Our Purpose
to support vulnerable young people in the community to turn their lives around
Our work
Even in the best circumstances, teenage years can be difficult and confusing. But for the vulnerable young 11-to-18- year-olds that Streetwork supports, unsettled home environments and the lack of a responsible adult role model compound the risks, leaving teenage years looking dangerous and even life-threatening. Poor decision-making can quickly set in and a feeling of isolation with nowhere to turn, often culminating in mental health issues - including suicidal thoughts and self-harm - alcohol and substance misuse, social isolation, school or work disengagement, youth crime and a heightened risk of youth homelessness.
Without intervention, these situations quickly become a vicious circle, steadily spiralling towards a consequence of life-long dependency on government services - including mental health, accommodation, youth justice or prison - or even the loss of a young life.
Streetwork acts as the circuit-breaker to this negative cycle, using highly energising and innovative early intervention and assertive outreach programs to engage and inspire the vulnerable young people we support: a youth work approach to Youth Case Work.
Our model is deceptively simple. We first build trust by asking the questions: ‘what do you like doing?’ or ‘what are you good at?’
WE WALK ALONGSIDE THE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE PACE OF TRUST
With trust and empathy established, we find out from them what sort of support they might need, such as mental health or drug and alcohol counselling, support with housing providers, help getting back to school, advocacy with courts or police, etc. Over the years, Streetwork has established strong relationships with the justice system, the schools in our area and the various youth support service providers.
WE CONNECT THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE SERVICES THEY NEED.
Over time, we have also built an innate understanding of how young people behave and we know that simply opening the door to those services is only half the battle. Sometimes a young person is simply looking for a bit of physical and/or emotional support in accessing those services.
WE SUPPORT THE YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH THAT CONNECTION
Everything after this is about closing the loop. We work hard to re-build the young person’s self-esteem and help them find and use the tools to succeed. This might be something as simple as helping them to learn and understand public transport timetables, through to assistance with often over-engineered paperwork or digital support with access to the various support programs and services.
WE EMPOWER THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO ‘LEVEL UP’: OUR TERM FOR SEEING THEM STAND PROUDLY AND CAPABLY ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET.
Each year, Streetwork supports around 350 young people to turn their young lives around. The work we do is real, it is unique and our annual independent impact audits confirm that the work we deliver has exceptional success rates. But more importantly than this: the work Streetwork delivers is critical.
In addition to this, because the work we do diverts young people away from that life-long dependency on government services, there is also a highly under-stated fiscal benefit to the early intervention and prevention services Streetwork provides.
AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT CONDUCTED BY PwC IN 2020 VALUED THIS BENEFIT WITH A CALCULATION THAT SHOWED HOW EVERY DOLLAR DONATED TO STREETWORK SAVES TAXPAYERS $16 IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE COSTS IN THE ABSENCE OF STREETWORK INTERVENTION.
Our Primary Service Model
Our Impact
Streetwork always maintains a laser focus on supporting high risk, vulnerable young people. To help us better understand our considerable success in this regard, our ’impact’ is measured and audited by a highly regarded independent Social Impact Measurement organisation, Huber Social. Their annual reports provide qualitative and quantitative data charting the wellbeing journey each of the young people we support embark on.
Please click on the link below to see a copy of our latest (2024) Social Impact Report.
Our people
Every vulnerable young person that Streetwork supports has their own, often heart-breaking, story. But one of the things that sets us apart from other charities, is that we are very careful about not ‘trading on tragedy’, so you simply will not see endless videos of vulnerable young people doing it tough.
But we do still want to get a few important messages across, which is why we have whittled down our stories to the handful of video soundbites featured below. We encourage you to watch these clips and then ask yourself one simple question: ‘what can I do to help?’ - the answer to which is housed in our Ge Involved section at the foot of this page.
Will offers his own heartfelt insights into how the Streetwork service model helped him.
Some of the Streetwork Youth Case Workers offer first-hand view of how they see their impact
Helen Campbell explains the critical role of Streetwork’s Local Boards and significant volunteer support
Maria Chan tackles the same topic as Helen Campbell (above) but from a very different angle.
Annette Nazaroff brings to life her several years’ experience in support of Streetwork volunteers and advocacy.
GET INVOLVED
Interested in volunteering or being involved in our regular fundraising activities, please click the link below to find out more
Click here for Change Path Website
Certificate of Registration
Click here for Streetwork Australia Limited Certificate of Registration