The Navigator program is a State-wide initiative endorsed by the Department of Education that is currently delivered by community services across 8 regions within Victoria. The program aims to support young people aged 12 – 17 years to re-engage with education and training.
The Mission Australia Navigator provides support to young people across the Bayside Peninsula catchment which includes the LGA’s for Mornington, Frankston, Bayside, Port Phillip, Glen Eira, Kingston and Stonington.
Young people disengage from school for a variety of reasons including but not exclusive to mental health, substance misuse, family conflict, generational disadvantage, housing instability and complex trauma. Often young people experience a number of these risk factors simultaneously and often, it’s not obvious why disengagement has occurred.
Our approach is holistic whereby we aim to assist the young person to address the barriers they face on a day to day basis. Building rapport with the young people and their significant others has enabled us assess needs via engaging in open and honest conversations, develop client led and client focused individual pathway plans and facilitate referral pathways into specialist services. This program has also re-enforced the need for early intervention and highlights the benefits of collaborative case work
Many of our young people have successfully re-engaged back into education and as well as other specialist support services, which assist them with addressing barriers contributing to this dis-engagement from education.
Our team are grateful to all the young people, schools (mainstream and flexible) and services we work with as working collaboratively has achieved good outcomes for our young people. It’s very rewarding to see so many young people on a path to better health and education.
If you know any young people who would benefit from Navigator or would like further information please contact our friendly team at navigator@missionaustralia.com.au or phone 9213 2500.