Services

Youth Lifestyle Options provides residential and support services for complex and at-risk youth, with a therapeutic and programmatic response to stabilisation and transition from care needs.

Our Service Aims

The key aims of Youth Lifestyle Options model of care is to ensure that children and young people are:

• Safe
• Are provided with lifestyle guidance, choices and options of change
• Are supported in developing their sense of being
• Achieve and develop personal goals
• Have greater opportunities of sucess and growth

Our Therapeutic Model Of Care

Youth Lifestyle Options moves beyond the basic daily care needs of the young person and focuses on the assessment and delivery of individual programs that maximise potential for success and attainment of goals central to the young person's developing self.  Support and intervention is based on the needs of the young person that are inhibiting their progress and development of skills required for successful transition through adolescence.

Youth Lifestyle Options views residential and alternative care models as an opportunity of learning and growth for young people, not as a last resort or temporary placement.

Support is provided by a small, consistent team of specialised youth workers. Psychological assessments are undertaken to assist in the development of individually tailored programs based on the young person's needs in conjunction with therapeutic intervention.

Youth Lifestyle Options aims to provide a safe, supportive and stable therapeutic environment. A trauma based support and intervention framework is utilised to teach young people effective adaptation and coping skills to replace maladaptive cognitive, social and behavioural strategies that have emerged as means of coping with earlier traumatic life experiences.

Where a young person is receiving therapeutic intervention through Evolve or another counselling service, Youth Lifestyle Options works closely with this service provider to ensure that a consistent therapeutic approach is maintained within the placement.

Young people may be placed within the service as a sole occupant or with other young people in a co-tenanting environment. When a young person is placed on their own a goal within their individual plan will be towards their ability to successfully co-tenant with other young people.

Treatment is no longer confined to a specific hour or group, but becomes a continuous process in the context of an environment that lends itself to healing

(Bloom et al., 2003)