THE
P RTAL
October 2015
Page 23
The Father James Grant
foundation
F
ounded at the beginning of 2015, the Father James Grant Foundation seeks to provide pre-
employment programmes and confidence building for the many young Australians who leave secondary
education without clear goals for what the future may hold.
term unemployment. What starts as a single issue
-unemployment after finishing school - becomes a
multi-faceted and difficult challenge for both the
young person and the wider society.
The Father James Grant Foundation believes that
most of the ‘goods” of Catholic life, marriage, children,
home ownership and participation in a Catholic
community are premised on getting a job.
The programme is radical, demanding and uniquely
involves workplace experience coupled with mentoring
provided by participating workplaces. It has an
emphasis on practical skills, psychological support,
getting fit, and mild reinforcement that the Catholic
faith has much to offer.
Without employment or any clear idea of possible
employment, they can often slump into de-motivation,
The foundation programmes have filled a space
characterised by a lack of what many of us take for not currently undertaken by standard workplace
granted: life goals, employment opportunities, self- programmes in Australia.
This exciting new
esteem and support from family and friends. This programme can be viewed at:
potentially can be a downwards spiral that leads to
www.fatherjamesgrantfoundation.org
isolation, drug and alcohol abuse, crime and long
News from Canada
O
n 13th September 2015, the Catholic Parish
of St Thomas More, Toronto, of the Personal
Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter, welcomed
Fr Acton greets the Lieutenant Governor
Natalie presents flowers to the Lieutenant Governor
contents page
the Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell
to a reception after Evensong and Benediction in
thanksgiving for HM Queen Elizabeth II, longest
reigning monarch of Canada.