The Reach founders dreamed of teaching young people the skills they need to cope with life no matter how good or how hard it gets. They found the best way to do this was to encourage young people to talk openly, build their confidence and resilience, and inspire them to dream.
To ensure the maximum safety and effectiveness of these programs, The Reach Youth Support Team established a ‘SafetyNet’ structure comprising:
1. Child Safety
The Child Safety arm of the SafetyNet program refers to reach’s policies and procedures established to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people participating in Reach’s programs, as well as standard selection, recruitment and training procedures of staff, crew and volunteers:
* Reach Young Person Protection Policy
* Reach Police Check/Working with Children Check Policy
* Reach Complaints & grievances Policy
* Child safe selection & recruitment standards
* Crew & Staff Policy training
* Crew Handbook
* Reach Risk Management Procedures
2. Psycholigical Wellbeing
The psycholigical well being arm of the SafetyNet program refers to the community network of referrals both in and out of Reach programs, as well as the discreet psychological support provided before, during and after all Reach programs, by the Reach Youth Support Team:
* Psychologist/social worker in attendance at every Reach program
* Pre-program participation assesments
* Youth Support Team involvement in program planning
* Proffessional supervision for Reach Facilitators
* Youth Support Team peer supervision sessions
* Post-program debriefing
* Reach medical & consent forms
* Crew Training
3. Research and Evaluation
Reach ensures programs are effective, relevant and monitired through continual evaluation. Reach’s Research and Evaluation Committee developed the Well-Being in Young People Study, a longitudinal project which supported the impact of Reach programs on lowering young people’s symptoms of depression while increasing their self-esteem, mastery, optimism and sens of control over internal states.
Click here to see a copy of the Reach Young Person Protection Policy.
