Past and Current Projects

2008 - Current
Koori AOD worker, Certificate IV in AOD work training program
YSAS is partnering with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Heath Organisations (VACCHO) and Ngwala-Willumbong to deliver a fully accredited Certificate IV in AOD work training program for 22 Indigenous AOD workers from across Victoria. The program is fully funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS) Drugs Policy and Services Branch.

2007 - 2008
Lodden-Mallee Region Indigenous Certificate IV in AOD work training and accreditation program
YSAS partnered with the Swan Hill Aboriginal Health Service to deliver a fully accredited Certificate IV in AOD work training program for 14 Indigenous health and community service workers from the Lodden-Mallee region in Victoria. The program was fully funded by the Victorian DHS Lodden-Mallee Region.

2008
Accredited AOD withdrawal training for Indigenous health and community services professionals
YSAS provided accredited training in AOD Withdrawal for Indigenous health and community services professionals in Echuca and  Mildura. Both courses were funded by the DHS Loddon-Mallee Region.

2005 - 2008
Forensic Workforce Training Program
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 - Current
The Critical Thinking About Drugs Seminar Series
A series of six thought-provoking and highly informative seminars was developed to give participants a deeper understanding of drugs and related issues.  These seminars were offered in six different locations across Victoria and were attended by practitioners and policy makers in the alcohol and other drug, mental health, education, criminal justice, community and welfare sectors. The program is fully funded by the DHS Drugs Policy and Services Branch.

2001 - Current
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Course: Alcohol and other Drug interventions
Since 2001 YSAS has been contracted by Mindful at the University of Melbourne Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health at Austin Health to deliver seminars on Alcohol and Other Drug Interventions as part of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Course. YSAS also conducts seminars for Mindful as part of their Developmental Psychiatry training program.

2007 - Current
The Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing Short Course
YSAS is a contracted trainer working with the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation delivering the short course “Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing” across Victoria.

For more information see: www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/

2008
Accredited AOD training for local organisations
In 2008, YSAS delivered accredited AOD training based on the four core AOD units in the National AOD competency framework. Separate training programs were delivered for mental health workers at Mind, housing workers at Homeground and crisis support workers at the St Kilda Crisis centre.

2006 - 2007
Alcohol and Other Drugs Training Program for Generalist Health and Welfare Workers
This was a two-phase project for DHS generalist health and welfare workers, including competency based training and non-accredited training on effective responses for clients with complex needs and chronic alcohol and other drug use. More than 300 health and welfare workers participated and evaluation results indicated changes in work practice as a result of the training. The program was fully funded by the DHS Drugs Policy and Services Branch.

View Generalist Worker Training Final Report [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 1.59 MB]

2000 - 2002
Youth and Family Services 2000 Project
YSAS, in partnership with Turning Point and Southern Family Life, developed and delivered accredited, introductory AOD training to over 2,300 DHS funded professionals in the health and community services sector. The program was resourced by the DHS Turning the Tide In-Service Training Initiative.

View Youth and Family Services 2000 Report [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 169.27 KB]

2002 - 2004
Youth and Family Services 2000 project extension: Advanced Drug and Alcohol Training
YSAS built on the accredited, introductory training provided for DHS funded professionals in the health and community services sector with an accredited advanced training program to 600 community care workers across Victoria. The program was fully funded by the DHS Turning the Tide In-Service Training Initiative.

View Advanced Drug & Alcohol Training Interim Report [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 70.47 KB]

1999 - 2000
High Risk Adolescent In-Service Training Initiative
YSAS developed and delivered a specific training program on youth substance abuse issues for a major DHS funded project aiming to build the capacity of statutory services across Victoria to better engage and address the complex needs of all young people in their care. The training was delivered as a component of a broader workforce development project conducted by the Centre for Adolescent Health.
 
1999 - 2002
Juvenile Justice centres: Comprehensive AOD training program
The DHS Turning the Tide In-Service Training Initiative incorporated a comprehensive three-phase training project in Victoria’s Juvenile Justice Centres. The project involved a blend of competency-based training, advanced on-site training and mentoring as well as the facilitation of practice improvement teams to improve the response for incarcerated young people with alcohol/other drug issues.

2002 - 2003
YSAS Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs Work project
YSAS provided its own funding to deliver a complete Diploma in AOD Work for 32 of its employees. All were accredited with the qualification.

2005 - Current
V/Line
On a regular basis YSAS conducts seminars for the professional development unit in V/Line. The focus is on enabling conductors and station staff to deal more effectively with intoxicated customers.

2001 - 2007
The Australian National Training Authority Post Employment Training Program
YSAS provided accredited AOD training for the Post Education Training Program (PETP). This is a scheme where private RTOs are funded to provide competency based training on specific subjects in identified regions for PETP. Between 2001 and 2007 YSAS received funding six times to deliver accredited training to youth AOD workers in the four core AOD units of competence.

2006
Nationally accredited advanced counselling skills training for YSAS staff
The Federal Department of Education Employment and Training funded YSAS under its PETP program to conduct up to $30,000 worth of advanced AOD Counselling skills training for YSAS staff. Fifteen full days of training were delivered to 20 YSAS staff members who were all accredited with the qualification.

2006
City of Frankston: working with intoxicated customers and people
Four public forums were designed and delivered for local traders in the City of Frankston focusing on dealing with intoxicated people. An average of 50 traders attended each workshop.

2005 - 2006
AOD training program for youth specific mental health workers
YSAS developed, delivered and evaluated an AOD training program for youth specific mental health residential rehabilitation workers. The project was fully funded by the DHS Eastern Metropolitan Region.

2005
Premier's Drug Prevention Council: Statewide Drug Prevention Training Program
YSAS and the Centre For Adolescent Health (CAH) collaborated to develop and deliver a two-day drug prevention training program for the Premier’s Drug Prevention Council in Victoria.
 
2004
Youth Dual Diagnosis Worker: orientation program
YSAS collaborated with Mindful (the Centre for Developmental Studies) to develop and deliver a Youth Dual Diagnosis Worker orientation program. The project was fully funded by the DHS Mental Health Branch.

International projects
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 the assistance of interpreters. Local trainers were selected and trained to deliver the program in Thai. A further program was then delivered by the Thai trainers in the Thai Language with a YSAS trainer in attendance for guidance.

View Thai Pathways to Recovery Project Report [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 78.26 KB]

YSAS also conducted a two week training course in Laos for youth workers on blood-borne virus prevention and community education approaches for young injecting drug users. Save The Children contracted YSAS to develop and deliver the training program with funding from the New Zealand government.

Interstate projects
YSAS has conducted numerous training programs interstate, including:

• AOD course on adolescent development and drug use with the with ACT Youth Coalition and a selection of Tasmanian youth services workers
• Several workforce development seminars with Centre Education in Logan City and the Flexible Learning Network in Queensland
• An accredited induction and orientation program with the ADAWS program at the Mater hospital in Queensland.