[url=http://www.nwyas.org.au]North West Youth Accommodation Service[/url] AGM tonight – an inspiring group of people who started the service 25 years ago. Lots of heart and competence.
Email: info@nwyas.org.au
Phone: 3855 5233
Fax: 3855 5266
A few quotes from speeches:
“Homelessness: most of the time you don’t think that homelessness is something that happens in your own suburb. You don’t see it until it’s pointed out to you.”
“Funding: He who pays the piper calls the tune. We had to change how we did things when we got funding.”
“Founding principle: Started off with getting people to see what was in their local community.”
“Quite a few families were prepared to take kids off the street into their own homes! A big ask. Most of the kids were from the local community and if we didn’t know the kids we knew something of their background.
The committee was on call all the time if a person who was looking after the children had a problem they’d come straight over.”
“Conversation = getting together turning things around”
North West Youth Accommodation Service assists young people aged between 16 years to 21 years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness or living in unstable or unsuitable accommodation.
NWYAS provides externally supported accommodation for between 6 & 12 months to assist young people to live independently within the wider community.
Who do NWYAS help?
The young person needs to meet the following requirements:
[ul]Is aged between 16 & 21 years
Is living in unstable/ unsuitable accommodation and/or is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
Agrees to work regularly with our support worker
Is willing to work toward independent living (including working on living skills)
Has shown a level of accommodation stability and basic life-skills knowledge[/ul]
NWYAS can accommodate young people who are single pregnant parenting or couples
NWYAS provides independent accommodation that is externally supported by a Support Worker who will do a joint Case Plan that will include your identified personal goals and practical life-skills program.
What can I expect from NWYAS?
NWYAS provides stable and affordable accommodation where your NWYAS Workers will support and assist you in the following areas:
[ul]Learning Life Skills ie budgeting cooking shopping and cleaning
Having someone to talk to in confidence
Support and practical assistance in working towards your goals
Providing information advocacy & referrals to other services if needed ie education employment counselling parenting
Assistance and support in finding and maintaining accommodation when you move from NWYAS[/ul]
Steps to apply for the NWYAS program:
1. Please call the office to talk to a support worker about the service.
2. Within 1 week of your phone call the Support Worker will call you and do a phone interview to determine your eligibility.
3. You need to call the service monthly to stay on the waitlist.
4. The service will call you and offer you an interview when you get to the top of the waitlist.
5. If your situation changes including your contact details you need to call the service and let them know otherwise you may be taken off the waitlist.
NWYAS Housing
[ul]NWYAS offers 1 and 2 bedroom flats and units in the northern suburbs of Brisbane
All accommodation is close to shops schools and transport
Rent is calculated at 25% of your income
Bond is equivalent to four weeks rent
The units have basic furniture and kitchen equipment[/ul]