Launchpad CYCC Transitional Programme

The LaunchPad Youth Transition Programme involves transitional residential care for youth aged 15 to 21 who are preparing to leave care, return home or move on to independent living

Reason for Launchpad Programme

• Youth, who grew up as children on the street, often relapse back to substance abuse, problematic behaviour, or street life once they leave residential care.
• Youth in care need independent living skills, personal interests, social networks, and maturity if they are to succeed.
• Youth in care need a less institutional environment within which they can take more personal responsibility, help manage their daily lives, complete their schooling and developing work, tertiary study, extra mural and community-work experience
• Youth in care need an intense youth focused therapeutic program to deal with deep underlying trauma
• Youth who leave care need formal and ongoing networks and aftercare support.

Purpose of the Shelter

• To ensure that youth who leave the Homestead are well set for a future path into successful adulthood.
• To help the youth prepare for the practical considerations of accommodation, day to day living skills, necessary documentation (ID, bank account, etc)
• To help the youth complete their schooling and develop education and/or employment opportunities for when they leave care.
• To address past trauma and to ensure the youth focus on their future so they do not constantly get drawn back to their past and relapse into unhealthy behaviours or street life
• To create a system of interdependent living and ongoing reciprocal care systems so youth are not abandoned into adulthood.

Impact of Launchpad Programme

• Since opening in February 2016 this project has shown a 100% success rate of stabilising youth out of care and into independent living and employment.
• The number of shelter children now motivated to stabilise and enter this project has risen dramatically, by over 120%
• The sharp spike in the number of volunteer and community groups wanting to work in this programme proves a stable development environment.
• Participation by the youth in a wide variety of community, work and social commitments has changed these youth from passive recipients to active citizens helping to put back into our community .