Supporting our youth
LAST week I mentioned looking after our mental health during this pandemic.
This week I want to specifically mention our youth and the work that council’s youth services is undertaking to support young people in our municipality.
In particular, there has been a strong focus on our year 12 students through school study group sessions and wellbeing programs across schools.
Our youth services team has also been conducting outreach to young people in Robinvale and Manangatang, which includes face-to-face Empower Youth Program clients or via Zoom.
Youth Services continue to have daily client meetings with Empower Youth Program clients, which is currently at around 95 referrals.
The Empower Youth Program, delivered by council’s youth support program, seeks to work with young people who have disengaged or are at risk of disengaging from family, education, and/or community to identify their health, career and wellbeing aspirations.
Online weekly Novo meetings are taking place as are fortnightly student representative council meetings in Robinvale.
There are also NOVO initiatives for vulnerable young people.
Online workshops will be running to support young people in our municipality.
These workshops will be based around various topics, including self worth, failure, fear, supports, healthy relationships and study blocker.
Guest speakers are also delivering online tailored workshops around connection and healthy relationships, while youth services is helping to conduct virtual life skills, with a broad focus on
making this accessible for all young people.
There are also online music events and art/photo competitions.
Youth services continue to hold service meetings with other agencies to ensure they can work in co-operation and there is no duplication of content.
As always, council’s youth services planning and programming has been done in full collaboration with young people, with around 35 young people in the initial planning phase.
Youth services will continue to be adaptive during this time for the needs of the community.Visit the Youth Inc Facebook page for more resources, online events and information at www.facebook.com/swanhill.youthinc.
There are also a number of online resources including dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus, headspace.org.au, beyondblue.org.au and kidshelpline.com.au
Locomotive and windmill relocation
AT its ordinary meeting this week, council resolved to relocate the locomotive and large windmill at the Pioneer Settlement.
This follows on from council’s July meeting, where councillors resolved to proceed with the construction of the Our Place building at site option one, inside the Pioneer Settlement.
The decision required the retention of the windmill and locomotive on the Pioneer Settlement grounds and that an investigation of the required repair works for the Pental Island Bridge is undertaken.
The locomotive will move to a new location behind the General Store, while the large windmill will be relocated to the site of the smaller windmill near the homestead dam. The smaller windmill will be relocated to near the Vega.
The decision of council also took into consideration an online and phone survey where the community was asked to give their thoughts on the relocation sites for the locomotive and windmill within the Pioneer Settlement.
For more information about Our Place and to ask questions of the Our Place team, visit www.swanhill.vic.gov.au/our-place.
