must be part of the conversation about wellbeing, and why safe, affordable housing and timely support matter.

Read the article and learn how you can support Homelessness NSW’s A Place to Call Home campaign. https://www.marist180.org.au/post/a-safe-home-is-one-of-the-foundations-of-wellbeing

01/10/2026

Marist180 was pleased to join the 2026 Blacktown City Council City ClubGRANTS presentation this week, recognising the contribution local clubs make to organisations and communities across Western Sydney.

We are grateful to receive funding for two initiatives supporting young people to build greater independence and access opportunities for their future.

From Club West HQ for Marist180 Getting There Together program:
Funding will support 19 young people in Marist180’s Intensive Therapeutic Care program with professional driving lessons and participation in the Safer Drivers Course. For young people in out-of-home care, gaining a licence can be difficult without the family and financial support many of us take for granted. This funding will help remove that barrier, supporting safer driving, independence and access to education and employment.

From Club Blacktown for Marist180 Pathways Fund:
Funding will establish an Education, Training and Employment Fund for young people accessing Marist180’s Specialist Homelessness Services. The fund will provide practical support including vocational courses, work equipment and PPE, licensing, transport and communication costs, helping young people take up education, training and employment opportunities that may otherwise be out of reach.

Thank you to Club West HQ and Club Blacktown, and to Blacktown City Council and the ClubGRANTS program, for investing in practical opportunities that can make a lasting difference in the lives of young people.

Pictured are Peter Adams, CFO, Club West HQ with Jane Powles, Marist180 Partnerships and Advocacy Coordinator, and grant recipients. Wilma Drower, Director, Club Blacktown with Jane Powles. Brad Bunting, Mayor of Blacktown City with Lilibeth Sta Maria, Jane Powles, and Tess Sayas & Russell Ashley, Co-Presidents, Rotary Club of Blacktown City

30/09/2026

We welcomed Hugh McDermott MP: State Member for Prospect, and Deputy Chair of the NSW Parliament’s Committee on Law and Safety, to Daramu to meet our team and hear about our work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Western Sydney.

The visit was a chance to share how Daramu helps young people stay connected to culture and community, engage in education and employment, and build a positive future.

Thank you, Hugh McDermott MP for taking the time to visit Daramu and hear from Marist180 and our team.

29/09/2026

Listen to Marist180 CEO Angela Raguz in conversation with Michelle Hillier on SWR 99.9 FM.

Angela joined Michelle on Building Stronger Communities for the program’s Beyond the Headlines: Youth Crime discussion, looking beyond youth offending to what can sit behind it and what we can do earlier.

The conversation explores belonging, healthy families and communities, trauma-informed practice and the importance of providing support when young people and families need it.

Angela also speaks about the role we all play in creating the conditions for young people to thrive, while recognising that accountability and the experiences of victims matter.

Listen to the interview: https://youtu.be/sJ4EqFmdUVk



Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat Star of the Sea Province Catholic Social Services Australia
Napcan Australian Catholic University (ACU)

Listen to Angela Raguz, CEO of Marist180, talking with host Michell...

14/09/2026

14/09/2026

Last Friday, Marist180 was proud to bring together leaders from across child and family services, advocacy, research, government and business for A Smarter Investment: The Economics of Early Intervention, as part of .

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to such a meaningful afternoon.

We were honoured to begin with a Welcome to Country from Uncle Michael West, grounding our gathering in Country, community and connection.

Angela Raguz, CEO of Marist180, welcomed our guests and opened the conversation around an important question: what will it take to translate the evidence for earlier support into investment and action? We’re incredibly grateful to Commonwealth Bank Toni Addison-Lafferty, GAICD for supporting the event and helping us welcome such a diverse group of people together.

A special thank you to Clare Walker from Napcan, who brought such warmth and energy to the afternoon as our host, making everyone feel welcome and keeping the conversation flowing so naturally. Leesa Waters, CEO of NAPCAN, shared the message of and its call to

Katherine McKernan, NSW Advocate for Children and Young People ACYP NSW Advocate for Children and Young People, delivered a powerful special address, ensuring the voices and experiences of children and young people remained firmly at the centre of the conversation.
Susan Watson, CEO of NSW, and Mark Galvin, Partner at , shared the evidence and economic modelling behind the case for investing earlier in children, families and communities, including a projected return of at least $2.97 in economic and social benefits for every $1 invested.

The conversation continued with a thoughtful panel facilitated by Patrick O’Reilly, Director Mission, Inclusion and Identity at Marist180, bringing Susan and Mark together with John Leha, CEO of AbSec, and Associate Professor Tim Moore from Australian Catholic University (ACU) to explore what the evidence means for policy, investment and practice, and what needs to happen next.

And to everyone who joined us in the room, shared their perspectives and contributed to the conversation, thank you! It was wonderful to see people from across sectors come together around a shared commitment to better outcomes for children, young people and families.

Coming soon, we’ll share some of the key insights from the afternoon as we keep this important discussion going. Thank you to everyone who made the afternoon possible. We look forward to continuing the work together.



Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat (Australia) Star of the Sea Province Catholic Social Services Australia

09/09/2026

What does investing earlier actually mean for children, families and communities?

There is a growing social and economic case for shifting more of our focus towards prevention, earlier support and family preservation. Economic modelling commissioned by Fams and undertaken by Lumenia found that investing earlier in children and families could return up to $2.97 in social and economic benefits for every $1 invested.

But the case for change is about more than economics. It’s about listening to children and young people, strengthening families, keeping children safely connected to family, kin, culture and community wherever possible, and ensuring support is there before challenges escalate.

As National Child Protection Week continues, we’re exploring the evidence, and what it means for where and how we invest.
Read more: Earlier support, stronger futures for children and families. The full article on Marist180: https://www.marist180.org.au/post/earlier-support-stronger-futures-for-children-and-families



Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat (Australia) Star of the Sea Province Catholic Social Services Australia NSW Australia Catholic University

07/09/2026

National Child Protection Week 2026 is underway!

This year, NAPCAN is calling on all of us to move from conversation to action, and to consider what practical action is needed to help children and young people thrive.

At Marist180, we believe part of that action is ensuring children, young people and families can access the right support at the right time.

Throughout National Child Protection Week, we’ll be adding our voice to the call for stronger investment in prevention, earlier support and family preservation, and sharing the evidence behind why investing earlier matters.

As our CEO Angela Raguz shares, the evidence is increasingly clear. The question now is what will it take to translate that evidence into investment and action?

Follow Marist180 throughout National Child Protection Week as we share the evidence, perspectives and conversations behind the call for earlier investment.
Every conversation matters. What we do next matters too.
Learn more about National Child Protection Week: https://www.napcan.org.au/ncpw-2/

28/08/2026

Where can learning a new skill take you? Towards positive change.
This , we’re celebrating where learning new skills can lead to confidence, opportunity and sometimes, a whole new direction.

Right now, 15 trainees are getting hands-on experience through Marist180’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work 20-week construction traineeship in Queensland, working towards a Certificate I in Construction and building skills on real worksites.

For past participant Conner, taking that first step led further than he might have imagined. He joined Marist180’s first Skilling Queenslanders for Work program in 2015. After completing his Certificate III in Individual Support, he secured his first role in aged care. Ten years on, Conner has built a career in the sector and is now the founder of his own care support service.

His story is one of many. Since 2015, 583 participants have gained formal qualifications and 412 have secured employment through Marist180’s vocational programs across south-east Queensland.

Learning new skills can open new possibilities, building confidence, creating pathways to employment, and supporting greater independence for the future.