Government cuts mean Eastwood early intervention centre must close

The Eastwood program, formally in Chatswood and know as “Our Space” served as an early intervention program for young people 11-15 who were at risk of or had disengaged from education. Over the past five years the program worked with over 320 young people in case management, 130 students in the Board of Studies Endorsed Alternative Education Program and over 30 families in the family support program.

This program was successful in supporting young people to improve their well-being and transition back into education or alternate learning pathways. It was also an opportunity to support the families in making long lasting change. The program was funded under the Youth Connections Program and was one of programs cut by the Federal Government early last year.

Oasis was very disappointed to have to close the doors on the Northern Sydney program in December 2014.

Education Manager Josh Field thanked the passionate staff who always went the extra mile and stayed till the very last days of the program. “It was an honour to work with such highly skilled and passionate staff who saw potential and believed in every young person they worked with”. He also went on to thank the supporters of the program, City of Ryde, Ryde Family Services, Christian Community Aid, Tafe NSW, Department of Education and Communities and other stakeholders that have been there on the journey over the past five years.

It was a very emotional farewell for the students, their families and the staff, but it is comforting to know that our time was not wasted and that we have had a positive and lasting impression on those who visited “Our Space”. We would like to share just a few of those successes with you…

---

“We supported a young person to engage with education for the first time in a year. The first day he came to enrol in the program he wasn’t able to get out of the car due to crippling anxiety. By the end of term 4 and the graduation, this young person had achieved almost 100% attendance at the program, attended all extra-curricular activities, joined a drama group and supported other peers to attend the same group.”

---

 “Another student would not speak at all upon referral due to severe anxiety. She had been disengaged from school for 6 months and would not engage with other services. By the end of the term, this same young person had started to voice her opinions in class, participated in group discussions and had a clear sense of the directions she wanted to pursue for a career. “