West Coast Youth & Community Support

WYCS is a vibrant, responsive client focused service that empowers young people, individuals and families on the Eyre Peninsula to implement changes enabling access to housing, training and healthy community participation, leading to better outcomes for young people in our community.

WHAT WE DO

West Coast Youth and Community Support (WCYCS) has three main departments which provide services to the Eyre Peninsula:

HOMELESSNESS SERVICE

WCYCS Homelessness department supports over 240 clients per year. This support includes providing or coordinating living skills, transport, mental health, medical, legal support, housing, furniture, budgeting support, education and drug and alcohol support. Key aspects of this service includes: Providing quality support to people in the community facing barriers to the most basic of human rights shelter. Undertake a collaborative approach to investigating the housing and emergency accommodation options for single people in the Lower Eyre region. Provide early intervention and outreach services aimed at engaging those most in need of support. Maintain community awareness regarding issues faced by people who become homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.

YOUTH PROGRAM

Youth Programs are a major part of WCYCS role within the community, with over 150 young people supported each year and many more through community activities. This support includes; education, social, legal, mental health, housing, drug and alcohol, disability and transition support. All programs offered through Youth programs are based on the principles of genuine Youth Participation where Youth initiate sheared decisions with Adults and activities are Youth led in consultation with Adult Youth Workers as equal partners The programs run for youth by WCYCS are: Mega Musos at Youthoria Youth Leadership Camps Port Lincoln YAC ICAN case management School Holiday programs Youth Volunteering programs Work Skills programs 4Real Life Skills program Break Out- Justice Diversion program Youth Opportunities Rock and Water therapy program Journey To respect- young men’s program Healthy relationships for girls.

FAMILY AND ADOLESCENT COUNSELLING SERVICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Access to a qualified youth focussed counselling service for young people aged 10-15 and their families or carers. Over 80 families per year are supported and many more through promotion and programs. This service is confidential and can assist within a range of areas including relationship/family counselling, drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, healthy relationships, social and self esteem issues, grief and loss. These sessions can be conducted individually or in joint session for family therapy. Program based activities such as parent group and well being programs are also offered subject to demand.
Within this department we are also pleased to be offering a community development program thanks to the money raised through the highly successful Life Is A Circus Gala Ball in 2014 and the generous support of Bendigo Bank Port Lincoln and Cummins. Throughout 2015 we are delivering Take Charge of Your Life a course designed to empower individuals to positively influence their own well being. A community development worker is also coordinating a Mentally Fit EP project across the Eyre Peninsula-designed to promote the message of Mental Wellness and promote service availability and promotion in conjunction with innovative social media and IT accessibility for people in our community. We hope to create a Mentally Fit EP- a place where people know where to go for support and how to support each other!

YOUTHORIA

Youthoria is the local cinema in Port Lincoln. Originally built in 1929 and known as the Flinders Picture theatre. WCYCS took over the lease on the cinema and has since run it, providing marginalised young people with an opportunity to gain work experience, since its inception more than 60 young people have moved on to work within our community in other business. Youthoria provides an array of activities throughout the year including: Community Events – support of other community groups through fundraising events Reconciliation Week short film festival Mega Musos Youth Drop IN space.