Whitelion

Whitelion is a community organisation committed to helping at-risk youth in Australia, assisting them to break the cycle of disadvantage and giving them the courage to grow. Since 1999, Whitelion has been working with some of the most vulnerable and disengaged young people in our community. Disengagement causes these young people lose their connections with the community, drop out of school, move into harmful pathways, and get stuck in a cycle of disadvantage

Whitelion builds meaningful relationships with these young people, and gives them the courage to believe in themselves and the opportunity to reconnect with society to reach their full potential and choose a better future. Whitelion has a full range of services and practical programs that go to the heart of addressing the issues faced by disadvantaged young people.

Whitelion's Purpose is to build positive connections and Pathways to work for young people at risk. 

In fulfilling this purpose Whitelion saves the community money. 

This is the public cost of social disadvantage:

‘Government will spend an estimated $738,741 over the next 42 years on a young person who leaves statutory care aged 18. This money will be spent on unemployment, crime, health, housing and child protection costs.’ (Source: Centre for Excellence in CHild and Family Welfare 2005)

‘The average cost per day, per young person subject to detention-based supervision is $1,207.’ (Source: Australian Government Productivity Commission 2015)

And these are the public savings that can be achieved through Whitelion’s services:

A support program - such as the Whitelion Leaving Care Mentoring Program - that produces a 10% improvement in life outcomes for just one person saves the State around $74,000 over the course of that person’s life. Whitelion’s Leaving Care Mentoring Program costs only $4,347 per young person per year.

Whitelion is an agent for change

Whitelion uses a strengths-based framework and partnerships with community agencies, government, business and volunteers to create genuine change. Whitelion delivers a range of services in two pathways to ensure our programs meet the needs of at-risk youth regardless of their history or current circumstance - meaning Whitelion is flexible enough to support an individual at any stage of their development.