Statistics from our Reconnect program

Seventeen-year-old Skye wasn’t coping at home or school, and came close to running away from both. Our Reconnect program gave her the support and skills she needed to turn her life around and begin to chase her dreams.

During year 10 at high school, Skye moved to Sydney to live with her dad for the first time.

Sadly, adjusting to living with her dad and being semi-independent proved more difficult than she expected.

“I would usually eat dinner alone,” Skye said. “There were always different people coming and going from home who I didn’t know. It was very disruptive.”

Skye eventually moved out to live with her uncle, and was referred to Mission Australia’s Reconnect program for extra support with school and communicating with her family.

Turning young lives around

Reconnect assists young people aged 12 to 18 years who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, encouraging family reconciliation where possible. Our experienced staff help young people stabilise their living situation, maintain family relationships, and increase engagement with education, training, employment and the wider community.

“My counsellor provided a really comfortable space for me to ask for advice and support to get through my HSC and fix my family relationships.” Skye

Among many things, Skye’s Reconnect counsellor helped her realise that she was neglecting school subjects that she wasn’t doing so well at.

She helped Skye create time schedules and develop study skills, which resulted in an improvement in her academic results.

Skye says Reconnect gave her the resilience to complete her studies in the face of several challenges. “I would have definitely pulled out from completing my HSC [without Reconnect]. But my counsellor helped me … and supported me to focus on my future and push through.”

Skye recently started a full-time dance course (she’s been dancing since age two) and works in a cafe. She hopes to fulfil her ultimate dream, to study dance interstate and become a dance teacher.

Importantly, Skye’s relationship with her family is improving. “Now I actually talk to my family about issues and I communicate how I’m feeling. Before, I used to hold it in on my own.”


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Our founding purpose - 'Inspired by Jesus Christ, Mission Australia exists to meet human need and to spread the knowledge of the love of God'