Young parents (16-18 year olds), as well as 16-17 year olds eligible for benefits from WINZ will now find themselves in the care of Family Works Support Services.
Family Works is an arm of Presbyterian Support based at 601 Gloucester Street and follows a community support model.This has come about following the government’s recent welfare reform process. Transfers of current WINZ clients affected will be gradual over the next few months.
Other community providers are expected to be approached by Family Works with a view to partnering in the provision of educational and social services.
Team Leader Anne Batin writes:
This initiative represents a radical shift in focus placing the Work and Income based administration of financial assistance for this group of people, within the framework of a Community Support Model. The aim of the initiative is to provide ongoing social and emotional support to those requiring financial assistance from the government, and to work with them to develop a set of skills which will help them in the future.
Presbyterian Support has been selected as the provider of this service in Canterbury and Selwyn, Ashburton; the West Coast and Nelson and Marlborough. Our aim will be to provide a wrap-around support service, tailored to the individual needs of the individual/s, to enable them to meet their contractual obligations for Work and Income, and to create opportunities for the development of skills and confidence that will enable them to reach their potential.
We have created and trained a specialised Family Works Youth Services team of Youth Coaches, to provide this service, with the overall objective of making a positive difference in the lives of this targeted youth group.
In Christchurch and Selwyn, we have a large number of young people to transfer to our service. We have a negotiated transition plan in place for this process, and we envisage transferring approximately sixty people per month, for the next three months, as well as working directly with all newly referred clients.
During this transition phase, we will also be making contact with a wide range of community providers and education support services, to see how we can best work together. We welcome any contact you may wish to have with us, at any stage of this process and we will endeavour to develop a positive working relationship with all those involved in the ongoing support of young people in our communities.
Anne Batin can be contacted by phone: 373 8280 or 373 8285 or 027 837 6013
