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There were big smiles all around at our Karratha office when we heard our Pilbara Community Alcohol and Drug Service (PCADS) team was announced a finalist in the 2024 WA Youth Awards.
The PCADS team has been named a finalist in the Youth Focus Sector Collaboration Award, thanks to its innovative partnership approach to delivering the Young Person Opportunity Program (YPOP).
Funded by the Mental Health Commission, YPOP is a voluntary drug treatment program for young people aged 12 to 17 years who have come into contact with the juvenile justice team for minor offences.
YPOP aims to support young people to address their drug use and equip them to make positive choices going forward. However historically, there have been high non-attendance rates.
Rethinking YPOP
The PCADS team set out to change this. Working closely with headspace Karratha, the local juvenile justice team and young people themselves, they began to reimagine how YPOP could be delivered locally.
From the very beginning, young people were at the heart of the project. PCADS and headspace Karratha conducted one-on-one consultations with young people to capture their needs, experiences and preferences.
A clear picture began to emerge.
“We identified that young people needed a young person friendly setting, where they can interact with other peers before or after their session,” said Sam Doran, PCADS Manager
“Working with the other organisations, we began to create that. headspace Karratha has provided space for PCADS to regularly deliver AOD counselling session. The central location enabled the Youth Justice team to assist with transportation, enabling young people to participate.
Making a difference
“Before YPOP started, young people would need to be almost entrenched in the justice system before Magistrates were given the option to add AOD counselling to sentences.
“Now young people can access these services, in an environment inspired by and created for them. It gives them the chance to address their AOD use and start putting in place strategies to prevent further offending.”
The key partners have maintained strong communication channels and have continued to innovate and adapt YPOP to meet the needs of local young people.
“We have systems that mean when a young person is in front any one of the key partners, we complete any referral they need, book the next appointment and organize any transport they need. Then we communicate that to all partners,” said Mr Doran.
“It is early days but we are seeing demand for YPOP increase, attendance at YPOP sessions increase and among participants we are seeing reoffending rates decrease.
“It’s a really important program, and the way we are delivering it means local young people want to access it.”
The 2024 WA Youth Awards will be held at the end of September – we have our fingers crossed for the PCADS teams.
Hope Community Services runs alcohol and other drug services throughout Western Australia.
