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New funding to reconnect homeless youth

An ANGLICARE run program that assists youth at risk of homelessness in outer Western Sydney is set to expand thanks to $1.2 million in Federal Government funding over 18 months.

For the last nine years ANGLICARE’s ‘Reconnect’ program has been assisting young people at risk of homelessness with crisis accommodation, counselling and family mediation. The programs will now expand to include early intervention in the Parramatta region to prevent homelessness and also provide support for 12 to 21 year olds who have arrived in Australia in the last five years.
 
“This is a much needed program in an area with many youths at risk and a large culturally and linguistically diverse population; and this is the first time the Parramatta region will be covered by the Reconnect Program. So this is great news,” says Donna Wood ANGLICARE’s Cabramatta Reconnect manager.
 
ANGLICARE’s Reconnect program has a strong focus on restoring broken family relationships that may cause a young person to leave home.
 
“We use a lot of communication strategies, mediation, anger management programs to restore the relationship a young person at risk of homelessness may have with their family,” explains Donna.
 
“Many young people we see have additional issues, from anxiety disorders, eating disorders to drug and alcohol abuse. Generally the parents are so distraught they are willing to try everything they can to get through to them. Other times we work closely with other community networks to find the young person a safe place to live.”
 
According to Donna, the holistic approach to care has also tended to provide better social outcomes for a young person at risk. Restoring family relationships, linking young people to various community networks like ANGLICARE’s holiday and weekly youth activity programs are some of the ways that can help stabilise a young person.
 
Those interested in volunteering for ANGLICARE programs can do so by calling 02 9895 8026 or by visiting www.anglicare.org.au/how-can-i-help/volunteer.