Youth Services
Youth services seek to assist young people to re-establish family relationships, connect with support services, and learn to value themselves and maximise their capabilities. Service strategies recognise the need to meet young people on their own ground, meeting young people in surroundings that they choose, like cafes, shopping malls, at home or at school. Youth work programs are focussed on assisting young people to identify life goals and the techniques and skills required to achieve these goals.
Mount Druitt Integrated Youth Service
MDIYS covers the eleven suburbs of Mount Druitt and the adjoining suburb of North St Marys.
The service provides counselling, case management, group work such as anger management, and information and referral options to young people “at risk” through its office in Emerton.
The Service also provides assistance to young people through two street outreach programs. The daytime program is offered in partnership with other services. The outreach van is staffed by professionals from a variety of local agencies to bring information and support directly to young people in their normal meeting places.
A weekly StreetSmart street outreach van provides an out of hours program. A Coordinator with a group of trained volunteers goes out to locations frequented by young people in the Mt Druitt district, offering a cup of coffee and someone to talk to. Through this service we are able to offer information, support and referral to other agencies in the area. The young people we see are frequently homeless with past experiences that have included abuse within their family environment. The StreetSmart workers establish positive interaction with young people that will foster hope and life changing behaviours.
MDIYS plays a key role in supporting other youth services in the area. Wesley Dalmar works closely with other agencies to identify service needs in the Mount Druitt area and foster service networks, interagency programs and collaborative projects.
Need more information?
Mt Druitt Integrated Youth Service
44 Copeland Road, Emerton
PO Box 131, Emerton, NSW 2770
Telephone 02 9628 0424
Fax 02 9835 3305
Pacific Education Resource X-change (PRX)
PRX aims to harness the strengths of the Pacific Island communities to work together to address issues amongst children and young people from Pacific Island backgrounds. Services primarily target the needs of children in Years 5–9 who are referred from 13 schools in the Canterbury/Bankstown local government areas. The program seeks to enhance educational outcomes, independence, safety, self-esteem and quality of life within the community.
PRX provides a casework and group work service to children, young people and their families, supported by culturally appropriate educational resources and local networks. The PRX program works to strengthen links with other Pacific Community services in the area to enhance cultural connections for young people and their families.
Need more information?
Pacific Education Resource X-change
Unit 2, 41 Meredith Street, Bankstown NSW 2200
Telephone 02 9790 7083
Fax 02 9790 5859
Ashfield Youth Outreach
Initiatives from the Ashfield office to extend the continuum of care for young homeless people include The Ashfield Street Outreach Program, providing information, advocacy, referral, and counselling to young people who may be at risk of homelessness or in need of advocacy and support. This program is supported by the Ashfield Council and Canada Bay.
Youth workers meet with youth on the streets in and around Ashfield and Summer Hill, run drop-in facilities at Ashfield Town Hall and in Canada Bay Youth Centre and visit various schools in local area. Street Outreach offers face to face service delivery to youth of the Inner West and it is through the outreach work it comes into contact with youth who are in need of assistance. Street Outreach offers scholarships to young people as well as case management of young people in need and can assist with issues such as; domestic violence, unstable accommodation, homelessness, pregnancy, Juvenile Justice, unemployment, depression, addictions, mental health, educational problems, social isolation and much more.
Currently the access points for Street Outreach are Ashfield Boys High School, Ashfield De La Salle, Burwood Girls High School, Ashfield Youth Zone, Canada Bay Youth Centre, Street Outreach work in the Ashfield LGA and referrals from other services. We work with whoever needs support no matter the area we meet them in.
They provide a point of referral to link young people with existing services within the community The program uses a mini bus to deliver services in places where young people naturally congregate. This is a preventative service helping youth with issues of drug and alcohol abuse, health and domestic violence, designed to intervene before young people become homeless.
Nepean Adolescent & Family Service
Youth homelessness is recognised as significant issue throughout the local government areas of Penrith, Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains. This issue does not occur in isolation but involves a range of significant related issues effecting young people’s lives, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, alcohol and other drug abuse, education difficulties, gang violence and crime, all of which result in families struggling to remain together.
Nepean Adolescent & Family Service provides accessible services including early intervention case management, therapeutic counselling, referral and practical assistance for young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who are experiencing a range of relationship difficulties, or for young people who have recently left home or are thinking of leaving home.
We offer:
- Individual case management
- Family mediation and informal counselling
- Information and referral options
- Practical assistance eg fares to job interviews
Nepean Adolescent & Family Service also provides an innovative art therapy program for young people.
Need more information?
Nepean Adolescent & Family Services
Suite 2, 438 High Street, Penrith
PO Box 4119, Penrith NSW 2750
Telephone 02 4721 8070
Fax 02 4721 8842
Quakers Hill Youth Support Service
If you are looking for someone to:
- Listen and hear about your concerns
- Help you to improve your family relationships
- Provide information on drugs and alcohol
- Assist you to learn new skills for life
Quakers Hill Youth Support service can provide counselling, access to a group, court support, or just someone to talk to privately to help you through some of the tough times of the teenage years.
Young people aged between 12 and 18 years and their families and living in Quakers Hill, Riverstone, Schofields, Parklea, Acacia Gardens, Stanhope Gardens, Dean Park, Kings Park, Kings Langley, Seven Hills, Lalor Park, Marayong or Marsden Park can access this service.
Need more information?
Quakers Hill Family Centre
32 Highfield Road
PO Box 146
Quakers Hill NSW 2763
Telephone 02 9626 6620
Fax 02 9837 2288
Riverstone Arts and Vocational Project
Based at the Quakers Hill Youth Support Service, the Riverstone Arts and Vocational Project provides outreach programs in the Riverstone, Schofields, Marsden Park and Vineyard areas.
Programs facilitated by the Riverstone Arts and Vocational Project include Urban Artist, Unique Links, Creative Journaling and Unmasking Conflict. All the programs use art making as a medium to engage and encourage the development potential of young people aged between 12 and 25.
Need more information?
Riverstone Arts and Vocational Project
32 Highfield Road, Quakers Hill, NSW 2763
Telephone: 02 9837 0106
Facsimile: 02 9837 5213
EQUIP Youth Mentoring Program
The EQUIP Youth Mentoring program matches adult volunteers to mentor young people who are going through a process of change, growth and development. The program recruits, trains and supports volunteer mentors. Any adult over the age of 18 may apply to become a mentor.
The EQUIP Youth Mentoring program offers mentoring opportunities across all of Youth Service centres.
Need more information?
Mt Druitt Integrated Youth Service
Telephone: 02 9628 0424
Facsimile: 02 9835 3305
