Street University
Liverpool, Fairfield and Cabramatta – three overlapping suburbs that are synonymous with drugs and crime. Films like "Little Fish" have shown the rest of the world the reality of life in the suburbs of Sydney's South-West back porch.
But is the area as downtrodden as portrayed?
In a way, yes, this area suffers from some of the worst cases of drug pushing in the country and the crime is also high along with youth unemployment.
But with some sad statistics comes hope.
The area is home to a huge and diverse population of migrants from every continent. It's a microcosm of our multicultural country. In fact, over half the families living in Fairfield come from other countries.
The concept of the Street University was born from the acknowledged lack of resources in this particular area.
Young people from these surrounding suburbs are finding it difficult to move in satisfactory jobs, as opposed to factory jobs, which is one of the main occupations many arriving families have to get used to.
The community is simply lacking resources and self-esteem. The notion or perception of crime certainly adds to the 'actual' crime that occurs as more bars are put up across windows and people start to think that there's no way out.
The young people turn to drugs and crime because in many cases there are no other options.
The Street University is a place where the young people from these suburbs can simply walk in off the street and enrol in vocational and tertiary-style courses.
With a café that will be run by the young people and their families, a basketball court, classrooms, counselling and other services - the space will be the resource the community desperately needed.
The hope is not that the space becomes a welfare outpost, but that it invites great thinkers from around the country to visit and explore new ideas and initiatives with the young people from the area.
The Street University is an environment filled with opportunities.
In a way, it's going back to Ted's vision of the Wayside Chapel.
It's not about creating welfare programs - it's about creating a new community.
By Matt Noffs