Will You Be a Guiding Light This Christmas?
More than ever, our young people need help to find direction in their lives. Fusion youth and family workers support young people and families, providing hope in times of need.
Every Christmas, we are reminded of the star that shone bright and provided shepherds and kings alike, with direction towards Christ. This festive season, we are asking you to provide a guiding light for young people and families facing difficult challenges who look to Fusion across the country for assistance. With your support, Fusion can provide the hope so many desperately need to live bright and fulfilling lives.
Image: Leadership Camp, Fusion Sunshine Coast
What does a Guiding Light look like for someone like Hope?
Young people come to our programs with a variety of challenges and from a variety of backgrounds. Diverse cultures and neighborhoods, single parent families, blended families or families where violence is the norm.
When Hope first came along to our outreach program, she was timid, struggled to speak up and was nervous about being assertive. Since joining our program, we’ve seen her grow into an emerging leader with new-found skills and the confidence to use them in our program and the broader community.
Peer Leaders are young people who already attend our after-school outreach programs who we invite to become leaders based on the potential we can see in them. They take on areas of responsibility within those outreach programs – leading small groups, running games, and a couple of times a year they plan and run a whole afternoon together. They also attend regular training sessions at our office to learn more about what leadership means. The outreach program runs all year during term time, and every holiday the peer leaders have extra opportunities to meet with our staff for more training.
The Fusion Peer Leadership Program gives young people the structure and support they need to grow in awareness of themselves and the people around them. This weekly touchpoint offers young people an opportunity to not only develop practical skills and discover new things about themselves, but it offers a place of connection and safety.
Hope’s newfound awareness about herself has shifted through the peer leader process, becoming more mindful and observant of those around her.
“From being a shy, nervous and timid teenager, Hope is more confident in approaching others, socialising, being quirkier and her real self and has noticed how others are also encouraged to be themselves when she does this.”
– Michelle, Fusion Youth worker
Image: Peer Leadership, Fusion Western Sydney
Young people like Hope benefit greatly from the support and encouragement that Fusion brings.
Hope is not alone in her journey. Your contribution to our Christmas appeal means Fusion youth workers can continue to come together with young people to show them compassion and care, provide support for building confidence and create space for young people like Hope to thrive.
By contributing to our Christmas appeal you will be the guiding light for a young person like Hope allowing them opportunities like the Fusion Peer Leadership program.
Without our teams of youth workers around the country, young people miss the opportunity to learn and practice the necessary skills to unlock their potential.
With your help we will reach those in our communities who are most in need this year and set up our teams to help young people like Hope in 2025. Your gift this Christmas will help provide:
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mentoring and support
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access to Fusion programs
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food relief
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practical assistance to struggling parents, and
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foster community connections
This festive season, we ask that you consider a gift this Christmas that brings light to those in darkness. Your generous contribution will make possibility a reality for young people and families by lifting them up and helping them see the light of hope.