Helping people live free from drug & alcohol dependency and other life controlling problems

Grace Academy offers a faith-based alternative for life transformation. The residential program is based upon Christian principles for living. Our aim is to provide youth, adults and families with an effective and comprehensive faith-based solution to life-controlling drug and alcohol problems in order to become productive members of society. By applying biblical principles, Grace Academy endeavours to help people become mentally sound, emotionally balanced, socially adjusted, physically well, and spiritually alive. This is applied through mentoring, class work, and completing personal studies. It also includes work detail, learning new skills and good work ethics. The program is fully structured and supervised.

Our target age group is 16 years onwards. Entry into the program is solely on a voluntary basis and can be applied for through our Intake Coordinator. The Academy is open to anyone who is struggling with a life-controlling problem i.e. - a problem that appears to control their life (drug dependency, alcoholism, emotional problems, internet, sex, gambling, etc.). We primarily service Victoria although we can take referrals from interstate Teen Challenge Centres.

The program can take between 15-18 months to complete with the aim to graduate in around 15 months. This is because the focus is not the amount of time a person spends in the program but on the progress and maturity that takes place within their life.

The life transformation program involves the individual breaking with their life-controlling problem, reactivating the maturing process and developing a new lifestyle. This enables the person to become an acceptable and functional member of society, fortifying them to live free from old habits. This is achieved through Personal Studies, Group Studies, Work Duties, Recreation and Physical Exercise and a Personal Mentor with whom they meet with on a regular basis.

GRACE ACADEMY
Teen Challenge began in 1958 when a young preacher was moved with compassion to reach out to young people on the streets of New York. Since then Grace Academy has spread to approx. 1000 centres in over 93 countries around the world (September 2013: www.globaltc.org ).

Grace Academy Victoria is a program running through Teen Challenge International Victoria. It has been providing help for people caught up in drug & alcohol abuse, and other life controlling problems for over thirty years. We are an inter-denominational ministry and registered charity that is governed by a Board of Directors including the Executive Director. As an established Drug and Alcohol life transformation service, Grace Academy Victoria is registered with the Hospitals and Charities Board and the Health Commission of Victoria.

WHAT DOES THE GRACE ACADEMY PROGRAM OFFER?
Grace Academy is concerned with the "total person". The program is structured to address each person's spiritual, mental, physical, social, and educational needs.

SPIRITUALLY: Grace Academy views the students’ problems as symptoms which relate to deeper issues and conflicts. Real healing is experienced when spiritual needs are met. It is the power of God which gives the ability to one to be able to deal with problems and live a more effective life.

MENTALLY: The healing of the abused mind is of key importance. The consistent study of the Bible enhances mental growth by serving as the foundation for the restructuring of negative, worldly thought patterns, and for creating a new and more stable way of life. Personal mentoring and group therapy with concerned staff members helps students to answer questions and work out the conflicts that they are facing.

PHYSICALLY: Grace Academy cares for physical needs on a long-term basis. It provides shelter, food, clothing, and recreation. We occasionally cover the cost of dental, vision care, and prescription drugs, if there are no other