Young people in the Bundaberg Region will be better supported thanks to Headspace Bundaberg and Youth Insearch collaboration through their peer-to-peer program.
The place-based collaboration is a first for the Bundaberg Region, with the peer-to-peer program providing support and guidance to young people by helping them achieve more sustainable outcomes and better connections in the local area.
Leading the program is social worker Adam Klimkiewicz, newly based at Bundaberg Headspace, who will support and work with young people to help overcome adversity in their lives.
Adam said he was excited to now be based in the Bundaberg Region, and if the first three weeks was anything to go by, he looked forward to working with local youth in the future.
“I’m very excited and grateful to be here,” Adam said.
“There’s a lot of good work that we can do with place-based model, in terms of being able to offer the consistency of support and the continuity as well.
“It’s been great, and working at Headspace has been wonderful, I think it is going to be an exciting partnership.”
Youth Insearch has found that when social workers, such as Adam, assist young people in a single community, they are able to provide tailored support to each young person on a one-on-one basis and connect them with appropriate support services.
Youth Insearch national program manager Jennie Linton said initially the program was a volunteered based-initiative, and it relied on and was led by community champions.
Jennie said changing to place-based model would now help give young people a better connection and relationship with a support person like Adam.
“So we have moved to a place-based model, which means there is a person in each community, and because they are located in one community they are able to really do that intense and holistic work with young people and their families,” she said.
“Normally a support person in a community would help them to go and access whatever services they needed in a community – this way we have someone that can do that, the therapeutic work and they are able to really walk beside them and build up their network.”
Jennie said they were grateful that both the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and Tenix Foundation had funded the only full-time position within the organisation, which was now located in Bundaberg.
Local Lions help Youth Insearch
Lions play an integral role in supporting Youth Insearch in the Bundaberg Region, with the young people building lasting relationships with the Lions members.
Lions member David Trigg said for 22 years Lions had helped provide transport, meals and accommodation to support Youth Insearch to ensure young people were supported.
“It is a part of our life to be able to support Youth Insearch,” David said.
“We all look forward to it, it’s one of those things that we get a real bonus from, it’s like we are family.”
Headspace Bundaberg centre manager Dean Hyland said the collaborative program was a first in Australia and it was fantastic the youth in the Bundaberg Region would now be supported in more ways.
“I think it’s fantastic, this is the first of its kind in Australia, the partnership between Youth Insearch and Headspace,” Dean said.
“I just think Youth Insearch’s program and what they deliver is going to be perfect for us; it has a youth-focus and that’s what we are here for.”
Anyone wanting more information on the Youth Insearch and Headspace Bundaberg peer-to-peer program can click here or phone 4152 3931, or pop into Headspace Bundaberg at 66 Woongarra Street, Bundaberg.
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