SERVICE NAME
Innovative Health Services for Homeless Youth Program.
SERVICE DESCRIPTION
Outreach Health Worker for Homeless young people in Cities of Bayside, Kingston and Glen Eira.
- Counselling young people and families when appropriate.
- Casework, support, linking and referral to other health and welfare services as needed.
- Health Promotion Projects and activities such as:
- Homeless Health Promotion Working Group
- Primary Care Partnerships Transition to Parenthood Project
- Young Mothers' Group
- Secondary consultation,
- Health information, education and training
ELIGIBILITY
Homeless and at risk young people up to 25 years in municipalities of Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston.
Definition of Homelessness:
There are many definitions of homelessness.
The Council to Homeless Persons defines a homeless person as someone who “is without a conventional home and lacks the economic and social supports that a home normally affords. She/he is often cut off from the support of relatives and friends, she/he has few independent resources and often has no immediate means, and, in some cases, little prospect of social support.”
A home is more than a physical structure. The attributes of home can be seen to be security of tenure, security against threats, physical characteristics which do not undermine health or create further disadvantage, affordability, living with people of one's choice, privacy and autonomy and control. (Neil, C and Fopp, R 1994:3-4).
The Burdekin Inquiry in 1989, defined homelessness as “a lifestyle which includes insecurity and transiency of shelter. It is not confined to a total lack of shelter. For many children and young people it signifies a state of detachment from family and vulnerability to dangers, including exploitation and abuse broadly defined, from which the family normally protects a child. However, the Inquiry found that there is a growing number of children who are homeless because the whole family cannot obtain adequate shelter.” (Burdekin, B 1989:7)
( Sally - This above paragraph can be deleted if this is too much)
For a definition of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary homelessness, see Chamberlain, C and MacKenzie, D. 1992.
SITES PROVIDING SERVICE
East Bentleigh Site - Gardeners Road
Sandringham Site - 55a Edwards St
Outreach to various locations eg. Youth refuge, schools, youth centres, youth housing, other community settings if appropriate or needed.
LINKS TO OTHER SITES
Homeless Health Promotion Working Group - (social connectedness page)
Bayside Council Youth Services
www.bayside.vic.gov.au/youth_services.htm
Glen Eira Council Youth Services
www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/youth
Kingston Council Youth Services
www.kingston.vic.gov.au/youth