About SYFS and your donation
Southern Youth and Family Services (SYFS) is a local Not-for-Profit that has the main purpose of supporting and caring for vulnerable and homeless young people (up to twenty four years of age) or those at risk of disadvantage and homelessness. SYFS also supports the families of these young people which may include parents, grand parents, siblings, other extended family members and even foster families.
What we do?
This work provides Supported Accommodation, Community Social Housing, Health and Outreach Services, Out of Home Care Services, Family Services including counselling, parenting programs and early intervention, and Education, Employment and Training programs.
SYFS operated 50 different services through 20 different funding programs in 2024/25, assisting 23,204 young people and families.
Your impact
All money raised from Ride4Rotary will help fund the ongoing support and delivery of SYFS Education, Employment and Training programs and improve the quality of life and wellbeing of our young people and their families.
These programs focus on assisitng vulnerable young people in the areas of -
- Employment Skills
- Personal Development
- Selecting Training Courses and Applications
- Educational Support
During 2024/25, 85 young people were supported through SYFS Network EET program. Those who extied the program in this timeframe achieved the following outcomes -
- 76% began, maintained or returned to training
- 45% began, maintained or returned to employment
- 18% began, maintained or returned to education
- 52% excited to independent or other positive housing
- 48% restored to family or relatives
- 82% of those not restored were reconciled with families and relatives
CASE STUDY
*Brian - April 2026
After a family domestic violence incident Brian felt unsafe and decided to move to the Illawarra to be near his older sister.
He found it difficult being away from family and finding accommodation in the Wollongong area and ended up in Temporary Accommodation before being accepted for accommodation in SYFS Warilla Foyer program.
During this introduction period, Brian worked well with Staff who worked with him to get supports in place to assist him with improving his living and social skills.
This included an introduction to Guwara (Illawarra Koori Men’s Group) as well as the completion of SYFS Education, Employment and Training (EET) Registered Training Program in Hospitality.
Brian engaged in other EET workshops and personal development programs, including being a mentor to school children at the Indigenous program and completed all programs with ongoing support from the staff at SYFS.
Upon completion of the qualification in hospitality, Brian was offered employment through his Job Network Provider and currently works full time.
Brian who is now 21, has attributed his success to the confidence he gained by engaging in SYFS EET programs.
* real name not used for Privacy reasons
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data (2025) and Specialist Homelessness Services Annual Report (2024-25) data revealed that accross Australia in 2024/25 a total of 42,763 Young People under the age of 25 presented by themselves to a Specialists Homelesness Services (SHS).
The most common reasons were -- Domestic & Family Violence
- Housing Crisis
- Family / Realtionship Breakdown
The NSW Communities and Justice website shows that accross NSW there was 68,247 households on the waiting list as of March 31, 2026.
As at 31 March 2026, median waiting time for general applicants housed from the NSW Housing Register was 15.1 months.
Last year across 50 different services, SYFS assited over 23,200 people by providing Supported Accommodation, Community Social Housing, Health and Outreach Services, Out of Home Care Services and Family Services including Counselling, Parenting Programs, Early Intervention, and Education, Employment and Training programs.
If Riding isn't your thing, you can still Donate directly to SYFS
Whatever the case, you can still help us even without riding! Why not sponsor someone you know who is riding, or even simpler just make a donation of your choice. Big or small, every cent counts and will greatly benefit the work that Southern Youth and Family Services does in supporting vulnerable youth.
All donations of $2 or more are Tax Deductible.
