b'THE MIRABEL FOUNDATIONwas needed to check in because, as Im sure youre aware,The often-elderly carers also stepped up to learn domestic violence, and child abuse stats have increasednew technology and another benefit of Covid is that in lockdown, so we had to be ready to meet the demandMirabels new capacity to hold groups virtually means and combined with other things like rehab is closed sogeographically far-flung carers can now be included and you might get mum or dad arriving on the doorstep whereat more flexible times, given the often lengthy drive to and a child hadnt seen them in years, and the emotionalfrom meetings has been removed.ramifications of that. So, it was really far-reaching. A lot of things we hadnt thought about until the scenario hit, andLikewise, Mirabels army of volunteers have embraced we had to adapt to that. technology to offer virtual tutoring for kids needing help with their school and to give a much-needed break to Once all the appropriate policies and strategies were inthe carers. A pleasant discovery is that many corporate place, the Mirabel team couldnt wait to finally get theirvolunteers find it easier to just devote an hour or more kids on a Zoom call, which they eventually did. And guessfrom their desk, at 3.30 pm, than they did giving up an what? Jane Rowes entire 22-year belief that her charityentire evening for real-life tutoring before. was a face-to-face enterprise that could only work in the flesh turned out to be wrong.Even once the pandemic lockdown is hopefully largely in our collective rear-view mirror, and group work is once Covid has forced us to rethink things and some of themore allowed in person, many aspects of Mirabels new things have been really good, she explained. We gotonline existence will remain, for the wide range of benefits online after those two weeks and the kids said that thethat have been discovered.thing they were missing most in isolation were the Mirabel groups and their Mirabel friends. They were so excited atBut then again, throughout the crisis, there have still the groups, and we met all their pets and the animals andbeen those Mirabel kids so troubled and in such despair they could show their friends around their houses, so itthat only real-life and urgent intervention can help. The was amazing. They adapted really quickly. Newsboys Foundation has been a supporter of Mirabel for decades and recently announced a three-year Deep into pandemic life, Mirabel kids now have virtualcommitment to fund a new program to offer one-on-one birthday parties where balloons and party hats are mailedsupport for the most critically challenged children. Mirabel to their house and it might be a theme party and anywhereis recognised as an essential service so this can involve between 10 and 20 kids in that particular Mirabel groupbreaking curfews and the various lockdown stages to be will be on Zoom celebrating. Group work has mutatedthere if required, in the flesh. in all kinds of fascinating, positive ways online, where previously introverted kids turn out to be much moreBut mostly, The Mirabel Foundation will continue to comfortable talking from behind the safety of a computerexplore its new online form, even as Victorias stringent screen and open up in ways they didnt before. Thislockdown stages began to ease. platform will continue beyond the pandemic.We have to be mindful that the majority of our kids have Other kids show entirely new sides of themselves, like onebeen raised by often elderly, vulnerable grandparents so always-challenging boy who disappeared mid-meetingif we start doing the groups and kids are back at school from his desk in front of the screen, and reappeared inand were bringing the kids to the group and then the kids the backyard, seen through the window behind. The Zoomare going back to the grandparents, it could be dangerous group watched as he dragged a large table into shot, thenfor the carers, Jane said. Its why we have to be really a slide leaning against it, then went and got his bike, atmindful. If we dont look after these grandparents, you which point the convener had to yell down the line thatcould hypothetically have 1900 kids going intothey were not going to watch whatever the planned stuntresidential care.was (even though the convener sort of wanted to) andNick Placewould turn the boys camera off for five minutes. When the camera turned back on, the kid was back in front of the camera, but sporting an Indiana Jones hat and doing tricks with a whip. Zoom turns out to be his best-life medium.NEWSBOYS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 20209'