MEDIA RELEASE

Friday May 3 2006

Gaps in youth support services put young people at risk

Young people in Victoria are at risk of not receiving crucial support services when needed, due to gaps in generalist youth support services in Victoria. Two peak bodies, the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) and the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic) have identified worrying gaps in support services to young people and are calling for Government to ensure young people's support needs are met.

A recent reallocation of funding has made worse a situation of declining availability of generalist youth support services. 'The situation is now one in which many young people are not accessing the vital support services they need' said Georgie Ferrari, Executive Officer of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria.

'The Government has invested significant resources into supporting children and their families through the Best Start initiatives, however they must ensure that this support is continued as children grow into adolescents and young people. Research shows that adolescence is a time of vulnerability, and young people need to be able to access services early when they are in need of support' said Georgie Ferrari.

YACVic and VCOSS are co-hosting the 'Youth Support Services: Who's Carrying the Can?' Forums in Melbourne and Benalla to further develop the evidence base of gaps in youth support services and to recommend actions for Government to address these gaps.

Generalist support services range from early intervention support such as general counselling and skill development, to more serious secondary intervention such as support provided to young people "at risk" of developing tertiary issues like chronic mental health issues, drug and alcohol issues or homelessness.

'We are collecting a strong evidence base that so far tells us that young people are missing out on crucial support services that, if available, can assist them to avoid a crisis situation. The level of need far outweighs the current availability of service response, and existing services are feeling the pressure' said Ms Ferrari.

The evidence collected from services across the state and from the forums will be collated in a public report by YACVic and VCOSS, to be released in June.

Details of the 'Youth Support Services: Whose carrying the Can?' Forums are:

• Melbourne: May 4, Richmond Town Hall, 333 Bridge Rd, Richmond
• Benalla: May 17, Community Care Building, Coster St, Benella.

For media contact

Georgie Ferrari
Executive Officer
Youth Affairs Council of Victoria
Ph: 9267 3799 or 0411 484 428