Schools
ASP - Adolescent Support Program
The Adolescent Support Program (ASP) provides a flexible and responsive service to young people aged 12-17 who experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties. The majority of these young people are referred by the Department of Human Services and live in, or have strong connections to, the City of Yarra.
ASP works in partnerships with the Department of Human Services, schools and community organisations, to improve access for young people to a range of different services, including health, education/training, legal/financial, therapeutic and recreational.
ASP aims to respond to the unique needs of each young person and to assist young people to build on their personal strengths, as well as their connections to family and community.
ASP receives funding from the Department of Human Services
Katie was referred to Good Shepherd's ASP as a 16-year-old experiencing family breakdown and homelessness. Her ASP worker assisted her to find youth housing and enrol in school. She also worked with Katie on improving relationships with her family and on developing her living skills through involvement with the Good Shepherd DISH program. Katie has now been living in Youth Housing for approximately two years. She is enrolled in VCAL and undertaking a “school-based new apprenticeship” in hospitality. She has regular contact with her family and is hoping to transfer to independent living in the near future.
BRIDGE - Bringing Real Individual Development through Group Education
BRIDGE is a joint project of Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services and Collingwood College – Richmond Annexe, in The City of Yarra. BRIDGE aims to keep paths open for up to 20 high school-age students, who experience severe disruptions in their education. Set in a small inner-city school, the BRIDGE Worker is able to offer one-on-one counselling and support, as well as group work based on life skills development to young people with challenging and complex issues. BRIDGE also offers systems support and practical consultation on a day to day basis to the school staff team (two teachers, an aide and a volunteer).
This cutting edge service has been successful in retaining students with a history of absenteeism and keeping many more students and young people in touch with school and support. Food is an essential part of the program with students learning cooking and budgeting skills. This unusual combination is building a valuable and unique resource used by the students and young people who have trodden a difficult life path.
"It's great to hear young people who may have burnt their bridges many times elsewhere say, ‘Yep it was a good day – see you tomorrow'." Linda Hammond (BRIDGE Project Worker)
DISH - Developing Independent Skills for Home
DISH teaches basic life skills and self development to young people whose parents have been absent or abusive, and who have not had the opportunity to learn things most of us take for granted, such as, how to shop for and cook a basic, nutritious meal, how to clean up a kitchen, how to share a meal around a table and interact with others positively.
Apart from these very practical skills, DISH also works with young people around self development issues, such as anger management, self confidence, behavioral and communications skills, as well as dealing with a range of emotional issues.
There is a strong focus on breaking isolation, developing social skills and self-determination and creating a sense of belonging for young people in socially disadvantaged situations.
Recently, DISH was able to expand to offer more group experiences to young people, especially targeting those young people who are not engaged in any services in their communities. This has included the operation of a weekly drop-in Lunch Group, Day Trips and Evening groups run at the Good Shepherd Collingwood site, as well as at a local alternative school. All of these new endeavours have proven to be a great success!
“I don't know what I would have done without your support. People like me would end up stuffed. You helped me make good choices.” A 16-year-old young woman living in Youth Housing who is a DISH participant
St Albans
YouthLinks
YouthLinks has undergone a great deal of change over the past two years in response to developing needs in the area. Previously a generalist service aimed at assisting young people 11-16 years of age, YouthLinks now targets Newly Arrived Refugee or young Vietnamese people. Since 2003, Refugee Youth Arrivals in the Western Melbourne Region have tripled. Providing recreational opportunities to young refugees, in particular to the growing Sudanese community, is an ongoing challenge as the limited resources and youth support workers in the area make referral and ongoing support difficult. All after-school activities, lunch-time programs and holiday programs are free and fill up with eager participants as soon as they are advertised.
SFYS - School Focused Youth Service
SFYS facilitates and strengthens links between schools and community agencies to address the needs of ‘at risk' young people aged 10-18 years. It provides funds to trial innovative joint school/community approaches to keeping young people engaged in education. It also helps establish networks to facilitate the development of local initiatives.
The Keilor/Melton SFYS is one of 43 Statewide Networks. It is conducted by a Consortium of Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service, St Albans, Djerriwarrh Employment and Education Service and the Shire of Melton.
For a list of project brokerage in 2007 for the School Focused Youth Service, click here. | 
Circus Pie 2008 
