One of the most joyous parts of working at Bonnie’s is observing the positive change in the children who come to us. When they first arrive their sense of ‘unsafety’ is often what is most noticeable – Watchful eyes, sometimes tears, sticking closely to their mother and siblings – We don’t always see a lot […]

This is a thank you letter to my family worker and to Bonnie Support Services. My name is Rachel*. I was born in West Africa in a country called Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone I was married to a man whom I believed was meant to be my protector but instead, he turned out to […]

My name is Melissa * and I am 38 years old. I came on 9th September 2013 to Bonnie’s Support Services with my two children. Angela* my daughter was ten years old at that time and my son Tom* was about to turn seven. At this stage, my children and I felt confused, scared and stressed. […]

Recently, a group of women from Bonnie’s Creative Space connected over inspiring art and fine dining. They visited the 2017 Archibald prize exhibition at the Casula Powerhouse and ignited their taste buds at the Bellbird Dining and Bar for a special celebratory lunch. Bonnie’s Creative Space runs each school term for 8 weeks, with a […]

A few of us were at lunch when a child from Bonnie’s joined us. Her mother was in a session with another worker. She had all of our attention. One of us played with her using the ‘Bear Cards’, a set of emotion cards; she was very good at identifying the different emotions. She proceeded […]

When Tracy, Bonnie’s executive officer suggested I attend FACS Domestic Violence training I thought “Why send me, the Administration Officer?” But she knew better. I must admit, I found myself regularly feeling unsure how to respond to people when they enquired about my work. They often would say “What a shame a place such as […]

One valuable resource inherent to all of us is our breath. Breathing deeply allows us to release stress, become calmer and feel more energised. However, it’s easy to forget to breathe deeply. Particularly when our nervous system has dealt with more than what seems fair for any one person. Or when thoughts are racing with a […]

A little while back, I received a phone call from a woman. She was softly spoken with a hesitant voice, enquiring about obtaining support for her and her 2 children. She had been physically assaulted and she was summoned to appear in court to testify. I invited her to Bonnie’s to hear more about her […]

On the 14th November 2014 I made the decision to leave the relationship I was currently in due to ongoing domestic violence. I left with my son who was at the time eight years old in hope of starting a new life. I tried to find accommodation with my brother but due certain circumstances this […]

My role as a child and youth worker often involves lengthy outings with Mum and kids to Centrelink, childcare centres, medical centres and counsellors. In many of these trips, children get bored, upset or unsettled during the wait time to see a worker. When mum is trying to manage her children, the lens through which I perceive her […]

“At the last Census collection 2226 people were identified as being homeless in Fairfield whilst 1058 people in Liverpool were similarly recognized. That’s almost 3500 people in the area, experiencing homelessness.’’ Change is something that can occur when people with the same idea work together to make it happen. This is why Bonnie’s and other […]

It never ceases to amaze me, the strength and perseverance of women who are set on achieving their goals. I didn’t know what to expect when I started at Bonnie’s. However I did know that I wanted to help make things easier for our mothers and their children. It’s been inspiring to see the strength […]