SWAN Hill’s youth services sector has received a huge boost with the announcement that a dedicated regional youth hub will be set up in the city in the coming months.
The Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic) has successfully lobbied the Labor Government to fund two new regional offices in Swan Hill and Warrnambool.
The Minister for Youth Affairs, Jenny Mikakos, made the announcement last Thursday, saying $962,000 will be provided over two years for the two sites.
YACVic CEO Georgie Ferrari told The Guardian the new hub, expected to be in place by around February, would work to build on and assist youth services across the Swan Hill district and beyond, offering them training and networking opportunities.
Ms Ferrari said YACVic would also advocate for youth across the state, and having a regional office in Swan Hill meant it could hear directly from people on the ground about what the issues concerning them were.
“If people are talking about a big spike in self-harming rates or teen pregnancies, or whatever the issue is, you can go to relevant ministers but also relevant bodies that work in that space to talk about how those issues might be addressed,” she said.
According to Ms Ferrari, the site would complement the incoming Headspace — which is expected to open in the next couple of months — as YACVic had a strong relationship with the youth mental health organisation.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Monday’s Guardian (November 23).
