We know that young people leaving care face a much higher risk of homelessness, substance abuse and disengaging from learning than their peers – so in 2016, we invited a broad group of stakeholders to trial a new case conferencing model.

Case conferences aimed to improve outcomes for 10 young people transitioning from out-of-home-care, while learning and working together to improve the system.

You can view a summary of the leaving care case conference process here.

The Outer Eastern Melbourne Area Partnership worked with Peer Academy in November 2016 to host a series of workshops, giving participants the opportunity to experience co-design techniques to help generate innovation around solving issues many young people face.

Getting out of their comfort zone, participants practiced empathic interviewing, reframing for positivity, the 5 Whys exercise, and brainstormed both good and bad ideas.

Around 60 people from agencies, state and local government, local businesses, schools, universities, TAFEs, and the broader community to take part in the sessions, which built awareness around the challenges facing young people; and provided a testing ground for participants involved in the current round of Co-design Sprints.