A NEW Vinnies young adult group in Toowoomba is already making a huge difference in the lives of Sudanese and Kenyan refugees in their community.
University of Southern Queensland student Carmel Dunne, who is also a Vinnies diocesan youth representative, decided to open an information stall at the university’s careers day in May.
With some help from St Vincent de Paul’s state youth ministries co-ordinator Jim Wilkinson, Carmel received expressions of interest from about a dozen young people on campus.
‘Now we have about 12 young people who are interested in getting out and living their faith,’ Carmel said.
‘Some of our members are also education students and wanted to work with children.’
On August 4 the USQ Vinnies Action Group organised a fun day for eight refugee children at Laurel Bank Park in Toowoomba.
‘We took them out and shared lunch, friendship and fellowship with them,’ she said.
Jim Wilkinson said, ‘It is about human dignity, it is about standing up and wanting to make a difference.
‘For the young adults in Toowoomba, it is about a hand up, not a hand out.’
Carmel added the group planned to continue their work with the refugee children.
‘We’re hoping to continue our association with these children and possibly others,’ she said.
‘It’s important to have some strong friendships develop and if they ever need help with school or their family lives, we are there for them.
‘This is just the start of the buddying and mentoring process.’
Carmel said as a result of the fun day out, one of the children’s mothers is interested in having English lessons.
‘We’re going to set up a young adult roster to help her with conversational and technical English,’ she said.
‘We’re trying to give the young children a range of different experiences. Our young adults can also pair off with the kids and be a sounding board for them as they settle into the community and school.’
Carmel is studying media production, Japanese and journalism at USQ.
