Early Intervention

Early Intervention

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.

MAKE A REFERRAL

Do any of these statements apply to you? If yes, reach out and chat with one of our youth workers who can support you.

"I've got court"

“Things aren’t good at home”

“I’m staying at my mate’s”

“I can’t go home”

“I’ve been kicked out”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me”

“I’m not going home”

“I give up with school”

“I feel worried all the time”

“No one understands me”

Our programs include:

  • Family Support and Therapy

    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 and Grand families Programs

    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 

     

  • Cultural 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


  • Mental Health Support

    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 



  • Legal

    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:

    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.




By Trina Johnson 02 Jun, 2020
Even with supportive carers, growing up in foster care can be challenging for a young person. Some young people may feel unsettled, displaced or may even resent their situation, which all adds to the standard trials and tribulations a young person faces when growing up. When these challenges became too much for Kurt to bear, he would abscond from the family home. At the age of 15, Kurt faced homelessness. As a result, Kurt began getting into trouble with the police, and faced a number of fines for legal/police matters. This was a very difficult time for Kurt, and he reached an important crossroads of either descending into further trouble, or making positive changes to choose a better path. I’m sure you would agree, no young person should feel they have no choice but to live on the streets or couch surf. No young person should feel their lives spiral out of control as they make mistakes, leading to fines, court trials and debt, and face it all alone. Kurt’s journey with Project Youth began with his participation in the Mentoring program where he was paired with a community member for support and guidance. With his mentor and his Project Youth Case Worker at his side, Kurt arranged Work and Development Orders to pay off his fines. He then attended Adolescent Family Counselling with Project Youth and with support, became determined to turn his life around. It is because of donors like you, that these programs exist to help young people like Kurt. You can support another young person like Kurt to create a better future for themselves. You can build a society where adolescents are supported to make good choices, and become contributing members of our community. You can give young people like Kurt a second chance. All young people deserve a safe, stable home in which they feel happy and secure. All young people deserve a chance to make better choices. Kurt went on to complete a number of short courses with Project Youth’s Labour Y team, and now has a full time job. He remains in contact with his Project Youth Case Worker, who he built a strong and trusting relationship with. If ever he needs help, or wants to talk, he knows Project Youth are still here for him. Donate today to help another young person like Kurt.
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