Youth Programs
Reconnect | Getting it Together | Rock and Water | SWITCH programs | Young People Leaving Care | NRSDC Juvenile Justice | NR Youth Council | Contact Youth Programs Direct Service Delivery Role
Reconnect
Reconnect is an Early Intervention Youth Homelessness Prevention Program funded by the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services under the auspices of the Northern Rivers Social Development Council. Reconnect operates across the Northern Rivers with case managers located in the Clarence, Richmond Valley, Lismore, Ballina and Tweed. Reconnect case managers work directly with vulnerable and at risk young people (aged 12-18) who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, as well as their families. The Northern Rivers Reconnect client group priorities include ATSI Communities, low socio-economic and people with complex and multiple needs. Assistance provided may include individual or family counselling, coaching, mentoring, mediation, the development of community supports, referral to other services and use of brokerage funds for specialised services or practical needs. Reconnect also offers a variety of groups. Our Case Workers will outreach where necessary.
The service is flexible in supporting family reconciliation, access to accommodation, employment, education, training, life skills and personal development. The emphasis is on advocacy, empowerment and safety. On average the service takes on about 200 new clients per year, as well as maintaining ongoing client relationships.
The Northern Rivers Social Development Council Reconnect Service has five Case Managers conveniently located in offices in Lismore, Tweed Heads, Ballina, Casino and Grafton.
Click the following link to download a Reconnect brochure:
 NRSDC Reconnect Brochure (245.28 kB)
Getting it Together
The Getting it Together program provides intensive support and case management to 12-18 year olds with alcohol and/or other drug misuse issues. The program aims to reduce alcohol and other drug misuse and help young people find opportunities for positive change in their life by:
- The creation of ongoing positive family and community relationships
- Building self esteem , personal growth and life skills
- Addressing personal issues and health problems
- Education on the impacts of alcohol and other drugs (AoD)
- Promoting harm minimisation and AoD misuse reduction
- Connecting young people to specialist services where appropriate.
Those eligible for the Getting it Together program are 12-18 year olds with alcohol and/or other drug misuse or abuse issues and people who want information about alcohol and or other drugs.
NRSDC Youth Programs values client privacy and self determination, to find out more just give us a call.
Rock and Water Program
The Rock and Water program is an anti-violence and anti-bullying strategy for young people. Through this program, NRSDC Youth Programs staff help vulnerable young people who are disengaged from the school system to build resilience and to prevent anti-social behaviour.
SWITCH
The Northern Rivers Social Development Council and YP Space Mid-North Coast formed a partnership in response to the Homelessness Action Plan, to manage and deliver the SWITCH Case Management Programs.
SWITCH comprises two programs: NRSDC Juvenile Justice Program and Young People Leaving Care (YPLC).
 NRSDC Switch brochure.pdf
Young People Leaving Care
The Young People Leaving Care (YPLC) program is funded under the NSW North Coast Homelessness Action Plan. YPLC operates across the NSW North Coast (Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers) and provides intensive case management support to young people who have previously been in out of home care and who are at risk of homelessness.
NRSDC Juvenile Justice Program
The NRSDC Juvenile Justice program is funded under the NSW North Coast Homelessness Action Plan. The program operates across the NSW North Coast and provides intensive case management support to assist young people who are leaving juvenile justice custody to find stable long term accommodation.
These two programs will be provided to young people in the Local Government Areas of NSW, spanning the Mid North Coast to the Far North Coast. SWITCH provides Case Management services to young people aged 16 to 25 years who:
- Are in OOHC or Foster/Kinship care and at risk of placement breakdown; or
- Are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have previously been in a care placement.
- Have previously been in a care placement and are involved with juvenile justice or adult corrections;
- or SWITCH will assist young people by respectfully supporting the plans they have for their lives, focusing on developing connectedness with family and community. Through collaborative relationships with other services and relevant networks, appropriate supports where identified will be developed.
SWITCH will focus on building capacity and supports for young people transitioning to independence through:
- Client Focused Strengths Based case work planning
- Work collaboratively to establish leaving care plans
- Assistance in accessing & maintaining appropriate accommodation.
- Support young person to connect with family, community and cultural heritage.
- Access to education and training programs
- Assistance through access to brokerage
- Support young people to access/process the content of their care file.
- Information, advocacy and Referral
- Work collaboratively with services on identified areas of Community Development
All referrals: Far North Coast: Damian (66 27 3939); Mid North Coast: Rochelle (65 63 1230).
Northern Rivers Youth Council
This project aims to build the self-esteem and capacity of young people by developing a representative council for young people in the region. For more information, contact Project Officer Meaghan Vosz on 6620 1221.
Youth Sector Development
The NRSDC Youth Sector Development Project aims to build capacity of youth services across the Northern Rivers to work more effectively with vulnerable and at risk young people.
Contacting NRSDC Youth Programs
For all NRSDC Youth Program contact details, click here.
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