This Communities of Practice session explores how youth services across South Australia are responding to increasingly complex and overlapping needs experienced by young people. It offers a space for workers to reflect on practice, share insights, and critically examine the challenges, and most importantly, the strengths of youth service delivery.

Young people are presenting with intersecting needs, such as housing instability, mental health challenges, and disability, which can stretch the capacity of services to respond effectively. At the same time, the youth sector brings unique strengths: the ability to meet young people where they are at and work alongside them through relational, flexible approaches that support a broad range of needs.

This session will draw on the expertise and experience of attendees to highlight and share effective responses that workers are using in practice, with the aim of building collective capacity and reinforcing the skill, adaptability, and professionalism of the South Australian youth sector.

What we’ll explore

• How services are adapting to support young people with multiple, intersecting needs.

• The strengths (and limits) of relational, youth-centred practice to respond to complexity.

• When to hold support within a service – and when to refer on.

• The line between a ‘no wrong door’ approach and working beyond your scope and skill?

When: Thursday 28 May 10–11:30am
Where: Online (meeting link delivered prior to event)
Who: Youth sector workers, team leaders, managers and senior practitioners

Places are limited to support meaningful discussion, please RSVP to reserve your place.