Bert Williams Centre

The Bert Willams Aboriginal Youth Services (BWAYS) and is a service of and managed by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited (VACSAL). BWAYS has been operatin since the late 1970’s and has been funded through various Victorian Government operated the service and in 1984 the operation of the service was transferred to VACSAL.

BWAYS aims to deliver proactive and preventative services to Koorie youth who reside and / or visit the North and West Metropolitan Region (NWMR) with the focus of reducing the over- representation within the youth justice system and their progress through the youth justice and homeless service system. This is achieved by ensuring that BWAYS delivers appropriate responses to enable quality outcomes for Koorie youth who are homeless and / or are within the youth justice system or at risk of entering the system.

Aims and Objectives

BWAYS aims to deliver a proactive and preventative services to Koorie youth who reside and / or visit the North and West Metropolitan Region (NWMR) with the focus of reducing the over- representation within the youth justice system and their progress through the youth justice and homeless service system. BWAYS aims to deliver a proactive and preventative services to Koorie youth who reside and / or visit the North and West Metropolitan Region (NWMR) with the focus of reducing the over- representation within the youth justice system and their progress through the youth justice and homeless service system.

The Bert Williams Aboriginal Youth Services comprise of three streams of operations -Aboriginal Youth Hostel Crisis/Homelessness Short Term Accommodation Koorie Youth Justice Program (KYJP) Early School Leavers Program (ESLP)

Aboriginal Youth Hostel Crisis/Homelessness Short Term Accommodation

Available for: 12 week accommodation Target: Aboriginal Male aged 16 — 22 Services / Supports: safe and secure crisis accommodation, 24 hours a day, case management, independent living and life skills, networking, assistance to secure, medium-term accommodation and / or reconnect to family and/ or community.

Koorie Youth Justice Program (KYJP)
Target: Male and female aged 10-20 years of age Services / Supports: Court advice, networking, case work, secondary consult, Aboriginal Cultural Support Plans, Community supports and linkages, early intervention and prevention programs

Early School Leavers Program (ESLP)
Target: Male and female aged 10-20 years of age Services / Supports: Case work, Community Support and Linkages, Early Intervention, Networking and Community activities (i.e Homework Classes)