One of the offerings in the new office will be Save the Children’s Out Teach program, funded through the Department of Education, which employs a mobile teacher to work with young people who are disengaged from education.
The teacher develops individualised education plans to build on the young person’s strengths, helping them realise their educational goals. By using a mobile classroom, students can engage in outdoor and informal settings, encouraging hard-to-reach learners.
Save the Children Tasmania state manager Lisa Cuatt said this was the first stand-alone office Save the Children had on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
“While we have been providing services in the North West for many years, we have always co-located with other services. Now we have our own space to achieve our ambitious goals for the children in the region,” Ms Cuatt said.
Other programs will include the Intensive Family Engagement Service – a family support program delivered in partnership with Child Safety Services.
The program works intensively with families for four to six months and aims to reduce the number of families requiring statutory intervention and placement of children in out-of-home care.
The Devonport office’s Integrated Family Support Service is part of Gateway, which provides a single point of entry for all family support referrals in the state.
Assessment is completed by Gateway intake workers, after which a Save the Children family support worker begins weekly visits in the home, providing families with a coordinated, professional family support service which includes parenting education, emotional support, help with connecting with their local community and referrals to specialised services.
Another program, Supporting Young People on Bail, is a voluntary program that works with young people 10 to 17 who are on bail awaiting sentencing.
Youth Workers provide support to young people to achieve their recreational, educational and vocational/employment goals during their bail period and beyond.
“The need for services in the Devonport area is significant and Save the Children hopes to continue expanding and providing the support local families need,” Ms Cuatt said.
When: 10.00am, Thursday September 13, 2018
Where: Save the Children office, 1b Middle Road, Devonport.
Call Jess Brennan on 0421 334 918 for interviews