Service crisis

By Tania Martin
YARRA Ranges and Cardinia Shire Councils last week called for the State Government to address serious shortages in youth services in the hills.
The neighbouring municipalities are experiencing shortages of youth focussed services such as mental health, counselling, drug and alcohol programs, youth programs and adolescent health services.
Cardinia and Yarra Ranges have joined the Interface Councils campaign as it calls for the State and Federal Governments to inject $99.5 million over the next four years to develop locally based youth services.
The Interface Councils represents Victoria’s fastest growing communities on the urban fringe of Melbourne, including the municipalities of Cardinia, Yarra Ranges, Melton, Mornington Peninsula, Nillumbik, Whittlesea, Wyndham, Casey and Hume.
Cardinia mayor Kate Lempriere said the Government should give urgent attention to needs of current and future youth services in the outer east.
“Current services are not meeting the needs of young people and they are already falling through the cracks,” she said.
“We have done our research and have a good picture of what young people in Cardinia need to address the service gaps but we can’t do it alone.”
Shire Yarra Ranges mayor Tim Heenan said one of the biggest youth services problems was funding for mental health.
“There is a pressing need for additional mental health counselling in Melbourne’s outer metropolitan areas,” he said.
Cr Heenan also said the major problem with youth services was the need for locally based outreach programs.
“Young people need access to mental health service close to home – not somewhere in the city or inner suburbs,” he said.
“Without councils providing essential outreach support many young people would have nowhere to turn for help.”
Cr Lempriere said one of the major problems for young people in the outer east was being able to get the services.
“Young people in Cardinia need to access services and programs locally,” she said.
“Travelling between 35 to 55 kilometres to access services using our extended or non existent public transport is just not meeting young people’s needs.”
Youth Affairs Minister James Merlino said the State Government was committed to ensuring that Victoria’s young people reach their full potential.
“We are supporting young Victorians in a range of ways to ensure that they have access to services, opportunities to make a difference and a chance to have their say,” he said.
Mr Merlino said that as a major growth area, Cardinia Shire faces many challenges associated with population growth, particularly in the areas of youth and young families.
“We currently fund a wide rang of youth programs in Cardinia, with more than $153,00 provided in 2006-07 across five programs areas that support young people’s participation and development of links with the local community,” he said.
But according to the council the State Government’s funding for the 2007-08 budget of $60,500 for the FreeZA program and a youth participation and access program was a stark contrast to its own contribution of $300,000.
Cr Lempriere said a change in both youth services and transport would give young people the best chance in staying connect to their community, getting help and responding positively to the challenges of life.
“We need youth services in Cardinia, where young people live, go to school or work, and the means for them to easily travel to those services,” she said.