Reconnect

Wish things were better at home?

We assist young people, their parents and families with negotiating solutions

Reconnect is a youth homelessness early intervention project funded by the Commonwealth Government to assist young people where there is risk of early home leaving.

Reconnect is a voluntary, confidential and free service offered to young people, their parents and families.

Reconnect West provides support and assistance to young people, their parents and families in the Cities of Wyndham and Hobson's Bay.

We assist young people between the ages of 12-18 years who are having difficulty staying at home or who have recently left home.

Reconnect West offers the following services:

• Youth and Family Counselling
• Youth and Family Mediation
• Case Management and Community Development

YOUTH AND FAMILY COUNSELLING

Counselling is a process where you and the Counsellor can talk about understanding and exploring thoughts, behaviours and feelings. The Counsellor's job is to listen to you and help you resolve the issues you are facing either on your own or with a family member.

The Counsellor can assist you and/or your family to resolve conflict, help to increase positive communication, assist with appropriate problem solving and decision making processes and also provide parenting strategies and support.

The Counsellor can meet with you at an Office in Wyndham or Hobsons Bay, or at your school, a local cafe or wherever you feel comfortable.

Counselling is confidential.

CASE MANAGEMENT/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Case manager provides advocacy, support and referral to young people at risk of homelessness to access income options, accommodation, education, training, employment and community links.

The Case Manager can meet with you at an Office in Wyndham or Hobsons Bay, or at your school, a local cafe or where ever you feel comfortable.

The Community Development worker creates linkages and working partnerships with community services, schools and government agencies to facilitate networks, group work and projects.

YOUTH AND FAMILY MEDIATION

Negotiating conflict is a fundamental task of living; it is a normal part of life. Mediation can help with negotiating conflict in a constructive way.

Mediation:

• Provides a neutral environment where the participants, together with the assistance of impartial Mediators, can make decisions that affect their lives
• Is future focused
• Is voluntary, impartial and confidential
• Provides for each person to tell their story, to be heard, to listen and to contribute to ideas on how to solve the issues
• Allows the family to gain understanding of each person's perspective and invent solutions that will work and are liveable
• Is a process of concrete problem solving and developing positive communication

Mediators:

• Assist young people and their families to communicate and find their own solutions
• Ensure the process is fair
• Do not take sides, make judgements or make suggestions to the parties of how to solve the issues

Steps in the process

Introduction - Process, principles and rules

Statements - Each person tells their story

Key Issues - the main issues are listed

Negotiation - Each issue is discussed and different options/solutions Invented

Agreements - Solutions that all participants are happy with and agree to are recorded

Before a Mediation

Before participants come together for Mediation, the Mediator meets with each participant individually to hear concerns, needs and wants.

Helping us to help you through action research

The Reconnect West team seeks to involve clients to help shape our program and to develop program activities such as group work so that we can best meet the needs of young people, families and the community. We welcome your ideas about the program and how it may be improved.