Youth Services

DRUG & ALCOHOL YOUTH SUPPORT (DAYSS)

Funded by NSW Health

This is a free and confidential service for 12-24 years olds and their parents/guardians in the Northern Beaches and Lower North Shore area. Through a harm minimisation approach our service aims to empower young people to create positive change in their own lives and communities, to set them on a positive path for the future.

DAYSS complements clinical services by offering an outreach model where our staff and services can come directly to young people (via visits at home, at school, in public places or at our Centres).

DAYSS staff are qualified in areas such as welfare, psychology, social work, criminology and counselling. We support young people with low to moderate drug and alcohol impacts (and their families). We can also help young people with high problematic use to access  appropriate clinical services. We are also here for young people who are not consuming themselves but are impacted by someone else’s misuse such as a parent, sibling, or a close friendship group. We provide:

• Casework – caseworkers support young people and families by assessing and identifying challenges and working together to develop achievable goals to work towards, which may reflect direct drug and alcohol use or impacts of use (eg. housing, finances, family relationships, criminal behaviour etc.)
• Counselling and mentoring – we offer short-term counselling and mentoring to support the goals of young people and families around drug and alcohol impacts.

DAYSS also provides drug and alcohol education and therapeutic groups for young people and parents at schools and in the community. These groups include:

• Drug and alcohol interactive education workshops – our DAYSS team deliver interactive workshops that encourage young people to participate in thought provoking activities and discussions. Topics we cover include alcohol and drug misuse and effects, looking after yourself and/or a mate, where to get help, safe partying and prepping for schoolies. Some of our activities include beer goggles, interactive lungs, Family Feud and quizzes, physical relays and topical discussions. Programs can be catered specifically to any high school year group. Flyer here.
• DRUMBEAT – a powerful and effective program that incorporates hand drumming, behavioural therapeutic principles and cognitive and exploratory elements. Our trained DAYSS team cater the DRUMBEAT program to young people experiencing alcohol and/or drug misuse or for those dabbling in the AOD space and could benefit from early intervention. Flyer here.
• Art Therapy – a 6 week course for young people experiencing alcohol and/or drug misuse or who are in the beginning stages of experiencing pressures in relation to drugs and alcohol. The DAYSS team use art as a way of expression and exploring various discussions such as pressures from self and pressures from others, impacts of alcohol and/or drugs on thoughts, feelings and physical impacts, dependency and seeking support. Flyer here.
• Boxing Program – aims to develop self-control emotional regulation, mindfulness and empowerment through physical exercise. This is a non-contact program with a strong emphasis on self-control, avoidance of violence in challenging situations and the development of trust with training partners. This program is also designed to be an entry level program to give young people the confidence to learn new skills to help cope with life day-to-day. Flyer here.
• SANDBAR Project – our SANDBAR Project was developed and is delivered by young people, for young people. Our Youth Advisory Group, now called the SANDBAR Crew, work with our DAYSS staff to attend and support local youth events such as music festivals, sporting events and community functions by setting up a free space for young people to get water, help with opal cards to get home and support to keep them safe. If you are aged between 16-24 years and would like to join the SANDBAR Crew please contact us at dayss@catholiccaredbb.org.au.

YOUTH RENT CHOICE PROGRAM

Funded by Department of Communities & Justice

Are you aged between 16-24 years in Northern Sydney and need help finding and paying for a rental property to live in?

Youth Rent Choice is a program that helps young people to:

• Find a place to live (in a private rental unit, flat or home)
• Get approved for a lease
• Pay a percentage of the rent for up to 3 years
• Stay in a current rental if it’s affordable and help is needed to pay the rent.

You will also be linked with a support worker who will help you work towards study or job goals. This will eventually help you to afford the rent on your own.

To find out more about the program please click here.