WHAT WE DO
Who we are:
A Trust commissioned by East Taieri Church to be the resourcing, funding, and visioning body for its community work.
The Saddle Hill Foundation Trust is a leading Youth Work and Social Services Organisation in the greater Mosgiel and Taieri area – empowering and inspiring youth to embrace their true identity while unleashing their inner potential. Our programs help our youth shape their own values, while providing them with a safe environment and the tools, resources and support they need in order to grow and become confident leaders and influencers of tomorrow. We also seek to empower the entire family community that surrounds them.
We are also responsible for the governance and management of Shop ‘n Taieri – an amazing Op Shop in Gordon Road Mosgiel. Saddle Hill Foundation Trust uses all profits from Shop ‘n Taieri in the community. The shop is a joint venture between Saddle Hill Foundation Trust and Mosgiel Presbyterian Church.
Who we work with:
There are three strands to the work of the Trust:
1) Youth work in the Taieri and Fairfield area with Intermediate and High School students (approx. 10-18 years old)
2) Wider Community work with all age groups building wellbeing and combating loneliness and isolation
3) Social Enterprise: Activity that supports our community vision, while also raising funds to support the Trust’s community work and making hardship grants to individuals.
What we hope to achieve:
• Networking with other agencies and schools while using best demographic and social studies.
• Understanding and responding to our community.
• Promoting volunteering within our community.
• Serving our community by offering resources, people and programmes that develop healthy, positive, meaningfuland fulfilling lives.
• Encouraging young people to grow physically, socially, mentally and spiritually within positive peer groups. This will be reflected in sound decision making, improved self-esteem with young people making good choices about their health and bodies.
• Building positive attitudes and enhancing values and self-esteem by providing opportunities to develop leadership.
• Partnering with local agencies and fostering development by finding local solutions to local problems.
• Through Shop ‘n Taieri we aim to provide high quality secondhand goods to the community at reasonable cost.
Despite the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic and some events being forced to cancel, the trust was able to carry out significant work in the community including:
• Being part of the new Taieri Network
• Holding a mid-winter seniors’ dinner
• Overseeing the community garden operating on East Taieri Church land.
• Holding a youth carnival
Shop ‘n Taieri
One of the responsibilities that comes under the umbrella of the Saddle Hill Foundation Trust is Shop ‘n Taieri – an amazing little Op Shop in Gordon Road, Mosgiel. This is a joint venture with Mosgiel Presbyterian Church.
This is run by 3 part time salaried staff and around 20 volunteers. It offers quality pre-owned items such as clothing, books, jewellery, household items, electrical goods and much more. It is well known for its welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff. There always seems to be a lot of people in there, some shopping and looking for bargains while others are just having a chat. All profits from the shop go back into the community.