Very sadly, a lot of young Australians feel disengaged and are on the verge of missing out on living healthy and productive lives. In fact, research finds out that 1 in 4 young Australians aged 16-24 lives with a mental illness, and 1 in 3 experiences moderate to high levels of psychological distress, plus other painful discoveries.
If you’re a parent or guardian seeing your kid pass through this process, you can see you’re not alone, and boarding schools usually provide a beacon of hope. Struggling adolescents will be received in a new environment where they can receive special care, behavioural intervention, and a path toward rehabilitation and growth.
However, the cost of boarding schools can be discouraging for many families, making it almost impossible to achieve. The good news is that some low cost boarding schools for troubled youth Australia can still provide the necessary therapeutic services and education for the growth of your kids. They are affordable because they usually receive government funding, or are operated by non-government organizations, which helps them not sacrifice excellence for affordability.
The same applies to free boarding schools in Texas, New York, and even Georgia.
Before we list these schools we need to know why a boarding school is preferable for a troubled youth.
Why Boarding School for Troubled Youth?
Boarding schools have proven to be one of the best solutions for young persons struggling with behavioural, emotional, or social issues. Here are some reasons why boarding schools can be beneficial for a troubled youth.
Structured Environment
In the words of B.F. Skinner, “If you want to change the people, change the environment that produces them.” This couldn’t be more true now, when your kid leaves their environment, including their old friends, it helps their mind to start working on other possibilities.
Well, it doesn’t stop on environment, because they will still come back home, right? That brings us to the next benefit.
Therapy and Counseling
The coaches or teachers of these low cost boarding schools for troubled youth in Australia have on-site professional therapists and counsellors that will provide both individualized and group counselling. Through this method, students can trace cues that caused their behavioural problems and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Life Skills Training
Another benefit is teaching young persons necessary life skills training including time management, conflict resolution, and social interaction. These skills can help them to perform better in their academics, work, relationships, and even at home.
Away from Negative Influences
As we spoke of the environment, in these therapeutic boarding schools we disconnect them from bad friends, gangs, drugs, or abusive relationships, and also help them not to return to them.
Boarding schools are not for everyone but could be a perfect choice for troubled teens or youths.
Now we have established this fact, let’s list these schools.
Low Cost Boarding Schools for Troubled Youth Australia
One of the beauties of these schools is how they have dedicated staff members, create personalised care plans that are unique to each individual, and have the ability to help victims break free from their past and embrace a better future.
Let’s get started with these schools.
1. Sir David Martin Foundation Triple Care Farm
- Age: 16 to 24
- Cost: $140 one-off non-refundable administration fee plus $150 per week
- Location: 580 George Street Sydney, NSW 2000
During Sir David Martin’s service as governor of New South Wales, he noticed the level of addiction to drugs, and alcohol, and homelessness of young people, after his service he decided to correct that by creating this foundation. Even from his speech to the Australia Day Council of NSW, you can tell his concern for these individuals, I would love to share the speech here, I know it will make the post longer, but I feel you might love it.
“…All those youngsters living away from their homes, in the back streets, the tunnels and the gutters, existing on a diet of drugs, violence, sickness and disease, cold, hopelessness and loneliness. That’s a big mess to clean, but we shouldn’t have let it get so fouled up. Every one of us has to try harder to bring all children up properly and prepare them to inherit Australia from us. These children are our most important assets for Australia’s future, yet we are carelessly squandering those assets…”
This drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility is for youths between the ages of 16-24 years, to help them to overcome addiction and regain their confidence in the community. It’s among the low cost boarding schools for troubled youth Australia that lasts only for 12 weeks and individuals will be receiving treatment and counselling, accommodation, educational training, and other extracurricular activities.
2. Dunlea Centre
- Age: 12 to 18
- Cost: $150 per week
- Location: 35A Waratah Rd, Engadine NSW 2233, Australia
This is among the affordable boarding schools for troubled teens in Australia who are at risk of family breakdown, and who are experiencing difficulty currently maintaining a positive relationship. Also, for young people who are unable to successfully engage in the education system.
This therapeutic boarding school program will be completed within 18 months. The program is focused on helping your kid build positive relationships, promote healthy behaviours, and provide a supportive environment to help young ones with behavioural and emotional challenges.
Admitted candidates will reside in their dorm, from Monday till Friday.
Dunlea Centre is one of the few therapeutic boarding schools for troubled youth in Australia that provides Common Sense Parenting (CSP) where parents and carers will develop skills to help nurture their kids better.
3. Veteran Mentors – Junior Leader Program
- Age: 12 to 17
- Cost: $5,500
Allowing Veterans to re-coach troubled kids is one of the best ways to restore them to normalcy, making this one of the best Behavioral intervention programs for troubled youth in Australia. Veteran Mentors programs are meant for children between the ages of 12 to 17 to address poor behaviours and become accountable for both their behaviour and decisions.
We know that this boarding school is a little bit more expensive than what we have listed especially when it’s only 8 days your kid will spend here, but listening to some other kids’ testimonies and trusting the results Veteran Mentors provide made us add them. You can listen for yourself in this YouTube video.
4. BackTrack
- Cost: Average of $1,000 per week
- Location: 15-17 Grafton Rd Armidale, New South Wales
This is among the low cost boarding schools for troubled youth Australia that designed their program around each young person. BackTrack was created by Bernie Shakeshaft because he saw vulnerable young people facing challenges that made it incredibly difficult to connect with their community, participate in education and training, or find employment.
BackTrack understands that each young person has a unique need, and they will allow them to develop at their own pace.
This therapeutic community program will mostly benefit those who are struggling with a range of issues, including substance abuse, mental health problems, and family conflict.
5. The Salvation Army’s Gateway Program
- Cost: approximately $1,200 per week
This is not just among the cheapest boarding schools for troubled youth in Australia, it also focuses on families, single adults, and couples who are experiencing primary homelessness and women and children escaping Domestic Violence. Their services include Homelessness Services, which is the largest provider of homelessness services across the country; and Alcohol and other Drug Services, where candidates might either completely stop or reduce their addiction.
⚠️ Please note that the information we provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal or financial advice. You should always consult with a qualified professional to discuss your specific needs and circumstances.
Success Stories of Low Cost Boarding Schools for Troubled Youth Australia
Kyle’s story
Caught up in the cycle of substance misuse and traffic offences, Kyle saw his life starting to unravel. He’d had his driver’s licence suspended and knew that incarceration and frequent bail checks were around the corner if he didn’t change his lifestyle.
Fortunately, Kyle secured a place at Triple Care Farm and staff were instantly impressed at how quickly he threw himself into every part of the program. They say he was like a “sponge”, eager to learn and grow, especially during his time in Rehabilitation. Continue with the Story
Lily’s Story
It was New Year’s Day 2019 when Lily admitted she needed help. Her mother, Jean* remembers the day vividly, “Lily had been very unwell for such a long time – both physically and especially mentally. Our relationship was fragile, and I was really scared that I would lose her”. Like 93% of the young people arriving at Triple Care Farm, Lily was living with a mental illness. Continue with the Story
Hugo’s Story
Hugo was a cheeky kid from a warm, close family. He mixed with great friends, loved surfing, art and had a lot of love to give. “I think my last year of school was my best year ever. I was confident and happy.”
However, with the routine of school behind him, life unravelled rapidly. The depression and crippling anxiety that he suffered in silence for many years became more than he could bear. “I could be in a room full of people but feel totally alone. Like lots of young people, I hid it well for a long time” Continue with the Story
Key Takeaway
The truth remains that troubled youth usually face lots of challenges whether it’s emotional distress and behavioral issues to family struggles and addiction. Sometimes these challenges might seem too much to stop, and hopeless.
Through these low cost boarding schools for troubled youth Australia, you can see how possible it is for healing, growth, and discovery of true potential to occur. Temporarily leaving their environment and coming to one of these therapeutic boarding schools gradually produces the healing needed, happily they are affordable and effective as well.
