Reconnect is an outreach support service that supports young people aged 12 to 18 who are experiencing difficulties at home, or who have recently become homeless because of family conflict.
The program uses early intervention strategies to address conflict, strengthen relationships and help to stabilise living circumstances, so that young people can focus on their education, training, employment and future goals.
In March, MercyCare’s Reconnect team shared positive outcomes from the program with other providers across the country during an online presentation for the National Reconnect Forum.
“The Forum is a chance for all Reconnect providers to come together and share their experiences working in the Reconnect service,” MercyCare Metro Youth Services Coordinator Julie Kolzan said.
“The presentation was well-received and other providers were impressed with the positive outcomes we have delivered for our young service users.”
The program is centred around five pillars – culturally-strong, relationships-focused, person-centred, trauma-informed and risk responsive.
“For the young person, this provides an opportunity for them to be heard and to be driven to change their circumstances, especially when you look at the culturally-strong and relationship-focussed pillars,” Julie said.
“For some young people, their internal family doesn’t have the capacity to provide support for them, and being relationship-focused, we’re able to look outside that, and look at external family or other support networks so they build that support around them so they can create change and feel heard.”
Reconnect is focused on a holistic, needs-based approach: “So, if a young person or a family needs support for longer than three months, then we can stay connected for longer until we’re able to see some positive outcomes.”
Julie said the Reconnect team are passionate about supporting young people to change their lives for the better, which is a testament to the program’s 90 per cent success rate.
“Seeing the change from when the young person is referred and their initial assessment, to when they exit the service, it’s incredible,” Julie said.
“You can see how it has had a huge impact on their life when you see the change in their ability to verbalise what they want and how they can show people that they can achieve something if they put their mind to it.”
