• CoP Update

• Lived Experience Consultant's Update

• Airport Achiever's Awards

• Online Speak Up Training

• Next Level Fellowships to support Regional Young Artists

• You asked, we answered

• What's new?

• From the Forums

• What's coming up?

CoP Update

Lived Experience Consultants Update

 Find out what the Lived Experience Consultants are up to and information about events and opportunities for Home Stretch young people.  

YAG Gaming Night

Airport Achiever Awards

Nominations for the Achiever Awards are now open, closing on Friday 7th June 2024.

If you know a young person who has been in Communities’ care and is currently enrolled in the first year of a degree, diploma, certificate, apprenticeship, traineeship, or course at an approved institution, or who has completed their Certificate III course of study in the six months prior to the Achiever Awards nominations opening, they may be eligible for an award.

Award recipients receive funding to assist with further study and/or training. Nominations can be made by the case manager, education officer, Aboriginal practice leader, foster carer, relative or another interested person.

There are three award categories plus an additional award.

University Achiever Award

For a young person who has successfully completed Year 12 or equivalent and is currently in their first degree at university. Prize: $4,000 + trophy

Registered Training Achiever Award

For a young person who is undertaking their first vocational education and training course in a Certificate III or higher at a registered training organisation or is undertaking a university preparation course at a university. Prize: $1,000 + trophy

Apprenticeship or Traineeship Achiever Award

For a young person who is undertaking their first apprenticeship or non-school-based traineeship. Prize: $1,000 + trophy

Additional Award - The Community Spirit Award 

This will be offered to an Achiever Award winner who has also made an important contribution to their community demonstrating impact on their school, work, cultural, local or other community endeavours including volunteering and/or advocacy. Prize: $1,000 + trophy

Criteria

To be considered for an award, the young person must:

• be aged between 15 and 25 years

• have spent at least 12 months in care of the Department of Communities

• be currently enrolled in their first course of study at an approved educational or training institution, or an apprenticeship or traineeship, or who has completed their study in the six months prior to the Achiever Awards.

Further information can be found at the Dept of Communities website Achiever Awards (www.wa.gov.au)

Online Speak Up Training June 2024

Create Foundation are running Level 1,2 & 3 Speak Up Training Online for all young people aged 14-25 who have been in OOHC.

When: June 11th & 12th - 4.30pm-6.00pm each evening

Where: Online

Who: Young people aged 14-25 with an experience being in OOHC

Why?

Speak UP is a youth-empowerment program where young people can learn about advocacy (individual, state and national), and learn how to effectively share their story and experiences to create change in the out-of-home care system. Young people can then participate in advocacy opportunities as Young Consultants with CREATE.

Young people will receive a $50 voucher when completed both evenings workshops, this works as an online VISA card which can be used at most businesses. RSVP’s are essential so they can account for numbers.

Calling All Regional Young People

Next Level Fellowships

Applications close 13 June 2024

Next Level Fellowships are available to support young regional artists and arts workers to build skills so they can develop and sustain an arts career.Applicants can apply for $8,000 to support creative activity and professional development for a period of one year. This program is open to applicants from regional and remote Western Australia aged between 18-26. Applicants can be an individual, or a small group of creative collaborators (e.g. a music band, dance group). You can apply for a range of different activities!  All art forms are eligible, including (but not limited to) visual arts, theatre, dance, writing, music, film, new media and cultural projects.

Find out more

Leaving Care Planning

Question 1- Lots of things haven’t been done by the District Staff when they get referred to Home Stretch (e.g. updated Leaving Care Plan, Cultural plans etc). What should the Department do and what should the Home Stretch Provider do?  

Answer: There are clear Guidelines in Home Stretch that outline the responsibilities of Department Case Managers and Home Stretch Transition Coaches prior to a young person turning 18. The Smooth Transition- District Step by Step Guide describes the role of a District Staff to support a Smooth Transition into Home Stretch.  The Working Together Protocols outlines roles and responsibilities of Transition Coaches and District Office Staff including what needs to be completed before a young person turns 18 and how to work together.  

Question 2- Who updates the Leaving Care Plan?  

Answer: Where possible, a Transition Coach and Case manager should work together to support the young person to update their Leaving Care Plan. The Working Together- Resource Planning Timeline Tool can be helpful for Case Managers and Transition Coaches to clarify roles and responsibilities with the young person after 18.  

Question 3 - Cultural Plans are not completed or the District Staff do not have the relevant information to update the Cultural Plans- what happens then? How do we find out this information?   

Answer: This is outlined in the Home Stretch WA Working Together Protocols under Culture & Identity. The Transition Coach and Case Manager should work together to update this information, but the Department is responsible for leading this work. In absence of the District Office not having this information or lack of an APL, then Providers should utilise their Cultural Practice Leads to support this work to enable a young person to have a Cultural Plan developed. 

Invest In Me  

Question 1 - It’s the end of the financial year and my young person hasn’t spent their $2500. Should I try and spend all their funds to make sure they get the same amount next year?  

Answer- An estimated average annual spending of $2,500 per young person per financial year was used to calculate the Invest in Me Fund amount to Home Stretch WA providers. In remote regional areas, this may be greater to adjust for high cost of living and transport costs. Some young people may use all their $2500 per year and require higher amounts whereas others may not use it at all. Invest in Me funds are pooled to ensure there is enough funding per young person. Home Stretch providers should not aim to exhaust the $2,500 but rather work with each young person according to their individual needs and capacity to contribute to their own costs. Invest in Me - DoC Guidelines for Providers.pdf has more information on this.

Practice tips: Working with the young person to set some long term/aspirational goals can identify potential areas a young person may need some financial investment. Do they want to connect with culture or country? Are there any professional development opportunities they could be interested in? Check out the Invest In Me Fact Sheet for more tips.  

• Support Circle Approach & Collaboration - BYFH - Practice Hour - Slides

• Support Circle Approach & Collaboration - BYFH - Practice Hour - Video Recording 

• Roofs for Youth - Tenant Education Course - Tools & Resources for Coaches & Young People

• Collaborative Support for Young People - Mission - Practice Hour - Slides

• Collaborative Support for Young People - Mission - Practice Hour - Video Recording

• DoC Staying On Subsidy & Housing Allowance Financial Governance Policy

• DoC Guidelines for Staying On Subsidy & Housing Allowance

• Youth Participation - Practice Hour - Slides

• Youth Participation - Practice Hour - Video Recording

• Hart's Ladder of Youth Participation

From the Forums

The Forum is the place to go to find information and resources, or to connect with others in the Home Stretch WA provider community.

Recent Posts:

• A First Nations Approach to Community Development - Guide to developing partnerships with First Nation's organisations, businesses and communities

• Calling all Regional Young People - Next Level Fellowships! Apps close 13th June for up to $8,000 for creative activity & professional development

• Believe Inquire Responsive Disclosures (BIRD) Research Report

• Renae linked to Professor Helen Milroy's podcast Weaving Indigenous Wisdom into Wellbeing | Home Stretch WA

• Renae posted some information about resources for for young parents including playgroups specifically for young parents Resources for Young Parents | Home Stretch WA

• Vanessa posted some info about Create's upcoming Online Speak Up Training June 2024 | Home Stretch WA

• Don't forget to check out Sharing Resources & Tools | Home Stretch WA where you can find recent research, strategies and resources to support young people and Events/Activities-Young People to find out what's on for young people.

   

  The wins we experience as Home Stretch WA providers, no matter the size, are what keep us energised and inspired, so if you have any resources, stories or experiences to share with us post them in the forum!

Thursday 13th June 9:30am - Practice Hour - Supporting Young Parents with Jenni Banfield

Thursday 27th June 9:30am - Practice Hour led by Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corportation

Friday 28th June COB - Home Stretch WA Provider Data Collection deadline

That's all folks...