Abstract

As one of seven projects funded by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services to investigate exemplary practice in adolescent health, a study was undertaken in the Department's office in the Northern Metropolitan Region that examined two existing primary health projects: the Keeping in Touch with Schools (KITS) Project, auspiced by the Eltham Community Health Centre and Diamond Valley Secondary College in the City of Nillumbik, and the Youth Counselling Awareness and Support (YCAS) Project, auspiced by Kildonan Family Services in the City of Whittlesea. Proiect features that were explored included elements and type of service, referral pathways and linkages, consumer satisfaction and other service outcomes, elements critical to success, obstacles, supervision and staff training, standards and guidelines, planning and evaluation, promotion of the service, and organisational structure. The study found that a combination of characteristics contributed to the success of the two projects that were examined. These pertain to skills and expertise of staff, flexibility of the service, cost, the type of service model, co-location with other services, linkages and partnerships, outputs and outcomes, feedback, management structure, standards and guidelines, planning processes, and evaluation.