What does an empowering working model look like on the ground? How can we build capacity of children and adolescents to understand their wellbeing and take positive actions themselves? How can we shift power dynamics to truly work in partnership with young people? The Common Approach is an established and evidenced way of working to do this.
The Common Approach enables a common language about wellbeing among agencies, organisations, staff and families - building a strong foundation of wellbeing literacy, improved relationships and more integrated service provision. It also enables practitioners and communities to focus on strengths, work holistically and take a person-centred approach.
The Common Approach is currently being implemented across education, health, allied health, community, and social service organisations throughout Australia; within government and non-government sectors. Practitioners and individuals trained in the Common Approach are supported by a suite of resources that facilitate conversations with young people and families by providing prompts and guidance. It is not a tool, or risk assessment, or appropriate for crisis situations. It is, however, a universal way of identifying the needs of a child, young person, or their family early, before they progress into serious or chronic problems, or crisis situations.
This presentation provides an overview of the Common Approach with a special focus on the concept and practical implementation of empowerment. It will outline how children and young people’s voices informed the development of the approach. The presentation will also emphasis how the approach has been used effectively within and outside of the mental health sector and includes feedback from over 2000 practitioners trained in the Common Approach.