2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT

YFS is funded by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government.

YFS acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are Australia's First

Peoples and the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we meet and work.

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Brittany, 19, admits her journey hasn’t been easy as she has faced many obstacles in her life. “I’ve been put through a lot even when I was a kid.

I wasn’t in a good place. Everything is different now,” she says.

She was five months pregnant and considering adoption when she came to YFS in September 2015. She was struggling with mental health issues as a consequence of an abusive relationship. She had to leave her ex-partner’s parents’ place and she needed a place to live. “I was feeling anxious, sad and stressed out. The only thing available was emergency housing but because I was pregnant I couldn’t stay there.”

Brittany lived in share housing for a while, but wanted to find a place of her own. Renae, her worker from YFS’ Step by Step program, helped her send applications to different places. At the same time, through counselling, Brittany’s mental health gradually started to improve. “My worker helped me become a more confident and comfortable person around others,” she says. Brittany also changed her mind about adoption. “When I had my son in January 2016, I didn’t want to let go of him. I became very protective.”

“I had absolutely nothing at all. YFS basically helped me find everything I needed for the baby. They got it for me within a day or two.” In March 2016, Brittany moved into private rental on the same street her mother lives. She still lives there with her son.

Brittany’s worker Renae says she’s made several long term changes in her life while working together. “She has developed skills in parenting, budgeting, confidence and understanding relationships. She is very independent and can now confidently recognise this herself,” Renae said.

Brittany says that some days things still get a bit too much for her to deal with but she feels much better. “My worker was extremely helpful and always checked on me and my son,” she said. Brittany’s son goes to day care two days a week and she is looking for a job. She is happy with all the changes in her life and has many things in mind for the future. “I can see myself traveling together with my son, just making good memories.  One day I will have a nice perfect life.”

Skills and education are critical for independence and participation.

Education is a key to escaping disadvantage, and skills such as

communication, coping, money management, tenancy, control of

emotions help people maintain stability.

Our Step by Step family support team undertook a process of development and improvement in 2016-17, working with a families expert to ensure our work with parents helps them build the skills they need to improve family functioning in sustainable ways. An evaluation of the program found that parents improved their knowledge, skills, behaviours, confidence to make decisions, engagement with support agencies, and impact of immediate crises.

Our Get Ready team continued to educate people in Logan, Redlands and the Gold Coast about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Over the course of the year, Get Ready helped more than 1,300 people with disability and their carers and supporters to prepare for the rollout of the NDIS in July 2018.

Looking forward: In 2017-18, YFS is developing the capacity of case managers across our organisation in crucial areas like parenting and child development, rapid rehousing and domestic violence safety planning.