Our weekend workshops are a 48 hour retreat commencing at 6pm on a Friday and concluding at 3pm on a Sunday. They involve highly structured therapeutic group work processes, administered by extensively trained youth leaders and adult facilitators. Each workshop is overseen by a clinical supervisor. 

A typical workshop would consist of up to 50 young people, 18 support adults, and 17 youth and adult Leaders (including trainees). 

The objectives of the weekend workshops are:

• To create a safe environment for young people, enabling them to experience trust and develop communication skills. 
• To give young people an opportunity to talk about the issues that are affecting their lives.
• To support participants with personal trauma.
• To empower young people to find positive solutions, by drawing on their peers who have experienced similar issues. 

The Youth Leaders facilitate group work on topics including communication, self-esteem, trust, adolescent health and sexuality.

The Adult Leaders facilitate group counseling sessions that address issues including: 

• family conflict; 
• neglect;
• domestic violence;
• drug & alcohol abuse;
• sexual, physical & emotional abuse;
• grief & loss;
• self-harm & suicide; and
• bullying.  

Workshop Registration

New participants are required to complete a Pre-Program Referral Form. This form needs to be completed by the referring service provider, support adult or parent/guardian. After this form is submitted a representative from Youth Insearch will contact the referrer to organise a briefing and link the young person into a support group.

Following the briefing you will receive your own unique registration link. This registration link is then used to register for any future weekend workshops you wish to attend.

To attend a weekend workshop you need to complete and submit a registration form by the registration date, two weeks prior to the weekend workshop.

Learn more about Program Registration.

Please note:

Submission of a registration form and payment does not guarantee registration and attendance at the workshop. If we are unable to offer a place at the program we will refund the registration fee to you. Late forms or payments will not be accepted.

PROGRAM TRANSPORT

Transport to and from the weekend workshops is the responsibility of the referring service provider, support adult or young person. In some areas Youth Insearch may arrange a bus picking up from a central location. 

Program Cost

The cost of attendance is well below the actual cost to Youth Insearch and heavily subsidised by the fundraising efforts of the Foundation. No young person is denied access because they do not have the means to pay. Please call the Youth Insearch office on 02 8855 9700 to discuss.

Payments for attendance should be made 2 weeks prior to registration, and can be made by credit card via the registration form.

Alternatively you can call the office on 02 8855 9700 to make a credit card payment, or to obtain Youth Insearch bank details for Electronic Funds Transfer.

what to bring