Young People’s Outreach Program

Young Peoples Outreach Program (YPOP) is an early intervention outreach program of DVCS, aimed at supporting children and young people aged 5-13 years old who have been impacted by an exposure to domestic violence over a period of time. YPOP works to promote children and young people’s recovery and wellbeing, and build ongoing supportive relationships and networks.

YPOP works with children who have been exposed to these behaviours at home either as witnesses or direct victims, and are showing behavioural signs of having been impacted by the trauma of this. These may be outward behaviours eg re-enacting violent and/or abusive behaviours, disruptions at school, problems with peers and friends etc, or inward such as more withdrawn, quiet, problems connecting with friends and family, disinterested in activities they previously enjoyed.

We recognise that children are part of a family system and YPOP workers seek to engage the whole family. It is a voluntary program and both the parent and child/ren need to want to engage with it.

YPOP also possesses therapeutic features, aimed at dealing with trauma and its impacts. For this reason it is of utmost importance both for the child and worker that the situation at home is safe prior to any work commencing.

How does YPOP work?

YPOP workers aim to build a positive rapport with a child/YP, as well as a trusting and safe relationship with all members of the family. We do this through engaging the child/YP in their interests and sharing new experiences with them, either at home or in the community. YPOP can also work closely with the child/YP’s school and teacher.

Once a positive and safe relationship is established with the child/YP and their family the YPOP worker invites the child, if at an appropriate stage and deemed ready, to have a conversation about their experiences at home, what strategies they have used to remain safe. This assists the child to develop their emotional vocabulary, identify personal strengths and resiliencies, while also validating and normalising their experiences and reactions. We aim to develop support networks around the child to continue to support their wellbeing after YPOP ends.

 Areas that YPOP workers can focus on include:

1. Healthy, safe relationships
2. Confidence and self-esteem
3. Building trust
4. Non-violent ways of responding to people and stressful situations
5. Anti-bullying
6. Coping strategies
7. Respect- how to demonstrate this, have respectful conversations
8. Personal goal-setting
9. Healing and growth
10. Exploring new skills and interests
11. Encouraging help-seeking behaviours

If you are interested in YPOP services for your child/ren, we encourage you to contact us to discuss further. We do not make any sound recordings of our conversations, but we do record that we spoke to you. This record can be made anonymously. If you are unsure, please speak to our crisis workers at the commencement of the call.