On 25 January, former Centre board member Gerard Jones passed away in his home surrounded by family and loved ones. A pioneer in the child and family services sector, Gerard’s ambition and commitment to his work has permeated the sector, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of so many.
Gerard dedicated his life to helping others. Starting his career as a teacher, Gerard went on to take roles at the Victorian Department of Human Services and Youth Justice, before going on to excel in various positions at MacKillop, including Executive Director of Operations, Director of Innovation and Business Development, Director of the Sanctuary Institute, and Deputy CEO. During Gerard’s long and rich career at MacKillop he became particularly involved in issues relating to education, successfully working towards widening access and raising the bar for educational outcomes of children in out of home care. He was also committed to relationship building with Aboriginal communities and improving the residential care model, masterminding many policies and programs that continue to this day. In 2019 his service to children was recognised at the Victorian Protecting Children Awards.
Gerard was an active member of the Centre’s board for nearly five years, during which time his presence, passion and unwavering belief in the power of social change infiltrated the Centre at its core.
The Centre and all its staff would like to pay our respects to this amazing man who really did make a tangible difference to the Centre, the sector, and to Victorian children and families. His legacy lives on.
