from YAPRap April 2008
StreetWork is a not for profit organisation on the north shore and northern beaches of Sydney that has been helping hurting and broken kids for the last 27 years.
Since 1982, StreetWork Inc (a registered charity) has partnered with local churches, business, councils and community groups to reach young people at risk of homelessness and drug addiction with a message of hope. Our mission is to connect with them and then connect them to people in the community where they can find support as they work to turn their lives around.
Working with young people facing real problems is exciting and satisfying! We are constantly building relationships with young people every week through direct contacts in schools and on the street with our dedicated team of outreach workers. We care for young people where they are at, providing essential links to professional counselling, life skills, and vocational training to help them overcome immense trauma such as neglect, physical, psychological, and emotional abuse. Rather than simply treating the symptoms, StreetWork aims to effectively address underlying problems through prevention strategies and early intervention to prevent the entrenching of destructive cycles of behaviour.
Kickstart
The StreetWork Kickstart support program is an intensive program for at risk youth in Sydney's north. It has been set up as a response to the increase in number of youth presenting with multiple high risk issues, all requiring significant resources. Kickstart functions as both an early intervention program and a post release program for previous offenders.
It has been designed as a long term case management plan for young people:
- with multiple high risk needs - these can include accommodation, drugs and alcohol, court support, counselling, education and training, relationships, Juvenile Justice/probation, anger management, life skills and legal assistance
- aged 12-25 (not absolute, but if client is well, well out of this range, perhaps formal referral and handover to another organisation more appropriate)
- living, studying or spending significant time in local area serviced by StreetWork
- young person willing to be open and honest about problems, and considering change in at least one area of their lives. Admit to wanting help.
- willing to commit to minimum 3 months involving individual intensive case assessment and management
- staff resources available at time of entry.
What's involved?
Kickstart members are given a mentor who will be their primary worker. There are limited places in the program to ensure high staff:youth ratio. Kickstart members are expected to meet with their mentor up to twice a week. Kickstart is about long term lasting change so we ask that young people interested be willing to commit themselves for a minimum of three months.
How it works
Young people work with their mentor to identify areas that are having a negative impact on their lives. Goals are then broken into manageable steps with plenty of encouragement and recognition for progressive successes. Our staff actively supports young people and their families as they gradually make the big changes in their lives.
We recognise that the issues some are facing are by no means small and that confronting these and dealing with them can be a very intense and difficult time. Kickstart acknowledges this by:
- providing access for each Kickstart member to qualified and experienced professionals including lawyers, drug and alcohol counsellors, recreational facilitators etc
- recognition for achievement, lots of positive reinforcement with the whole team celebrating success of each member.
The core
Kickstart is a flexible program adaptable to individual's needs within a structured framework. The core of Kickstart is the mentoring relationship between the primary worker and the young person. StreetWork staff are here to walk the young person's journey with them, every step of the way, one step at a time. We cannot, however, walk the journey for them. This relationship is the common thread that links the various components of the program together.
Due to a growing number of females in the program we are currently seeking a new female worker to share the load.
More information
For more information please contact us
02 9419 7559
www.streetwork.org.au
Garth 0413 074412
