Accommodation Services For Young People
The Independent Living Programs
What area do we cover?
One Independent living program is at Ashfield in Sydney’s inner west and another is on the Central Coast. The young people who use these facilities come from across NSW.
Independent Living Programs provide medium term accommodation for young people, 16 to 22 years, who are unable to reside at home and motivated to living independently. Young people entering these programs have generally been living in various types of accommodation for a period of time. or are first time out of home. Referrals can be made by the individual or from a services on behalf of the young person. Referrals to Wesley Dalmar’s Independent Living Program are made when it is clear that the young person can no longer live in their current situation and are motivated to living independently. The program is also an excellent starting place for young families who need assistance to move into independent living.
The aim of Independent Living Programs is to assist young people to gain confidence, learn living skills and develop community networks in the context of safe accommodation.
Wesley Dalmar’s Independent Living Programs (ILP) provide a series of steps toward personal independence which include:
- Accommodation Offering young people case worker support, staggered independent living skills development and a programmed assistance to met personal goals.
- Training and mentoring Youth workers provide training in living skills and personal development. Independent living skills typically include how to prepare a healthy meal, how to develop a budget, how to shop within the budget, priority setting and management, understanding the consequences of our actions, time management, self awareness and interacting with others in a respectful and constructive manner.
Young people are assisted to take increasing responsibility for their lives by saving money, paying rent, securing employment and/or education, registering with Centrelink (if appropriate) and taking care of their homes and their own health. Sometimes we care for young parents or expecting mothers and in these cases we assist with child development issues, parenting skills and appropriate community links for the child and parents. - Exit planning and aftercare After staggered development in the Independent Living Program and the young people are ready to look at moving into the private rental market. The Independent Living Program helped young people to acquire their own furniture (ie bed suits, wardrobes lounges, TVs and white goods) so that they can move into the Exit Housing. This helps young people to identify rental accommodation options and practice entirely independent living with minimal case worker support. During this time the young person's rent in slowly increased to near market rental rate for the area that they have identified that they want to move to, to practice the financial discipline of the private rental market. Once the young person moves from the Exit House to their own private rental property, they then become part of the aftercare program where they can still come back to ask questions and seek general support as they settle into their new lifestyles.
- The Transition through the programs this shows that process that young people go through when they enter the Independent Living Program
Independent living skills training
The Independent Living Skills training and mentoring program can be delivered as a stand alone program. It is available to be delivered to young people who are living in independent accommodation or with other accommodation services. The Skill Development Program includes:
- Priority Setting
- Budgeting
- Time Management
- Cooking and nutrition
- Health & Hygiene
- Self Awareness
- Education & employment
Driving Independence Program
The initial idea for the Driving Independence Program was born on the Central Coast where youth unemployment is approximately 33% and Wesley Dalmar’s Central Coast Independent Living Program (ILP) realised that young people without family assistance found it near impossible to access education, employment and alternate living options without their own vehicle.
Homeless young people or young people at risk of homelessness already have multiple barriers to education and employment as a result of their situation and lack of support and often have little opportunity to improve their situation. These young people often are isolated from a vehicle to learn on, have no positive mentor (such as a parent) to instruct them in appropriate driving techniques and lack the financial planning skills to plan, save, purchase and then afford the up keep of a car.
The Driving Independence Program links driver safety education and awareness to the development of personal life skills and positive relationships through positive adult role modelling. This is based on research findings that indicate young people significantly benefit from non-professional adult role models and that these relationships are most effective when they are focused on shared practical activities.
This program aims to assist young people to secure a driver’s licence and their own transportation, improve their skills, abilities and self esteem, work towards moving away from welfare dependence and improve their access to employment, vocational education and affordable accommodation by combining safe driver training, volunteer mentoring and case managed assistance to plan, budget and maintain their own vehicle.
Ashfield Independent Living Program
The Ashfield Independent Living Program provides early intervention accommodation and living skills development programs on a continuum of care.
Cottee Lodge provides independent accommodation in units that are co-located with support services, enabling young people to have frequent informal contact with youth workers.
Independent share housing in the community, supported by regular visits by youth workers, provides for young people, and young families, who are ready for a more independent lifestyle.
Exit housing enables young people to move on to fully independent living secure in the knowledge that they still have access to support services should the need arise. The Exit program ensures that young people have the confidence to move on, and provides support for unexpected situations that might put the young person at risk.
Central Coast Independent Living Program
This service provides an accommodation and living skills program to young people and families between the ages of 16 and 22. The service takes young people motivated to moving towards independence and initially places them in the main house where staff can monitor their independent living skills before moving out into the community housing. This accommodation covers both Gosford and Wyong local government areas with four properties in each region. The 8 houses can accommodate up to 18 young people at one time. Between one and three people may be housed together, sharing all of the responsibilities associated with running a household. Staff provide daily support, but do not live on site. The overall aim of the program is to provide young people with support and stability whilst they develop their potential in becoming independent within their local communities.
Regular social events, and an annual camp, are organised to assist the young people to network with each other, further develop self-esteem and self confidence.
Central Coast Independent Living Program
38 Gilda Drive Narara 2250
Telephone 02 4329 6501
Fax 02 4328 4798
Email ccilp@wesleymission.org.au
Who can access the service?
Young people between the ages of 16 and 22 years of age who have basic living skills skills and are motivated to moving towards their own independence can enter the program. Referrals are accepted from young people, families or other services.
To enter the program you must want to develop your independent living skills and willing to set out your own personal goals. You will need to have an income, no less than that paid by Centrelink, case workers can assist if needed. You will be expected to pay rent, bond and utilities costs and a share of the household expenses and duties such as cooking and cleaning. All costs and program expectations will be discussed with you at an interview before you enter the program.
Need more information?
Please contact the either the Manager of Accommodation and ILP or either of the Centre's for more information.
