Do you need someone to talk to? Do you feel isolated or are you bullied at school? Do you want to get fit? Perhaps you have questions about sexual health or drug/alcohol use? Do you need a safe place to hang out with friends?
Project Youth run lots of FREE programs to help young people to be safe, happy, healthy, and able to make informed decisions. These programs aim to intervene early to reduce and stop escalation of issues and concerns you may have.
Family support:
Project Youth provides support to young people (12-24) in the Sutherland Shire and the St George area.
Project Youth's Support Workers specialise in engaging effectively and meaningfully with young people, listening to young people, advocating for young people's choices and supporting them to determine their own future.
1:1 work and family support work can be done separately or together, depending on individual circumstances and assessment.
Family Therapy
Project Youth's Adolescent Family Counsellor (AFC) provides family therapy to young people and their families.
The primary role of this counselling is to explore with families:
- the issues that are creating conflict and tension within the family
- Introduce new information to enable family members to make the changes they need to prevent the risk of homelessness of young people.
Criteria
12-24 year old young people and their families who are experiencing a breakdown of relationship with their young person.
Priority is given to families in the Sutherland area or who have connections in the shire.
FAQ
Will you just see the parents/carers?
We can, as a starting point, but the best outcomes occur when the young person is also present.
What if the young person won’t attend?
We can encourage the young person to attend. We will explain that this is an opportunity for their views to be heard too.
The Adolescent Family Counsellor will be happy to talk to parents and give them strategies
about ways of inviting their young person to attend.
We can also engage our Youth Support Workers to assist too.
Will you fix the situation?
Great changes can be achieved when parents and young people are able to discuss their
concerns and their hopes in a non-threatening environment. Families are empowered to make the changes they need with long lasting effects.
Isn’t this the same as Case Work?
Family therapy is quite different to other forms of therapy and it can compliment casework.
Even if a young person is seeing someone individually, it is worthwhile to organise a family session as well.
Will it cost me anything?
No. This program is funded through Targeted Early Intervention (TEI) funding.
How can I (a Youth Worker) support your work?
This is best discussed with the AFC. If you are unsure about the suitability of a referral, it is fine to email the AFC at Yvonne@projectyouth.org.au
We recommend that both services (AFC and Youth Worker) exist simultaneously, if possible.
Parenting Course
The Course for Busy Parents is for people parenting teenagers.
It is based on Tuning Into Teens and includes communication, adolescent development and attachment theory.
The Course is constructed to meet participants needs. For example:
- What makes the teenage years difficult?
- Helping young people accept their feelings.
- How to communicate with your teenager?
The course is a 6 week course. It occurs online and is interactive.
Places are limited. Booking is essential. To book, go to the Make A Referral section of Project Youth website or follow link https://www.projectyouth.org.au/make-a-referral
Parents/Carers of a young person who is 12-24 years.
See Latest News section on Project Youth website for upcoming program dates - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/events-and-programs
Grandfamilies Program
Grandfamilies program is peer support group for Grandparents who are caring for teenagers.
The program includes:
- Group discussions about caring for teenagers
- Education about adolescent development, trauma and its impact, attachment and communication
To be eligible for this program you will need to be a Grandparent Carer of a young person (12-24 years).
See Latest News section on Project Youth website for calendar of Grandfamilies program - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/events-and-programs
Culture Connect
Culture Connect is Project Youth's program for young people of Maori and Pacific Islander backgrounds (12-24 years) in Sutherland Shire and St George
Culture Connect focuses on connecting young people back to their culture:
We want to achieve:
- Inspiring young people to be proud of their culture.
- Reduce current social stigma and stereotyping
- Increase positive community inclusion
Culture Connect is only on during School Terms (typically Week 2-9)
See Latest News section on Project Youth website for upcoming program - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/events-and-programs
Criteria
Maori and Pacific Islander young people (12-24) in Sutherland Shire and St George
Emotion Skills
Emotion Skills program focuses on the practical application of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT).
Our 4 key focus areas for the program are:
- Mindfulness
- Distress Tolerance
- Emotional Regulation
- Interpersonal Effectiveness
We want young people to practice the skills with us so they become tools for them to use when they are in stressful and challenging situations.
Criteria
12-16 year olds in The Sutherland Shire and St George.
12:30pm-2pm on Thursdays.
Emotion Skills runs during school terms (typically between Week 2-9)
See Latest News section on Project Youth website for upcoming program - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/events-and-programs
Court Support
Project Youth is present every week for Sutherland Children’s Court.
Project Youth works alongside The Family Co, 3 Bridges, Kurranulla and 2 Connect to deliver
Court Support.
Our primary role is to:
- help young people feel comfortable when attending Children’s Court
- link them to the Children's Court Solicitor
- Make referrals to relevant services.
If you are a parent/carer supporting a young person at court for the first time, you can also contact us to discuss the process. Please do so through the Make A Referral link.
Criteria
Young people (typically 12-18 year olds) who attend Sutherland Children’s Court.
9am-11am on Wednesday at Sutherland Court House.
Kick Start
The Kick Start program exists to increase safety and trust with local Youth Police Officers. The current program involves playing team sports as an avenue to foster relationship building.
We provide transport to attend Kick Start for eligible young people. This is to support at-risk young people to attend. We also provide breakfast and transport to school to encourage school attendance.
We also encourage the benefits of physical activity and social connection with others to support their Mental Health.
Criteria
12-17 year olds at risk young men living in Sutherland Shire.
We accept referrals from anyone; however, it is a targeted program so we will assess each referral with this in mind.
6am-9am on Thursdays.
Kick Start runs during school terms (typically in Week 2-9.
See Latest News section on Project Youth website for upcoming program - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/events-and-programs
Community Prevention:
School presentations
Peer Worker
Our Peer worker does some in-school presentations.
The Peer Worker role is a young person identified position.
This allows them to provide a unique perspective when coming to speak with your students, or school staff.
We have presentations for:
- Homelessness
- Mental health
- Accessing local services.
We have finite resources and are only able to do a limited amount of school presentations.
Please reach out to us via Make A Referral to request this service.
All year round.
We understand school staff have targeted days – e.g. Wellbeing Day, R U OK Day.
Please give us as much time as possible to plan for this.
Our Peer Worker is involved in working alongside local stakeholders to deliver local community events.
Some examples of community events they have been involved in:
- Youth Week
- Youth Homelessness Matters Day
- Schools and Services Morning Tea
- Mental Health month
- Walk For Respectful Relationships
We have limited resources and capacity to Community Events.
Please reach out to us via Support@projectyouth.org.au to request this service.
Play Safe Summer
We work alongside NSW Health to deliver the Playsafe Summer program.
We hire young Peer Educators to do surveys with other young people through December-April, annually.
See Join our Team section for our recruitment dates for Peer Educator Roles - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/join-our-team
Referral Process
The “Make a Referral” button on Project Youth website, it will lead you to the Project Youth referral form - https://www.projectyouth.org.au/make-a-referral
FAQ
Is this a Mentoring Program?
No. Our workers will not support a young person ‘just’ for mentoring. They will provide 1:1 Support . Our workers have skills in engaging young people and, developing trust and safety, with them. This is for the purpose of action.
Is this available to any young person?
Project Youth focuses on providing support to young people facing disadvantage. We can’t provide support to all young people.
Will you tell my parents?
No. Each person is afforded confidentiality to share their information.
It is our role to respect their privacy.
We are legally bound to report information to Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) that involves risk of harm to yourself or others.
Where will you come see me?
Youth Support Workers can see you anywhere you’re comfortable – at home, at school, coffee shop, Maccas etc.
Do you get paid?
Yes. Support Workers are paid to provide support to young people.
Project Youth acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge that this always was and always will be Aboriginal land and we pay our respects to Elders past, present & future.
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