Youth at Risk Initiative (YARI)

What is the Youth at Risk Initiative (YARI)?

The Youth at Risk Initiative combined eleven existing funded youth initiatives into a single initiative. This will improve services to vulnerable young people aged 10-25 years by specifying expected outcomes, prioritising services to the most vulnerable young people, and streamlining administrative processes.

The objectives of YARI are to:

• promote greater integration of service delivery and avoid duplication
• reduce administrative compliance burden for services who are currently funded under multiple initiatives
• be flexible and responsive to the highest priorities and address a diversity of needs
• give services the capacity to demonstrate the outcomes of their work and measure longer term outcomes linked to reduced offending and homelessness
• work collaboratively with human service systems including, but not limited to:
  • housing and homelessness
  • youth justice
  • child safety
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services
  • family support and domestic and family violence services

The following initiatives have been consolidated to form the Youth at Risk Initiative:

• Early Intervention Young Parents Support
• Innovative Health Service for Homeless Youth
• Outside School Hours Care
• Personal Support and Skills Development
• Regional Crime Prevention
• Social and Economic Development Services
• Youth and Community Combined Action
• Youth at Risk Outreach Services
• Youth Crime Prevention
• Youth Suicide Prevention
• Youth Sector Development Services

YARI Statewide Support Services - Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, Local Government Association of Queensland and Impact - will have a key role in supporting the implementation and ongoing development of the Youth at Risk Initiative.

Youth at Risk Initiative Program Guidelines and Referral and Information Sharing Protocol

The YARI Program Guidelines and the YARI Referral and Information Sharing Protocol are now available to provide funded organisations with clear direction and information to deliver services under the initiative.

• YARI Program Guidelines (PDF, 344 KB) YARI Program Guidelines (RTF, 564 KB)
• YARI Referral and Information Sharing Protocol (PDF, 284 KB) YARI Referral and Information Sharing Protocol (RTF, 141 KB)

History and Development of the Youth at Risk Initiative

The Youth at Risk Initiative Sector Forum

On 12 October 2010 a forum involving 29 service providers, peak and state-wide organisations was held to discuss the implementation of the Youth at Risk Initiative.

• Summary of the Youth at Risk Sector Forum (PDF, 135 KB) Summary of the Youth at Risk Sector Forum (RTF, 29 KB)

The Youth at Risk Initiative Discussion Paper

The Office for Youth developed the Youth at Risk Initiative Discussion Paper to facilitate consultation with regions and funded services. The discussion paper:

• articulated government priorities about services for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people
• described evidence-based interventions
• outlined practice principles to guide service delivery
• aimed to promote coordinated and integrated service delivery.

Consultation: Youth at Risk Initiative Discussion Paper

All funded youth services were posted and emailed the discussion paper for feedback.

Relevant departmental staff were emailed a link to the discussion paper and encouraged to provide comments.

Regional forums also took place across the state.

• Youth at Risk Initiative Discussion Paper (PDF, 328 KB) Youth at Risk Initiative Discussion Paper (RTF, 193 KB)

Consultation remained open until 28 February 2011.

A Consultation Report Summary was developed and is now available.

• Youth at Risk Initiative Consultation Report Summary (PDF, 172 KB) Youth at Risk Initiative Consultation Report Summary (RTF, 64 KB)

For more information about YARI