The Youth Justice Community Support Service provides intensive and integrated support for young people aged 10-21 involved with the youth criminal justice system in Victoria. It aims to support young people to reduce re-offending, make an effective transition into adulthood, and build their capacity to participate fully in society.
How does it help?
Young people involved with youth justice present with a range of highly complex and varied needs. We understand this complexity requires personalised and intensive support, tailored to a young person’s own circumstances.
Through intensive and integrated support, YJCSS aims to:
- Reduce severity, frequency and rates of re-offending by young people and minimise their progression into the criminal justice system
- Better service young people in their local communities and facilitate their transition from the youth justice service system to their local community service system
- Better prepare young people for adulthood by developing their independence, resilience and pro-social connectedness to family and community
- Develop young people’s capacity for meaningful educational and economic participation.
With our support, young people in the justice system develop:
- Independence, resilience and pro-social connection to family and community
- Skills and knowledge to make informed choices about their future
- The means to participate more fully in their community, and
- Connections to family, education, training, employment and community.
How does it work?
We offer young people two support pathways, including:
- Intensive support, which uses assertive and persistent case work, outreach and after-hours responses to engage young people with high needs, and
- Supported referrals, which uses our established and trusted referral networks to connect other young people to the broader service system.
The support we provide participants depends on their particular circumstances and support needs, and can include:
- Intensive, one-on-one case work support
- Integrated access and supported referrals to a range of services, spanning mental health, cultural support, alcohol and other drugs, housing, health, education, and training, and
- Transitional housing and housing outreach support.
Who can participate?
The Youth Justice Community Support Services is available to young people aged 10-21 who are involved with the youth criminal justice system in Victoria.
Where is it offered?
Jesuit Social Services leads the delivery of Youth Justice Community Support Service across metropolitan Melbourne, in a consortium with other agencies.
The program is available across Victoria.
How does someone make a referral?
Youth Justice Community Support Service is a voluntary service, so a young person needs to agree to be involved.
Referrals to the program must be made by youth justice worker at the Department of Justice and Community Safety. Local area contacts are:
- Southern Melbourne and Bayside Peninsula (03) 8710 2700
- Hume Moreland and North Eastern Melbourne (03) 9479 0379
- Western Melbourne and Brimbank Melton (03) 9275 7353
- Inner and Outer Eastern Melbourne (03) 9843 6481