Youth CONNECT
Innovation for Impact
Youth CONNECT was an innovative program supporting 300 young Queenslanders aged 15 to 25 who had recently left residential care, foster care or the youth justice system in Townsville, Logan, Gold Coast and Ipswich.
In a world-first, this six-year program (three groups) was funded by social impact investors and backed by the Queensland Government under a social benefit bond. This program was designed to help participants achieve stable housing, employment, education and work readiness and personal development - including cultural strength building.
This program is now complete.
Watch our documentary episodes to deep dive into what we do, why we do it, and how well it is working.
Youth CONNECT is a Queensland social benefit bond case management and support program, facilitating 300 young people in transitioning from statutory care while navigating adulthood, with success measured through rigorous evidence-based outcomes reported more than double the success rates predicted (including stable housing and engagement in work).
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Youth CONNECT sucess
Our Youth CONNECT program closed out at the end of 2023, and we couldn’t be prouder of the results. Our team supported two cohorts of vulnerable young people to improve their skills and opportunities, and their perseverance and strength was an inspiration. Overall the success of the program exceeded targets, with 52% of these young people meeting the formal success criteria of achieving stable housing, and consistent engagement in employment, education or personal development.
Read more about the program and its outcomes in our final Annual Report.