Adolescent & Family Adolescent & Family Counsellor (AFC)Counsellor (AFC)

AFC Project is a non – government AFC Project is a non – government community service to support & community service to support &

care for parents & teenagerscare for parents & teenagers. .

To Serve The Community To Serve The Community In The Belief That In The Belief That

Together We Can Make A Together We Can Make A DifferenceDifference

Funding BodyFunding Body

AFC Project is funded by the Department of AFC Project is funded by the Department of Community Services through Community Community Services through Community Service Grants Program (CSGP)Service Grants Program (CSGP)

AFC Project is auspiced by the Jesmond AFC Project is auspiced by the Jesmond Neighbourhood Centre, premises owned by Neighbourhood Centre, premises owned by the Newcastle City Councilthe Newcastle City Council

Target AreaTarget Area

The AFC project at Jesmond The AFC project at Jesmond Neighbourhood Centre services the Neighbourhood Centre services the

Newcastle City Local Government Area.Newcastle City Local Government Area.

Target GroupTarget Group

Consumers of AFC services are families with Consumers of AFC services are families with teenaged children requiring support, counselling teenaged children requiring support, counselling &/or referral to meet their unique assessed needs.&/or referral to meet their unique assessed needs.

Presenting issues may include: family breakdown, Presenting issues may include: family breakdown, homelessness, at risk behaviours, challenging homelessness, at risk behaviours, challenging behaviours, educational struggles, drug/alcohol behaviours, educational struggles, drug/alcohol related problems, relationship difficulties, related problems, relationship difficulties, sexuality, emotional, physical, sexual abuse, sexuality, emotional, physical, sexual abuse, mental health issues mental health issues

Outcomes sought for the projectOutcomes sought for the project

To promote & support families as a functional unit To promote & support families as a functional unit wherever possiblewherever possible

To provide an integrated counselling approach that To provide an integrated counselling approach that promotes, facilitates, & supports change in the interaction promotes, facilitates, & supports change in the interaction between young people & their families between young people & their families

To foster reconciliation with young people and their families To foster reconciliation with young people and their families leading to the young person staying in the family home or leading to the young person staying in the family home or being restored to the family where acceptable & being restored to the family where acceptable & appropriateappropriate

To foster client self determination and promote emotional To foster client self determination and promote emotional growth & independencegrowth & independence

To provide early intervention before major issues occurTo provide early intervention before major issues occur

Activities that help deliver these Activities that help deliver these outcomesoutcomes

CounsellingCounselling SupportSupport AdvocacyAdvocacy EducationEducation InformationInformation Referral to specialist agenciesReferral to specialist agencies Act as a resource for other agenciesAct as a resource for other agencies

Highlights of the ProjectHighlights of the Project

Working with young people & their familiesWorking with young people & their families Witnessing positive outcomes for clientsWitnessing positive outcomes for clients Working collaboratively with other centre ProjectsWorking collaboratively with other centre Projects Co-service provision with FASPCo-service provision with FASP Excellent relationship with outside agenciesExcellent relationship with outside agencies Worked to successfully restructure Newcastle Worked to successfully restructure Newcastle

Youth Accommodation Services LimitedYouth Accommodation Services Limited Attended relevant training to meet consumer Attended relevant training to meet consumer

needsneeds Being part of a supportive, professional teamBeing part of a supportive, professional team

Barrier to service provisionBarrier to service provision

Inadequate fundingInadequate funding Limited resourcesLimited resources Limited spaceLimited space Time constraintsTime constraints Inadequate referral agencies for youthInadequate referral agencies for youth

Points for stakeholdersPoints for stakeholders..

AFC project secured funding through Hunter New England AFC project secured funding through Hunter New England Health (HNEH) to set up a Community Drug Action Team Health (HNEH) to set up a Community Drug Action Team (CDAT) which involves local members of the community (CDAT) which involves local members of the community raising awareness of drug and alcohol issues and raising awareness of drug and alcohol issues and addressing these issues within their local communityaddressing these issues within their local community

AFC is the representative for secondary NSP (Harm AFC is the representative for secondary NSP (Harm Minimization Program) at Jesmond Neighbourhood CentreMinimization Program) at Jesmond Neighbourhood Centre

AFC is a Board of Directors member for NYASL AFC is a Board of Directors member for NYASL (Newcastle Youth Accommodation Services Limited) for (Newcastle Youth Accommodation Services Limited) for young people out of homeyoung people out of home