Based at our Bell Street office, our Resource Service provides emotional one-to-one support for those young women who are moving on from our Accommodation Project or who don’t need our accommodation. Our office is welcoming and comfortable with individual one-to-one rooms and we encourage our young women to feel at home there. There is a security buzzer entry system and there are other organisations based in the building so it will not be obvious who they are coming to see.
When a young woman first meets a Resource Worker, she can discuss her needs and what she is looking for. Support is trauma-informed and will vary depending on what she needs and how she feels. We keep it as flexible as possible to allow her to access it at a pace that suits her.
The first stage for a young woman new to our service is Crisis Resource, while waiting for either an Accommodation flat or a Resource Key Worker. This involves 10-12 support sessions to focus on her immediate needs and establish safety. Once she has completed Crisis Resource we will continue with well-being check-ins and she can attend our Drop-In Group so she is never left without access to our service while she is on our waiting list.
Emotional support involves one-to-one sessions with the young woman. Her Resource Worker will work through the issues she is facing, but again, as a trauma-informed service, this is done at a pace that is comfortable for her.
During these sessions, we will help her to understand what has happened to her, the trauma that has been caused by sexual abuse and the impact it has on her daily life. We work towards building her resilience, confidence and self-worth so she can go on to have a happy and fulfilling life.
We operate the Social Model of support, i.e. ‘it’s because of what’s happened to you, not because something is wrong with you’, and use the framework of the Judith Herman model: Establishing Safety, Mourning & Remembering, Reconnection and Move On.
Our staff strive to ensure our young women are being treated fairly and are aware of their rights and entitlements. Our young women feel fully supported and know they can turn to us for help when they need it. Knowing they have someone on their side, someone they can trust and who does not judge, is of immeasurable benefit to their wellbeing, allowing them the ‘headspace’ to work on other aspects of their recovery from abuse.
Hours of Service:
Monday to Friday: 9.30am – 5pm
On-call support is available for young women in crisis
