By Karen Poh
YOUNG people living on Melbourne’s urban fringe are falling behind their metropolitan counterparts in many crucial areas, the group of eight Interface councils has said.
The councils – from Wyndham, Melton, Hume, Whittlesea, Nillumbik, Yarra Ranges, Cardinia and Mornington Peninsula – have banded together to call on state and federal governments to provide additional funding and services to support young people living in their municipalities.
They said that in areas spanning suburban communities, small townships and rural properties, transport and infrastructure had been a major challenge for the delivery of and access to existing services.
Almost half of Victoria’s growth in the past five years had been at the urban/rural interface, and the trend was expected to continue, with an increasing proportion of the local population made up of children and young people.
The Interface councils highlighted four areas of concern: the need for locally based youth workers; prevention and early intervention strategies in education; adolescent health teams; and mental health services covering prevention, early intervention and crisis management. They estimated it would cost councils about $16 million a year each to meet these needs.
Wyndham mayor Shane Bourke said young people represent the future of of the city, and it was imperative that state and federal governments commit adequate funding to cater for their needs.
“More needs to be done to engage young people in work and education and to provide access to mental health services.
“We also need more preventative programs in place to ensure that young people who are at risk don’t slip through the cracks,” he said.
With more than 22,000 young people living in Wyndham, almost 20 per cent of the population was aged between 12 and 25.
“It is a significant proportion and state and federal government funding is required for the continuity of services,” Cr Bourke said.
He identified local groups such as Anglicare Youth Counselling, Wyndham Learning Community Centre’s alternative education program, the Create Youth program for youth at risk, and Werribee Support and Housing for youth housing support.
“The continuity of the ORYGEN Youth Mental Health Service, which has recently begun operating some services at Hoppers Crossing, is also crucial,” he said.
