[Sub ID 4707] Foyer based programs for students (Anglicare Tasmania)

Submission ID: 4707
Organisation name: Anglicare Tasmania
Contact name: Ms Belinda Jones
State: TAS
Contact email: b.Jones@anglicare-tas.org.au

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young students at risk of long-term unemployment

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Tasmania is affected by a number of risk factors that can lead to youth disengagement:
• highest proportion of 29-year olds with the highest level of education year 10 or below;
• second highest proportion of young people not in education, employment or training;
• highest rate of youth suicide; and
• second highest rate of youth who had used illicit drugs in the last 12 months.

Anglicare Tasmania have successfully implemented two Foyer based models combining youth accommodation and on-site support which have had short-term success in engaging young people back into education and employment. Integral to the model has been involvement of young people in decisions about the place they live and the services they use. One of the identified gaps has been capacity and resources to re engage residents in community based recreational and other activities and supported transitional housing to ensure long term sustainability of the outcomes to date. At the tenants meetings, their friends are welcomed and involved in the decision making processes. While the existing workers have identified these peers as also being at high risk, there is no dedicated support to assist this often hard to access group.

What is your idea?
To date, the Foyer based programs Anglicare has been delivering have been accessed by young people who are long-term unemployed and/or at risk of further disengagement in relation to education and training. While the short-term outcomes for these clients have been successful, the program has lacked capacity to expand the engagement activities to ensure long term stability of these outcomes. This proposal will also expand the model to include young tenants’ peers who have been included in resident meetings at the two residential facilities. Workers have identified that these peers are often in similar situations as the tenants and the program could be further developed to engage these peers in education, training and employment. These peers will be included in the tailored programs and case management approaches that have been successfully employed to re-engage the current tenants as well as tailored programs to support their circumstances.

The components that have been identified through the program to date, client consultations and evidence based research which is included in this proposal for both the tenants and their peers include:
• Work placements,
• L to Ps driving lessons,
• Community engagement through participation in recreation activities, and
• Support to independence through transitional supported accommodation.