Are you at risk or are you currently experiencing homelessness?
You can contact us by phone from 9 am – 5 pm on 3620 2400, or you can come to 518 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley without an appointment 1pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
We understand that every young person’s needs are unique to them and their situation, so we work together with you to identify and plan the support that’s most needed. There are lots of programs at BYS that might be suitable, but we also have extensive knowledge of what else is out there that might help you.
Intake, Assessment & Referral
When a young person comes to BYS for the first time one of the things we do is an intake assessment. This is a chat with a youth worker about what’s happening. During the intake assessment youth workers will ask questions that help us to learn about you, your situation and what you need.
We really care about your safety, health and wellbeing, and together we will explore your current challenges and identify the most pressing things you need. It’s important that we gather enough information to make the appropriate plan to support you.
We will explain how we work with young people generally, what to expect from us and what we expect from you. We’ll also ensure you know how we protect your privacy and information.
After the intake assessment is completed and we have developed a support plan – we may do several things:
- provide you with some emergency relief
- provide you with a brief period of support to help get things back on track
- refer you into another BYS program for more specialised support
- refer you to another service that might be better for you
- help you approach other services for support
Youth Support Program
The Youth Support Program helps young people aged 12-21 with:
- goal-setting
- strategies to improve mental health,
- engagement with school
- accessing training or employment services
- improving physical/emotional wellbeing
- connecting with family and support networks
- and securing a stable place to live.
Couch Surfing Support
Couch surfing can lead to ongoing homelessness, and it starts in the very early ‘in and out of home’ stage. You might still be at school, or attempting to stay in school while you are couch surfing.
You might not have a permanent place to stay. You may be staying in the homes of friends, friends’ parents, extended family and strangers. You may be back at home sometimes.
Homelessness is not just ‘rooflessness’. Even if you’re not sleeping rough, you might not have safe and stable housing. Couch surfing is a form of homelessness.
Please get in touch with us if you are couch surfing and need support.
Advocating to
Support Your Needs
It can be hard to understand the forms, people or systems you need to access for help.
Brisbane Youth Service support you in a range of ways by advocating for your needs with landlords, the Department of Housing, the Department of Education, Queensland Health, tertiary institutions, and Centrelink.
We can also support you if you are experiencing legal issues or involved in the justice system.
Lawright
Volunteer lawyers from LawRight visit the Valley Youth Support Centre weekly for free appointments with young people, to assist them to identify and navigate their way through legal issues. The lawyer can provide ongoing legal casework for the young person, and offer practical help, working on their legal issues until they are resolved. Young people are asked to make an appointment for legal advice by calling BYS on 3620 2400.
Human Rights
Australia is under legal and moral obligations to promote, protect and realise the human rights of all people. Young people experiencing homelessness can face violations of a wide range of human rights. Please contact BYS on 3620 2400 if your experience of homelessness is having an impact on your ability to enjoy basic rights and freedoms.
SPER / Debts
Young people experiencing hardship can be under added financial stress from unpaid or overdue debt with the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER). We can help you by providing potential options for resolving these debts.
NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was set up to ensure people with a disability are able to access mainstream services. If you are a young person with a disability, at risk of or experiencing homelessness, we can help you work through the NDIS processes to ensure you receive appropriate support.
