Child Safety

Supported Independent Living
(Out of Home Care)

15 – 17 YEARS

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is an out of home care provided by Youturn. Referrals for this service come directly from the Queensland Government Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services. This model of care provides an opportunity for young people to live in independent accommodation, whilst being supported by a dedicated team of support workers and case managers.

Youturn’s SIL program is funded by the Queensland Government Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services, for 18 placements across the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions.

The service has a strong focus on:

Supporting young people to heal from trauma through safety, connection and teaching healthy coping skills

Increasing a sense of safety for young people and assist with building healthy and trusting relationships with family, adults, peers, and social networks

Build on a young people’s life skills, including increased cooking skills, housekeeping skills, budgeting skills and supporting young people to engage in a range of services and activities in the wider community to increase their self-care capacity. All of these skill developments are building the young person’s ability to successfully and safely transition to adulthood

Support young people to engage in education, training and employment along with providing the young person with opportunities to learn to drive and/or increase confidence is accessing public transports. The SIL program also provide support to young people who wish to engage in formal and information therapies

Get in touch

To find out more, donate and support our work please contact us on:
T: 1300 679 849
E: reception@youturn.org.au

This program is based in the Sunshine Coast
Funded by the Queensland Government Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services

Sophia’s story

I came to here after spending two months in a Domestic Violence shelter. I grew up in Ethiopia and came to Australia in 2012 at the age of 12 with my uncle and cousins. Things were very difficult where I was living and after 7 years I was supported by a multicultural worker who helped me find accommodation at a DV shelter.

After spending two months in a Domestic Violence shelter I was referred to Youturn Crisis Accommodation. For the first time in a very long time, I felt like I had a safe place to call home. Previously I had missed a lot of school, but having an education is so important and I was determined to finish a See Program at Tafe. Fran at Golden Beach helped me develop a Case Plan with some key goals including completing the Tafe hospitality course, increasing my independent living skills and seeing a Psychologist at headspace, to help me deal with my childhood trauma.

It was hard to adapt to a new routine and I used to get very anxious – “I felt like an Alien”. But after 6 months at Golden Beach, I slowly made friends and started to find my feet. I discovered a love of cooking and enjoyed cooking traditional Ethiopian dishes for the other residents.

It has not been easy, but I am getting there – I am starting learn who I am, what I want to achieve and to tick off my goals… I am almost finished my Tafe course, I have managed to find shared accommodation in the local area and I am really excited to have been offered an apprenticeship as a chef here on the Sunshine coast.

* Sophia, 19 years (name changed)