Past and Current projects
2008 - 09
Smarter Safer Sex Project
YSAS partnered with the Australian Drug Foundation to conduct the Smarter Safer Sex Project. The aim of the project was to restrict the transmission of sexually transmitted Infections and blood-borne viruses among disadvantaged (out of school) young people in Victoria. The project involved engaging young people in the target group and enabling them to participate in the development of a user-friendly website with relevant content for young people in their circumstances. The project was guided by a youth advisory group and involved conducting a further 10 focus groups. The project was fully funded by the DHS Health Promotion Funding Initiative - HIV and STI prevention.
www.safersex.com.au
2007 - 2009
Best Practice Guidelines for engaging and retaining Indigenous offenders in treatment interventions.
YSAS was sub-contracted by Ngwala to assist them in developing Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) for engaging and retaining Indigenous offenders in treatment interventions. The guidelines are targeted at Forensic Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (AT&OD) clinicians from both Koori and mainstream agencies and developed in consultation with Indigenous communities in Victoria. The project also involved reviewing recently developed Clinical Treatment Guidelines: for Co-occurring Acquired Brain Injury/Cognitive Impairment and Alcohol and Other Drug Use Disorders. The aim was to provide strategies for engaging Indigenous people with cognitive impairment in drug treatment services. The project was fully funded by the DHS Drugs Policy and Services Branch.
2005 - 2006
Clinical Treatment Guidelines for Alcohol and Drug Clinicians No 13, Youth Alcohol and Drug Outreach
YSAS collaborated with Turning Point to develop a set of Best Practice Guidelines for AOD workers in Victoria that systematically describe youth outreach work. The project involved conducting an extensive literature review and interviewing 45 expert consultants.
Guidelines available at www.turningpoint.org.au/library/lib_ctgs.html
2005 - 2008
Forensic Workforce Training Program Development
Training courses and clinician workshops were developed, in partnership with Caraniche, to meet the skill and knowledge needs of forensic alcohol and other drug clinicians. The project included an extensive literature review, training needs analysis and the delivery of training to over 1050 forensic alcohol and other drug clinicians. The program was fully funded by the DHS Drugs Policy and Services Branch.
View Forensic Workforce Training Program [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 137.73 KB]
View Forensic Workforce Training Program Supplement [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 369.18 KB]
2007
AFL House
YSAS was engaged by the State Government Office of Housing and the AFL Players’ Association to research and design a model of service delivery for a housing and personal development program for homeless young people. The service was to be administered by an experienced non-government organisation and conducted in cooperation with by the AFL Players’ Association.
2007
AFL’s Respect and Responsibility Policy
YSAS partnered the Adolescent Forensic Health Service and the Victorian Police Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Co-ordination Unit to develop the AFL’s Respect and Responsibility policy for the prevention of violence against women. The project also involved YSAS and partner organisations delivering a training program to all 16 AFL clubs to embed the policy in their organisational culture.
Found at
www.afl.com.au/Portals/0/afl_docs/afl_hq/Policies/R_R_Policy.pdf
2005
National Youth Depression and Alcohol Review and Action Plan
YSAS was contracted by beyond blue to develop the National Youth Depression and Alcohol Review and Action Plan for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. The project was funded by the then Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Hon. Christopher Pyne, to identify effective models of prevention, early intervention and service provision for young people with issues of high alcohol consumption and depression.
View National Depression and Alcohol Review [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 9.06 MB]
2004
Development of a “Comprehensive Wellbeing Framework” for the Victorian Department of Human Services,
YSAS was contracted by Success Works to assist in the development of a “Comprehensive Wellbeing Framework” for DHS. The framework has universal application for any health or education related professional working with children and young people in Victoria. The project was fully funded by DHS Community Care Branch.
Literature review and framework available at:
www.success-works.com.au/CompProjects.htm
2004 - 2005
Pathways to Recovery Project (Thailand)
YSAS developed the “Pathways to Recovery - AOD Outreach” training package for the AIDS Projects Management Group (APMG). YSAS collaborated with local Thai academics, medical practitioners and outreach workers to make a conceptual and verbal translation of the training material. The program was initially delivered by YSAS trainers with interpreters. Local trainers were selected and trained to deliver the program in the Thai language. A further program was then delivered by the Thai trainers in Thai with a YSAS trainer in attendance for guidance.
View Thai Pathways to Recovery Project Report FINAL
2003 - 2004
Victorian Truancy Minimisation Project
YSAS collaborated with the University of Melbourne Youth Research Centre and the Centre for Adolescent Health to develop strategies to minimise truancy rates for young people with drug related issues. The project involved a comprehensive literature review and the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies. The project was fully funded by the Victorian Department of Education.
2004
Melbourne City Mission: Melbourne Youth Support Services (MYSS), future directions discussion paper
YSAS was contracted by Melbourne City Mission to develop a future directions discussion paper for MYSS that included an articulation of their practice approach.
2004
Melbourne City Mission, Youth Transitions Program Linkages Project
Melbourne City Mission contracted YSAS work with their Youth Transitions Program to develop formal linkages with partner agencies.
2005
Family Connections Project
Jesuit Social Services contracted YSAS to prepare the final report for the Family Connections Project.
2002 and 2006
Mater Hospital (Brisbane), Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Withdrawal Program (ADAWS) - Service review and planning
The Mater Hospital in Brisbane contracted YSAS to facilitate a one year and five year review of their Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Withdrawal Program. This also involved a significant component of program development.
2005
Evaluation of the City of Monash Gay and Lesbian Support Program
YSAS was contracted by the City of Monash to conduct an evaluation of their Gay and Lesbian Support Program.
2002
Australian National Training Authority “AOD Toolbox”
Kangan-Batman TAFE and YSAS collaborated to upgrade the Australian National Training Authority “AOD Toolbox”. The toolbox is the on-line, competency based training tool for the AOD industry. The project was fully funded by the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Training.
2001
Cambodian Working Together Project
YSAS was contracted by the Department of Education to develop and implement an alcohol and other drug peer training program. The aim was to educate key members of the Cambodian community about alcohol and other drugs and devise with them strategies for engaging and supporting families and young people who experience problematic substance use.
2000
Berry Street Victoria Substance Use Policy
Berry Street Victoria contracted YSAS as consultants to assist in the development of its Substance Use Policy. A whole of organisation approach was adopted and YSAS conducted an in-service training program to embed the policy in organisational culture and enhance practice. The project won a DHS Best Practice award in 2000.
