Redcliffe YACCA

Philosophy & Vision

Our vision is to provide services to young people that support them to become healthy, educated, informed and resourced individuals who are positively engaged with their community.

Our mission is to work collaboratively with our community to develop the full potential of young people in a safe and inclusive environment.

The vision for our YACCA program is to link services together to holistically support young people at risk of, or already engaged with, the juvenile justice system - and where appropriate, to support the families and guardians of those young people.

Characteristics of the area in which we work

The Redcliffe Area Youth Space operates out of the Redcliffe Peninsula, but also supports the community of North Lakes with program provision, and runs other projects throughout the Moreton Bay Region.

Redcliffe:

According to the Socio-Economic Index of Areas (SEIFA) Redcliffe is a poor community with a large number of families in receipt of welfare, or existing on wages that are below the national average.

Redcliffe is a community of approximately 57,000 people. Our population is divided between Indigenous Australian, Anglo-Australians, Pacific Islanders, Maori's and a number of European migrants. We are the most densely populated area in Australia when land area and population levels are compared. We also have the distinction of being the "Pokie" playing capital of the country!

Redcliffe's primary issues for young people are:
- Drug and alcohol use;
- Significant numbers of young people encountering mental health issues;
- Teenage prostitution;
- Gambling
- High number of violent assaults;
- Break and enters;
- Bullying;
- Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues, and;
- Racism.

North Lakes:

Is a more affluent community than Redcliffe, but is what is termed an "emergency community". It is less than seven years old and is situated in the SEQ Growth Corridor, meaning it has a large number of young families, two parent working families, and features a high immigrant population.

North Lakes is a community of approximately 9,000 people. The population is divided primarily between Anglo-Australians, European migrants and Pacific Islanders.

North Lakes' primary issues for young people are:
- Drug and alcohol use;
- High number of violent assaults;
- Racism;
- Bullying;
- Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues;
- Teenage pregnancy.

The Redcliffe Area Youth Space works with young people between the ages of 10 and 24 years.

Activities and services that we provide

Currently, the Redcliffe YACCA Program provides:
- In Remand visits to young people from Redcliffe who are in detention;
- Court Support to the Redcliffe Children's Court;
- Flexible Program Design and Delivery with the Redcliffe CPIU and Youth Justice;
- Young Women's Support Program (Chick Chat);
- Young Men's Support Program (Redefined);
- Regular extreme sports events for local young people as diversionary activities;
- The Youth At Risk Network (YARN) that wraps holistic support around a young person and their family;
- Supported external counselling with reputed counselors and psychologists who specialize in young men and young women and their various issues;
- Consistent general youth work support;
- Homework club;
- Family mediation.

Our model of service delivery

The Redcliffe YACCA Program is strengths and values based and engages narrative therapy techniques to support young people as they explore their issues.

Recent Outcomes

Over the last twelve months the program has successful engaged 73 young people, and 41 families through the YARN process.

The program in constantly "in the community" working collaboratively with the Police, the Child Protection and Intervention Unit and Moreton Bay Regional Council to be both proactive and responsive to the changing needs of our local young people.
We have enjoyed a significant reduction in graffiti, anti-social behaviours and violence in the area. While these issues still manifest on occasions, not to the levels we were seeing in 2007 and 2008.

Recent Community Development projects

The SURGE Sk8, BMX and Scooter extreme sports events;
The RedROCK Youth Band Nights;
The Youth At Risk Network;
National Youth Week 2009 (and the upcoming 2010 event);
The development of the Redefined young men's program that teaches young men to redefine what it means to be male in the 21st century.