Changing the ways practitioners work with young people transitioning from care

Through collaboration with providers across sectors at a state and national level, BSL programs share learnings and evidence-based practice models. We work with other organisations, both locally and nationally, to develop these models to broaden our impact.

Since 2016, BSL has worked with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop the Better Futures service, through consultation, a pilot, workforce training and the development of a practice framework. Now in its second year, Better Futures is a state-wide government service for young people aged 16-21 aiming to equip young people with the appropriate supports, networks, skills, experience and vision they need to transition from care services to independent living.

All of this work is underpinned by an Advantaged Thinking approach which represents a paradigm shift in the way we think about and respond to young people experiencing disadvantage. It is a shift away from deficit, disadvantaged or problem-saturated thinking towards Advantaged Thinking and acting. It is focused on identifying, developing and, most importantly, investing in the skills, capabilities and assets of young people so they can establish sustainable livelihoods beyond the service system.

Since August 2019, BSL has been enabling and sustaining this approach via the state-wide Better Futures Community of Practice in Victoria. It is made up of BSL, DHHS and 29 Better Futures providers, and offers a platform that promotes learning through:

  • an exchange of practice-based expertise;
  • sharing of place-based knowledge; and
  • embedding monitoring and evaluation processes in service delivery to inform practice and ongoing service improvement.

The community of practice meets three times a year. BSL and DHHS have developed the Better Futures Practice Framework to support practitioners, mentors, educators, employers and others working with young people in care services, including government and non-government agencies delivering the Better Futures service.

Our DHHS partnership

A woman in corporate clothes smiles at the camera
Crystal Cartwright worked with BSL to create the Better Futures community of practice.

Crystal Cartwright is a Senior Project Officer in the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Children, Families, Communities and Disability Division’s Transitions from Care Team.

“We’ve had a really strong working relationship with BSL throughout the development of Better Futures,” says Crystal. “BSL have played a critical role in driving practice development and reform by facilitating our Better Futures training, Communities of Practice and practice development sessions.”

A key benefit of having a community of practice is sharing experiences, networks and resources between providers in a safe and open forum. This also includes gaining key learnings from the pilot providers. “It’s a place for providers and stakeholders to talk about what’s working well and what the key challenges and barriers are. And when we identify those areas, there’s opportunity for collaboration, collective problem solving and innovation,” says Crystal.

“We’ve heard providers talk about how they’ve embedded Advantaged Thinking from a whole-of-organisation perspective,” explains Crystal. Advantaged Thinking drives a shift in how government and community sectors invest in and support young people. “BSL has been instrumental in working with our providers around the Advantaged Thinking approach,” says Crystal. “To hear about steps and strategies that another provider has already put in place has been really helpful and encouraging to others.”

In line with Advantaged Thinking, one of the key components of the community of practice is representation from the Youth Expert Advisory Group (YEAG). “Hearing directly from young people with care experience about the issues that matter to them and the changes they would like to see to create positive outcomes for other young people – is something that cannot be underestimated,” says Crystal.

“In terms of ongoing practice development, the Better Futures Advantaged Thinking Practice Framework is already being used by practitioners, but it is new and there is room for it to evolve and change,” she says.