Wesley Mission Melbourne: Services: Youth

Wesley Youth Services Eastern region (WYSE) provides placements and support for young people (aged between 12 and 18 years) who are subject to Child Protection orders.

The ACP program provides safe and secure emergency overnight, short-term or long-term accommodation in a home situation and high risk/need one-to-one care in the home of our volunteer carers. The program promotes connectedness for the young person to their community at a time when, often, there are many changes and challenges occurring in their life.

ACP recruits volunteer caregivers who are provided with ongoing training and professional 24-hour support.

The program develops placement agreements between the young person and the caregiver to promote a mutual understanding of the placement. ACP provides volunteers and clients with ongoing support by the Home Based Care Team and through volunteer meetings and home visits.

Our volunteers represent a diverse range of people. They may be single, single parents, couples, families, retired or working. They represent a variety of backgrounds, skills and life experiences, but all have the enthusiasm to assist the youth of today, to provide positive models and a safe environment. Every volunteer goes through a selection process which includes an initial induction to the program, a three part assessment, referee and police checks and an accreditation panel interview.

We are always looking for foster carers who are willing to take 1 or 2 young people into their home to care for them. Carers can offer short, medium or long term accommodation for young people. Carers receive set tax free reimbursements to help cover their expenses.

Mary Duncan has been a volunteer carer with WYSE for over 12 years

“It began when we had a renovation and ended up with a spare room. My daughter was at school with two kids who were living in a shed and doing homework in a Laundromat to keep warm,” said Mary. When she heard about these kids Mary felt compelled to take action.

Mary’s own children were 17 and 19 when she approached Wesley. Over the years she has cared for around 100 kids in her home, some just for the night, with the longest stay being 16 months.

Part of Mary’s role as carer is to teach the young people basic living skills, such as cooking and cleaning. Once they are about 16 and can do this and budget, they can move into lead tenant accommodation and live semi-independently, although some young people will stay with their volunteer carer until they are 17 or 18.

“It’s something useful that I can do. I enjoy it too, 99% of the time” she says. “Some of them are carrying so much emotional baggage, they have seen more of the bad things in life than I have. Often it is just a case of trying to keep them safe,” she says.

Mary is a ‘grandmother’ a couple of times over, and remains in contact with a number of the young people who have stayed with her, “They come back and visit and talk about what they are doing, it is so good to see them getting on with their lives,” says Mary.

Volunteer carers are always needed. If you can help, please contact Wesley Youth Services or click here to register your interest.

WYSE also run their own fully furnished houses for 16-17 year olds transitioning to independent living with a volunteer live in lead tenant, whose household bills (other than phone and food) are met by the agency.

WYSE operates four residential care units that provide accommodation for up to 13 young people at any time. Unit staff provide role modelling and support to young people in their care, many of whom have significant histories of poor relationships with adults.

Phone: (03) 9871 5333
Fax: (03) 9870 9576
Email: wyse@wesley.org.au