This document describes the Joint Tenancy Assistance Program (JTAP), a partnership program that helps homeless young people aged 16-19 who have complex needs and contact with the juvenile justice system in NSW, Australia. JTAP provides housing and support over 4 phases spanning 4 months each to help participants build life skills and independence. The program has been successful, with 39% of participants exiting into priority housing and 67% resuming education achieving at least Year 10. Key elements of JTAP's success include flexibility, a supportive service network, case management, maintaining family connections, limited participant numbers, and a phased progress model.

1. Testament to the Resilience of Homeless Young People with Complex
Needs and in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System
Bronwyn Manion, Assistant Regional Director (Metro), Juvenile Justice
Bron Parker, Manager, ALIVE, CatholicCare

2. To Clarify
● Describing Homelessness
● Who are Juvenile Justice clients
● High Needs
● What is a Successful Program

3. JTAP Flowchart
Skills Personal Sufficient
growth growth independent skills
Referral Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
4 months 4 months 4 months 4 months
High risk
client with
limited Assessment Growing Consistency Settled
options
of needs independence
Repeat Repeat Move to Priority
Housing
3

4. What is JTAP?
● Joint Tenancy Assistance Program
● Commenced in late 1997
● Partnership of Juvenile Justice, Housing
NSW, CatholicCare and Bridge Housing
● Focused on homeless young people
(16-19 years) with complex needs in
contact with the Juvenile Justice system

5. Participant profile
● 33% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
● 22% Multicultural
● 93% Mental health issues
● 80% Experienced abuse/neglect
● 90% Spent time in custody
● 40% Had a parent or sibling in detention

6. Resilience process
● Dynamic process
● Adaptive functioning
● Replaces the absent family/carer
support

7. Risk factors
● Non voluntary clients
● Homeless for at least 12 months
● Aged 16-18 years at time of referral
● In contact with Juvenile Justice with an order
of 6-9 months at time of referral
● High complex needs

8. JTAP Measures of Success
Percentage who exit JTAP into Priority Housing 39%
Percentage of those who exit into Priority Housing 47%
who are Indigenous
Percentage who resume education and attain at least 67%
Year 10
Percentage who found employment 36%
Percentage who re-offend on JTAP 7%
Average length of stay on JTAP 9.8
months

9. Successful
Elements
Flexibility
of
JTAP Service Case
network Management
Family identity
Limited Phased
numbers progress
Cultural
sensitivity

10. Contact
Bronwyn Manion
Juvenile Justice
Bronwyn.Manion@djj.nsw.gov.au

Bron Parker
CatholicCare
bron.parker@catholiccare.org