The Y.Engage program supports young people aged 12 – 25 who live or play in the Inner North and Gungahlin regions of the ACT to identify and reach their goals.

The Y.Engage program works in an outreach capacity with young people to find the right support, the right worker, at the right time. We do this through using person-centred, scaffolded support to connect young people with the services and resources they need whilst implementing capacity building activities to support their individual skill development helping them feel visible, heard, active and empowered within the community.

The Y.Engage program provides short term case management for clients aged 12 – 25. The program focuses on supporting clients to gain assistance and/or develop strategies to address issues including but not limited to housing, social isolation, disengagement from employment and/or study, AOD, relationship issues and mental health. Y.Engage Case Management is informed by a strengths-based, person-centered model with a focus towards collaboration and co authorship of action plans developed with the client. Clients can be referred through government or non-government organisations by accessing the online referral form, clients can also complete a self-referral and be referred from family or peers by speaking with Y.Engage staff.

The Y.Engage program embeds Asset Based Community Development principles to respond to the voice of youth to develop activities, events, programs and groups in response to a range of community needs. Whilst addressing the needs of the community through these various avenues we aim to create volunteer opportunities for young people to run youth-led events and programs that are for young people, by young people.

The Y.Engage program is possible by Child Youth and Family Support Funding commissioned from the Community Services Directorate.