Jesuit Social Services is pleased to announce that applications for the fourth round of the Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Program, which seeks to increase the representation of African-Australians from refugee and other backgrounds in Victoria Police, are now open! Successful applicants will commence the Victoria University 15 week Course in Policing Recruitment Pathway, which is held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm-9pm, on 31 March 2020. Applications close 19 February 2020.

Congratulations to Sr Mary O'Shannassy, who recently celebrated 25 years of working in Prison Ministry. Sr Mary said, “To be with, to sit with, to walk with, to loiter with people that are considered right down there. There is preciousness in each one of them and it just takes time to be with them, to sit with them, and to be privileged to share the sacredness of the story that has brought them to be who they are. So these 25 years have been a gift to me.” As an aside, Sr Mary defines chaplaincy as ‘loitering with intent’.

Santa ditched his reindeer in favour of completing a very special delivery in Victoria’s first locally built, fully electric bus with the Minister for Public Transport, Melissa Horne. Together with Transdev, they collected and delivered donated Christmas gifts for kids in foster care and residential care, as part of MacKillop Family Services Annual Christmas Drive. The gifts generously donated by local schools and businesses to ensure kids in care can have a present to open on Christmas Day.