Community Building
Weave is proud to lead and support a diverse range of initiatives and projects that help build a strong connected community.
Poet’s Corner Renovation Project
We recognised that the Poet’s Corner had so much potential — not only to be a beautiful space that is a source of community pride, but also an area that more practically meets the needs of the community.
We proudly launched the newly renovated community space in April 2018, and are thrilled to see the community reclaim the space they will enjoy using now and into the future.
Mad Pride
Held annually during Mental Health Month, our Mad Pride event showcases the creative achievements of young people, while breaking down the stigma associated with mental health experiences.
Redfern Men's Cave
Providing an outlet for men to meet, hang out and enjoy a range of social activities together, like fishing, bushwalking and the movies.


Fernside Food
This social enterprise pilot program was designed to engage young people living in social housing by providing valuable hospitality training and employment opportunities.
McKell Urban Forest Project
Aiming to build community cohesion and give residents a chance to positively contribute to their home environment, we set out to beautify the hallways within the McKell building in Redfern.

Youth Advocates Program
Our Youth Advocate and Leadership Program aims to increase the involvement of young people in the design and implementation of youth-led projects, have a voice regarding issues they feel passionate about, and give them the opportunity to lead change in their communities.


Our Youth Advocates group represent the needs and views of local young people to community and relevant stakeholders.
Practical Development
On a practical level, the program provides help with:
- Professional development training: Such as public speaking, event management and offering access to information on job opportunities.
- Paid work experience: Including community events, youth group workshops and consultation participation.
Specialist Homelessness Services
Our Specialist Homelessness Services team provide intensive support to young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the City of Sydney, helping them find safe and affordable accommodation options.
Support includes case management, counselling, accommodation support, tenancy advocacy, brokerage for establishment costs, as well as support in maintaining a tenancy. We work from a client-centred approach, which is trauma-informed and culturally appropriate, to ensure that the specific needs of that individual are met.
"Weave is good — they ask your permission and preference, and let you make choices about how and when you want support."
- Weave client


Photo taken as part of our photography workshops with young people.
205
Young People Supported
19
Partial Household Setups
26
Full Household Setups
71%
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
Women & Children's Centre
Weave Women & Children's Centre offers a supportive and holistic service. This includes drop in, casework, and group work to women with children aged 0-12, and women experiencing domestic violence.
We work from a strengths-based perspective, with a focus on family relationships and child wellbeing.
We aim to:
- Offer a safe and welcoming space for women and children
- Support women to identify and build upon their strengths
- Ensure the physical safety of women and their children
- Support women to make positive life choices and engage in healthy relationships
- Reduce vulnerability factors, such as homelessness, domestic violence and drug and alcohol issues, and child protection risks
- Strengthen relationships between women and their children
"Now I’m a lot stronger. Weave’ve built me up so that now if something was to happen I would know what to do."
- Weave client
Staying Home Leaving Violence
This program aims to support women living in the Redfern Local Area Command and surrounding areas to leave violent relationships and stay in their own home where possible, or relocate to safe accommodation, by providing casework, court support, safety planning and brokerage to fund security upgrades.
Our domestic violence caseworkers can see women in our centre or visit their homes to provide safety assessments as well as accompanying them to police stations and courts. Childcare is available by appointment for women coming to the centre for casework – bookings are essential.
Our Weave Women and Children’s Centre team and clients discuss domestic violence support.
46 Women
& 35 Children Supported to Leave Violent Relationships 2016/2017
133 Women
Accessed Regular Support 2016/2017
70 Women
& 93 Children Supported Through Casework 2016/2017
70%
Aboriginal


Parenting Groups
We offer parent education groups for mothers, grandmothers and carers, including Circle of Security, Tuning In To Kids, Bringing Up Great Kids and Keeping Children Safe.
These groups are aimed at supporting women to better understand and connect to their children. Limited childcare is available for women attending these groups – bookings are essential.
Find Us
Open Monday to Thursday 9am – 4:30pm and Fridays by appointment.
Phone: 02 9699 9036
Address: 133 Morehead Street, Waterloo NSW 2017
Weave Community Hub Woolloomooloo
Established in 2016, Weave Community Hub (WCH) is dedicated to creating a strong, connected community with all residents of the Woolloomooloo, Kings Cross and Darlinghurst areas. WCH provides a safe place for people to come together to seek assistance, participate in recreational activities and educational courses.
We offer advocacy with external agencies and general support to local residents, and provide case management for families with children under the age of 17 and for individuals between 12 and 25 who are at risk of homelessness.
As the new kids on the block in Woolloomooloo, we have been working hard to find out exactly what people love about Woolloomooloo. To help us see this great community from the kids perspective, we asked some local kids to show us their Woolloomooloo and what makes it special to them.
"Weave have won the support of the community through honesty and empathy."
- Weave client
Connecting With Community: A Weave Case Study for the NSW Mental Health Commission
At the heart of the community
We conduct regular community consultations to ensure that we are addressing the needs which the community has identified, and frequently host events and activities to include all members of the community.
70 Families
Supported to Date
500
2017 NAIDOC Festival Attendees
35 Families
Provided Food Hampers Weekly
60 People
Regularly Access Drop In Services, Computers & Resources
Find Us
WCH is funded by Family and Community Services under Community Builders, CYFS and SHS funding streams. We are also supported by Housing NSW and City of Sydney.
Phone: 02 9331 2153
Address: 49 McElhone Street, Woolloomooloo, NSW 2011
Artwork created by a local resident.
Tutoring Program
Our Tutoring Program was established in 2009, in response to the increasing number of children and young people needing extra support and guidance with their school work.
It's a free service offered to families in our communities who experience financial hardships.
"I am so happy I did so well on my HSC last year and I got into Arts at the University of Sydney. Without my tutor Kate’s support and encouragement, I’m not sure I would have made it! Best of all, I made a great friend!"
- Ellie, student
Educational Support
Our volunteer tutors assist children and young people with:
- Core Maths, Science, and English subjects
- Transition to high school
- NAPLAN
- Higher School Certificate preparation
- Basic reading and writing for children and young people with low levels of literacy
59
Tutors Volunteer Their Time
64
Student Receive Free Tutoring
Our Tutors
Our tutors are volunteers recruited from within the community who feel passionate about education and supporting children to feel confident at school. They have a strong academic background, and a commitment to have a positive impact on the lives of children and young people.
Get involved
Sessions are held from Monday to Thursday from 3:30pm – 6pm at the Waterloo Library & other Weave locations, as arranged.
Streetbeat Program
Streetbeat Bus
Many young people do not have family members or other adults who can pick them up from their Friday or Saturday night outings. The Streetbeat Bus picks up young people from across the inner west and inner city areas of Sydney for FREE between 9pm and 2am and drives them home or to another safe place.
Importantly, this service also provides an opportunity for young people to make contact with Weave youth workers and be referred for assistance if the young person needs help in other ways.
"Streetbeat is always there to take me home when I’ve been out and they were really fantastic with my little cousin when she started hanging around Glebe. They made sure she was taken back to my Auntie’s place."
- Weave client


Our Streatbeat Bus that helps young adults get home safe every Friday and Saturday night.
1500
Safe Trips Home
381
Young People used Streetbeat in 2017
Casework & Counselling
This program assists Aboriginal young people aged between 12 – 18 years of age. Many of the young people we assist are at risk of homelessness and alcohol/drug use and need intensive support to get back on track. Service delivery includes a lot of outreach work. This involves meeting young people on their “own turf” to build trust and facilitate positive relationships.
What we offer intensive case management to help Koori young people access:
- Birth certificates and other identification
- Accommodation
- Education and training
- Employment assistance
- Court support
- Dental, general and mental health
- Support with Centrelink
- Transport services
- Recreational activities
- Advocacy counselling
- Expressive therapy
"I like the youth services because the workers are nice, are there when I need them and help me to access things I wouldn’t normally be able to access. The environment is good as it is laid back and relaxed."
- Weave client
Creating Futures Justice Program
Many people leaving the prison system aren’t equipped to deal with the challenges of modern life. Sadly, all too frequently, many people who had served prison terms were turning up on our doorstep wearing their prison greens with no clue of where else to go, or how to navigate the world in front of them.
Creating Futures was established in response to community needs and developed to address the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system. The program is designed to help and empower Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people who have recently been released from prison, and give them every chance to create a positive future for themselves.
"I’m just grateful that there are people and programs like this for me to access. It helps. And they’re just nice, positive role models for people like me coming through the program."
- Creating Futures Client
A guided 12-month journey of transition
As part of the program, we equip people with a structured 12-month plan which includes bail, pre and post-release support, plus diversionary options. We believe that, by connecting with people 12 weeks before their release, we can significantly increase their chances of successfully integrating back into the community.
Our team provides practical support in the following ways:
- Obtaining essential identification documentation
- Setting up bank accounts
- Organising referrals to specialised services
- Ensuring our clients can access cultural health and wellbeing initiatives
105
People Supported to Date
24
Previously homeless clients housed
91% Aboriginal
75% Male, 25% Female
4.11% re-offending rate
vs. 55.7% of Aboriginal people aged 18-30 who reoffended within 12 months of being released from custody (Source: BOSCAR, 2016).
Creating Futures Independent Evaluation Report
Cultural Health & Wellbeing Camp
In August 2018, we co-facilitated the first Cultural Health & Wellbeing Camp – Walu-Win Gundyarri, providing young Indigenous men with the opportunity to reconnect with themselves and their culture.
“Being out here and learning culture and learning, and being away from phone reception and cities and being away from so many people, you gain a headspace where you learn who you are and who you want to be.” – Uncle Waylon, Wakagetti Indigenous Corporation


Find Us
Open Monday to Friday 9:30am – 5pm.
Phone: 02 9318 0539
Address: Corner Elizabeth & Allen Streets, Waterloo, NSW, 2017
Artwork created by local Aboriginal artist, Linda Jackson.
Driving Change Program
Many people face barriers and challenges when it comes to obtaining a driver’s licence. Not having a licence can be a major setback in a young person’s life, making it harder to find employment and holding them back from educational and social opportunities.
The Driving Change program aims to help people to overcome these barriers, achieve their licensing goals and open up new opportunities in their lives.
"It’s not just a license to drive, it’s a license to live."
- Mick Gooda, Royal Commissioner for the Royal Commission into the Child Protection and Youth Detention Systems of the Northern Territory
Our Driving Change participants, volunteers and team members speak about their experience with the program.
Program Details
Getting your L’s: We can help you study for the Driver Knowledge Test and can help with the cost of the test.
Instructors: Driving Change has 2 professional driving instructors who can provide professional lessons to Driving Change participants at a special discounted rate. Both of the Weave driving instructors are Keys2Drive accredited.
Volunteers: Our volunteer driving supervisors help people to gain experience on the road and help people under the age of 25 to get their 120 logbook hours.
Cars: We have automatic and manual vehicles for our professional lessons and volunteer sessions.
Safer Drivers Course: Weave will be delivering the course at our Waterloo office in partnership with Peters Driving School. People who complete the course will get an extra 20 hours in their logbook.
166
Current Program Participants
100
People received their Ps
201
People received their Ls
1,713
Hours spent with our volunteers


One of our Driving Change participants with her volunteer driving instructor.
Speak Out Dual Diagnosis Program
Established in 1997, Weave’s Speak Out Dual Diagnosis Program works with adolescents and young adults aged 12-28 years experiencing co-existing mental health, alcohol and other drug challenges to provide practical and therapeutic support.
“I feel a lot better about my mental health, as I now know that I’m not the only one in this situation.”
- Weave client
What is dual diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is a term used to describe someone who is experiencing both mental health and substance use issues. Some examples include:
- A mental health issue that leads to alcohol and/or other drug use
- Substance use issues that affects mental health and wellbeing
Our pioneering program, which won the award for Excellence in Community Drug Treatment at the NADA Awards in 2016, continues to deliver responsive, holistic, effective support to young people experiencing dual diagnosis, helping them deal with practical issues and receive trauma informed care.
The program offers opportunities for people to experiences themselves differently and engage in creative projects, events and group work programs — this gives young people the chance to build relationships, and connect with themselves, and the broader community.
234
Individual Clients Supported
80%
Clients Aged 18-28 Years
67%
Aboriginal Clients
Top 3 Issues
Presented – Alcohol & Other Drugs, Family and Trauma
Providing Trauma-Informed Care: A Weave Case Study for the NSW Mental Health Commission
Find Us
Open Monday to Friday 9:30am – 5pm.
Phone: 02 9318 0539
Address:Corner Elizabeth & Allen Streets, Waterloo, NSW, 2017