Strengthening Communities one biography at a time

The model developed by the Youth Advocate Programmes is a response to the broad strategy of providing Community based support to high risk families and is part of National and International strategies of keeping young people... [ view full abstract ]

The model developed by the Youth Advocate Programmes is a response to the broad strategy of providing Community based support to high risk families and is part of National and International strategies of keeping young people out of institutional and residential care and supporting them integrate into their local communities. The model was developed as a response to a significant challenge for society of high risk youth and families who traditionally reject school, exhibit antisocial behaviour and end up costing the State/ Local Authorities significantly.
The model combines the established practices of Wraparound, Mentoring, Family Support, Positive Youth Development and Restorative Justice in the context of offering a culturally competent intervention to people who may have challenging behaviour, have Mental Health difficulties, Autism, a disability or come from cultural minorities.
The model is based on the fundamental premise that everyone has strengths.
The intervention provides for a paid Advocate who comes from their local community to ensure cultural competency, who mentors the young person through their issues, builds a sustainable trusting relationship that impacts on the attitudes, behaviour and outcomes sought. The aim is to have the young person become an asset to rather than a drain on their community.
The Advocate will develop an Individualized Service Plan(ISP) for the youth based on the interconnected needs and strengths of the young person by mobilizing formal and informal supports within the youth´s natural community. The plan is tailored to the unique needs and strengths of each family. A respectful partnership is developed with the family members who are productive collaborators in the intervention, and the ISP.
The model is only achieved through an effective wraparound of the family and so the partners will mainly include family members, extended family, Social Services, local Health Agencies, Juvenile Justice or Probation, local community agencies and at times local employers. The Advocate assembles the key stakeholders to formulate the needs of the youth and family and ensure the services are wrapped around the family before the Advocate withdraws. When YAP is invited to intervene, they assess the situation and an Advocate will meet with the youth and thereafter for a determined number of hours per week in their home, school or community, normally between 10-15 hours. However the service is available 24/7.
The model is evaluated for short and long term outcomes through an outcomes system to measure its impact and through an outcomes booklet to help the youth see how they are changing their lives. These measurements are taken at the beginning and end of the service intervention across 4 domains, Self, Family, Education/Employment or Training and Safety/Offending Behaviour.
A recent longitudinal evaluation of the model by the NUI Maynooth concluded that the model had a statistically significant impact on the outcomes of the youth.
Model was also highlighted in Peer Review funded by the European Commission, 2015. The publication aimed to identify effective solutions and strategies for social inclusion of different disadvantaged groups. The YAP model is included in the 31 good practice models from all across Europe which emerged following a highly structured and critical examination of over 290 good practices.
In conclusion the critical factors to the success of the model are:
1.Matching an Advocate to the Youth ( provision of a trusting relationship)
2. The training provided to the Advocate and support by the line manager.
3. The Never Give Up attitude of staff ( No eject/No reject approach)
4. Family feel listened to and supported .
5. Adaptability of the model and flexibility of staff
6. 24/7 support as so many issues arise with families out of office hours.