SYFS offers Work and Development Orders to help young people work off their fines
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 11:53
Work and Development Orders are now being offered by Southern Youth and Family Services to assist young people in paying off their fines and providing them with an opportunity to engage in a positive activity such as counselling and trainitng etc.SYFS has been approved by the State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO) to run a Work and Development Order Scheme in the Illawarra. Work and Development Orders offer eligible young people the chance to work off their fines. Young people could attend counselling, a course or other positive activity and receive points to work off the fines. Young people can approach SYFS and a plan will be drawn up but must be approved by the SDRO.
The Work and Development orders which are issued and administered by SDRO allow eligible people who have a mental illness, intellectual disability, or cognitive impairment, are homeless, or who are experiencing acute economic hardship, to satisfy their fine debt through unpaid work with an approved organisation or by undertaking certain courses or treatment.
A Work and Development Order can only be made if an application is made through an approved organisation, or in the case of mental health or medical treatment, a health practitioner qualified to provide that treatment. A Work and Development Order can include one or more of the following activities:
- Unpaid work for, or on behalf of, an approved organisation
- Medical or mental health treatment in accordance with a health practitioner’s treatment plan
- Educational, vocational or life skills course
- Financial or other counselling
- Drug or Alcohol Treatment
- A mentoring program (this option is only available if you are under 25 years of age)
