Hope Thrift is thriving
When a staff member at Hope Thrift asks, “How are you?”, you can guarantee they mean it. It’s the reason why there are chairs scattered throughout the store. They are convenient places to rest shopping-weary legs, but importantly they are also places for conversations.
In the five months since Hope Thrift reopened at its new St John Street site, staff and volunteers have had the honour of coming alongside young people doing it tough, providing homeless people with clothing and meals. The shop is also a place for mentoring young people, giving them practical retail skills while helping them overcome anxiety, and build confidence for the future.
Kyle Cos is one such person. When he moved here from the Philippines four years ago, he felt isolated and suffered panic attacks. Today, he is employed at Hope Thrift and couldn’t speak more highly of the positive environment and opportunities.
“This place has been instrumental in my personal growth and is the highlight of the four years I’ve been in Australia,” he said.
“I’ve witnessed how Tanya and Pete and the Teen Challenge team have helped so many people. It’s not just a boss-worker relationship. They actually care.”
And Kyle now passes on the kindness.
“Many elderly people come into our shop and I really enjoy talking to them about anything under the sun! It’s just about building relationships in our community.”
What is Hope Thrift?
When you enter the Hope Thrift shop, cheery music and a rainbow of colour greets your eyes and ears. The shop does a roaring trade in costumes, selling everything from clown wigs, tulle skirts and gold hotpants, to 80s and 70s outfits, character dresses and Christmas attire. But that’s only the beginning of it. The St John Street shop (next door to Koorong) is brimming with second-hand clothing (at cheap prices!), genuine vintage fashion, party gear, books, DVDs and CDs, bags and shoes. If there’s something you’re after, there’s every chance it’s here!
Kyle said, since September the shop had attracted “off the chart sales”.
“It’s so good seeing the shop doing so well, because it all goes to the good work of Teen Challenge.”
Hope Thrift is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm.
Keeping the shop running
Hope Thrift is largely run by volunteers. What kind of person volunteers at Hope Thrift, you ask? Anyone. You might have an interest in fashion or just love meeting customers and helping them have a great shopping experience. You might enjoy the retail environment, or want to gain retail skills. You might be a fun-loving individual who wants to make a difference in young people’s lives. If you identify with any of these things, or are a young person who would benefit from mentoring and retail experience, please come see us! You can simply drop into the store or email tanya@teenchallengetasmania.org It may be just a few hours of your time, but the impact on young people’s lives will be immeasurable.
**Please note that all volunteers will need a Working with Vulnerable People card and a National Police Clearance.
Kyle Cos at Hope Thrift in Launceston.