Supporting the people we work with to thrive and grow since 1978.
Advocating for change and providing supports for individuals and families.
Affirming the dignity, equality and humanity of each and every person.
St Francis Social Services (SFSS) empowers the people we work with to grow in confidence and thrive. We advocate for the changes and provide the supports that encourage each person to achieve their full potential. Our vision is for a society which recognises the dignity, equality, human rights and humanity of all people. We pay our respects to the original custodians of this land, and their Elders past, present and emerging.
SFSS is grateful to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and communities who have graciously sought to include us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.
Our vision is for a society which recognises the dignity, equality, human rights and humanity of all people.
SFSS acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original and ongoing custodians of the lands and waters on which we live and work.
Our Services
Our services support individuals and families seeking asylum, and at-risk young people and their families.
Centre 360
Centre 360 Youth and Family Service specialises in counselling and early intervention for at-risk young people and
their families. We meet young people where they are.
House of Welcome
House of Welcome provides housing and other support services including casework, employment assistance, a foodbank and community programs for refugees and individuals and families who are seeking asylum.
House of Welcome Catering
A social enterprise creating employment pathways through fusion-inspired global cuisine, House of Welcome Catering offers a delicious range of menu items, lovingly made by refugees and people seeking asylum.
"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
-St Francis of Assisi
Our History
Our Vision, Values and Purpose
Vision
Our vision is for a society in which recgonises the dignity, equality, human rights and humanity of
all people.
Purpose
We provide the supports and advocacy that build the agency and dignity of each person by enabling them to achieve wellbeing and independence.
Values
Welcome
With warmth, kindness and generosity, we welcome, respect and empower
all those we work with, regardless of age, ability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, faith, race or social circumstances.
Empower
We provide supports that create opportunities for people to determine and achieve their goals and have their voices heard and acted upon.
Respect
We honour the uniqueness and dignity of each person, upholding their right to be treated equally and valued for their difference.
Our Staff
Dr Angela Argent
CEO
Gary Stocks
Office Manager
Ben Taylor
Grants and Engagement Manager
Sarah Titheridge Communications and Events Manager
Our Board
Peter Hennessy (Chair)
Peter is a lawyer who spent most … read more
Nicholas Carney
Nicholas has a Bachelor of Laws … read more
Anna Coroneo
Anna joined the Board in March 2016 … read more
Laurie Ferguson
Laurie joined the Board of St Francis … read more
David Hardie
Over a 30-plus-year career, David … read more
Thuy Huynh
Thuy has over 13 years experience … read more
Fr Anthoni Selvaraj OFM
Fr Anthoni is a Franciscan friar and has … read more
Chris Sidoti
Chris is a lawyer and advocate … read more
Our Reports
2023 PDF
2022 PDF
2021 PDF
2020 PDF
2019 PDF
2018 PDF
SFSS Privacy Policy
SFSS Speak Up Policy
Volunteer
"I started volunteering with the House of Welcome because I was very distressed about the Australian government’s stance on refugees and asylum seekers … For the first time in my life, I was ashamed of my government. I may not be able to change the government’s refugee policy, but volunteering is one small
thing I can do to make a difference.
I get a huge amount of joy and satisfaction out of doing this volunteer work with the House of Welcome. The clients I meet are amazing, resilient, strong and brave people." - Dani Fullagar, volunteer
Opportunities exist to support our work through corporate volunteering and employee engagement, providing pro-bono support and enabling workplace giving. We want to connect with your skills, time and energy to enable us to do the work we do. For more information on how to volunteer, please click the button below.
Corporate Volunteering
Corporate volunteering is a prominent feature of most corporate partnership programs. Due to the many community inclusion programs offered by St Francis Social Services, there are a variety of ways employees can engage with our services and work together to make a positive difference to those on the periphery.
Some corporate volunteering options include cooking and sharing a meal with people seeking asylum, conducting a non-perishable food drive for our foodbank, painting and updating our client spaces to make them welcoming, gardening, mentoring and fundraising.
Pro-bono support
Sometimes our partners choose to show their support by providing pro-bono professional services. There are many opportunities to get involved and use your professional skills to support St Francis Social Services. Some pro-bono support currently required includes: printing, human resources, plumbing and electrical work. We are also in urgent need of quality office furniture and up-to-date IT equipment.
Our Partners
The work of St Francis Social Services would not be possible without our partners. Trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships provide much-needed funding to both establish, maintain and expand our service reach. We are extremely grateful to all the partners that aim to uphold the dignity and humanity of all people by supporting our work. We formally acknowledge our partners each year in our annual report.
Donate
Your support will make a big difference to our ability to provide these services
Workplace Giving
Workplace giving provides the opportunity for employers and employees to choose to support a charity that aligns with their shared corporate values. Often employers will encourage individual donations provided by their employees by matching their support dollar for dollar. Workplace giving is set up by your organisation’s payroll to generate the nominated donation each pay packet. Because the donation is taken pre-tax, employees don’t need to wait until the end of the tax year to claim their tax deduction.
For more information about workplace giving, please contact enquiries@stfrancis.org.au.
Bequests
If you would like to leave a bequest, click the button below to see examples of suggested wording that may assist you in the composition of your Will.
If you would like further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
What our clients say…
What our clients say…
“It’s completely changed my relationship with my teenager. I’ve learned to assess the situation and think of strategies to work our problems.”
– Parenting Program participant
What our clients say…
“People from the House of Welcome are the first Australians who treated me as a human being, with respect and honour … I felt freedom and happiness.”
– Refugee from Burma