Reconnect

Reconnect is an initiative funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs as a community based early intervention program for young people aged 12 to 18 years, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and their families. Reconnect uses family focussed early intervention strategies to help the young person achieve family reconciliation and improve their level of engagement with work, education, training and the community.

Reconnect services provide counselling, group work, mediation and practical support to the whole family, to help break the cycle of homelessness. Reconnect providers also ‘buy in’ other services to meet the individual needs of clients, such as specialised mental health services.

FaHCSIA funds a number of Reconnect specialist services including Indigenous and Newly Arrived Youth. The Reconnect - Newly Arrived Youth Specialist providers target newly arrived young people aged 12 to 21 years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and their families. To be newly arrived, the young people must have arrived in Australia in the previous 5 years. They can be from all visa entry types, however there is a focus on young people on humanitarian and family visas.

Centrelink works very closely with Reconnect. Centrelink social workers can refer young people and their families to Reconnect where the service is operating in the local area.

How do you contact a Social Worker?

• Telephoning Centrelink and asking to speak to a Social Worker and making an appointment to see a Social Worker.
• Being referred to a Social Worker by other Centrelink staff or community agencies.

For more information, contact your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.