Hong Kong

Lifestyle Solutions Presents IABA Training September 2012

For the first time in Asia Pacific - a 3-Day training program introducing effective strategies to deal with challenging behaviours. In partnership with IABA and The Nesbitt Centre, Lifestyle Solutions will present Positive Practices in Behavioural Support Through Nonlinear Applied Behavious Analysis on September 20, 21, 22 September 2012

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 Lifestyle Solutions Hong Kong

At Lifestyle Solutions we understand the complex issues arising from substance abuse in young people and we acknowledge that too often this abuse leads a young person to have contact with, or become at risk of entering, the Youth Justice System

Our Youth Support and Rapid Response Outreach Services aim to address the needs of young people who are at risk of substance abuse and / or entering the Youth Justice System. The focus of our service is on early and rapid intervention to divert these young people away from detention.

Our Team

Our Youth Support and Rapid Response Outreach Services will comprise a team of Youth Workers who have extensive experience in dealing with young people with complex support needs, challenging behaviours and substance abuse.  Led by a Lifestyle Solutions Program Manager, our team will be equipped to respond quickly to support young people working with them to steer them on a positive path away from the Youth Justice System.

Our service delivery will be driven by our guiding principles to ensure we are:

• Responsive
• Flexible
• Innovative
• Person Centred; and we
• Never Give Up

Collaboration

Throughout this process we will work collaboratively with referring agencies, including Police and other relevant organisations, to develop a referral and intake system that identifies young people who are at risk of having initial or continued involvement with the Youth Justice System.

Process

On receipt of a referral, the Program Manager will be allocated a youth worker who will make contact with the young person within an allocated timeframe.  On initial contact the youth worker will make a time to meet the individual and complete a comprehensive assessment in relation to the young person’s offending behaviours and program needs.

A Case Management Plan will then be developed by the Program Manager, the Youth Support Team, the young person we support and their family and / or carers.

The Case Management Plan will outline:

• The young person’s goals
• The individuals key youth worker from the Youth Support Team
• The young person’s  attendance days
• Times and location for the individuals  attendance at the Behaviour Change Program; and
• The range of diversionary activities the young person will participate in with their youth worker that will support them to engage in positive age appropriate community-based activities including education and employment.

Youths at Risk

Lifestyle Solutions has a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the needs of young people who have had, or who are deemed to be ‘at risk’ of having, involvement with the Youth Justice System. Through our experience working with ‘at risk’ youth throughout Australia, we recognise that young people who engage in high risk, anti-social behaviour including substance abuse, assault and weapons offences often have issues relating to trauma and attachment that have developed as a result of the care, or lack thereof, that they have received by their primary caregivers.

To prevent further progression of young people who are at the early stage of involvement with the Youth Justice System (in particular involvement with Hong Kong police), our support will focus on addressing the underlying reasons for their offending behaviour.

We understand that a large proportion of children and young people who will access this service may have been victims of physical, sexual , substance  and emotional abuse, neglect and subjects of, and/ or witnesses to, domestic violence.  We recognise that these experiences can result in a range of issues including:

• Alcohol and drug issues
• Trauma
• Attachment and trust issues
• Low self-esteem
• Low self-confidence
• Poor self-image
• Anger management issues
• Difficulty with peer socialisation
• Violent outbursts
• Sexualised behaviour
• Withdrawal
• Cynicism
• Emotional and physical exhaustion
• Psychological symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, sadness and depression
• Disrupted sleep
• Night terrors
• Self-harming
• Sexually acting out
• Risk taking behaviour

Learning the skills and strategies to manage behaviour is hugely rewarding not only for the people we support, but also for their families, carers and friends.